A night that began honoring the efforts of seven sophomores ended in disappointment for the Ventura College volleyball team as they dropped the season finale 25-17, 25-16, 25-13 to visiting Moorpark Wednesday night at the Athletic Event Center. Paris Dosch had eight kills in her final game in the orange and black and Mikayla Spears handed out 13 assists. Kierra Joyner had 11 digs and Rachel Howery recorded 11 assists.
The buoyed spirits from the pregame ceremony honoring Pirate sophomores Dosch, Spears, Joyner, Lauren Lipson, Jessica Gomez, Armonee Hunter and Brianna Finch led the Pirates (9-16, 3-5) to an early 6-2 lead after a service ace by Rachel Howery. The momentum was short-lived, however, as the Raiders came right back to tie the score at 7-7. Then then took a 14-11 advantage before taking the opening set 25-17.
The Pirates led 5-4 in the second set before Moorpark railed off five straight winners. VC closed to within 10-9 on consecutive winners by Dosch, Gomez and Finch, and a service ace by Dosch. Moorpark quickly turned things around with six straight points to take control. Bryanna Lovingood served three straight winners to help Ventura come to within 22-15, but the Raiders took the set 25-16.
In what proved to be the final set of the season, VC was down 7-6 when Moorpark ran off nine straight points to seal the win. Dosch stopped the run with a kill and a service winner, but the damage had been done. MC won the set 25-13, sweeping the match.
With the loss, the Pirates' season comes to a close outside of the post-season, but looking for a return in 2017.