Playing with a full squad for the first time in two months, the Pirates' women's basketball team had a difficult first quarter before mounting a comeback against Moorpark Saturday at the Athletic Event Center. The hill was too large to climb, however, as VC fell to the Raiders 73-59 in the Western State Conference opener for both teams. Kenya Edelhart and Alyssandra Lacanilao each scored 12 points for Ventura while Kylie Gallick came off the bench for nine points. Mya Victor and Alisha Cruz-Lisberg each pulled in a team-high four rebounds.
The first quarter was not good for the Pirates as they were plagued by cold shooting, hitting just a pair of 3-point field goals in the period. Moorpark, on the other hand, made 12-16 shots, 6-9 from three, as the Pirates found themselves down 31-9 after 10 minutes of play.
The Pirates persevered, however, looking for continuity that has eluded them during the first two months of the season due to 26 total missed games by players in the rotation due to injuries.
Victor got Ventura moving with a lay-up early in the second quarter and Edelhart, playing her first game since Nov. 18, converted a steal by Lacanilao for two on the next possession. Gallick, in her second appearance since Dec. 9, scored inside with an assist from Lacanilao and Cruz-Lisberg, in her first action since Nov. 19, converted an old-fashioned 3-point play and Ventura cut the margin to 36-18 with 4:28 remaining in the half. The Raiders were able to extend the lead back to 24 points, 44-20, but a three by Sam Martinez off of Sofia Torres-Reyes' dime cut into the deficit at halftime.
Both defenses were good to start the second half. Edelhart broke the ice nearly three minutes in with a coast-to-coast drive for a lay-up, and Maddie Ozbourn answered an MC three with an inside bucket on the next possession. A pair of Raider free throws made it 51-29 with 5:04 left in the quarter before VC went on a 15-5 run to close the period. Victor hit a free throw after getting fouled on a second-shot attempts, and Edelhart scored on the drive again on the next trip up the floor. Victor scored a deuce and Lacanilao drove for two to make it 51-36 before two charity tossed from Victor cut the deficit to 13 points. Gallick hit a 3-point play in the final minute to make it 56-44 at the quarter break.
Edelhart sandwiched a pair of buckets around a Moorpark two to start the final stanza, and Torres-Reyes hit from deep in the left corner to answer a Moorpark three. Gallick scored inside to cut the margin to 61-53 at the 6:25 mark. Gallick scored again on the next possession to answer another Raider field goal, but VC could get no closer. Edelhart and Lacanilao scored down the stretch, but Moorpark hit their free throws to maintain their advantage with the 73-59 final.
With a number of Covid postponements, the Pirates have begun a schedule of seven games inside 16 days to end the month of January. VC next travels to Los Angeles Pierce on Monday Jan. 17 for a 3:00 pm contest with the Brahmas.