VOLLEYBALL: On its first meeting of the summer, the Pirate volleyball team had a tough two-and-a-half hour workout. They needed all of that conditioning and then some Friday as they played nine grueling sets in two different matches, dropping both in heartbreaking fashion at the Athletic Event Center. VC (1-5) lost to Cal Lutheran's JV team in four sets, 26-28, 25-27, 25-23, 15-25 in the afternoon before a dramatic comeback fell short against Glendale in five sets, 24-26, 23-25, 25-18, 25-20, 13-15. In all but one set they lost, the Pirates had a lead late, adding to the frustrations of the young team with a new coaching staff.
Ventura 1, Cal Lutheran JV 3
Mehgan Lamert scored 14 kills for the Pirates in the four-set thriller. Sarah Veloz recorded 12 digs and Dana Cleavenger handed out 43 assists.
Ventura held a 4-point advantage late in the first set, but could not close out the Regals, falling 28-26.
The Pirates held an 11-3 advantage early in the second without giving up a service point defensively. They led 24-20 but could not close out the set, falling 27-25.
In the third set, VC maintained a three to five point margin throughout. An ace by Jasmine Perez put the Pirates up 22-18 before a Regal sidout led to another service point, halving the lead. A Sydney Morris tip gave the serve back to Ventura, but CLU was able to tie the score a 23-23. Makeda Pelle scored a big kill to move the Pirates to set point and Lambert killed the next point for the Pirate win, 25-23.
In the fourth and deciding set, a close beginning did not last, as the Regals pulled away to take the set and the match, 25-15.
Ventura 2, Glendale 3
Lambert had 17 kills while Morris added 16 kills and five aces in the nightcap. Veloz led VC with 24 digs and Perez contributed 21 digs. Meanwhile Cleavenger dished out 54 assists in the five-set match.
The Pirates opened the match on a strong 7-0 run, but Glendale responded in kind, taking an 11-10 lead. Abigail Gallegos recorded two big kills to put VC ahead 22-18, but the Vaqueros came back to take the set 26-24.
Perez served Ventura to a 6-1 lead in the second set, but Glendale came back again, holding a 19-17 advantage. Lambert scored four consecutive points to give Ventura a 23-20 lead, but the Vaqueros scored the final five points of the set for the 25-23 win.
Morris served six straight points to put VC up 8-2 in the third set, and Veloz served Ventura to an 13-3 score. The Pirates led 18-7 before Glendale rallied, but a Morris kill stopped the bleeding, 19-13. Gemma Stoll recorded two big blocks to put the Pirates at set-point, and the Pirates prevailed 25-18.
VC forced a fifth-and-deciding set by claiming the fourth 25-20. A close set in the beginning, a Lambert ill and a tip by Cleavenger gave the advantage to VC, 15-13. Stoll had another block for an 18-15 score and Lambert's tiip made it 23-20.
The final set was tight throughout, with Lambert's tip putting Ventura up 6-5. Glendale took an 8-7 lead midway through the set, and Morris' tip tied the score at 9-9. Another Morris tip tied the game at 13-13 before Glendale scored a sideout and a service point to claim the match.
Ventura will get a week off before hosting Fullerton College at 7:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center on Friday Sept. 20.