Progress is slow, painfully slow at times. But it appears the Ventura College women's basketball team is making progress, as shown Sunday in their 72-47 win over Southwestern College in the opening round of the VC-Optimist Club Holiday Tournament. Carolyn Ruffino had a career-high 18 points and Micaela Pericone-Kapp followed with 17 points and five steals in the victory. Sandra Ortiz produced her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the victory for the Pirates (11-5).
Things were close in the first half, as the Jaguars were able to keep pace with the Pirates, who were still having trouble making shots. After four ties and three lead changes in the early going, the Pirates found themselves down 18-13 with 8:50 remaining in the period.
Ruffino began a 12-0 Ventura run with a 3-pointer off of a Madison O'Donnell assist, followed by another inside out O'Donnell to Ruffino triple to put the Pirates ahead 19-18. Pericone-Kapp hit a pair of free throws and converted a field goal, followed by a deuce from Ruffino to make it 25-18 for VC at the 5:37 mark.
Southwestern came back with back-to-back treys before Pericone-Kapp hit a 3-pointer to widen the advantage back to four points. Another long-ranger from the Jaguars made it 28-27 with 4:50 on the clock.
An Aubri Smith drive and dish to Ortiz and a Pericone-Kapp bucket gave the Pirates a five-point lead once again, but Southwestern closed the half with a 3-pointer and a made free throw to make it a 32-31 game at intermission.
After Southwestern hit the opening bucket of the second half, O'Donnell's old-fashioned 3-point play gave the Pirates the lead for good, 35-33. Makenna Murray assisted a Pericone-Kapp 3-pointer and Aubri Smith hit a lay-up to extend the Pirate advantage back to seven, 40-33 at the 17:15 mark.
With VC ahead 43-36 with 14:05 left in the game, the Pirates went on a 16-0 run over the next six minutes to put the game away. following an Aubri Smith charity toss, Ruffino scored seven straight points, and she closed the run with her fourth 3-pointer of the game at the 8:11 mark from an Aubri Smith assist. VC extended their advantage to as many as 32 points, 71-39 on Carly Maciel's 3-pointer at the 2:10 mark as the Pirates rode the momentum to the 72-47 victory.
Aubri Smith finished with eight points and five assists and Murray handed out four dimes and pulled in seven boards. Ruffino and Brooke Zamora each had five rebounds.
The Pirates advance in the tournament to play El Camino College on Monday Dec. 29 at 7:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center. The other semifinal pits Mt. San Jacinto against San Bernardino Valley at 5:00 pm. Consolation semifinals feature Orange Coast and Los Angeles Valley at 1:00 pm and Southwestern against Antelope Valley at 3:00 pm.