The Pirates' beach volleyball team stepped up the competition Friday, traveling to Carlsbad to take on four-year NAIA schools Life Pacific and St. Katherine. Autumn Rojelio and Kayla Murdoch won their No. 1 match against Life Pacific, as did Alba Romanos Gracia and Kylie Ibbotson at No. 2 in VC's narrow 3-2 loss. VC also took three matches to a third and deciding set against St. Katherine before falling 5-0.
In the first match of the day, VC nearly upset Life Pacific University, an NAIA school from San Dimas, falling 3-2. Rojelio and Murdoch won their No. 1 match easily, 21-11, 21-10, and Romanos Gracia and Ibbotson swept past their opponents at No. 2, 21-13, 21-15. Bryce Swain and Lily Hazzard went ahead 21-11 in the first set before dropping their No. 3 slot 21-17, 15-10 in the second and third sets, respectively. Meanwhile, Makena Schaumloeffel and Liz Schalde dropped a close 23-21 decision in set one before tying the match 21-11 in the second, ultimately falling in the third 15-9 at No. 5.
In the nightcap, Ventura battled hard, but fell 5-0 to the University of St. Katherine, another four-year NAIA program. Murdoch and Rojelio took their opponents at No. 1 to three sets, narrowly falling 22-20, 14-21, 15-13, while Romanos Gracia and Ibbotson also went to the deciding set at No. 2, dropping a 21-15, 17-21, 15-10 decision. Swain and Hazzard held an early lead with a 23-21 win in the opening set before falling in the final two, 21-19, 15-12, respectively, in the No. 3 slot. In the No. 4 match, Gracie Piro and Gabby Raines were swept in razor-thin fashion, 21-19, 28-26.
The Pirates next travel to Huntington Beach on Thursday Feb. 15 to take on Golden West and Cerritos.
Ventura 2, Life Pacific 3
1. Kayla Murdoch/Autumn Rojelio (VC) def. LPU 1s, 21-11, 21-10
2. Alba Romanos Gracia/Kylie Ibbotson (VC) def. LPU 2s, 21-13, 21-15
3. Bryce Swain/Lily Hazzard (VC) lost to LPU 3s, 11-21, 21-17, 15-10
4. Gracie Piro/Gabby Raines (VC) lost to LPU 4s, 21-18, 21-19
5. Makena Schaumloeffel/Liz Schalde (VC) lost to LPU 5s, 23-21, 11-21, 15-9
6. Skylar Rutherford/Olivia Brown (VC) def. LPU 6s, 21-19, 21-10
Ventura 0, St. Katherine 5
1. Kayla Murdoch/Autumn Rojelio (VC) lost to Alexcis Morris and Anne Mayfield (USK), 22-20, 14-21, 15-13
2. Alba Romanos Gracia/Kylie Ibbotson (VC) lost to Natalie Hill and Katie Alexander (USK), 21-15, 17-21, 15-10
3. Bryce Swain/Lily Hazzard (VC) lost to Denisse Sanchez and Bailey Combs (USK), 21-23, 21-19, 15-12
4. Gracie Piro/Gabby Raines (VC) lost to Makenzie Nutting and Gabriella Alexander (USK), 21-19, 28-26
5. Skylar Rutherford/Liz Schalde (VC) lost to Emily Wilson and Camille Harvey (USK), 21-15, 21-13
6. Makena Schaumloeffel/Olivia Brown (VC) lost to USK 6s, 21-12, 21-13