Pirate Women Victorious at Cuesta

The VC women's basketball team captured a 69-63 victory in their longest roadtrip of the season in San Luis Obispo against Cuesta. Sam McKenzie led the effort with 18 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, ana Alanna Topete netted 17. Milan Garcia and Alexa Coubal each totaled 14 points in the win for the Pirates.

Garcia and Topete began the game with a three and a two, respectively, to give Ventura the early edge. Coubal followed with an inside score for a 7-3 lead and Topete's 3-pointer at the 6:00 mark made it 10-5. Cuesta came back with five unanswered points to knot the score at 10 when McKenzie made one of two free throws and Charnelle Nichols hit from range. Danielle Salazar's three gave Ventura a 17-13 edge after one quarter of play.

The Cougars took the initiative in the second quarter, outscoring VC 9-4 over the first 4-plus minutes to hold a 22-21 edge. Topete's deuce put VC back ahead, but a three minute scoring drought by VC led to a 28-23 Pirate deficit with 3:18 remaining in the half. Coubal broke the skid with a pair of free throws followed by 3-pointers by Garcia and McKenzie as Cuesta held on to a slim 32-31 halftime margin.

The Pirates turned things around quickly to begin the second half. Topete started with an old-fashioned 3-point play on the opening possession and Coubal followed with an inside score on the next. Topete followed with a pair of free throws as VC held a 38-32 lead less than 1:30 into the period. Cuesta managed to even the count at 40 with 4:26 on the clock when Coubal, Topete and McKenzie all scored to reestablish the Pirate advantage. Two free shots from Coubal gave Ventura a 48-47 lead heading to the final stanza.

McKenzie took over in the fourth quarter, scoring twice in the first minute. Her bucket with 5:09 on the clock extended the Ventura lead to 58-51 and Garcia hit a three with 3:00 remaining to make it a nine-point game, 63-52. The Pirates hit 10 of 14 free throws in the final period to hold off the Cougars, 69-63.

Coubal pulled in a team-best eight rebounds and Nichols grabbed six boards. Topete handed out five assists and recorded four steals.

Ventura next hosts Allan Hancock on Saturday Jan. 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center.