After 615 days away, the Pirates' women's basketball team was glad to be back Friday morning, but they certainly were not pleased with the result, a 59-53 setback against East Los Angeles at the Wild West Shootout at West LA college in Culver City. Sophomore Alyssandra Lacanilao scored 21 points, including four fourth quarter three's to help keep the Pirates in the game until the final minute. Freshman Sofia Torres-Reyes had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the opener for VC (0-1).
The Pirates should have known they were in for a long morning when the Huskies broke the ice by banking in a 3-pointer in the game's opening minute. Maddie Ozbourn hit a lay-up with 5:23 remaining in the opening period to get VC on the board, and Kenya Edelhart's three with 2:00 on the clock brought the Pirates back to within one, 8-7. Jasmine Glover hit a triple from the left corner late in the period and VC trailed 13-11 at the quarter break.
VC looked to shake off some of the rust in the second quarter. Lacanilao assisted a bucket by Mya Victor to tie the score at 13, and Torres-Reyes hit a three to put Ventura ahead 16-13 with 6:10 left in the half. Edelhart made a lay-up at the 2:47 mark before ELAC scored five unanswered points to go ahead 21-18. Lacanilao connected on an old-fashioned 3-point play to knot the count, and her free throw gave the Pirates a 22-21 halftime edge.
The Pirates came out cold in the third, making just one field goal during the 10-minute period. East LA wasn't much better, but they did manage a few field goals and scored the first five points of the half before Torres-Reyes hit a pair of charity tosses to make it 26-24 with 7:49 on the clock. The Huskies began to pull away lat i the stanza, taking a 36-29 lead into the final period.
Lacanilao and Torres-Reyes each hit from behind the stripe, but East LA kept pace and expanded their cushion early in the fourth. The Huskies led 48-35 with 5:16 left when Sam Martinez hit one of two free throws, and a assist from Alisha Cruz-Lisberg to Lacanilao for three closed the gap to single digits, 48-39 with 4:38 on the clock. Lacanilao hit another shot from range to pull VC to within seven, 51-44, but the Huskies kept pace. Ventura made a valiant charge in the final minute but could not overcome the deficit, falling 59-53.
Ventura returns to action on Saturday Nov. 13 against Glendale at 5:45 pm in Culver City.