Trailing 7-6 early in the third quarter, the No. 8-ranked VC women's water polo team reeled off eight straight goals to take command of their Western State Conference game against Cuesta Wednesday afternoon at the Ventura Aquatic Center. The Pirates used the run to propel them to a 16-9 victory over the Cougars. Daphne Neilan scored three of her team-high five goals during the run and Gabrielle MacNeill netted three of her four scores to help finish off the victory.
Neilan and MacNeill each scored goals late in the first period as Ventura (7-2, 2-0) held a 3-1 advantage after the first eight minutes of play. Neilan's score with 5:56 remaining in the first half made it 5-2 for the Pirates before the Cougars came roaring back to tie the game at 5-5 by halftime.
Kendall Ribbers scored early in the third to put Ventura ahead before Cuesta netted a pair of goals to go hold a 7-6 margin over VC with 5:49 remaining in the period. Neilan scored on the next two possessions, however, and the Pirates were of ft the races. Gabrielle Mendoza fund the inside of the cage at the 4:09 mark before Neilan and Kendal Santos scored to stretch the lead to 11-7 at the quarter break.
In the final stanza, MacNeill netted three consecutive goals to stretch the lead to 14-7 with 5:39 on the clock. Cuesta scored a pair of late goals before Jessica Garcia and Ribbers found the cage to set the final margin.
Neilan finished the game with five goals, two assists, three steals and a pair of drawn exclusions. MacNeill had four scores, two drawn exclusions and a steal. Santos found the inside of the cage three times while handing out three helpers and drawing four exclusions and Emily Baughn dished out four assists while grabbing three thefts. Goalie Ahna Davis stopped nine Cougar shots with four steals.
Ventura next plays at Santa Barbara on Wednesday Oct. 5. The first sprint is scheduled for 12:00 pm at Santa Barbara High School.