Ventura Even on Final Day in San Diego

The Ventura College women's water polo team went 1-1 Saturday at Southwestern on the final day of their San Diego road trip. VC (7-2) dropped the opener to San Diego Miramar 15-10 before beating up on Palomar 14-7 in the weekend finale. Ella Montano was the top scorer for the Pirates with six goals to go along with four steals, two assists and a pair of drawn exclusions. Kelsee Espitia scored five times on the day and Ava Carey turned back 17 shots in goal.

Ventura 10, San Diego Miramar, 15

The Pirates battled in the first half against the Jets but were outscored 8-4 in the final two periods.

VC fell behind by deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 before goals by Milla Malesich, Espitia, and Taylor Baldwin evened the score at 4-4 at the end of the first quarter.

Miramar was able to rebuild their advantage at 6-4 at the 6:33 mark of the second period when AnnMarie Patterson and Caitlyn Hilgenberg sandwiched scores around a Jet goal for a 7-6 halftime deficit.

The Pirates were outscored 3-1 in the third stanza with Montano netting the Pirate goal and Miramar won the fourth period, 5-3, to set the final margin.

Montano had three goals, three steals, two assists and a pair of drawn exclusions and Espitia added three thefts with two dimes and a goal for Ventura. Stevie Sturges added two helpers and a steal.

Ventura 14, Palomar 7

VC rebounded to take the final game of the road trip, building a 9-3 halftime advantage in their 14-7 win over Palomar.

Patterson and Espitia alternated scores in the first quarter for a 4-0 lead in the first five minutes of play and Montano made it 5-0 on the next possession. The Comets found the inside of the cage with 1:07 on the clock and Ventura led 5-1 at the quarter break.

After another Palomar score, Malesich, Espitia, JoJo Thayne and Bella Palacios all converted shots for a 9-2 margin. The Comets scored one more goal before intermission for the 9-3 halftime score.

Ventura cruised in the second half en route to the 14-7 decision.

Espitia tallied four scores with four assists and a pair of steals and Montano found the cage three times. Malesich had a pair of assists and two steals while Tahyne added two dimes, a theft and a drawn exclusion to her second-quarter goal. Carey turned back 11 Palomar shots in goal.

The Pirates next travel to the Mt. San Antonio Tournament in Walnut on Friday and Saturday Sept. 27 and 28.