The Pirates' women's basketball team used tough defense to spur a valiant comeback, only to fall short on the first day of the VC-Optimist Club Holiday Classic Thursday at the Athletic Event Center. VC, ranked No. 24 in the state, was missing three regular starters and fell behind No. 8 Glendale 18-2 early in the second quarter before coming back to take a 37-36 lead early in the final period before falling 56-49. Sam McKenzie scored 18 points and Alexa Coubal netted 16 with nine rebounds to lead Ventura (9-5).
The Pirates got off to a slow start integrating three new starters into the line-up. VC misfired on 12 of 13 shots in the opening quarter and Glendale made six of their first eight field goal attempts as the Vaqueros held a 16-2 advantage after the first 10 minutes of play.
McKenzie got Ventura going in the second period connecting on her first three shots, and Coubal also scored inside and hit a pair of free throws. The Pirates also kept the Vaqueros at bay in the stanza, limiting them to 10 points. VC trailed at halftime, 26-13.
Alexis Howery hit Dani Henley for a fast break lay-up to begin the second half. McKenzie hit a 17-foot jumper and Coubal scored on a reverse lay-up with 7:56 remaining in the quarter to pull the Pirates within 28-19. Leslie Salazar then hit an inside scoop shot and followed with a big block on the defensive end. Glendale was able to keep pace, however, and still led 34-22 with 4:26 on the clock when Salazar had a steal and lay-up.
GCC hit a pair of free throws at the 3:40 mark to restore their 12-point advantage before the Pirates closed the stanza with 11 unanswered points. Coubal hit a pair of free throws to start the run and Salazar followed with one of two charity shots. Olivia Huynh cashed in a dime from Salazar with a mid-range jumper and McKenzie scored on the drive after a VC timeout. Coubal scored a bucket inside with 47 seconds on the clock and McKenzie scored a lay-up at the buzzer to bring the Pirates to within 36-35 at the quarter break.
Coubal's offensive rebound and putback early in the fourth made it 13 straight points for Ventura and gave the Pirates a 37-36 advantage. The Vaqueros answered with a three, and Coubal muscled in another bucket after an offensive rebound on the next trip down the floor for a 39-39 tie with 8:21 left to play. Unfortunately VC ran out of steam at that point, going 4:28 without a score before Huynh's 3-pointer with 3:53 on the clock. The Pirate defense kept them in the game, however, as Ventura trailed 44-42 at that point.
VC was unable to score over the next three minutes however, and were forced to foul in the final minute of play in an attempt to come back from their 48-42 deficit. Coubal hit a pair of free throws, McKenzie nailed a three and Henley hit two of three free throws down the stretch, but the Vaqueros hit eight of 10 foul shots to establish the 56-49 final count.
Making her first start and playing 38 minutes, Howery totaled seven rebounds and four steals while playing an excellent defensive game. Salazar totaled three blocked shots and McKenzie added three boards, two thefts and a blocked shot.
Ventura will host Irvine Valley on Friday Dec. 29 at 5:00 pm on the second day of the Optimist Club Holiday Classic before IVC and Glendale battle on Saturday Dec. 20 at 3:00 pm.