It was Pirates vs. Pirates Tuesday evening in the Athletic Event Center as the No. 15-ranked VC volleyball team hosted No. 20 Orange Coast in a key late-season non-conference match-up. Nevada Knowles had a double-double of 11 kills and 40 assists to go along with seven digs and a .464 hitting percentage to lead the way for Ventura in their 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 25-23 triumph over OCC. Alexis Baloyo also had a double-double with 10 kills and 16 digs for VC (15-5, 6-2).
The Pirates of the North got off to a slow start as Orange Coast scored the first five points of the match. Averi Carter hit a winner to get VC on the board, and Darynne Bickers had a running right-handed kill to make it 8-3 for OCC. Ventura continued to trail before a Bickers winner on a tip and a pair of service aces by Carter pulled VC to within 17-16. Baloyo then sandwiched two kills around an ace by Bickers and a hitting error by the Pirates of the South as Ventura took a 20-18 advantage. Baloyo hit another winner and OCC hit long as Ventura claimed the opening set, 25-21.
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 2, 2021
In the second set, Katey Mulville had two kills to make if 11-9 OCC before the Pirates of the South went on a 7-2 run to take an 18-11 lead. Kenobi Donart had a kill and served three more winners to pull Ventura back to within 19-15, but Orange Coast held the lead for a 25-19 set win to even the match.
In set three, Bickers and Carter combined for a block and Knowles recorded a kill as the sides were tied at five. Bickers then had a winner and Orange Coast committed a pair of hitting errors as Ventura moved out to an 8-6 lead. Mulville had a kill and Savannah Marchese recorded an ace to make it 16-9and Knowles' winner made it 20-12 for Ventura. OCC rallied t win four o fthe next five points, byt VC righted the ship soon thereafter. Baloyo and Mulville each had kills before a Bickers tip clinched the set, 25-21.
VB ��: Baloyo kill, Mulville kill, Bickers with the tip at set-point. @VCVolleyball takes 2-1 lead with a 25-21 victory over @OCCAthletics in 3rd set. @ventura_college @vcscolleges @TheAcornSports @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/pciNrUzAUI
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 2, 2021
Leading 2-1, Ventura took control early in the fourth set Baloyo recorded a pair of winners before Knowles and Mulville shared a block for a 10-5 margin for VC. Knowles then had an ace and a deep tip for a 13-6 advantage. Orange Coast showed signs of life, however, rallying to within 15-12 to make it close the rest of the way. Bickers had a kill and Knowles won with another tip for an 18-15 Ventura advantage before the Pirates of the South won four straight points for a 19-18 lead. Knowles won a duel at the net to tie the set at 19-19, and VC took a 22-20 advantage on a running back-tip by Knowles, a Mulville block, then a block by Mulville and Knowles.
VB ��: Knowles a running back-set over the net for a winner, Mulville the block, and Mulville and Knowles another roof! @VCVolleyball leads @OCCAthletics 22-20 4th set, VC up 2-1. @vcscolleges @TheAcornSports pic.twitter.com/ahL4Vuls9o
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 2, 2021
On match point, Madelyn Grejada and Mulville had a pair of blocks at the net, the final one falling on the floor for the winner. VC claimed the fourth set 25-23.
VB ��: Mulville and Madelyn Grejada with a pair of blocks@on match-point. @VCVolleyball takes the 4th set 25-23, wins match over @OCCAthletics 3-1. @ventura_college @vcscolleges @TheAcornSports @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/wtNAYuJ2tC
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 2, 2021
Bickers led the offense with 12 kills and Mulville finished with nine winners. Marchese had 16 digs defensively and Mulville recorded seven block assists. Carter had eight digs while Monica Montoya had seven digs.
Ventura returns to Western State Conference North Division play on Friday Nov. 5 at Los Angeles Pierce College.