The Pirates' volleyball team claimed a share of its second Western State Conference North Division championship in the past three seasons with a 25-17, 25-13, 25-8 sweep over Los Angeles Mission College Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center. Darynne Bickers had eight kills and Nevada Knowles recorded six winners with 20 assists. Alexis Baloyo hit six kills with eight digs and four aces while Averi Carter also had six kills for Ventura (17-5, 8-2).
Amaris Garcia anchored the defense with nine digs while Madelyn Grejada and Katey Mulville registered four and three blocks, respectively.
VC methodically built a 12-6 advantage in the first set to draw a timeout by LAMC. Ventura then received a winner from Knowles, two kills from Mulville and a pair of aces by Baloyo to build a 19-8 margin. With the Pirates approaching set-point, Mission rallied to close to within 24-17 before Bickers got the kill to take the first set, 25-17.
VB ��: Darynne Bickers with the kill and @VCVolleyball takes 1st set 25-17. @ventura_college @vcscolleges @TheAcornSports @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/PPmTVxR7cH
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 10, 2021
Ventura easily built a lead in the second set, 9-3, and a block from Miranda DeBeary made it 11-4 for the Pirates. Carter sandwiched a pair of kills around a service ace from DeBeary and the Pirate lead stretched to 15-8. Victoria Whitney, Carter and Bickers all had winners for a 20-9 lead before Bickers and Grejada shared a block, Bickers hit a winner, and Garcia served an ace for a 23-10 lead. DeBeary's roof clock gave the Pirates the 25-13 set victory and a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
VB ��: Bickers a tip for a point and DeBeary on set-point with the roof block. @VCVolleyball takes 2nd set 25-13 over @LAMCEagles. ��☠️ lead match 2-0. @ventura_college @vcscolleges @TheAcornSports @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/EhEBDlwKae
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 10, 2021
The third verse was the same for Ventura, as they steadily moved away from the Eagles. Grejada and Mulville shared a pair of clocks at the net for a 13-6 advantage and the Pirates kept it going claiming the 25-8 set win to sweep the match.
VB ��: @VCVolleyball takes 3rd set 25-8 to sweep @LAMCEagles 3-0. With the victory, VC clinches a tie for the @WSCsports North championship, their 2nd in 3 seasons. @vcscolleges @ventura_college @TheAcornSports @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/AQOTvvEh9e
— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 10, 2021
With the win, the Pirates claim a share of the program's 11th WSC title and its second in three seasons. VC also claimed the 2018 conference championship. Ventura and Moorpark are currently tied atop the standings with 8-2 records while Santa Barbara is 7-2 with one conference game remaining.
The Pirates will next hit the court on Tuesday Nov. 16 in a WSC Crossover match, with a site and opponent to be determined upon the completion of WSC play for all teams. Following that regular season finale, Ventura looks to make a splash in the Southern California regional Playoffs that begin on Saturday Nov. 20.