The VC women's soccer team had a great effort Saturday at No. 2-seeded Santiago Canyon, but came up short against the Hawks in the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs. Alix Tirado and Alexis Arrieta led the offensive attack for the No. 18-seeded Pirates (10-9-4), who dropped the 3-0 decision in the City of Orange.
Ventura played toe-to-toe with the Orange Empire Conference champions in the first half, producing chances to score with unfortunate results. The Hawks finally broke through in the 40th minute of play and went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Santiago Canyon took control five minutes into the second half with another score, and put the game away with a goal in the 68th minute of play to set the final margin.
Ventura had 15 shots, five on goal, led by Tirado's five shots with two on frame. Arietta had four shots in the game, two on goal.
Pirate goal keeper Isa Garcia recorded four saves and Kambria Haughton had one.
Tirado, VC's leading goal scorer in the past two seasons, ends her career in the orange and black with 105 points, 45 goals and 15 assists, which places her fourth in the program record books.
The Pirates end the season with a 10-9-4 record overall and a 7-4-1 mark in Western State Conference North Division play. This was the team's 25th playoff appearance in 26 seasons.