Ventura Drops Final Contest of 2025

The Ventura College women's basketball team dropped their final contest before the new year, falling 62-45 at state No.13 Glendale Tuesday evening. Kayla Lumas led with 12 points while Charnelle Nichols scored 10. Riannah Lopez netted nine points with six boards in the effort for the Pirates.

The VC defense held fast in the early going, holding the Vaqueros to a pair of buckets over the first five minutes of play. Nichols assisted a three by Lopez and VC trailed 4-3 midway through the first quarter. GCC went on an 11-3 run at that point, however, before Lumas' netted a score in the final minute of the period. Ventura trailed 17-8 after 10 minutes of play.

The Vaqueros opened a 17-point margin at the 6:02 mark before Nichols scored a deuce and Alyssa Ballesteros nailed a triple. Sienna Angell cashed in a dime from Lopez for three and Lumas scored a lay-up to complete a 10-0 Pirate run. Nichols hit from range in the final seconds of the stanza as VC pulled back to within 28-22 at halftime.

Ventura remained close in the third quarter with buckets by Lumas and Ballesteros closing the gap to 30-28 midway through the period. Glendale responded by scoring 10 of the next 12 points, however, before a pair of Lumas free throws and a lay-up by Ava Elliott made it 40-34 at the quarter break.

The Pirates kept the game within 10 points, 49-39, when Nichols hit from range at the 5:07 mark, but the Vaqueros were too much down the stretch. 

VC will next open Western State Conference North Division play on Wednesday Jan. 7 at Los Angeles Mission College. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm.