It has been a steady climb for the freshmen-heavy Pirate soccer team this season, culminating Tuesday as VC took the pitch at the Sportsplex with a chance to pull even with visiting Santa Barbara in the Western State Conference North Division race. The Pirates proved to be up to the task, outplaying the conference leaders for much of the game before the Vaqueros salvaged the draw with a late score. Jasmin Ambriz scored two first half goals for Ventura (7-6-5, 5-1-1) as the Pirates ended SBCC's 15-game WSC North winning streak.
SBCC got on the board first, scoring with in traffic in front of the net off of a corner kick in the seventh minute.
Ventura found the equalizer four minutes later off of Audrey Castillo's pass ahead. Santa Barbara attempted to block Ambriz from the ball as it neared the end line on the right side, but Ambriz poked the ball out to gain possession and found space in the goal just inside the near post for the score.
The Pirates then took the lead in the 29th minute. On a counterattack, Paulina Aldrete cleared th ball out the Pirates' end of the field. Ambriz then took advantage of an SBCC misplay, ran down the free ball and slotted a shot from 25 yards out past a defender, then past the goalie inside the far post for a 2-1 Ventura advantage.
As play continued, the intensity escalated as a Pirate victory would bring them into a first place tie with the Vaqueros. After the VC edge held through halftime, both teams kept up the fight throughout the second half.
The Pirates and Vaqueros went toe to toe with both teams missing on solid scoring chances throughout the final period. In the 77thminute, VC goalie Aracely Castro punched out a rocket from 25-yards out, preserving the Ventura advantage. Finally, in the 82nd, Santa Barbara found the net on a second change following a corner kick to salvage the draw.
With three matches remaining in the regular season, the Pirates are alone in second place in the WSC North with 16 points. They sit one point ahead of Cuesta with a visit to the Cougars in San Luis Obispo looming in the season finale. But first, VC travels to Oxnard on Friday Nov. 2 before hosting Moorpark on Tuesday Nov. 6.