The Pirates' women's basketball team fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 79-63 semifinal setback to Sequoias at the 45th Tom Gilcrest Invitational Friday in Visalia. Sofia Torres Reyes netted a team-high 16 points and Kylie Gallick produced her seventh double-double in seven games with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Kenya Edelhart recorded 10 points and Jasmine Glover had seven points with seven boards in the first loss of the season for Ventura (6-1).
The Pirates were on point early with Torres-Reyes hitting from range on the first possession of the game and Gallick scoring inside on the second. Edelhart hit a pull-up jumper with 7:46 left in the first quarter to give VC an 8-6 advantage, what would become their final lead. COS scored two free throws and a three before Gallick's jumper at the 6:31 mark brought the Pirates back within one, 11-10. The Giants then went on a 12-0 run over the next three minutes to build a 22-10 advantage, a deficit the Pirates had difficulty overcoming for the rest of the game.
Sequoias stretched their advantage to 20 points, 40-20, at the 4:20 mark of the second period before Ventura began to show some signs of life. Haley Bennett scored on a strong drive to the basket, and Jocelyn Contreras converted an assist by Alina Olivo before Glover dropped a dime to Olivo for two. Torres-Reyes made a charity shot and Edelhart converted a pair of free throws late as Ventura cut the lead to 40-29 at intermission.
Edelhart's jumper early in the third quarter cut the deficit into single-digits, 40-31, before Sequoias reasserted control of the game. The Giants went on a 17-4 run over the next four minutes before Contreras ended the skid with a 3-point play. Alexis Howery nailed a 3-pointer from the left corner to give the Pirates some life, but they ended up trailing 63-44 at the end of the third.
COS moved their advantage to 21 points, 67-46, with 7:22 remaining in the game before Edelhart and Torres-Reyes sandwiched 3-pointers around a two by Glover for an 8-0 Pirate run. Ventura could get no closer, however, falling 79-63.
Ventura moves into the third place game at COS's Gilcrest Tournament on Saturday Dec. 3. VC will face San Joaquin Delta College at 2:00 pm.