The Pirates' women's basketball team led 24-15 with 2:44 remaining in the first half before things went south in their 66-52 defeat to Allan Hancock Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center. Kenya Edelhart scored 11 points, all in the first half, and Kylie Gallick had 10 to lead Ventura (15-6, 4-2). Jocelyn Contreras added eight and Talitha Draper seven in the setback.
The Pirates came out strong, scoring seven points in the first two minutes of play. Edelhart scored on a lay-up after a steal by Jasmine Glover, then Gallick hit a lay-up from Sofia Torres-Reyes to quickly answer a Bulldog score. Edelhart then scored a three at the 8:07 mark and VC led 7-2. Ventura then went cold for six minutes of game time, but still led 7-6 when Contreras hit a three with 2:18 on the clock. Tiernan Phillips made a pair of free throws and Contreras made a lay-up with three seconds left in the quarter and the Pirates held a 14-6 lead.
The teams traded scores throughout the second quarter, and Ventura had a 24-15 advantage with 2:44 remaining when Gallick cashed in a dime from Alexis Howery with an inside score. After a couple of Hancock scores, Edelhart made two free throws for a 26-19 margin at the 1:31 mark before the Bulldogs hit a trey and a deuce before halftime to swing momentum their way.
The momentum swing continued to grew against the Pirates in the third quarter. Hancock tied the game on the opening possession of the half, but Torres-Reyes answered with a three for a 29-26 margin. The Bulldogs then rode the wave, going on a 19-3 run over the next seven minutes, and VC trailed 47-33 with 2:14 remaining in the period. Draper hit a free throw and scored inside, and Torres-Reyes hit a tough mid-range pull-up at the buzzer and Ventura closed to within nine at the quarter break, 47-38.
Contreras gave VC hope early in the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer off an assist by Torres-Reyes, and two foul shots by Phillips maintained the deficit at six points, 51-45, with 6:46 remaining. Hancock hit three 3-pointers in an 11-0 run over the next three minutes, however, to pull away for the 64-52 win over the Pirates.
VC struggled offensively, shooting 15-47 from the floor (32 percent), and committed 20 turnovers in the game. The Pirates also dropped the rebounding battle, 34-32.
Ventura will regroup and host Oxnard on Saturday Jan. 28 to begin the second round of Western State Conference play. Tip-off against the Condors is 5:00 pm and the game will be followed by the Pirate men at 7:00 pm.