For the first 10 points of Friday's women's volleyball match between Ventura and Canyons at the Athletic Event Center, it looked as if it would be a barn-burner between the state's Nos. 24 and 20-ranked teams, respectively. Then, however, Averi Carter served eight straight winners for VC (7-2) and the Pirates were on their way to a 3-0 sweep of the Cougars, 25-17, 25-17, 25-21. Nevada Knowles once again was Ventura's everything player with eight kills, 26 assists and six digs.
The intensity during the first part of the match was palpable. The teams traded barbs, including a rally that lasted nearly two minutes on the third point of the match.
The Pirates trailed 7-6 in the opening set when Carter rotated to serve. When she rotated out, VC had eight straight winners, including two service aces and a kill by Darynne Bickers. Ventura took a 14-6 lead and hardly looked back.
The Cougars mounted a mini-rally, closing to within 15-12, but Katey Mulville winner and an ace from Knowles reset the margin to five, 17-12.
Ventura continued to take the first set 25-17.
The second set was close early on as well with Knowles hitting a kill for an 8-6 VC lead. Amaris Garcia served three straight winners and Knowles had a backhanded flip at the net to make it 15-12.
Knowles had a monster hit for a point, Alexis Baloyo recorded a kill and Mulville hit a winner with an assist by Knowles for an 18-14 Pirate advantage. Garcia closed out the set with an ace for a 25-17 second-set triumph for VC.
VB��: Garcia with an ace to close out 2nd set. @VCVolleyball takes a commanding 2-0 lead with 25-17 set win over @COCAthletics. @vcscolleges @TheAcornSports @ventura_college @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/a7gRhuDMF2
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) September 17, 2021
The Cougars showed some signs of life in the third set taking an 11-8 lead. Bickers and Baloyo shared a block to pull Ventura within 13-12 and Victoria Whitney had a winner followed by a Baloyo ace, a Whitney tip and another Baloyo ace propelling a Ventura surge. Knowles had a winner and Whitney recorded a block for a point for a 21-17 Pirate margin. Mulville clinched the sweep with a block at the net for a 25-21 VC set win.
VB��: Mulville with the block to clinch the match. @VCVolleyball wins the 3rd set 25-21, takes the match over @COCAthletics 3-0. Pirates move to 6-2 on the year. @vcscolleges @TheAcornSports @ventura_college @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/ilj7vehim0
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) September 17, 2021
Mulville had seven winners with a .667 hitting percentage while Baloyo finished with seven kills, three aces, six digs and a pair of block assists. Carter came in with six kills and seven digs. Garcia led the defensive effort with 11 digs.
Ventura next travels to Bakersfield on Wednesday Sept. 22.