The Ventura College beach volleyball team opened its 2018 season with a split in a pair of matches at the Harbor Cove Courts at the Ventura Marina Friday. The Pirates (1-1) defeated Rio Hondo 3-2 in the opener before falling 5-0 to Grossmont College. The Pirates' No. 5 team of Danielle Garcia and Carina Cates had the biggest win of the day, sweeping their opponents from Rio Hondo 21-8, 21-12.
In VC's opening match, they slipped past an upstart Rio Hondo team. While Garcia and Cates swept at the No. 5 spot, Armonee Hunter and Kasie Spencer swept the No. 2's, 21-15, 21-18. Jordan Neria and Sofia Gomez clinched the match for the Pirates with an exciting 23-21, 18-21, 16-14 triumph in the No. 4 slot. Taylor Benitez-Fanslow and Shea Mckeown dropped a 3-game match at No. 3 while Braxton Jessie and Janessa Simental fell in two close games at No. 1.
In the second match of the day, the Pirates were swept by perennial powerhouse Grossmont. Garcia and Cates came close to a win, falling in three games, 19-21, 21-14, 15-13, while Hunter and Spencer also were defeated in three, 17-21, 21-18, 15-12.
Ventura next hosts Mt. San Antonio College on Wednesday Feb. 21. the match is slated to begin at 2:30 pm at the Ventura Marina.