WOMEN'S SOCCER: Without their best offensive threat, Macey Herrera who was injured two weeks ago, the Pirates' women's soccer team is remaking itself in mid-season. A major part of that makeover appears to be Abigail Littleton whose goal in the 85th minute found the back of the net giving VC (9-3-1, 4-2) a 3-2 non-conference win over Rio Hondo Tuesday at the Sportsplex. The freshman forward took an assist from AJ Tewes on the left side and rocketed a shot past the Roadrunner goal keeper from 20 yards out for the game-winner. Liz Fair and Delanie Gavid also scored goals for Ventura in the victory.
The Pirates' first goal was one of the more unusual goals in recent memory. in the 12th minute, Littleton hit a shot from the right side that hit the crossbar and bounced straight up in the air. The ball cam down hitting the crossbar again before rebounding in front of the net where Gavid was on the spot to put the ball in the goal for a 1-0 VC advantage. Rio Hondo equalized in the 22nd minute and VC nearly took a 2-1 lead but Littleton's hot shot from 25 yards out was snared by the Roadrunner keeper in the 29th minute. The teams went into halftime tied 1-1.
The Pirates wasted little time in reestablishing control when the second half began as Fair put in a rebound off a corner kick in the 51st minute. Rio Hondo tied the game once again in the 74th minute, setting up Littleton's heroics 10 minutes later.
Ventura will now begin the second round of Western State Conference play with a trip to Moorpark on Friday Oct. 25. The match is set to kick off at 4:00 pm.