PVHS girls soccer ties Virgin Valley, falls to Moapa Valley

One demanding week showed the Pahrump Valley girls soccer team both what it can do and how much work remains.

The Trojans opened Class 3A Southern League play with a physical 3-3 tie against Virgin Valley at home Sept. 1, then encountered a much faster pace two days later in a 7-0 loss at Moapa Valley.

The results were markedly different, but coach Amy Carlson said the two matches carried a common thread: Her young team continued competing through difficult situations and began showing more of the effort and determination the coaches have emphasized since summer.

“We faced two of our top competitors in back-to-back matches, and while it was a challenging week, it gave the team a clear understanding of what it takes to be successful this season,” Carlson said.

The PVHS junior varsity team emerged from the same stretch with considerably different results. The younger Trojans defeated Virgin Valley 4-0 and Moapa Valley 1-0, producing consecutive shutouts while applying lessons from practice under two very different sets of circumstances.

Varsity earns hard-fought tie

Pahrump Valley’s varsity opened league competition by matching Virgin Valley’s physical play and remaining steady throughout the 3-3 draw.

Sophomore Avery Farruggia scored twice, while senior Paola Aguilar added the Trojans’ other goal. Senior Sydney Crotty contributed an assist.

Carlson said the Trojans created their goals by simplifying their approach, connecting passes and completing plays rather than trying to force opportunities.

“Opening league play with a 3-3 tie against Virgin Valley at home was a strong start,” Carlson said. “It was a physical game, and the girls stood their ground throughout.”

The tie also exposed correctable defensive problems. Gaps through the center of the field provided Virgin Valley with too much room to operate and helped create its scoring opportunities.

Carlson said those mistakes were within the Trojans’ control, giving the team something specific to address rather than leaving the coaches searching for answers.

Junior defender Cindal Monahan delivered one of her strongest performances since last season. Carlson said Monahan controlled the back line effectively and played with renewed confidence.

While the defensive gaps proved costly, Carlson said Monahan and the rest of the back line prevented significantly more chances than they surrendered.

Moapa exposes difference in pace

The challenge increased considerably when the Trojans traveled to Moapa Valley two days later.

Moapa’s speed and sustained pressure revealed the final piece Carlson believes her team must develop. Pahrump Valley possesses the necessary skill and has begun demonstrating the drive its coaches want, but it did not make decisions or move the ball quickly enough to remain with Moapa for an entire match.

The result was a lopsided 7-0 loss.

Carlson did not portray the score as anything other than a difficult defeat, but she also saw a response that could become useful as the season progresses. The Trojans maintained their composure, continued supporting one another and did not allow the mounting deficit to create conflict among teammates.

“With a deficit like that, it can be easy for frustration to create conflict on the field, but they never stopped supporting one another and never gave up,” Carlson said.

PVHS began matching Moapa’s intensity more effectively midway through the second half, although the adjustment came far too late to alter the outcome.

The Trojans did, however, stop Moapa’s scoring momentum. Pahrump Valley held the Pirates without a goal—or even a shot—during the final 20 minutes.

Kylee Lusk helped slow several attacking runs from the backfield, while Melanie Carson made a series of important defensive plays. Carlson praised Carson for applying lessons from practice and embracing whatever role the team needed her to fill.

The coach said the team did not discover an entirely new quality during the loss. The coaches have worked closely with the players since the beginning of summer and have seen their potential. The task now is getting a young roster to recognize that potential and play to it consistently.

“We are a young team, and with that comes some inexperience,” Carlson said. “We are competing against teams loaded with senior players, so we know there is still work to do.”

JV strings together shutouts

While the varsity experienced the extremes of a tie and a seven-goal loss, the PVHS junior varsity team continued its early progress with two victories and no goals allowed.

Raylee Smith recorded a hat trick in the 4-0 victory over Virgin Valley.

Christine Williams supplied the other goal in her return to competition after being sidelined by an injury for approximately six weeks. Carmen Gonzales and Brooklyn McMahon each contributed assists.

Genesis Trejo helped anchor the defense from center back, a relatively new position for her. Playing alongside Josie Gaitan, Trejo helped prevent Virgin Valley from generating the opportunities it needed to get back into the match.

“The JV team continues to grow and improve each week,” Carlson said. “With back-to-back wins, it was exciting to see the players apply what we have been working on in practice during games.”

The second victory required patience.

PVHS and Moapa Valley remained scoreless for nearly the entire JV match. In the closing minutes, Gaitan moved forward from her defensive position and scored the deciding goal, giving the Trojans a 1-0 victory.

Carlson said the entire JV roster contributed against Moapa, translating its work in practice into a composed team performance.

Intensity becomes varsity priority

For the varsity, the next stage of development is clear.

Carlson wants the Trojans to increase their intensity, make decisions sooner and sustain a faster pace throughout the match—not merely after an opponent has seized control.

Against Virgin Valley, the Trojans showed they could stand their ground in a physical contest and generate goals through disciplined passing. Against Moapa, they showed glimpses of the pace necessary to compete with the league’s strongest teams, but only after the outcome had effectively been decided.

The next challenge is turning those glimpses into a full-match performance.

“We have the skill, and we are continuing to develop the drive and determination we need,” Carlson said. “Now we must bring a higher level of intensity throughout the entire game, make quicker decisions and play at a faster pace from start to finish.”

Contact sports reporter Bill Evans at wevans@pvtimes.com