We Play Hard!

Ventura 68, @ Cuesta 53

January 9, 2008

Box Score

     Indira Kaljo and Eja Wong teamed up for 40 points, including hitting seven 3-pointers, and 11 rebounds leading the Pirates to a 68-53 victory at Cuesta College Wednesday night in the Pirates' Western State Conference North Division opener Wednesday evening.  VC, ranked #3 in Southern California, overcame a slow start and an early seven point deficit to win it's longest road trip on the conference schedule.

     The Pirates seemed like they were still on the team vans as the game opened, misfiring on six of their first seven shot attempts.  When Cuesta (14-5, 0-1) hit a 3-pointer with 15:09 remaining in the half, the Pirates found themselves trailing 10-3.  Over the next six minutes the Pirates' engines slowly warmed up, and Julie Heurung connected on two free throws at the 8:36 mark to put Ventura (16-5, 1-0) ahead 15-14.  After the score was tied at 21 with 4:19 on the clock, VC closed the stanza with a 13-5 run sparked by  six Kaljo points on a pair of 3-pointers and five Wong points, a 2-point and a 3-point bucket.  Ventura went into the locker room with an eight point advantage, 34-26.

     If there were any doubts about the outcome of the contest, VC answered them in the opening minute after intermission.  Michelle Santizo and Kaljo each hit long-range buckets by the 19:00 mark to open up a 40-26 lead.  Although the Cougars managed to keep the margin under 20 points for the remainder of the game, VC was also able to maintain its advantage above a dozen points.  A pair of Kaljo charity tosses with 11:14 on the clock gave VC its biggest lead of the game, 54-36, and VC was never threatened down the stretch.  The Pirates won easily in the end, 68-53.

     Kaljo led the way on offense with 21 points and Wong, who came off the bench for the first time all season, netted a season-high 19 points.  Heurung and Santizo each tallied eight points.  Santizo led the glass attack with seven rebounds while Heurung and Kaljo each pulled down six boards.  Wong and Jenelle Conklin grabbed five caroms each.  Santizo, making the first start of her VC career, handed out five assists in the game.

     Ventura returns to the friendly confines of the VC Athletic Event Center this Saturday evening, January 12, with a 5:30 game against Los Angeles Pierce College.  The Pirate men's team will follow with a 7:30 pm tip-off against the Brahmas.