The Pershing County Mustangs volleyball team wears their pink jerseys in honor of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
When the Pershing County High School volleyball gets fired up, there is no stopping them.
The Mustangs proved that last week when they played Yerington on the road and beat them in three sets 25-20, 25-18, 25-18.
Unfortunately, the Mustangs lost momentum later in the week when they lost to the giant of the 2A — the North Tahoe Lakers (6-25, 23-25, 14-25).
The Mustangs now stand at 11-9 overall and 9-5 in the 2A.
Monica Halverson says the girls played an amazing game against Yerington.
"We started strong and finished strong. This was a game that showed our team's true talent. Everything worked in our favor because the girls were working together and fired up," she said. "So many of my players left it on the court and earned that win. As a coach, these games make all the practice and effort worth it. It's always a great day when you beat your well-coached Yerington rivals on their home court."
North Tahoe stands at the top of the 2A and is undefeated in league play at 14-0 with seven seniors.
"We knew we had to put our best foot forward and play with heart and hustle and find their weaknesses. The Lakers came out swinging, and in a blink of an eye, the first set was over. We couldn't serve-receive or hit the ball back over. Our communication was little to none. We regrouped in our huddle between sets one and two and came out ready to battle," the coach said.
The Mustangs took the lead in the first half of the second set, but North Tahoe fired back.
Still, Halverson says it was a better set than the first one for the Mustangs. They communicated and utilized when the Lakers didn't have their start hitters in the front row. Pershing County’s serves slowed down the Laker offense somewhat.
The Mustangs made some good plays in the third set but flatlined and took the loss.
Yasmine McKinney had an ace, seven kills, an assist and four digs. Raegan Burrows had three aces, a solo block, 16 kills and 21 digs, another big night for the junior co-captain.
Taylor Garland added an ace, three kills, a solo block, and 21 digs.
Anna Happy had two aces, two kills, 22 assists and ten digs. Kay Lee Poffenroth had two digs. Kyra Cerini added an ace and four digs. Mia Canchola added an ace and six digs. Aaliyah Allen had five digs.
"Our defense is a work in progress, but it's headed in the right direction. It improves every game, and my team sees that moving with the ball and covering is more efficient than moving only when the ball gets to them," Halverson said.
"Arya (Garland) killed it as libero and was diving and digging with the best of them. She had three ace serves and 23 digs. She hustled all game. I'm so proud of Mia (Canchola). She played that back row right position to a T. Aaliyah (Allen) battled hard against North Tahoe's heavy hitters on the left side and got some good blocks in the second set. She never backed down."
McKinney had three kills and a solo block. Burrows had eight kills and 30 digs.
Taylor Garland had an ace and three massive kills from the middle, a solo block and 23 digs. Happy had a kill, 13 assists and nine digs.
Canchola had an ace and six digs. Allen had two solo blocks and four digs. KayLee Poffenroth had a dig. Cerini had one kill and four digs.
The next few matches are pivotal for the Mustangs as they jockey for position at the regionals. Lovelock hosts the event Nov. 4 -5. The team thrives on community support.
On Friday, Oct. 20, Pershing County hosts rival Battle Mountain. The JV plays at 4 p.m. and varsity follows at 5 p.m.
Saturday, is Dig Pink, an annual fundraiser and extravaganza. The JV plays at 11 a.m. and the varsity follows at noon.
"Wear pink and pack the stands for this awesome event. There will be lots going on, so don't miss out on the fun," says Halverson.
Raffle prize winners will walk away with swag bags, sushi boats and the dig for a cure pink prize.
The caramel apples are sure to be a crowd favorite. There will also be a silent auction and bake sale.
Senior night is on Wednesday, Oct. 25, against Incline.
The team and their families will celebrate the accomplishments of Yasmine McKinney, KayLee Poffenroth, Taylor Garland and Anna Happy.