Volleyball digs for treasure, sunken at home by Pirates — PHOTOS
Arriving in Pahrump last Friday, Moapa Valley’s varsity volleyball program probably wasn’t thinking much about the strengths of their opponents until the end of the first set.
After dropping the opening frame of the match to the Trojans 25-23, the Pirates regrouped and took the gym by the horns.
Moapa Valley responded with authority, rolling through the next three sets 25–15, 25–17 and 25–21 to secure a four-set win over Pahrump Valley.
What began as a back-and-forth contest quickly shifted into a demonstration of control, with Moapa dictating tempo in nearly every phase.
Moapa Valley hit an impressive .315 as a team, piling up 56 kills on 111 attempts while limiting errors.
The Trojans, by contrast, had difficulty establishing a consistent offense, finishing with a .128 hitting percentage and just 27 total kills.
Sophomore Kai Muaina led the Pirates with 15 kills, while seniors Tag Jensen had 13 and Caden Rawson totaled 11.
Moapa Valley sophomore Stetson Houston delivered one of the most efficient performances of the night, recording nine kills on just 11 swings without an error.
Rather than relying on a single option, Moapa spread the floor and kept Pahrump guessing.
The balance stemmed from strong play at setter, as senior Spencer Stolworthy orchestrated the attack with 41 assists.
His distribution allowed Moapa to stay unpredictable, preventing Pahrump from settling into a comfortable spot defensively.
Pahrump Valley found its most reliable production in their senior, Andy Sanchez, who finished with 13 kills, but support was limited.
The team leader in kills (103), total blocks (14), digs (156) and receptions (205) did his best to keep the Trojans hanging in as long as possible.
No other player for Pahrump recorded more than seven kills, and extended rallies often ended without a decisive swing.
While the Trojans did display effort defensively—outdigging Moapa Valley 55 to 40—the inability to convert those touches into points proved costly.
Serving further widened the gap.
Moapa Valley applied steady pressure from the service line, totaling nine aces.
Even when Pahrump managed to handle serves, their transition offense remained inconsistent, reflected in 26 total team assists.
”They played so well against the Pirates!” Pahrump Valley head coach Amber Lugo said. “Sustaining and executing great play is around thier corner. We keep working hard in practice and it show in their matches.”
What’s ahead
With only four more matches remaining this regular season, the Trojans will have an opportunity to attempt to make a late playoff push.
This week the Trojans will head to Mesquite to take on the No. 5 Class 3A Desert League seeded Virgin Valley on Tuesday before hosting The Meadows at home Thursday at 6 p.m.
Next week, the Trojans will travel on the 27th to Doral Academy Red Rock to try to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Dragons earlier this season on March 27.
Set to host senior night ceremonies in the gym on April 29 against American Heritage Academy, the match is slated to begin at 6 p.m. with pre-game honorings starting around 5:15 p.m.
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@pvtimes.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.
