The Ventura College beach volleyball team jumped back into the driver's seat in the Western State Conference race and took an inside track to a possible home playoff date with an exciting 3-2 triumph over Santa Barbara in Santa Monica on Friday. The Pirates followed up that win with a 5-0 sweep over Bakersfield on the penultimate day of the conference schedule. Grace Williams and Alba Romanos Gracia provided the match-winning victory against the Vaqueros in a three-set thriller while Olivia Sletten and Ashley Johnson won twice on the day, including the clincher against BC.
The opener featured two of the top teams in the state as VC and SBCC had only suffered defeat in community college competition against each other in splitting their first two match-ups. Sletten and Johnson put the Pirates (17-2, 9-1) ahead with a quick 21-10, 21-14 win in the No. 2 match before Kylie Ibbotson and Bryce Swain won their match in the No. 5 slot 21-13, 23-21 giving Ventura a 2-0 lead. The Vaqueros came storming back, however, taking the No. 3 contest 21-17, 21-19 over Katey Mulville and Averi Carter before edging the Pirate's No. 1's Kayla Murdoch and Autumn Rojelio Moreno 18-21, 21-18, 15-9 to even the match. Meanwhile Ventura's 4's Williams and Romanos Gracia rebounded from a 21-7 first-set defeat to take the second 21-19 to set up the dramatic finish. The VC duo scratched and clawed their way to a 15-12 win in the deciding set to claim the 3-2 triumph for the Pirates.
What a point to clinch the 3-2 team #WIN over SBCC on Friday taking the third set 15-12 on court 4! �� VC now leading the WSC going into the final week of conference play ☠️ #GoPirates @VCAthletics @vcscolleges pic.twitter.com/JgnwzER4P3
— VC Volleyball (@VCVolleyball) April 18, 2023
Ventura then celebrated by running away from Bakersfield in the nightcap, winning each set by an average of nearly 12 points. Ibbotson and Swain got the encore started with a 21-9, 21-7 win at No. 5 before Williams and Romanos Gracia posted a 21-5, 21-7 victory at No. 4. Sletten and Johnson clinched the win with a 21-9, 21-9 victory in the No. 2 slot and Mulville and Carter won at No. 3, 21-12, 21-9. Murdoch and Rojelio Moreno finished off the Renegades with a 21-12, 21-11 triumph at No. 1.
The Pirates will complete the WSC circuit with matches against Moorpark and Santa Monica on Friday April 21 in Santa Barbara.
Ventura 3, Santa Barbara 2
1. Kayla Murdoch/Autumn Rojelio Moreno (VC) lost to Emma Crabbe/Olivia Medina (SBCC), 18-21, 21-18, 15-9
2. Olivia Sletten/Ashley Johnson (VC) def. Jacelin McKie/Karoline Ruiz (SBCC), 21-10, 21-14
3. Katey Mulville/Averi Carter (VC) lost to Irey Therese Sandholt/Paige Rudi (SBCC), 21-17, 21-19
4. Grace Williams/Alba Romanos Gracia (VC) def. Corinne Tommeraason/Piper Ellbogn-Pettersen (SBCC), 7-21, 21-19, 15-12
5. Kylie Ibbotson/Bryce Swain (VC) def. Gabby Russell/Sophie Ward (SBCC), 21-13, 23-21
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 3, 1, 4
Ventura 5, Bakersfield 0
1. Kayla Murdoch/Autumn Rojelio Moreno (VC) def. Kami Marion/Aubree Dees (BC), 21-12, 21-11
2. Olivia Sletten/Ashley Johnson (VC) def. Kya Jones/Nattelynn Burns (BC), 21-9, 21-9
3. Katey Mulville/Averi Carter (VC) def. Tori Robertson/Monet Panther (BC), 21-12, 21-9
4. Grace Williams/Alba Romanos Gracia (VC) def. Samantha Villanueva/Reenah Sullivan (BC), 21-5, 21-7
5. Kylie Ibbotson/Bryce Swain (VC) def. Emily Flores/ Haley Tedrow(BC) 21-9, 21-7
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 2, 3, 1