Pirates Sending Two Duos to State Championships

The VC beach volleyball is sending two duos to the 3C2A State Pairs Championships next weekend at West Valley College. The Pirates' No. 1 team of Autumn Rojelio and Bryce Swain finished second in the Southern California Regional Tournament Friday and Saturday while Ventura's No. 2 pair of Kylie Ibbotson and Alba Romanos Gracia finished eighth in the 32-team bracket at El Camino College.

Rojelio and Swain came in as the No. 8 seed in the draw and defeated the No. 25 team from San Diego Mesa, 21-17, 21-17 in their first match on Friday. This win also qualified the pair for the 19-duo contingent to the state tournament from Southern California.

Later Friday, Rojelio and Swain moved to the quarterfinals with a 21-19, 14-21, 15-5 win over Mesa's No. 1 team to move to the quarterfinal round.

Also Friday, Ibbotson and Romanos Gracia, the No. 20-seed, ousted the No. 2 team from El Camino, the No. 13-seed in the draw, 23-21, 21-18.  In their Round of 16 match, they defeated the No. 4-seed, Irvine Valley's top pair, 21-15, 21-19.

Both teams continued play on Saturday for seeding purposes heading to the state championships next week. Rojelio and Swain were matched up with teammates Ibbotson and Romanos Gracia in Saturday's quarterfinal match and the Pirates No. 1 team moved to the semifinals while their No. 2 pair went into the 5-8 draw without playing on the court. Rojelio and Swain then moved to the final by defeating Moorpark's No. 1 pair 21-18, 22-20 while Ibbotson and Romanos Gracia pushed the tournament's top seeded pair from El Camino in their three-set loss, 14-21, 21-12, 14-10.

With the No. 2 seed from Southern California wrapped up, Rojelio and Swain, who each had developed some minor ailments, handed the top seed to Santa Barbara's No. 1 pair. Meanwhile, Ibbotson and Romanos Gracia, also preparing for the upcoming team championships, did not play the team from Long Beach. finishing the draw as the No. 8 pair and the top-finishing two's in the draw.

The Pirates will travel to West Valley College in Saratoga for the 3C2A State Team Championships on Thursday May 9 as Southern California's No. 2 seed. They will take on North No. 1 Feather River and South No. 3 Mira Costa in pool play, looking to advance to the team's second straight state championship match appearance after finishing as the state runner-up a year ago.

Rojelio and Swain, and Ibbotson and Romanos Gracia will begin play in the 3C2A State Pairs Championships on Friday May 10, also at West Valley.