We Play Hard!

@ Ventura 77, Cuesta 50

February 2, 2008

Box Score

     This Groundhog Day did not begin with Sonny and Cher, and the scoring for the Pirates most certainly did not repeat itself.  Ventura had six players in double-figures as they used a hot shooting first half that included seven 3-pointers to defeat the visiting Cuesta Cougars 77-50 Saturday night at the Athletic Event Center. The Pirates nailed 55 percent of their shots from the field in the opening period, including shooting 7-11 from 3-point land, in jumping out to a 47-16 halftime advantage before coasting in the second half for the win.

     The barrage began early for Ventura (7-0, 22-5) as Michelle Santizo got the Pirates on the board with a trifecta 38-seconds into the game.  Jenelle Conklin's long-range bomb at the 17:37 mark put VC ahead 7-3 and the rout was on.  Ventura led 20-11 with 8:21 on the clock when Indira Kaljo hit the first of her four opening half 3-pointers.  Following a bucket from Julie Heurung, Kaljo sandwiched two more bombs around a Santizo 3-pointer.  Conventional 2-point baskets by Heueung, Eja Wong, and Conklin completed a 7-minute 20-2 VC run making the score 40-13 with 3:21 remaining.  Kaljo answered a Cuesta score with her fourth 3-pointer and Ventura rode the momentum to a 47-16 halftime advantage.

     Cuesta (2-5, 15-9) came back in the second half, opening with a 5-0 run.  VC answered with six straight points, upping their advantage.  Lindsay Trout connected on a 3-pointer with 14:14 left in the contest making the score 60-25, the Pirates' biggest lead of the game.  From that point on, however, VC lost it's momentum and only scored one point over the next five minutes.  The Cougars would net eight points in that span, and continue on with a 15-6 run that ended with Conklin's bucket at the 5:39 mark.  VC led 68-40 at that point, and would let the advantage dwindle to 68-45 with 4:02 on the clock.  A Santizo bucket and a Wong 3-pointer brought the lead back up to 26 points, 73-47, and the Pirates coasted to the 77-50 win.

     Santizo posted a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five steals to lead the way.  Kaljo had 16 points, 14 of which came in the first half, while Conklin netted 14 points.  Trout played another outstanding floor game and contributed 11 points and Heurung scored 11 points while pulling down five boards.  Wong was the sixth Pirate in double-figures with 10 points.  Sara Nicholson had a nice floor game for VC and grabbed five rebounds.

     The Pirates travel to Los Angeles Pierce College on Wednesday Feb. 6.  That contest is scheduled for 5:30 and, as always, will be followed by the VC men's team.  The Pirates return home on Wednesday Feb. 13 for the first annual Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Day.  Check back frequently on VCweplayahrd.com to get updates on the events of that day and night.