The Ventura College beach volleyball team qualified three pairs for the Southern California Regionals Saturday as the Western State Conference Pairs Tournament concluded at the Ventura Harbor Courts. Kayla Murdoch and Autumn Rojelio Moreno finished the draw in second place while Ashley Johnson and Olivia Sletten claimed the bronze medal. Meanwhile Katey Mulville and Averi Carter won an elimination match to place sixth to punch their ticket to the post-season.
Both Murdoch and Rojelio, and Johnson and Sletten had qualified for the regionals before they took on each other in a semifinal match-up Saturday morning. The No. 1 duo of Murdoch and Rojelio came out on top in the battle of the Pirates in a hard-fought contest, 26-24, 21-14.
Meanwhile, Mulville and Carter faced elimination in their first match of the day. THe VC pair won their first set against Bakersfield's No. 1 team 21-12 and were ahead 12-2 in the second when an Injury forced the Renegade do to forfeit the match. The VC team moved forward in the bracket and qualified for the playoffs.
In the fifth place match, Mulville and Carter dropped a close decision to the No. 1 group from Moorpark, 21-19, 21-18.
At the same time, Johnson and Sletten battled the No. 2 pair from Santa Barbara, sweeping the Vaqueros 21-18, 21-14 to claim third.
In the championship match, Mulville and Rojelio gave a strong effort, but the No. 1 team from Santa Barbara hit key shots and made timely runs to give the silver to the Pirates, 21-18, 21-14.
The three Pirates teams will compete in the Southern California Regional Pairs Tournament Friday and Saturday May 5 and 6 at El Camino College in Torrance.
Meanwhile, the Pirates team has earned the No. 1-seed in Southern California and will host the regional playoffs on Tuesday May 2 at the Ventura Harbor COurts playing No. 8 Long Beach and No. 9 Moorpark.