Playing at home for the first time in nearly two years, the Pirate volleyball team made the most of their opportunity with a pair of 3-0 sweeps in the Pirate Classic Tri at the Athletic Event Center Friday. VC (5-2) dispatched of Imperial Valley 25-16, 25-19, 25-10 in the opener before defeating Citrus 25-14, 25-23, 25-14 in the nightcap. Nevada Knowles handed out 73 assists in the two contests while Katey Mulville, Alexis Baloyo and Darynne Bickers recorded 19, 18 and 17 kills, respectively, in the two victories.
Ventura 3, Imperial Valley 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-10)
In the matinee match-up, the Pirates swept the Lady Arabs for the second time this season. Knowles amazingly assisted 42 of the Pirates' 44 kills in the three set victory and Mulville had 11 kills wih a .688 hitting percentage while assisting on two blocks. Baloyo also had 11 kills and Bickers recorded 10 winners and three service aces. Madelyn Grejada had five kills in the match and Amaris Garcia led the defense with 14 digs with three service aces. Averi Carter had five digs and four kills in the triumph.
Ventura 3, Citrus 0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-14)
The finale saw VC post its fifth sweep of the young campaign. The Pirates were dominant in the first and third sets and they closed the second with an 11-2 run to claim victory.
Ventura raced out to a 16-8 advantage in the first set with Mulville providing back-to-back solo blocks. Bickers hit a winner to make it 20-13 forcing a Citrus timeout, then she closed out the set on serve for the 25-14 win.
VB��: Bickers serves @VCVolleyball to the set win, 25-14. VC leads @ccfightingowls 1-0. @vcscolleges @cccwvca @ventura_college @TheAcornSports pic.twitter.com/QBoSjOGupU
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) September 10, 2021
VC scored the first four points of set two, and led 10-6, but the Fighting Owls came back with six straight winners for a 12-10 advantage. Citrus held a 17-11 margin forcing the Pirates to use their second timeout of the set, and the Owls led 21-14 before a VC rally. Carter had a service ace to start things off, before a Knowles kill, a Bickers ace and two winners from Baloyo tied the set at 22-22. Bickers served out the set and Mulville provided the kill on set-point as Ventura prevailed 25-22.
VB��: Mulville with the kill on #SetPoint ending with an 11-2 run. @VCVolleyball wins set 2 over @ccfightingowls 25-23. ��☠️lead match 2-0. @vcscolleges @ventura_college @TheAcornSports @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/fP1IQvWVLq
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) September 10, 2021
The Pirates then slowly pulled away in the final set with Bickers serving three consecutive winners for a 10-6 lead. Winners from Baloyo and Mulville followed by a Baloyo ace and a Mulville block made it 15-10 for VC before big hits from Bickers and Baloyo forced a Citrus timeout with VC ahead 18-12. Mulville provided the kill at match-point to seal the set at 25-14 and the match at 3-0.
VB��: Mulville with the winner on #MatchPoint. @VCVolleyball wins 3rd set 25-14, defeats @ccfightingowls 3-0. @vcscolleges @ventura_college @TheAcornSports @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/6P8GAibR5O
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) September 10, 2021
Knowles was on fire with six kills in six attempts while handing out 31 assists. Mulville had eight winners and four solo blocks while Carter had seven kills and six digs. Bickers and Baloyo each recorded seven kills, as well. Grejada had five winners in the match and Garcia led the defensive effort with nine digs. Monica Montoya and Baloyo each recorded five digs on defense.
The Pirates return to action on Wednesday Sept. 15 at College of the Desert in Palm Desert.