The 2023 PCHS volleyball team stands on the court in Vegas before their game. From left to right- Coach Monica Halverson, Yasmine McKinney, Anna Happy, Kyra Cerini, Jaymie George, Mia Canchola, Khloe Montes, Aaliyah Allen, Alexa Watson, JV Coach Faith Moreira. Middle row- Kenya Vaughan, Laura Gomez, KayLee Poffenroth, Arya Garland. Front row (laying down)- Raegan Burrows and Taylor Garland
It was agonizingly close.
The Pershing County High School volleyball team nearly beat the Green Valley Christian Guardians in the semifinal match of the State championship games in Vegas last Friday.
The Mustangs lasted five sets against the No. 1 seed from the Southern 2A 25-10, 25-16, 24-26, 24-26, 16-14.
GV Christian went on to play North Tahoe in the championship match, losing to the victorious Lakers in three sets 25-17, 25-22, 25-21.
"The game against GV Christian was an emotional roller coaster for my team but I couldn't be more proud of how they stepped up and fought until the end," said Mustang coach Monica Halverson. "The first two sets we made mental errors and let them get the best of us on serve receive. Our defense had a lot of holes. We weren't communicating and were totally dominated on offense and defense."
In the third set, the coach changed up the starting server, putting Aaliyah Allen in front of GV Christian's heaviest hitter.
That allowed Anna Happy to get into the groove of setting before she served.
Sisters Arya and Taylor Garland handled back row defense. It worked.
The Mustangs fought back from a two-set deficit, a remarkable feat considering it was their first time at State.
Raegan Burrows led the team in kills and ace serves while Allen took the lead in solo blocks. Seniors Yasmine McKinney, Taylor Garland and Happy pulled together to motivate the team.
It was the last Mustang volleyball game for each of them which, no doubt, added to their ferocity on the court.
Happy didn't miss another serve for the rest of the game. She totaled over 20 assists and numerous kills.
McKinney made key hits from the middle while Taylor Garland swung hard and pulled points off of their blocks.
"Yasmine has always been solid and she contributed a couple of kills from the middle as well as assisted with our double block from the middle. Her serving was consistent and hard, which made their serve receive easier to break," said Halverson.
"Arya Garland played with passion and learned a lot from her first State playoff game. Being a freshman and contributing the way she did, I couldn't have been more proud. She was a machine in the back row playing both the middle libero spot and the left defensive back side."
Meanwhile, Kyra Cerini and Mia Canchola's fierce playing contributed to the near-win. The coach mentioned Cerini's assisted blocks and stunning serves. Canchola played a superior game from the back row and stepped into the setter spot.
"Mia's serves were amazing and consistent and she hustled after that ball," said Halverson.
"My JV girls (Jaymie George and Alexa Watson) joined the rest of my roster (Laura Gomez, Kenya Vaughan, Khloe Montes and KayLee Poffenroth) on the bench cheering and pumping up the team."
The fourth set saw impressive runs from Raegan Burrows. Her serving resulted in missed points for GV Christian.
However, the Mustangs came out flat in the fifth set and missed a couple of the first serves, passing the ball into the stands.
Still, they battled for every point left in the game. It came down to 15-14 and GV Christian outscored them on a missed pass.
"We played great, and what coach wouldn't be happy for losing like that?" Halverson asked. "Our team's future is bright. We will do big things next year so I hope the rest of the 2A is ready for us. The girls have now experienced what it is to be successful at a state playoff."
The fun-to-watch team shows progress every year and has more than lived up to the 2023 motto, "Earned Not Given."