The Ventura College volleyball team dropped their first set Wednesday night against visiting Santa Monica College before reeling off three straight winners to defeat the Corsairs 19-25, 25-14, 25-23, 25-23. It was the VC's first win in the Athletic Event Center in over 22 months as the Pirates (3-1) surpassed their win total from a year ago in the season's fourth match. Sophomore Mehgan Lambert led the offensive effort with 16 kills and a pair of aces while sophomore Makeda Pelle anchored the defense with seven blocks.
Ventura fell behind 4-0 early in the first set before battling back, taking a 12-7 lead. The Corsairs came back to tie the score at 15-15 before taking the set, 25-19.
The story was different from the outset in the second set as Sarah Veloz served VC to an early 4-0 lead. Pelle and Lambert each recorded consecutive blocks in a run that made the score 15-8. The orange and black rode the momentum to a 25-14 set win to tie the match.
Santa Monica raced out to an early 4-0 lead in the third set before a Lambert kill broke the ice for the Pirates. A pair of service aces by Cassandra Lacanilao brought VC to within one point, 8-6, and a sideout and another strong hit from Lambert knotted the count at 8-8. Veloz served the Pirates from a point down to a 12-8 advantage, and VC took a 14-9 lead before Santa Monica came roaring back. The Corsairs capped a 7-1 run, taking a 16-15 lead. The Pirates would not be denied, however, as a pair of Pelle blocks brought VC back to a 21-18 score. Another Pelle block, a kill by Kirra Drury, and a great one-handed dig by Veloz setting up a Lambert hit closed the set in favor of Ventura, 25-23.
The Corsairs controlled the fourth set from the onset until Drury served six straight winners, putting the Pirates ahead 19-18. Santa Monica took a 22-20 lead before VC closed out the match strong, finishing off Santa Monica 25-23, taking the match 3-1.
Drury put away seven kills for VC while Shelby Stanger handed out 34 assists. Lancanilao had 19 digs and three aces.
The Pirates will return to the AEC on Friday Sept. 12, hosting the California Lutheran JV team. The match is set to begin at 7:00 pm.