Four Beach Pairs Advance to WSC Final Eight

The Ventura College beach volleyball team had four teams advance to the final eight after day one of the Western State Conference Pairs Championships in play Wednesday at the Harbor Cove Courts at the Ventura Marina. The Pirates No. 1 pair of Raphaella Rosales and Vanessa Ihrke led the way with a pair of easy wins, winning each of their four sets by at least nine points. The pairs of Morgan Gallagher and Jordan Neria, Shantalle Ruiz and Kasie Spencer, and Brooklyn Wallet and Faith Mackie also each posted two wins to move to Friday's final eight.

Rosales and Ihrke, the No. 3 seed in the conference draw, defeated opponents from Bakersfield in the round of 32 before besting a pair from Victor Valley, 21-7, 21-12. No. 8-seeded Gallagher and Neria moved past the round of 32 with a 21-10, 21-3 triumph over a team from Glendale before outscoring the No. 9-seed out of Moorpark, 21-16, 21-18.

Ruiz and Spencer earned the No. 15-seed  the draw, and moved into the round of 16 via a forfeit. Then, they upset the No. 2 seed from Moorpark in an exciting three-set match, 21-11, 13-21, 15-8. Wallet and Mackie, ranked No. 23, upset the No. 10-seed from Bakersfield, 13-21, 21-15, 15-11, before outing the No. 7 seed from Victor valley, 21-13, 21-7.

Ventura's fifth pair in the tournament, Kambria Dowling and Kayla Hosch battled but lost their round of 32 match against the No. 5-ranked team from Santa Barbara.

The WSC Championships will conclude Friday April 26 in Santa Monica. Ruiz and Spencer will take on Wallet and Mackie in one quarterfinal, while Rosales and Ihrke will play a team from Santa Monica. Gallagher and Neria, meanwhile, will take on the No. 1-seeded team, also from Santa Monica. Play begins at 10:00 am.  The consolation and semifinals matches will follow at 11:00 am before the finals, third place match, and fifth place match beginning at 12:00 pm. The top six teams will advance to the CCCAA State Pairs Championships on Friday May 3.