Pirates Claim Back-to-Back WSC Titles

The VC beach volleyball team claimed its second straight Western State Conference championship Friday with a 3-2 win over Santa Monica and a 4-1 triumph over Bakersfield at the Ventura Harbor Cove Courts. Autumn Rojelio and Bryce Swain claimed a pair of wins as the No. 1 pair to lead the way, along with two wins by Alba Romanos Gracia and Kylie Ibbotson at no. 2 and Gracie Piro and Gabby Raines at No. 4. The victories put the Pirates (17-5, 11-1) alone in first place in the conference standings for the second straight year and for the fourth time in the last six seasons.

The Corsairs came into the first match of the day looking for a share of the WSC title and the contest had the intensity of a championship battle. Piro and Raines captured the first set at No. 4 and Lily Hazzard and Makena Schaumloeffel won their first set in the No. 3 match-up. Meanwhile, SMC went ahead after one set at the Nos. 1, 2 and 5.  

Piro and Raines got VC on the board with their sweep at No. 4, 21-13, 21-18 while every other contest went into a third and deciding set. Rojelio and Swain were the first to post a Ventura comeback, winning at No. 1, 17-21, 21-15, 15-9 before Romanos Gracia and Ibbotson had their own comeback win at No. 2, 14-21, 21-16, 15-10 to clinch the victory for the Pirates. Despite coming back to force a third set, Liz Schalde and Skylar Rutherford fell at no. 5, 23-21, 19-21, 15-11 and Hazzard and Schaumloeffel dropped their No. 3 contest, 15-21, 21-15, 15-11 to set the final 3-2 margin.

With at least a share of the WSC title in hand, the Pirates looked to win it outright against the Renegades. Piro and Raines captured their second sweep of the day in the No. 4 slot, 21-13, 21-15, while Rojelio and Swain were dominant at No. 1, winning 21-13, 21-6. Romanos and Gracia triumphed in the clincher once again, winning in three sets at No. 2, 21-10, 19-21, 15-6 and Schalde and Rutherford swept their No. 5 match, 21-17, 21-11 to give VC the back-to-back championship.

As the WSC champion, the Pirates have a solid shot at being named one of the top four seeds in the upcoming 3C2A Southern California Regional Playoffs on Tuesday April 30. Meanwhile, Ventura will head to Santa Monica on Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27 for the WSC Pairs Tournament.

Ventura 3, Santa Monica 2

1. Autumn Rojelio/Bryce Swain (VC) def. Arianna Urena/Trishia Fields (SMC), 17-21, 21-15, 15-9
2. Alba Romanos Gracia/Kylie Ibbotson (VC) def. Nicole Lankton/Sophia Odle (SMC), 14-21, 21-16, 15-10
3. Lily Hazzard/Makena Schaumloeffel (VC) lost to Prior Borick/Chloe Lewis (SMC), 15-21, 21-15, 15-11
4. Gracie Piro/Gabby Raines (VC) def. Allison Horin/Sophia Vandenberg (SMC), 21-13, 21-18
5. Liz Schalde/Skylar Rutherford (VC) lost to Zoe Horner/Bridget Robarts (SMC), 23-21, 19-21, 15-11

Order of Finish: 4, 1, 2, 3, 5

Ventura 4, Bakersfield 1

1. Autumn Rojelio/Bryce Swain (VC) def. Kamryn Briggs/Bri Bowyer (BC), 21-13, 21-6
2. Alba Romanos Gracia/Kylie Ibbotson (VC) def. Kya Jones/Stevie Yurisek (BC), 21-10, 19-21, 15-6
3. Lily Hazzard/Makena Schaumloeffel (VC) lost to Haley Tedrow/Monet Panther (BC), 21-17, 21-12
4. Gracie Piro/Gabby Raines (VC) def. Alexandra Watts/Lucely Parra (BC), 21-13, 21-15
5. Liz Schalde/Skylar Rutherford (VC) def. Abriana Naranjo/Chloe Comstock (BC), 21-17, 21-11

Order of Finish: 4, 1, 3, 2, 5