Pirate Spikers Advance With Sweep

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 Pirates were down 13-12 in a closely fought first set before Murdoch came alive with a pair of kills and back-to-back aces. VC took control 22-18 before a kill by Averi Carter and a long serve by MiraCosta gave Ventura the set, 25-20.

Birthday girl Kylie Ibbotson had a kill, Carter served an ace, Katey Mulville scored on a block and Murdoch hit a winner as the Pirates held an 11-8 margin in the second set. VC pulled away with Ibbotson on the serve and led 17-11 before the Spartans used a 6-1 run to climb back into the set. After a Pirate timeout, the Spartans served out of rotation to halt their momentum. Murdoch had one of many big-time swings late and Mulville converted Knowles' assist at set point for the 25-19 VC triumph.

VB��: Murdoch with a big-time swing and Mulville converts Nevada Knowles' assist in set point, @VCVolleyball wins 2nd 25-19, leads match 2-0 over @MCCSPARTANS. @ventura_college @vcscolleges @TheAcornSports @cccwvca pic.twitter.com/px4oR5Kv7n

— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 23, 2022

Ventura lost some fire in the third set, and MiraCosta moved out to a sizeable 11-3 lead. Carter keyed the comeback with a kill and two aces, and Mulville, Murdoch and Ibbotson all hit winners as the Pirates roared back to within 13-11. Knowles fed a steady diet of Murdoch to the Spartans as the outside hitter recorded four kills in a short span to move Ventrua ahead 18-13. Knowles and Morrison teamed up for the final block and Ventura claimed the sweep with a 25-16 win in the third set.

@TheAcornSports @cccwvca VB��: @VCVolleyball finishes off the sweep 25-16 over @MCCSPARTANS. VC advances to the Regional Finals 3-0. @ventura_college @vcs pic.twitter.com/zeUOgLuudL

— VCPirateAthletics (@VCAthletics) November 23, 2022

Murdoch hit an impressive .450 on the night with five errors on 40 swings while adding seven digs defensively. Mulville had a solid night for Ventura in the middle with eight kills and a .353 hitting percentage along with three blocks, one solo. Ibbotson had six kills and seven digs in the effort.

The Pirates advance to the regional finals for the second straight year, hosting No. 9 Grossmont on Saturday Nov. 26. The Grffins outlasted No. 8 Pasadena in five sets on Tuesday. Match time is 6:00 at the Athletic Event Center.