The VC men's water polo team played a strong first half Wednesday at Citrus, but could not keep the momentum in their 11-5 defeat against the Owls. Ventura and Citrus were tied 4-4 at halftime before the Pirates were outscored 7-1 after intermission. Michael Soho and Owen Cugnoni each scored a pair of goals for VC and Matthew Ogonowski scored the other.
After falling behind 2-0 after the first quarter, the Pirates came back in the second. Cugnoni and Soho each scored goals early in the second period to tie the game at 2-2. Cugnoni and Ogonowski then answered Citrus goals as the half wound down, the latter coming with just 13 second remaining. VC and Citrus went to halftime tied 4-4.
The Owls reestablished cont6rol after halftime, outscoring the Pirates 5-1 in the third period before closing out the 11-5 decision.
Sebastian Cornejo and Scott Wagner each handed out assists for Ventura while Wagner and Cugnoni each grabbed three steals. Ryan Webb, Soho and Cornejo each had a pair of thefts in the game.
The Pirates next will play El Camino and Palomar in the Eduard "Tuna" Gorodetsky Mini Tournament at Santa Monica on Friday Oct. 20.