The VC women's water polo team turned a 2-1 deficit Citrus midway through the first quarter into a 12-3 advantage midway through the final period Friday in the Western State Conference semifinals in Glendora, advancing to the conference championship game on Saturday. Lauren Mora had four goals and three assists while Katie Falls recorded 10 saves in the cage to move the Pirates forward in the bracket. Ventura will get a rematch with Santa Barbara, who defeated VC 10-9 on Sept. 29, in the final.
The No. 2-seeded Pirates, ranked No. 7 in the state, took the early lead on a goal by Fiona Watkins. Citrus had an answer, however, scoring a pair of goals for a 2-1 lead with 5:34 remaining in the opening period. The Pirates took off at that point, tying the score at the 3:52 mark of the stanza on a goal by Mora and outscoring the Owls 11-1 over the next 24:24 of game time over the course of four different quarters.
Watkins and Megan Findlay followed with scores in quick fashion, and Mora netted another goal to make it 5-2 with 1:44 on the clock. Citrus netted a score in the final minute of th period for a 5-3 margin for VC at the quarter break.
Mora scored twice in the second period for a 7-3 Pirate lead at halftime, and Findlay, Anna Lowe and Watkins all netted goals in the third period while the VC defense continued to shut out the Owls.
Lowe scored two more times in the fourth quarter before Citrus netted an inconsequential goal late to set the final 12-4 margin.
Watkins and Lowe each scored three goals with a pair of assists in the game and Findlay recorded a pair of scores with two helpers. Watkins also grabbed two steals with three field blocks for Ventura (19-5, 5-1).
The Pirates move on to the WSC championship game for the 14th time since 2001, and the first time since 2018. The Pirates are in search of their first conference crown in 10 years and hoping to dethrone the Vaqueros, winners of the last six WSC titles. The opening sprint is scheduled for 2:45 pm at Citrus College in Glendora.