Pirates Come From Behind to Close Out Hancock in Four

VC sophomore Paris Dosch had 16 kills, seven service aces and two blocks to lead the Pirates' volleyball team back from a one set deficit to a 3-1 win over Allan Hancock College Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center.  The Pirates fell 25-22 in the first set before taking the final three, 25-18, 25-22, 25-10. 

VC (9-13, 3-2) fell behind early in the opening set and trailed 11-6.  Bryanna Lovingood had a big kill to help stop the bleeding and a Dosch tip made it 18-13.  After a sideout for the Bulldogs and a 19-13 advantage, Ventura won the serve back, and Dosch served five straight winners for a 19-19 tie.  The Pirates went ahead 22-21, but Hancock won four of the final five points to take the set 25-22.

Dosch started the second set with eight straight winners on serve and the Pirates were off and running.  Lauren Lipson had a nice tip for a point to make it 12-3, and Armonee Hunter had a big swing for a winner to make it 16-9.  Dosch finished off the set with a kill and VC evened the match with the 25-18 win.

In the third set, Ventura slowly and steadily pulled away from the Bulldogs.  Lovingood had a kill to push Ventura ahead 14-8, and she and Dosch made back-to-back plays to push the count to 23-17. Dosch and Paulina Iverson got the block to close out the Bulldogs 25-22 to take a 2-1 match lead.

It was all Pirates in the fourth and deciding set, opening advantages of 14-6 and 19-8.  Rachel Howery had a service ace on match point to close things out 25-10.

Hunter recorded 13 kills and Lovingood had eight for the victors, and Mikayla Spears and Howery handed out 25 and 23 assists, respectively.  Howery also had three services aces in the match. Sariah Flores led the defensive effort with 28 digs while Kierra Joyner and Emily Johnson each had eight.

Ventura next travels to San Luis Obispo on Friday Nov. 4 for a 6:00 pm match at Cuesta.  They will return home on Wednesday Nov. 11 against Santa Barbara.