The Pershing County volleyball team has a new motto — “mind over matter.” Miriam Webster says it’s about controlling a problem by using your mind.
“I pick a different theme every year I coach. It gives our program a cool way to stay focused on the season. This motto is one of my favorites because volleyball is as much a mental game as it is a physical game,” Monica Halverson said.
So far, it’s working.
Last week, Pershing County hosted the Oasis Bulldogs and the Virginia City Muckers.
On Tuesday, they beat the Bulldogs (25-27, 25-21, 25-14, 25-16). Friday, they bounced back from a two-set deficit to defeat Virginia City (10-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 15-4).
The Mustangs came out with a full roster to take down the Muckers, a 1A school that excels at serving.
Their first server put eight points on the board when Halverson called a time out.
“We were not mentally ready and had to adjust our serve receive line-up to stop her serve. Having a strong front line is one of my strategies this season. In the second set I changed up our starting line-up. I put Taylor Garland in the libero spot and had Raegan Burrows play left,” Halverson said.
One of the Mustangs’ strengths is their versatility.
For example, Burrows can play both right and left depending on the lineup. Kaydance Happy played middle/right last year but is now an outside hitter.
“Kaydance’s power behind the ball will elevate our team,” Halverson said. “Running a 6 - 2 with Kaylen Halverson and Anna Happy at the setting positions and Aaliyah Allen in the middle positions will be a tough team to beat.”
On Friday, Sept.9, Pershing starts league play. They host Yerington at 4 and 5 p.m. JV plays at 4 p.m. Varsity follows at 5 p.m.
“Our first league game will be against our big-time rivals,” Halverson said. “We want to pack the stands and have a home crowd cheer us on.”
Last season the Mustangs made it to the playoffs, where they lost to Yerington in a high stakes match. Yerington progressed to the State competition and lost 3-0 to the Meadows School, the 2021 champs.
So far this year, Yerington’s record stands at 5-8, overall. Friday will also begin their league play. They faltered at some of their tournament games but have a well-earned reputation for resilience. Mind over matter.
On Saturday, Pershing County travels to Silver Springs for a league match-up against the Silver Stage Nighthawks. JV starts at 11 a.m. Varsity follows at noon.
