Hot Start Holds Up for VC in Road Win

The VC women's basketball team used a hot start and a solid defensive effort throughout to handle Allan Hancock College 61-39 in Santa Maria Wednesday night. Kenya Edelhart scored 15 points with a pair of assists and two steals and Sofia Torres-Reyes netted 13 points with six rebounds. Kylie Gallick led a 54-38 rebound advantage for Ventura with 15 boards. With the victory, the fifth straight for the Pirates, VC evens its season mark at 10-10.

VC got off to a quick start against the Bulldogs, racing out to leads of 7-0 and 17-2. Alyssandra Lacanilao opened the scoring with a mid-range jumper from an assist by Maddie Ozbourn, and Gallick followed with a drive for two on the next possession. Torres-Reyes then cashed in Gallick's dime for three and a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. The Bulldogs hit a pair of free throws a minute later before Torres-Reyes and Alisha Cruz-Lisberg hit back-to-back three's. Mya Victor connected on a putback and Edelhart made a pull-up jumper and Ventura expanded the lead to 17-2 with 3:14 on the clock. To close the period, Victor hit a skip pass to Edelhart for three, then scored a lay-up off a steal for the 22-5 margin.

Torres-Reyes began the scoring in the second quarter with a jumper to extend the lead to 19 points before Hancock started showing signs of life. The Bulldogs went on an 8-1 run over the next 90 seconds to pull to within 12 points, 25-13, with 7:43 remaining in the half, but Torres-Reyes stopped the skid with a 3-pointer off a pass from Cruz-Lisberg. Edelhart hit a shot from range late in the stanza, and Gallick scored on a drive on the final possession and Ventura led 36-17 at half.

The Pirate offense cooled off considerably after halftime, but their defense held fast keeping the Bulldogs at bey. Edelhart opened the half with a drive for a score and Cruz-Lisberg hit a three at the 6:43 mark for a 24-point advantage, 41-17. Hancock finally got on the board at the midway point of the quarter and scored six straight before Ozbourn ended a four-plus minute scoreless streak for VC with a pair of free throws. Lacanilao hit a three from the left wing with 1:03 on the clock for a 46-29 Pirate lead at the quarter break.

Ventura went on an 8-2 run to begin the final period to put the game on ice. Edelhart hit a jumper, before Torres-Reyes scored from the middle of the paint to answer a Bulldog score. Gallick assisted another score by Edelhart, then Sam Martinez scored a deuce for a 54-31 Ventura margin with 6:07 left to play. The Pirates cruised home from that point posting the 61-39 victory.

Lacanilao fought off first-half foul trouble for eight points in the game and Victor scored six points with nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots. Gallick added six points to her game-high rebounding total and Cruz-Lisberg also totaled six points. Ozbourn had four points, four blocked shots and six boards and Martinez pulled in five caroms.

The Pirates will return home on Saturday Feb. 5 to host Los Angeles Pierce College. Tip-off at the Athletic Event Center is scheduled for 7:00 pm.