The VC women's water polo team finished the Battle at the Beach Tournament with an even 2-2 record after one win and one loss on Saturday in games at Cypress College. Ventura (20-7, 5-1) defeated Saddleback 12-11 on Saturday morning before falling to conference foe Citrus 10-7 in the afternoon. Lauren Wiksell netted eight goals in the two games while Paige Treloar-Ballard and Ylva Ostlin had four and three goals, respectively.
Ventura 12, Saddleback 11
The Pirates outscored the Gauchos 5-3 in the second quarter to take a 6-5 halftime edge. Saddleback tied the game at 8-8 after three quarters and held a 10-9 lead with 2:37 remaining in the contest before the Pirates pulled out the victory. Maeve Flynn netted a goal with 1:38 on the clock to put VC ahead 11-10, and Kelsey Golden assisted Ostlin's goal at the 1:17 mark in what would prove to be the game-winner.
Wiksell had five goals and three assists in the game and Oslin scored twice with an assist and two steals. Treloar-Ballard also had two goals to go with an assist and four steals and Golden also had two goals and four thefts. Flynn ended the game with four steals, as well, as the Pirates totaled 18 steals in the game. In goal, Valeria Ramirez blocked 10 Saddleback shots.
Ventura 7, Citrus 10
In a rematch of a match from Oct. 6 in which the Pirates came out victorious, the Owls used a strong fourth quarter to exact a measure of redemption. The match was tied at the end of each of the first three quarters before Citrus outscored VC 4-1 in the final period.
Wiksell led Ventura once again with three goals and a steal while Treloar-Ballard had two scores, two assists, and five drawn exclusions. Ostlin and Flynn each had single goals for the Pirates and Ramirez had eight saves in the cage.
Ventura will close the regular season with a trip to San Luis Obispo to face Cuesta on Wednesday Oct. 26. A win would secure the No. 2 see in the Western State Conference Tournament coming up Nov. 3-5, also in SLO.