Team needs hustle to win

     By Mark Waite
     View staff writer
      Players on the Pahrump Valley High School volleyball team can't do much about their lack of height, but they're making up for it with a lot of hustle, coach Susan Toomer said recently.
      Volleyballs were flying everywhere as the Trojans prepared for the season. Players attended two camps over the summer, one put on at their own gym by Amy Wetjen, a former Trojan standout and UNLV player, and they traveled to a volleyball camp at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Ariz.
      Toomer said the camps have helped her team prepare for the upcoming season.
      Wetjen was able to impart some of the lessons she learned as a UNLV player, Toomer said.
      "I think they're looking pretty good. We still have a lot of things to work out, we've got tons of hustle and a good attitude," Toomer said.
      "We have five returning players. Most of our team's back. We had to replace a full-time middle blocker," she said.
      Toomer said junior Lisa Morden will play left side hitter and senior Brenda Mason is vying for the setting position. Both earned honorable mention last year on the all-conference team.
      Mason led the team last year in assists as the lead setter. Senior Ashley Hastings, the first team all-conference middle blocker from last year, will return at that spot. She was also the team's most valuable player on offense.
      As for the rest of the starters, Toomer said, "It's the same players who have been to both camps. They've been dedicated all summer."
      The coach said she has already pretty much lined up who will be the starting six on the court.
      Junior Galenda Gonzado will contest Mason for the right-side hitting position. Junior Stacy Bahret, who sat out much of last season with sprained ankles, is tabbed for middle blocker; senior Heidi Wilkerson will be a setter; junior Claire Watkins will play in the back as a defensive specialist; and junior Crystal Powell, a transfer student from Beatty High School will also see playing time, Toomer said.
      "As far as the varsity's concerned, we're trying to work on our hitting a little bit at a time. Most of them are good hitters," Toomer said.
      The Trojans will have to do without second-team all conference middle blocker Christy Weir, she was the Trojans' most valuable player last year on defense.
      "We should be alright in the middle, but we don't have a lot of height. This is the shortest team I've had in a long time," Toomer said.
      The tallest player, Bahret, measures only 5-foot, 11-inches. But luckily, the team plays good defense, Toomer said.
      "They (the opponents) are going to have to keep having hits to beat us," she said.
      League foe Moapa Valley won a ninth state volleyball title last year. After Boulder City sent the Trojans into the loser's bracket in last year's Southern Conference tournament, Pahrump Valley defeated Virgin Valley, but were again edged out by Boulder City.
      The Pahrump Valley volleyball team took fifth in the state tournament. Toomer said they may have taken home second or third place if they had a better matchup at the start of the state tournament, instead of defending state Class 2A runner-up Mineral County.
      After the Serpents knocked the Trojans into the loser's bracket, Pahrump Valley defeated Spring Creek 15-10, 15-10, but they were knocked out of the double elimination tournament by North Tahoe, the northern Class 3A regular season champions, 7-15, 15-7, 5-15.
      The Trojans ended their 1999 season with a 24-18 record.
      Last year the Trojans took their first trip to the state tournament in three years. But they will have to do better than third place this year to repeat their playoff performance, as only the top team in the Class 3A southern region will advance to the state tournament, due to a change in Nevada Interscholastic Athletic Association rules.
      "I thought we played real well at the end," Toomer said.
      Asked which teams will be tough to beat this year, Toomer said, "I think our whole league is going to be tough. You can't say we have an easy day. Every game is going to be a tough game. You have to be ready to play that way every day."
      Twenty-six girls showed up for practice so far this year, Toomer said. She expects another four or five to turn out by the start of the season. The varsity team will have eight or nine players, the remainder will form a junior varsity and a B team.
      Toomer will get some help in the coaching department from Jamie Winterton, the head girls softball coach, who will be in her fourth year as assistant volleyball coach, and Jill Harris, a second year assistant volleyball coach, who coached at Round Mountain.
      The Trojans travel to Las Vegas High School Friday and Saturday for the Las Vegas Invitational, a 32-team event in which they placed 18th last year. On Sept. 9 they play in the Coconino Invitational in Flagstaff, where they placed fifth last year, then it's on to Overton for the Moapa Valley Invitational, Sept. 9.
      The Trojans return home to host The Meadows at 5 p.m., Sept. 12. They travel again to Ely, for a game against White Pine, Sept. 16, then to Faith Lutheran Sept. 19, and travel to Mesquite for a game against Virgin Valley, Sept. 22.
      The Trojans begin a three-game home stand Sept. 26, hosting Faith Lutheran in a 5 p.m. game, on Sept. 28, they host Moapa Valley at 5 p.m. and on Sept. 30, the Trojans host White Pine at 3 p.m.
      From there, the Trojans travel to Boulder City Oct. 6, host Virgin Valley Oct. 13, travel to Faith Lutheran Oct. 17 and Moapa Valley Oct. 20. Their last regular home game will be against Boulder City at 5 p.m., Oct. 26. The division tournament is scheduled for Nov. 3 at the league winner's gym, the state tournament is set in the northern region champion's gym Nov. 10-11.