After a slow start, the Pirate volleyball team handled business with visiting Santa Barbara, defeating the Vaqueros in four sets, 16-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-13 Friday night at the Athletic Event Center. Morgan Gallagher brought the hammer with 15 kills and Brooklyn Wallet had nine kills, four blocks and three services aces to pace the Pirates, who all-but eliminated the six-time defending conference champions from a seventh title.
Playing without starting libero and current State Player of the Week Faith Mackie, who missed the match due to injury, the Pirates seemed to be out of sorts in the opening set. The score was tied 8-8, and VC trailed 11-10 before SBCC went on a 9-2 run to take control. The Vaqueros eventually took the early edge with a 25-16 set win.
The Pirates had a spirited start to the second set, taking an early 5-2 advantage and forcing a Vaquero timeout. SBCC came back, however, and took a 13-10 advantage. The Pirates kept battling and were down 19-15 when a Gallagher kill and three straight service winners from Wallet turned the tide. Gallagher had the kill that put VC ahead, 20-19, and produced three more winners as Ventura took the set to even the match, 25-22.
The third set was a tightly contested affair throughout. With the score tied at 18-18, VC finally took the edge, outscoring SBCC 7-4 the rest of the way. Shantalle Ruiz had a big kill to make it 22-19,and the Pirates captured the set, 25-22.
VC asserted itself in the fourth set. A Wallet ace followed by two errors by SBCC made it 10-5 for Ventura, and Madeline Bolish and Janessa Simental added a block for the next winner. The Pirates extended the lead to 15-6, and Wallet took over in the end with a block, a kill and an ace in the final five points. Ventura prevailed in the set, 25-16, taking the match 3-1.
Ruiz had eight kills on the night while Gabby Boado and Raphaella Rosales each had 18 assists. Kambria Dowling had a solid night filling in for Mackie with 15 digs and a passer rating of 2.21 on 28 attempts. Kasie Spencer and Rosales recorded 11 and 10 digs, respectively.
The Pirates will travel to Allan Hancock College on Friday Nov. 2 before returning home for Sophomore Night against Cuesta on Wednesday Nov. 7.