The Pirates' women's water polo team rolled to a 22-8 victory over Cerritos Thursday in their season opener at the Ventura Aquatic Center. Emily Baughn and AnnMarie Patterson each scored three goals in the balanced Ventura attack in which 13 different players scored a goal. Ahna Davis and Paige LeBaron split time in the cage against the overmatched Falcons and each turned back five Cerritos shots.
Ventura got off to a quick start as Patterson and Baughn each scored goals on the Pirates' first two possessions of the game. VC built its lead to 6-0 on Gabrielle MacNeill's score with 2:12 remaining in the first quarter before the Falcons got on the board on the next trip down the pool. Ventura led 8-2 at the end of the period.
Five different players scored goals for VC in the second stanza as they expanded their lead to 13-5 at intermission.
The Pirates expanded the lead to 17-5 after three quarters in the runaway victory.
Patterson added three assists, a steal and one drawn ejection to her stat line in her Pirate debut while Kendall Ribbers handed out three helpers with a goal in the game. Kelsee Espitia, Ella Montano, MacNeill and Summer McNabb all found the inside of the cage twice in the game and Kendal Santos led the defense with three steals. Davis turned back five of eight Cerritos shots she faced and scored a goal with three assists in the field. LeBaron also had two assists and two steals while in goal for Ventura (1-0).
The Pirates turn around and travel to the Orange Coast Tournament in Costa Mesa on Friday and Saturday Sept. 8-9. On Friday they take on Southwestern at 11:15 am and Saddleback at 3:35 pm.