A strong third quarter helped push the Ventura College women's basketball team to a 77-67 victory at Santa Barbara City College Saturday night. Aubri Smith led the effort with 19 points on 7-10 shooting from the floor along with six rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Amani White threw in a double-double of 11 points and 13 boards in the win for the Pirates (19-4, 5-0).
Ventura seemingly took control of a close game midway through the first quarter. Aubri Smith's old fashioned 3-point play gave the Pirates a 9-8 lead, and she followed that up with another basket on the next possession. Makenna Murray nailed a 3-pointer a minute later and VC led 14-8 with 4:35 remaining. Alex Kalmbach and White hit baskets late in the period, and Shiloh Smith nailed a three from the right wing with 10.9 on the clock as Ventura took a 20-13 advantage after one period.
Foul issues plagued Ventura into the second quarter, and the offense sputtered. The Pirates went nearly eight minutes without a field goal as Santa barbara got right back into the game. The Vaqueros went on a 17-3 run to take a 30-24 advantage at the 3:25 mark of the period. Aubri Smith halted the skid with another 3-point play followed by two more free throws and another basket with 42 seconds left before halftime. White followed with two charity tosses to tie the score at 33-33 headed to intermission.
Ventura held a 41-39 lead at the 6:15 mark of the third quarter before taking control of the game for good with a 14-4 run. Carolyn Ruffino hit a 3-pointer followed by a bucket from Kyleesha Green and a triple from Aubri Smith. Smith then connected for two, as did Kalmbach twice and the Pirates led 55-43 with under a minute left in the quarter. Murray put the final points on the board for VC in the period as they led 57-47 heading to the final stanza.
Ventura had an answer for every Vaquero charge in the final 10 minutes, beginning with a Ruffino three. Zamora scored on a back door play and Murray and Kalmbach each scored from mid-range. Kalmbach's three from a Green assist sealed the deal as Ventura went ahead 74-55 with 2:41 remaining. SBCC managed to move the margin back to 10 points at the final horn, 77-67.
Murray had another solid outing with 15 points, four assists and a steal. Kalmbach netted 12 points on a 5-6 shooting performance and Ruffino contributed eight points on two 3-pointers. the Pirates shot 46 percent from the floor on the night, 27-58, and had just nine turnovers while handing out 16 team assists.
The Pirates return home to host Oxnard on Wednesday Jan. 27. The game is slated to begin at 5:00 pm. It will also be the Ninth Annual Ribbons of Life Breast Cancer Game, with a silent auction and other activities beginning at 4:30 pm in the main lobby of the Athletic Event Center.