2020 Beach Volleyball Review

In a perfect world, the Pirates' beach volleyball team would have returned home over the weekend following their first ever team appearance in the CCCAA State Tournament. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the season ended two months ago with unfulfilled expectations. But in the short time the 2020 team made it to the sand courts, there was much to celebrate.

As a team, the Pirates finished the abbreviated season with a 5-1 record. They were 4-0 against community college competition and also posted a 3-2 victory over Cal State Los Angeles, an NCAA Division II team. VC was ranked No. 7 in the state in the initial American Volleyball Coaches Association poll and had an opportunity to become the first Ventura team to advance to the CCCAA State Team Tournament. The Pirates also had an excellent shot at defending their 2019 Western State Conference crown.

The No. 2 duo of Kayla Hosch and Leslie Perez were 5-1 on the year, as were the pair of Morgan Gallagher and Miranda Unzueta. Tatum Teel and Julia Stalker posted a 3-1 mark at the No. 5 slot.

The Most Valuable Pair for 2020 was Raphaella Rosales and Vanessa Ihrke. The sophomores built on their state tournament appearance from a year ago, going undefeated against community college competition. They were looking for a return trip to the championships at year's end.  Additionally, the sophomores from Ventura and Oxnard high schools, respectively, earned the team's Scholar Athlete Awards, posting three straight semesters of 4.0 grade point averages.