Dave Maxwell
Madalyn Taylor hits one over the net against a defender in a recent game. Pahranagat Valley took a 3-0 league win at Tonopah last week, lost 3-2 at White Pine on Tuesday this week and plays this weekend in the Boulder City Invitational.
Having only one senior on your volleyball team might be like standing on one leg for a long time, but Pahranagat Valley has a good compliment of juniors and sophomores who are providing the needed support under the leadership of that one senior.
At Alamo last Thursday, junior Madison Harris had nine kills and 18 digs to lead the Panthers to a 25-10, 25-17, 25-14 win over the Eagles.
Sophomore Madalyn Taylor added nine kills, and junior Allyse Frehner had 13 assists.
Senior libero Brook Higbee, the girl who usually takes first service in the middle said, “We’re a very close team and we love each other and they let me be a leader, and I’m working on it. Teaching the girls by my side and seeing them learn and grow, as a senior, I know that’s my job.”
Harris, and sophomore teammate Karley Whipple are the two main hitters and both have grown stronger over last year and can really put some power behind their kills. Whipple said she did spend quite a bit of time lifting weights during the summer and Harris said they have been “playing smarter in keeping the ball under control, and in your head knowing what you are doing.”
PVHS started league play with a 3-0 win at Tonopah last Friday.
On Tuesday this week, the Panthers had a five-set match at White Pine, losing to the Bobcats 3-2.
White Pine coach Kenna Almberg said it was an exciting, back and forth match. “Tough competition from the start to the end. Not a dull moment in the whole match. I wish they were all like that.”
White Pine (13-0) won the first game 25-20, Alamo took the second 25-18, White Pine the third game 25-21, Alamo the fourth game 25-19. And in the fifth and deciding game, Almberg said, Alamo had a 10-13 lead before White Pine rallied for a 15-13 win.
White Pine is the Southern Division III defending champion and was state runner up to Yerington in 2014. Pahranagat Valley is the two-time defending Division IV state champions.
Today and through the weekend, the Lady Panthers play in the Boulder City Invitational.
