2023 Ventura College Volleyball Team News
The Ventura College Athletic Department claimed its 14th Top-13 finish in 19 years, placing 13th in California in the 2023-24 all-sports National Association of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) Cup standings. Pirate Athletics totaled 106 points overall, besting its 105.5 points earned in 2022-23 that placed 12th. Ventura was also 17th for the second straight year in the Daktronics Cup Standings with two-years schools from California, Oregon and Washington.
The Ventura College Athletic Department is proud to announce the transfer of 71 student athletes to four-year schools following their time with the Pirates. 48 of those transfers plan to continue their sport with 34 earning athletic scholarships. The VC class of 2024 will transfer to 48 different schools in 19 different states across the country. Additionally, 17 of the Pirate alumni have earned academic scholarships at their new schools.
VC volleyball outside hitter Kayla Murdoch has been named as a first team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the second consecutive year. She is one of 45 players from 39 schools who made the three, 15-member All-America teams for the 2023 season. The players chosen represent all sections of Two-Year College women’s volleyball: NJCAA Division I, II, and III, the 3C2A, and the NWAC.
The VC volleyball team swept the Western State Conference North Division post-season awards after sharing the conference title, the team's third straight crown and fourth in the past five years. Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Murdoch was named he WSC North Player of the Year while sophomore Autumn Rojelio earned the Libero of the Year Award. VC head coach Brad Lyans was named the WSC North Coach of the Year. Sophomore Kylie Ibbotson and freshman Talia Behrens also earned first team All-WSC recognition.
Despite a valiant effort, the Pirate volleyball team dropped a four-set decision to defending champion Feather River in the 3C2A State Tournament Friday at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. Kyla Murdoch finished her VC career with another double-double of 18 kills and 13 digs and sophomore Kylie Ibbotson had a career day with 15 winners at the net. Autumn Rojelio, also a second-year player, also posted a double-double with 21 digs and 13 assists as the Pirates completed their best season in a quarter-century at 21-4.
The third time was the charm for the Pirate volleyball team as they swept Santa Monica in three sets, the third time this season they played the Corsairs, in VC's third straight home Southern California Regional Final, breaking through for the Pirates' first trip to the 3C2A State Elite Eight in 23 years. Kayla Murdoch had a double double of 14 kills and 11 digs and Autumn Rojelio recorded 19 digs and handed out five assists to lead Ventura (21-3) to the state tournament next weekend at Mt. San Antonio College.
Buoyed by a sizable and vocal home crowd, the No. 2-seeded Pirate volleyball team swept past No. 15 Bakersfield, 16, 21 and 21, in the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs Tuesday. VC fed the Renegades a steady diet of Kaya Murdoch swings as the sophomore outside hitter led Ventura with 20 kills, seven digs and three blocks in the match. Autumn Rojelio led the defense with 23 digs and a 2.14 passer rating and Ashley Johnson handed out 36 assists.
The Pirate volleyball team ended the 2023 regular season with a thrilling five-set victory at Santa Monica Tuesday in a Western State Conference crossover contest. VC claimed the 25-20, 21-25, 25-21, 18-25, 15-9 win to finish the year at 19-3 overall after sharing their thirs streight WSC North Division title. Kylie Ibbotson had a double-double of 16 kills and 11 digs and Kayla Murdoch recorded 24 winners with a dozen digs. Ashley Johnson handed out 39 assists and Autumn Rojelio posted 31 digs in the triumph.
Behind the strong play of Kayla Murdoch and Kylie Ibbotson, the Pirate volleyball team defeated Los Angeles Mission 23-25, 25-13, 25-17, 25-12 in the final Western State Conference North Division match of the season at the Athletic Event Center. With the triumph, the Ventura (18-3, 8-2) clinched a share of the conference title for the third straight year and for the fourth time in the past five seasons.
The VC volleyball team went to Santa Barbara with a mission, they came home with a share of the Western State Conference lead. The Pirates defeated the Vaqueros in four sets, 25-10, 25-19, 23-25, 25-15 for a season-sweep of SBCC to pull even with Santa Barbara and Moorpark atop the conference standings with one game remaining. Autumn Rojelio, the heart and soul of the Pirate team, led the way with 28 digs and had her best passer rating of the season from her libero position. Kayla Murdoch recorded 16 kills and seven digs while Kylie Ibbotson had 11 winners and seven digs for Ventura (17-3, 7-2). Talia Behrens had seven kills with a .375 hitting percentage in the victory.
After a slow start, the Pirate volleyball team poured it on late as VC swept past Cuesta 27-25, 25-12, 25-14 Friday evening at the Athletic Event Center. Kayla Murdoch was dominant with 18 kills and a .517 hitting percentage and Talia Behrens recorded eight winners at the net. Ashley Johnson handed out 28 assists and Autumn Rojelio turned in 10 digs as Johnson added eight.
The Pirates' volleyball team got back on track Wednesday with a sweeping victory at Los Angeles Pierce in Woodland hills, 14, 11 and 14. Ventura hit 16 service aces in the match, led by Jocelyn Montoya's seven unreturned serves. Talia Behrens led the offense with eight kills while hitting .583 and Kylie Ibbotson had seven winners, hitting .538. Ashley Johynson handed out 10 assists and Autumn Rojelio had 10 digs defensively.
At the end of the night, the Pirates' volleyball team was outscored by just seven points, 98-92, but that was enough to fall in four sets Friday to Moorpark, 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 25-21. Brianna Morrison hit a solid .462 at the net with seven kills and Ashley Johnson handed out 48 assists and recorded four blocks defensively. Autumn Rojelio had 25 digs and Kayla Murdoch hit a team-high 16 winners as VC (14-3, 4-2) dropped out of a first place tie atop the conference.
The Pirate volleyball team closed the first round of Western State Conference North Division play with a 25-20, 26-24, 25-18 sweep over Los Angeles Mission in Sylmar Friday evening. Kayla Murdoch's double double of 16 kills and 10 digs led the way while Makena Schaumloeffel recorded nine winners with five service aces. Autumn Rojelio picked up 19 digs and Ashley Johnson handed out 34 assists for the No. 9-ranked Pirates (14-2, 4-1).
The VC volleyball team played its best match of the season Wednesday, sweeping past Santa Barbara 18, 16 and 20 to vault back into a first place tie atop the Western State Conference North Division with the Vaqueros and Moorpark. Kayla Murdoch led the effort with 19 kills and a .482 hitting percentage and Kylie Ibbotson had nine winners at .318. Ashley Johnson handed out 43 assists and Autumn Rojelio recorded 22 digs defensively in the triumph.
The Pirate volleyball team took care of business on their longest trip of the conference season, sweeping past Cuesta in San Luis Obispo, 11, 16 and 13 on Wednesday. Kayla Murdoch returned after a brief injury respite to record 18 kills and Talia Behrens had nine winners at the net. Makena Schaumloeffel led the defense with 13 digs and had seven service aces while Autumn Rojelio had 11 digs. Brianna Morrison had seven blocks for VC (12-2, 2-1).
