The VC women's basketball team dropped an 89-55 decision to visiting Moorpark Wednesday evening at the Athletic Event Center. Alexa Coubal had a double-double of 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Pirates while Sam McKenzie and Danielle Salazar netted 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Coubal scored a field goal and made two free throws for an early 4-3 Pirate lead. The Raiders responded, however, with an 11-3 run, broken up by a 3-pointer from Charnelle Nichols. McKenzie made a jumper with 2:45 remaining in the first quarter to pull Ventura to within 14-9 before MC ended the period on a 6-0 run.
McKenzie scored a pair of buckets early in the second and followed with a pair of free throws to make it 20-14 deficit for VC with 8:04 remaining in the half. Coubal scored twice to keep things close, 26-19, two minutes later. Moorpark began to slowly pull away at that point wit a 9-0 run over the next four minutes. Salazar's triple ended the skid for VC and Ariella Harrison hit a three to keep th deficit at a dozen, 37-25 in the final minute of the period. The Pirates trailed at halftime 40-25.
The Pirate deficit slowly grew as play resumed in the third quarter, MC seemed to make a pair of scores for every one for Ventura as VC trailed 61-40 after three.
Ventura never got untracked in the final stanza, falling 89-55.
Salazar and Aiyana Gonzalez each pulled in four rebounds for VC while Milan Garcia, McKenzie, Gonzalez and Salazar all handed out two assists each.
Ventura will next host Santa Barbara on Saturday Feb. 8 at 3:00 pm.