The Pirates' women's water polo team dropped a pair of games Saturday to conclude their tournament at the Ventura Aquatic Center. VC dropped the first game of the day 11-5 to Mt. San Antonio before falling in a heartbreaking 9-8 sudden-death overtime loss to Merced. Daphne Neilan scored five goals in the two games while Ahna Davis turned back 13 shots while protecting the cage.
Ventura 5, Mt. San Antonio 11
The early wake up call did not treat the Pirates well as they were outgunned by the Mounties.
The visitors jumped out to an early 3-0 lead before Gabrielle MacNeill scored toward the end of the first quarter to break the ice for Ventura. Mt. SAC continued the offensive with five goals in the second period and Kendall Ribbers produced the lone score for the Pirates in the stanza. Ventura trailed 8-2 at halftime.
The teams played the second half even, but the damage had been done in VC's 11-5 setback.
Neilan scored two goals with two drawn ejections and three steals to lead the way while Kendal Santos scored once with one drawn ejection and three thefts. Ribbers and MacNeill also scored goals for Ventura in the game. Davis recorded five saves in goal for the Pirates.
Ventura 8, Merced 9 (OT)
The Pirates came back in the final game of the day, battling the Blue Devils through to the end of the sudden-death overtime loss.
In the defensive battle, Merced drew first blood midway through the first quarter. Emily Baughn then tied the game at the 1;48 mark and the teams were even after eight minutes of play.
Merced netted three unanswered scores in the second before Neilan found the inside of the cage late to make it 4-2 at halftime.
The Pirates' deficit grew in the third stanza as the Blue Devils went ahead 6-2. In the final minute of the period, Neilan was able to score again to narrow the margin to three goals at the quarter break.
MacNeill sandwiched a pair of goals around a score by Yazmeen Gonzales to rally the Pirates, tying the game with 4:32 remaining in regulation time. Neither team could produce the game winner over the final minutes of play sending the contest to extra time.
The Blue Devils gained the upper hand with one goal in the first overtime period, and they scored another early in the second for a commanding 8-6 advantage. The Pirates battled back once again, however, as Ribbers and Neilan each hit the inside of the cage in the final 1:11 of play to tie the game and send it to sudden death.
Unfortunately, Merced scored the next goal, leaving VC heartbroken with the narrow defeat.
Neilan paced the attack with three goals while Ventura received two scores from MacNeill. Ribbers, Baughn and Gonzalez also found the inside of the net for the Pirates and Davis recorded wight saves in goal.
Ventura continues Western State Conference play on Wednesday Oct. 19 at home against Santa Monica.