WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Rebounding from their first loss of the season, the VC women's basketball team took out their frustrations on Fullerton College 71-52 in the third place game of the Vaquero Shootout at Glendale College Sunday afternoon. Lisa Marie Sanchez earned All-Tournament honors for VC (2-1), knocking in 12 points with seven assists. Cynthia Hernandez led the offense with 14 points and Brooke Dixon totaled 11 points with eight rebounds. Adrianne Sloboh contributed to the balanced attack with 13 points, four assists, and four boards with a pair of steals and Micaela Pericone-Kapp posted a career-high 11 points with four rebounds.
The VC offense wis clicking on all cylinders in the first half, as the team shot 60 percent from the floor (18-30) and 50 percent from behind the 3-point arc (6-12). Buckets by Dixon, Sanchez, Sloboh and Hernandez, and a second deuce by Sloboh gave the Pirates a 10-3 lead with 16:07 remaining in the period. A triple from Pericone-Kapp and a field goal by Sloboh gave VC a 28-7 advantage at the 8:35 mark and the rout was on. The Pirates seemingly could not miss, as Sanchez and Adrianna Vega closed the half with back-to-back 3-pointers. Ventura led 44-16 at the break.
In what has become a troubling trend, Ventura let down its intensity in the final 20 minutes for the third night in a row. Fullerton shot better, but also were finding more open looks for their shot attempts, and the Hornets outscored VC 36-27 in the final period. The Pirates also took advantage of the large lead to give some freshmen valuable playing time. Joi Moten pulled down four rebounds in the game and Sandra Ortiz got her first bucket of the young season.
The Pirates will make their home debut the next time out. They will host the VC-Kiwanis Tournament of Champions Friday-Sunday, Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at the Athletic Event Center. Ventura opens at 6:00 pm against Imperial Valley, and other quarterfinal games include: Santa Monica vs. Canyons at 2:00 pm, Mt. San Antonio vs. Laney at 4:00 pm, and Taft vs. Contra Costa at 8:00 pm.