The VC volleyball team defeated Allan Hancock in four sets, 25-14, 25-14, 26-28, 25-19, Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center. Shai Daniels produced a double-double of 18 kills and 14 digs while hitting at a .567 clip. Josephine Rausch added 14 winners and eight digs. Natalie Bair and Liz Schalde each had 20 assists and Talia Behrens contributed seven kills and five blocks, one solo.
Ventura (9-7, 3-2) pulled away early and took care of business in the first set, claiming victory 25-14 over the Bulldogs.
Daniels hit a soft winner and a kill shot, and Behrens followed with another winner as VC took an 8-3 advantage in the second set. Makena Schaumloeffel hit a service ace for a 19-11 margin. Rausch had a kill, Daniels hit an ace and Behrens and Daphne Raymond combined on a block to get the Pirates to set point before Raymond's winner earned the Pirates sent No. 2, 25-14.
Hancock went out quickly in the third set, taking a 5-0 lead. Daniels hit a pair of kills and posted a block to close the gap to 6-5. Ventura then went on a run, moving ahead by as many as seven points when Bair and Skylar Rutherford hit back-to-back aces for a 17-10 VC advantage. Daniels recorded another kill and Schaumloeffel another ace for a 21-14 lead when the Bulldogs came storming back. Hancock tied the score at 23, and survived three VC match points before forcing a fourth set with a 28-26 win.
In the fourth set, Behrens had a block for a 7-4 VC lead, and she hit a big winner in the middle to push the Pirates ahead, 17-13. Rausch maintained the margin, 21-17 with a big swing before adding a winner along with a kill by Daniels to get VC to match point. Daniels threw the final dagger with the clinching kill for the 25-19 set win, claiming the match, 3-1.
After a bye date on Friday Oct. 18, the Pirates return to action on Wednesday Oct. 23 at Los Angeles Pierce.