2022 Ventura College Volleyball News
Ventura College student athletes excelled once again in the classroom in 2022-23, achieving an overall 3.29 grade point average in the fall and following that up with a 3.19 overall GPA in the spring semester. A total of 108 Pirates achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher, earning mention on the Dean's List in the fall 2022 term while taking in 12 or more units of study, with 53 student athletes recording a perfect 4.0 GPA. In spring 2023, 110 VC student athletes were named on the Dean's List with 45 posting perfect GPA's.
Volleyball and beach volleyball standout Kayla Murdoch and baseball star Reiss Calvin have been named the 2022-23 Ventura College Athletics Athletes of the Year. Recognized at the VC Athletic Hall of Fame and Student Athlete recognition Banquet last month, the pair each had record-setting seasons in their respective sports to earn the Pirates' top athletic honor.
VC volleyball's Nevada Knowles and Kayla Murdoch were both named first team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association in December. The awards for the duo come on the heels of one of the most successful seasons in program history in which the Pirates posted a 23-2 record, winning its second straight Western State Conference North Division crown, and advancing to the Southern California Regional Finals for the second straight season.
The VC women's volleyball team capped off one of the best season's in school history with seven All-Western State Conference awards. Leading the way is WSC North Division Player of the Year Nevada Knowles, the second straight PoY award for the Pirate sophomore. Meanwhile freshmen Kayla Murdoch and Autumn Rojelio Moreno each earned first team ALL-WSC honors.
There was a point in the third set of Saturday's Southern California Regional Final volleyball match between Ventura and Grossmont that Kayla Murdoch took two great sets from Alba Ramanos Gracia and hit them exactly where she wanted, only to have the Griffins dig them off the floor and continue the point. That was the way it went form the shorthanded Pirates as they fell to Grossmont in four sets, 22-25, 25-18, 25-12, 25-21. Murdoch led VC (23-2) with 24 kills with Ramanos Gracia handing out 22 assists and Autumn Rojelio Moreno recording 20 digs.
The VC volleyball team advanced in the Southern California Regional Playoffs with a 25-20, 25-29, 25-26 sweep over MiraCosta College Tuesday at the Athletic Event Center. Nevada Knowles led the top-seeded Pirates (23-1) with 38 assists and five digs while Kayla Murdoch recorded 23 kills and five services aces. Autumn Rojelio Moreno added 17 digs to lead the defensive effort against the No. 16-seeded Spartans.
The Ventura College women's volleyball team has earned the No. 1 seed in the Southern California Regional Playoffs that begin Saturday. VC (22-1) receives a first round by and will host the winner of No. 16 MiraCosta (18-8) and No. 17 Golden West (12-10) on Tuesday Nov. 22 at 6:00 pm. The Spartans and Rustlers will play on Saturday at 6:00 pm in Oceanside.
The VC volleyball team completed the best regular season in school history on Tuesday with a strong 25-14, 25-22, 29-27 sweep over Western State Conference South Division champion College of the Canyons at the Athletic Event Center. Kayla Murdoch recorded a double-double with 20 kills and 13 digs and Nevada Knowles dished out a season-high 36 assists as the WSC North champs took down the Cougars for the second time this season.
The VC volleyball team completed their outright Western State Conference North Division championship Wednesday with a 25-9, 25-15, 25-16 sweep of visiting Cuesta. Nevada Knowles handed out 22 assists and hit five service aces to lead the way and Kayla Murdoch had 11 kills with a .381 hitting percentage. Autumn Rojelio Moreno recorded 11 digs, Katey Mulville hit .400 with seven winners and Averi Carter accumulated four service aces in the victory for the Pirates (21-1, 9-1).
One day after inexplicably being knocked from Southern California's No. 1-ranking despite a six-match winning streak, the VC volleyball team avenged its only loss of the season with a strong 25-22, 25-22, 25-18 sweep over Santa Barbara Tuesday night at the Athletic Event Center. Kayla Murdoch hit 18 kills and Nevada Knowles recorded 32 assists as Ventura (20-1, 8-1) clinched at least a share of the Western State Conference North Division title for the second year in a row and the third time in four seasons.
Playing the second half of a home-and-home series against Los Angeles Mission, the Pirate volleyball team swept the Eagles for the second time in three days, 25-23, 25-7, 25-16 in Sylmar Friday evening. Kayla Murdoch led the way at the net with 13 kills and Nevada Knowles had 25 assists, six service aces and five blocks, two solo. Katey Mulville recorded eight winners and Averi Carter hit five in the triumph for Ventura (19-1, 7-1).
From their initial 9-0 run to open the match, the Pirate volleyball team was dominant Wednesday, defeating Los Angeles Mission 25-10, 25-14, 25-13 at the Athletic Event Center. Kayla Murdoch recorded 15 kills in 19 swings, a .789 clip, and Katey Mulville had six winners while hitting .600 for Southern California's top-ranked team. Nevada Knowles handed out 20 assists and Autumn Rojelio Moreno had 16 digs in the triumph. VC (18-1, 6-1) hit .515 as a team in the match with five errors in 66 swings at the net.
The VC women's volleyball team had an easy time with visiting Los Angeles Pierce on Friday, sweeping the Brahmas 25-14, 25-9, 25-18 at the Athletic Event Center. Kayla Murdoch led the balanced attack with nine kills and Nevada Knowles hit 0417 with five kills, 21 assists and eight digs. Katey Mulville had four kills in the triumph while Averi Carter and Kylie Ibbotson each recorded four winners. Autumn Rojelio Moreno led the defense with 12 digs.
In a battle of highly-ranked rivals, the No. 4-ranked Pirate volleyball team defeated No. 11 Moorpark 25-22, 23-25, 25-19, 27-25 Friday at Raider Pavilion. Kayla Murdoch's double-double of 20 kills and 16 digs paced Ventura (16-1, 4-1) while Nevada Knowles posted another triple-double of 17 kills, 25 assists and 12 digs. Amelie Zubia also recorded a double-double with 25 assists and 13 digs. Autumn Rogelio Moreno paced the defense with 26 digs and Katey Mulville hit 11 winners at the net.
The No. 4-ranked VC volleyball team traveled to San Luis Obispo on Friday, leaving Cuesta College with a 25-17, 25-12, 25-15 Western State Conference victory over the Cougars. The Pirates (15-1, 3-1) had a total team victory with 10 players recording a kill, nine defending with a dig, and seven assisting a score in the match. CCCCAA Female Athlete of the Month of September Nevada Knowles handed out 26 assists with eight digs and seven kills while Kayla Murdoch had 14 winners.
The VC volleyball team got back on track Wednesday with a 25-7, 25-23, 25-16 sweep at Los Angeles Pierce College. Southern California's top-ranked team bounced back after their first loss of the season last Friday. Kayla Murdoch led the way with 11 kills and a .500 hitting percentage and Katey Mulville recorded nine winners at .533. Nevada Knowles handed out 17 assists with five kills while Autumn Rojelio Moreno and Averi Carter each had nine digs.
