VC Sophomores Tori Hiott and Paris Dosch defeated teammates Mikayla Spears and Brianna Finch to to claim gold in the Western State Conference Beach Volleyball Championships Friday at the Harbor Cove Courts at the Ventura Marina. Additionally, Janessa Simental and Madison Wright finished fourth in the tournament while Sariah Flores and Armonee Hunter came in fifth. As a result of the results of the WSC draw, the four teams qualify for the state championships to be held May 6-7 at West Valley College in Saratoga.
Hiott and Dosch, VC's No. 1 pair, came into the draw Friday as the top seed. They defeated Bakersfield's No. 5 team 21-8, 21-16 before downing BC's No. 3 duo 21-10, 21-14. In the semifinals they downed teammates Simental and Wright, Ventura's No. 4 team, 21-15, 23-21 before winning in the final match 21-6, 16-21, 15-8 over Spears and Finch, the Pirates' No. 2 squad.
Spears and Finch opened the day with a 21-9, 21-8 victory over Antelope Valley's No. 3 pair before winning against BC's No. 4 group, 21-17, 21-16. In the semifinal they defeated Bakersfield's No. 1 pair in a marathon 23-21, 16-21, 15-13 decision.
VC's No. 4 pair of Simental and Wright started the day with a first-round triumph over Antelope Valley's No. 5 pair, 21-5, 21-2. Next, they defeated Victor Valley's No. 2 team 21-8, 21-9. I the quarterfinals, the duo prevailed over BC's No. 2 team, 21-16, 21-13 before falling in the semifinals to Hiott and Dosch, and in the third-place match to BC's No. 1 pair in a close match, 17-21, 21-17, 15-12.
The Pirates' No. 3 team of Flores and Hunter won their Round of 16 match against AVC's No. 2 team, 21-7, 21-5 before falling in the quarterfinals to Bakersfield's No. 1 pair. They received the fifth-place ranking based on sets and points.
Meanwhile, Ventura's No. 5 group of Daisy Martinez and Paulina Iverson prevailed in their first round match 21-1, 21-15 over the AVC No. 4 team before losing to BC's No. 1 team in the Round of 16.
Ventura will send the four pairs of state qualifiers to the CCCAA State Championships May 6-7 at West Valley College in Saratoga. The team will also host a SoCal Regional Playoff triangular on Tuesday May 2 at the Harbor Cove Courts, with opponents to be announced. The winner of that regional will travel to the CCCAA State Final Four, also at West Valley, on Friday May 5.