2021 Ventura College Volleyball Team News
Ventura College student athletes excelled once again in the classroom in 2021-22, achieving an overall 3.26 grade point average in the fall and following that up with a solid 3.19 overall GPA in the spring. A total of 123 Pirates earned Dean's List honors in the fall of 2021 with a 3.5 GPA or better while taking in 12 or more units of study, with 51 student athletes recording a perfect 4.0 GPA. In the spring, 112 VC student athletes were featured on the Dean's List with 41 posting perfect GPA's.
It was a season to remember for the Pirate volleyball team in 2021. From their second Western State Conference title in three years to a playoff run to the Southern California Regional Finals, the first for VC since 2000. WSC Player of the Year Nevada Knowles earned another first for the Ventura program when she was named second-team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Knowles becomes the first AVCA All-American in program history.
On the heels of a memorable season, VC volleyball standout Nevada Knowles has been named the Player of the Year for the Western State Conference North Division. Additionally, Darynne Bickers and Katey Mulville were both named 1st-team All-WSC and head coach Brad Lyans was named co-Coach of the Year in voting by conference coaches in November.
The Ventura College volleyball team was five points away from its first trip to the CCCAA State Elite Eight since 2000. It might as well have been 100. VC was leading the visiting College of the Canyons Cougars 20-18 in the third set, ahead in the match 2-0, when a wall went up between the Pirates and Elite status. CoC came back to win the set, and took the final two in a hearbreaking end to a wonderful season for Ventura.
The Ventura College volleyball team advanced to the state "Sweet 16" with a sweeping 25-21, 25-16, 25-21 playoff victory at No. 7 Irvine Valley College Tuesday. Alexis Baloyo had 15 kills for the No. 10-seeded Pirates while Nevada Knowles handed out 35 assists. Averi Carter and Savannah Marchese anchored the defensive effort with nine and eight digs, respectively, as Ventura (18-6) earned its first playoff victory since 2018.
The Ventura College volleyball team has earned the No. 10-seed in the upcoming Southern California regional Playoffs. VC (17-6) will travel to No. 7 Irvine Valley (16-5) on Tuesday Nov. 23 for a 6:00 pm match. The Pirates shared the Western State Conference North Division championship in 2021, the program's second in the past three seasons. Irvine Valley, the state runner-up in 2019, tied for second place in the Orange Empire Conference.
The VC volleyball team dropped its regular season finale Tuesday in a dramatic five-set match against College of the Canyons In Santa Clarita. VC held a 2-1 advantage before dropping the fourth and fifth sets for the 25-17, 20-25, 16-25, 26-24, 15-12 result.
The Pirates' volleyball team claimed a share of its second Western State Conference North Division championship in the past three seasons with a 25-17, 25-13, 25-8 sweep over Los Angeles Mission College Wednesday at the Athletic Event Center. Darynne Bickers had eight kills and Nevada Knowles recorded six winners with 20 assists. Alexis Baloyo hit six kills with eight digs and four aces while Averi Carter also had six kills for Ventura (17-5, 8-2).
The VC volleyball team defeated Los Angeles Pierce 25-8, 25-10, 23-25, 25-13 Friday in Woodland Hills behind 12 kills fro Victoria Whitney and 34 assists from Nevada Knowles. That victory, coupled with Moorpark's 5-set loss to Santa Barbara puts the Pirates, Raiders and Vaqueros in a virtual tie atop the Western State Conference North Division standings with one week remaining in the regular season.
It was Pirates vs. Pirates Tuesday evening in the Athletic Event Center as the No. 15-ranked VC volleyball team hosted No. 20 Orange Coast in a key late-season non-conference match-up. Nevada Knowles had a double-double of 11 kills and 40 assists to go along with seven digs and a .464 hitting percentage to lead the way for Ventura in their 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 25-23 triumph over OCC. Alexis Baloyo also had a double-double with 10 kills and 16 digs for VC (15-5, 6-2).
With the fall seasons in full swing, and basketball getting ready to begin, the Ventura College Athletic Department would like to remind spectators about Covid policies and procedures if you are going to come support the Pirates in person. Please use the following guide when attending VC home athletics events.
In their biggest match of the season to-date, the No. 19-ranked VC volleyball team continued their resurgence with a 25-23, 25-23, 25-19 sweep over No. 11 Santa Barbara Friday at the Athletic Event Center. Katey Mulville had a spectactular evening with 16 kills and a .560 hitting percentage. She was set up for much of the night by Nevada Knowles who dished out all 32 assists for the Pirates (14-5, 6-2) in the victory. Savannah Marchese led the defense with 17 digs on the back line.
After a pair of losses a week ago, the Pirate volleyball team faced its longest road trip of the season Wednesday, traveling to San Luis Obispo to face the Cuesta Cougars. The No. 19-ranked Pirates responded in fine fashion, sweeping past the Cougars 25-14, 25-20, 25-17. Alexis Baloyo led VC (13-5, 5-2) with nine kills and eight digs while Nevada Knowles returned to her primary setter duties with 29 assists, five kills and four digs.
Two of the three teams in a first place tie in the Western State Conference North Division met Friday night at a raucous Athletic Event Center with the Pirates' volleyball team coming up short 20-25, 25-14, 25-22, 25-16 to visiting Moorpark. Nevada Knowles had 10 kills and 16 assists to lead the No. 14-ranked Pirates. Katey Mulville and Darynne Bickers each recorded eight winners while Alexis Baloyo had seven kills with 10 digs in the match.
The No. 14-ranked Ventura College volleyball team traveled to No. 6 Bakersfield looking for a signature win. Despite a strong effort, however, the Pirates fell short to the Renegades, falling in three sets, 25-18, 27-25, 25-17 Tuesday night. Darynne Bickers and Nevada Knowles each recorded eight kills in the match, and Knowles added 12 assists, but VC (12-4, 4-1) fell short in the non-conference contest rescheduled from Sept. 22.
The Ventura College volleyball team continued rolling on Friday evening, sweeping past Los Angeles Mission College 25-16, 25-17, 25-22 in San Fernando. Alexis Baloyo and Nevada Knowles each had seven kills while Averi Carter and Katey Mulville each had six winners to lead the balanced attack. Amelie Zubia had 10 assists and four services aces for Ventura (12-3, 4-1).
