Torres Nets 7 as Unstoppable Moriarty Offense Triggers Mercy Rule in Home Opener

MORIARTY, N.M. — Eighth-grader Janessa Torres delivered a sensational seven-goal performance to propel the Moriarty Lady Pintos to a dominant 10-0 victory over Belen in their home opener on Thursday, triggering the 10-goal mercy rule to secure an emphatic 2-0 start to the season.

The offensive explosion follows a 9-0 season-opening rout of Grants, bringing Moriarty’s scoring tally to a blistering 19 goals across its first two contests while conceding none.

Torres was virtually unstoppable against Belen, carving through the defense at will. The standout eighth-grader now boasts 12 goals in just two varsity matches.

Moriarty’s attack fired from all angles throughout the afternoon. Midfielder Kymia Wortman brought the home crowd to its feet with a dazzling solo effort, dribbling through three-quarters of the pitch and weaving past multiple defenders before slotting the ball into the net. Ellie Corr added a brace on the day, capping the rout by burying the final goal to invoke the mercy-rule stoppage.

Despite the lopsided scorelines, head coach Val Luker remains focused on long-term development, noting that the squad is managing an extremely thin bench and integrating several newcomers.

“We’re still working on it,” Luker said following the win. “We’ve got girls that have no experience, and there’s little things here and there that we’re working on. I’m proud of them. They did really a great job. We didn’t have any subs the first game, and we still don’t have subs.”

Luker credited her core group of experienced underclassmen, including Torres, for anchoring the squad while first-year players get up to speed on tactical roles and aggression.

“These little gals are talented. They are very talented, strong players,” Luker said. “They definitely are helping us hold it together, and you know, it’s nice to have that when you’re trying to get the other players up to where they need to be. We’re working on confidence and all of that good stuff, but we’re having fun doing it.”

Moriarty’s dominant possession rendered its defense largely untested for the second straight game, leaving the Lady Pintos goalkeeper with minimal work after facing just two touches in the opener against Grants.

With momentum firmly on their side, the undefeated Lady Pintos look to carry their high-powered attack deeper into non-district play.