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Pirates Give Great Effort in State Tournament Exit

The VC beach volleyball team battled throughout their Pool B schedule at the 3C2A State Tournament Thursday at West Valley College, but in the end Ventura just did not have enough to get past MiraCosta or eventual state champion Feather River. The Pirates fell 3-2 in a razor-thin loss to the Spartans before falling 3-1 to the Golden Eagles in the afternoon match-up. VC's Autumn Rojelio and Bryce Swain, Makena Schaumloeffel and Lily Hazzard, and Gracie Piro and Gabby Raines all had victories on the season's final day.

Ventura's Gracie Piro (3) and Gabby Raines (8) had a sweeping victory over their opponents from Feather River Thursday in the Pirates second pool play match at the 3C2A State Tournament.
Ventura's Gracie Piro (3) and Gabby Raines (8) had a sweeping victory over their opponents from Feather River Thursday in the Pirates second pool play match at the 3C2A State Tournament.
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May 9, 2024

The VC beach volleyball team battled throughout their Pool B schedule at the 3C2A State Tournament Thursday at West Valley College, but in the end Ventura just did not have enough to get past MiraCosta or eventual state champion Feather River. The Pirates fell 3-2 in a razor-thin loss to the Spartans before falling 3-1 to the Golden Eagles in the afternoon match-up. VC's Autumn Rojelio and Bryce Swain, Makena Schaumloeffel and Lily Hazzard, and Gracie Piro and Gabby Raines all had victories on the season's final day.

After the NorCal No. 1-seed Feather River defeated MiraCosta 3-2 in the opening match of the pool, VC, SoCal No. 2, took on the SoCal No. 3-seeded Spartans.

The first matches up were Piro and Raines at No. 4 and Kylie Ibbotson and Alba Romanos Gracia in the No. 2 slot.

Piro and Raines battled to a 21-19 loss in their first set before falling 21-17 in the second.

Meanwhile, Ibbotson and Gracia dropped their first set 21-12 before forcing a third with a 21-14 win in the second.  In the final set, the teams were tied 14-14 when the Pirates hit a shot that appeared to hit the baseline of the court. The official ruled the ball out, however, and VC dropped the third set 16-14 as MiraCosta went ahead 2-0.

MiraCosta clinched the match with a 21-10, 21-18 win at No. 5 despite a solid effort from Skylar Rutherford and Liz Schalde.

The Pirates were not done with the fight, however, as every match was important in pool play. 

Rojelio and Swain got Ventura on the board with a dominant 21-11, 21-10 win in the top match. 

Meanwhile, After dropping the first set and falling behind in the second, Schaumloeffel and Hazzard produced a gutsy 18-21, 21-19, 15-13 victory in the No. 3 match to bring the final score to 3-2 for MiraCosta.

VC entered the final match of pool play needing win at least four matches against NorCal No. 1 Feather River to move forward to the state championship.  The Pirates certainly gave it their best effort.

Piro and Raines were solid in the No. 4 match, sweeping past the Golden Eagles 21-17, 21-13.

Ibbotson and Romanos Gracia fought hard at No. 2, but could not overcome their opponents, falling 21-17, 21-15 to FRC.

Feather River took a 2-1 lead by defeating Rutherford and Schalde, 21-16, 21-19 , before Rojelio and Swain captured a hard-fought 23-21 win in the first set at No. 1.

Unfortunately, the Golden Eagles punched their ticket to the state championship match with a 21-19, 21-13 win over Schaumloeffel and Hazzard in the No. 3 match.  Rojelio and Swain were leading 7-4 when the match ended.

The Pirates end the year with a 19-7 overall record, and an 11-1 mark in Western State Conference play. The Pirates won their second straight conference crown and advanced to the final day of team play for the second straight year.

VC's Rojelio and Swain along with Ibbotson and Romanos Gracia will play in the 3C2A State Pairs Tournament beginning Friday May 10, also at West Valley College. 

Ventura 2, MiraCosta 3

1. Autumn Rojelio/Bryce Swain (VC) def. Allyson Alden/Emee Fellens (MCC), 21-11, 21-10
2. Alba Romanos Gracia/Kylie Ibbotson (VC) lost to Jaiden Mistelski/Elle Harrity (MCC), 21-12, 14-21, 16-14
3. Makena Schaumloeffel/Lily Hazzard (VC) def. Riley Rathfon/Daysha Halbert (MCC), 18-21, 21-19, 15-13
4. Gracie Piro/Gabby Raines (VC) lost to Alexis Jones/Ana Lara (MCC), 21-19, 21-17
5. Skylar Rutherford/Liz Schalde (VC) lost to Payton Lundine/Alexia Bigelow (MCC), 21-10, 21-18

Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5, 1, 3

Ventura 1, Feather River 3

1. Autumn Rojelio/Bryce Swain (VC) vs. Emma Daugherty/Kiyana Faupula (FRC), 23-21, 7-4, DNF
2. Alba Romanos Gracia/Kylie Ibbotson (VC) lost to Abby Cogburn/Franny Martins (FRC), 21-17, 21-15
3. Makena Schaumloeffel/Lily Hazzard (VC) lost to Ashlee Kraft/Anna Bolich (FRC), 21-19, 21-13
4. Gracie Piro/Gabby Raines (VC) def. Mallory Foster/Hannah Dowers (FRC), 21-17, 21-13
5. Skylar Rutherford/Liz Schalde(VC) lost to Maya Cann/Kennison Cota (FRC), 21-16, 21-19 

Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5, 4