Buoyed by a sizable and vocal home crowd, the No. 2-seeded Pirate volleyball team swept past No. 15 Bakersfield, 16, 21 and 21, in the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs Tuesday. VC fed the Renegades a steady diet of Kalya Murdoch swings as the sophomore outside hitter led Ventura with 20 kills, seven digs and three blocks in the match. Autumn Rojelio led the defense with 23 digs and a 2.14 passer rating and Ashley Johnson handed out 36 assists.
The Pirates (20-3) got early contributions from Murdoch while Makena Schaumloeffel and Rojelio each hit service aces to push VC ahead 11-5 in the first set. Johnson served VC to a 17-10 advantage and Kylie Ibbotson's ace led to a 19-12 margin. Murdoch returned to the front row in rotation to help Ventura put the set away and Schaumloeffel hit the winner on set point for the 25-16 set win.
VB��: Murdoch returns to the front row on rotation and Schaumloeffel hits the winner on #Setpoint. @VCVolleyball takes 1st set over @GoGadesGo 26-16. pic.twitter.com/lVyLTOD5Fo
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 22, 2023
The second set was played evenly wit VC holding a slight advantage as the teams traded points. Rojelio had a pair of big time digs and Ibbotson hit quality serves as the Pirates moved ahead 18-14. Ventura extended the lead to six points, 21-15, before Bakersfield rallies to close to within 21-19. Murdoch helped to stem the tide and Schaumloeffel hit the winner for a 25-21 set win as VC took firm control of the match.
Ventura jumped out to the early 4-0 lead in the third set on a pair of winners from Murdoch. The Renegades rallied to tie the set at 5-5, and took their first lead of the match at 9-8. Murdoch responded with a back row kill and VC scored three straight to regain the upper hand. The teams tied at 11 and 12 before an injury timeout seemed to take the energy out of the match. When play resumed, VC fell behind 15-13 before Murdoch again keyed a four-point run. The set was again even at 20 when Talia Behrens had a hit returned out, then she won with a big swing in the middle before Schaumloeffel served a pair of aces to clinch the sweep, 25-21.
VB��: Behrens with a. Big winner in the middle and Schaumloeffel serves two aces as @VCVolleyball takes the third set from @GoGadesGo 25-21 to clinch the 3-0 match win. pic.twitter.com/UKryI3vhCE
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 22, 2023
Ibbotson finished the match with six kills, six digs and a pair of service aces and Rojelio added three unreturned serves. Schaumloeffel recorded four winners at the net with five aces and six digs and Brianna Morrison had three block assists. Behrens and Morrison each had three kills.
The Pirates move on to the SoCal Regional Finals on Saturday Nov. 25. They will host No. 10 Santa Monica at 7:00 pm at the Athletic Event Center withe the winner advancing to the 3C2A State Elite Eight Nov. 30-Dec. 2.