WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Lisa Marie Sanchez took the opening tip and drive in for a floater to put Ventura up 2-0 10 seconds into the game. Two minutes later she assisted a field goal by Cynthia Hernandez and VC led 9-2. The points and assists kept coming all night long for the Pirates as Sanchez tied a school record with 15 assists while scoring 16 points and Ventura rolled past the Cougars 94-42 Saturday night at the Athletic Event Center. Hernandez netted 23 points to lead the way as all 12 Pirates scored in the game. Adrianne Sloboh had 10 points and nine rebounds for VC (23-3, 7-0).
After the game was tied 2-2, VC went on a 27-3 run over 12 minutes to completely take control of the contest. The Pirates shot 9-16 on the run making the extra pass with all nine baskets off of an assist. They also went 4-4 at the free throw line and had a pair of offensive rebounds over that period, as well. Micaela Pericone-Kapp's 3-pointer at the 8:09 mark ended the run, and triple by Hernandez at the 4:05 mark, thanks to another Sanchez dime, put VC ahead by 32, 43-11. The Pirates led 49-16 at halftime.
Hernandez scored the first five points of the second half, and Sanchez followed up with a steal and lay-up to make the score 56-16 less than two minutes into the second period. The Pirates improved upon their 17-31 shooting performance in the first half by hitting 16 of 25 shots in the final period in cruising to the victory. All 12 players reached the scoring column in the final 20 minutes as VC posted the 94-42 final score.
During the process, Ventura hit 12 3-pointers as a team, giving them 215 on the season. That total breaks the old team record of 209 3-pointers made in a season set in 2008-09, with five regular-season games remaining.
Brooke Dixon netted 12 points with six boards and four assists in the game and Adrianna Vega recorded nine points in the contest.
During halftime of the men's game, the Pirates honored the 2014 class of their favorite teachers, including Jason Baumwirt (Speech), Nancy Fredrickson (Health), Raeann Koerner (Health), Sumita Lall (English), Ronald Mules (English), and Malia Rose (Chemistry).
VC will have a week to prepare for their next outing on Saturday Feb. 8 at Allan Hancock College. The game will begin in Santa Maria at 3:00 pm and will be heard live on the VC Women's Sports Network. The Pirates' next home game in Saturday Feb. 15 against Santa Barbara in VC's annual Barbeque Fundraising Game.
The Ventura College women's basketball team honored its favorite teachers Saturday following their 94-42 victory over Cuesta College at the Athletic Event Center.