In a crucial road test, the VC women's soccer team raced out to a 3-0 advantage in the first 43 minutes of the contest at Santa Barbara and made it hold up for the 3-2 result Friday night at La Playa Stadium. Janelle Garcia had two goals and Melissa Cardenas netted the third as the Pirates (14-4-1, 7-0-1) set up a game for all the Western State Conference North Division marbles at Moorpark on Tuesday.
The teams took turns trading blows early on with no results. Ventura had a corner kick and a free kick in the first 14 minutes, and had an offsides call stop a solid chance in the 17th when Jennifer Orozco redirected a kick with a header to Josselyne Pereda, who slid the ball through to Janelle. Santa Barbara countered with their own solid chances, including a free kick from 20 yards out that sailed wide in the 19th minute. A minute later, Cardenas headed away a cross from the Vaqueros in front of the goal.
VC finally broke through in the 23rd minute. Sarah Garcia centered a corner kick to the box that was controlled and directed by Janelle into the net for a 1-0 Pirate advantage.
Janelle had another scoring chance in the 27th off of a pass from Megan Henderson, but the shot was turned away by the SBCC goal keeper.
The Vaqueros were whistled for a handball in the 29th minute, and Cardenas took full advantage sending the free kick on the left side into the net for a 2-0 score.
Ventura goalkeeper Marissa Dominguez had a big save less than a minute later to preserve the margin, and had a diving save in the 37th minute, as well.
In the 43rd minute, Cardenas had a big kick down the field, controlled by Janelle, who chipped the ball over the goalie and the last Vaquero defender into the goal for a 3-0 Pirate advantage.
Santa Barbara finally answered in the 44th minute with a score off of a rebounded save by Dominguez. The Pirates led 3-1 heading into halftime.
Action got fast and furious as the second half began. The Pirates had multiple corner kicks, but could not find the net, and Valeria Ramirez had a chip shot cleared by a Vaquero defender at the last moment in the 56th minute.
Cardenas headed out a SBCC attack in the 60th minute, and a Vaquero shot sailed wide two minutes later. Santa Barbara made things interesting in the 63rd with a header for a goal, closing the gap to 3-2 for the Pirates.
Dominguez came up big down the stretch as Santa Barbara furiously searched in vain for the equalizer. The Pirate goalie had saves in the 76th, 79th, twice in the 88th and twice in the 89th minutes to preserve the Pirate victory. Dominguez ended the game with seven saves in goal.
The VC win eliminated the Vaqueros from the conference chase with two games remaining. Ventura and Moorpark are tied atop the WSC table with a match looming on Tuesday Nov. 9 at Moorpark. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 pm.