November
15,
2008
@
Glendale
Erika
Ward
scored
the
first
11
points
of
the
game
for
Ventura,
giving
the
Pirates
an
early
11-5
lead
that
they
rode
all
the
way
to
a
78-41
win
over
Santa
Ana
College
in
the
semifinals
of
the
Vaquero
Shootout
at
Glendale
College.
The
victory
avenges
an
81-77
loss
the
Pirates
had
to
the
Dons
in
the
finals
of
the
same
tournament
a
year
ago
and
propels
VC
into
the
finals
for
the
third
year
in
a
row. The
second-ranked
Pirates
will
take
on
#11
Antelope
Valley
in
the
championship
game
on
Sunday
Nov.
16
at
4:00
pm.
After allowing the initial bucket to Santa
Ana (2-3), Ventura scored for the second
consecutive game on a Ward 3-pointer from
deep in the right corner. Both
offenses sputtered for the next few
possessions until the Dons took a 5-2 lead
with a bucket and a free throw on
consecutive possessions with 16:35
remaining in the opening period.
Ward's bucket at the 15:01 mark tied
the score at five each, and her field goal
30 seconds later gave Ventura (3-0) the
lead for good. Michelle
Santizo scored on a nice 1-on-1 move
to the basket with 11:58 remaining, VC's
first points not scored by Ward, giving
the Pirates a 13-5 advantage. Christine
McPherson had consecutive baskets
around the 4-minute mark, sparking a
9-0 Pirate run that concluded with a long Julie
Heurung 3-pointer with 1:40 left,
giving Ventura a 40-17 lead. Santa
Ana closed the stanza with a pair of treys
to make the halftime score 40-23.
The Don's run continued after
intermission, as they outscored VC 7-2 in
the first 1;39 of the period to close the
gap to a dozen points, 42-30.
Santizo's 3-pointer and a Chanelle
Brennan charity toss slowed down the
Santa Ana onslaught, and following another
Don basket at the 17:15 mark, the Pirate
defense took over, not allowing another
point for the next 6:19. Ventura
went on an 11-0 run over that span
beginning with another Ward trifecta,
ending with a Brennan basket with 11:52 on
the clock giving the Pirates a 57-32
lead. A Brennan steal the was
recovered by Santizo led to an assist to a
Jessi
Selleh lay-up halfway through the
final period giving VC a 61-33
advantage. Selleh completed the
Pirate's dominance with a nice 1-on-1
drive and spin back resulting in an
old-fashioned 3-point play giving Ventura
a 68-35 lead with 6:11 remaining in the
contest. Ventura won the game going
away 78-41.
Ward led the way for VC with 16 points
while Santizo tallied 14 with Selleh and
McPherson each netting 10 points,
respectively. Jessica
Jameson led the Pirates' windex crew
with six rebounds while Brennan pulled
down five boards. Santizo dished out
four assists as the Pirates as a team
totaled 15, as compared to but 12
turnovers. Santizo, Ward, and Donielle
Griggs each had three steals for
Ventura.
Ventura advances to the shootout's finale
for the third year in a row. They
will take on #11 Antelope Valley at 4:00pm
at the Glendlae College Gymnasium.
The Pirates will return home on Saturday
Nov. 22 to face the same Antelope Valley
team with a 7:00 pm tip-off.
|
