The Pirates' women's basketball team had never made 10 or more free throws in a game and shot 100 percent, until Monday. VC was a program record 16-16 at the foul line, and made 12 of 18 shots from behind the 3-point line in their 88-57 runaway win over Allan Hancock College at the Athletic Event Center. Kenya Edelhart had a breakout game with 25 points, three assists and three steals and Alyssandra Lacanilao netted 21 in Ventura's third straight conference triumph.
Edelhart gave the Pirates the lead for good midway through the first quarter with a deuce and a trey to make it 8-6. Lacanilao followed with a drive and shot before Kylie Gallick made a pair of free throws to maintain the edge. Edelhart found Mya Victor near the top of the key in the closing seconds of the period for a 3-pointer as VC held a 21-14 edge at the end of the period.
The Bulldogs closed to within 25-21 early in the second before Edelhart's runner slowed the advance. Gallick followed with another pair of charity tosses and Lacanilao's three pushed the margin into double-figures, 34-23, with 4:56 remaining. Victor scored late again in the period and the Pirates led 43-31 at halftime.
Edelhart scored a 17-footer to open the second half, and Lacanilao's shot from range extended the lead to 48-33 less than 90 seconds into the period. Hancock put together a run, however, closing to within 48-40 with 5:03 on the clock before VC went on a decisive 14-0 run. Gallick got things started with two more free shots and Lacanilao followed with a shot jumper. After two Edelhart free throws, Gallick grabbed an offensive rebounds and Torres-Reyes cashed in a three for a 57-40 lead. Victor scored two and Torres-Reyes hit another bomb after a steal by Lacanilao to stretch the lead to 62-40 at the 1:03 mark. Lacanilao hit another 3-pointer n the closing seconds of the quarter and Ventura led 65-42 at the quarter break.
VC maintained the margin for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter before pulling away over the final five minutes for the 88-57 victory.
Torres-Reyes finished with 15 points, all coming in the second half, and Victor scored 13 in the game, 11 in the first 20 minutes. Gallick was a team-best 6-6 at the free throw line with eight points and 10 rebounds.
The Pirates' 16-16 performance at the free throw line set a new team standard. VC was 23-24 (95.7%) in January, 2003 at Oxnard and 18-19 (94.7%) against Mt. San Antonio in November, 2008. Other top free throw games were 17-18 in 1993-94, 15-16 in 2001-02 and 13-14 in 2012-13.
Ventura (8-10, 3-1) get little time to celebrate the victory as they host Cuesta on Wednesday Jan. 26 at 7:00 pm. That game will follow the men's game at 5:00 pm. Tickets are available online at https://ventura.vbotickets.com/events. The games will be shown live online on the VC Sports Network.