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Volleyball Sweeps Santa Monica for Elite Victory

The third time was the charm for the Pirate volleyball team as they swept Santa Monica in three sets, the third time this season they played the Corsairs, in VC's third straight home Southern California Regional Final, breaking through for the Pirates' first trip to the 3C2A State Elite Eight in 23 years. Kayla Murdoch had a double double of 14 kills and 11 digs and Autumn Rojelio recorded 19 digs and handed out five assists to lead Ventura (21-3) to the state tournament next weekend at Mt. San Antonio College.

VC libero Autumn Rojelio returns a Santa Monica serve while teammates Makena Schaumloeffel (9) and Kylie Ibbotson (6) ready for the hit during the Pirates 3-0 sweep over the Corsairs Saturday in the SoCal Regional Finals. (photo by Larry Gleeson)
VC libero Autumn Rojelio returns a Santa Monica serve while teammates Makena Schaumloeffel (9) and Kylie Ibbotson (6) ready for the hit during the Pirates 3-0 sweep over the Corsairs Saturday in the SoCal Regional Finals. (photo by Larry Gleeson)
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November 25, 2023

The third time was the charm for the Pirate volleyball team as they swept Santa Monica in three sets, the third time this season they played the Corsairs, in VC's third straight home Southern California Regional Final, breaking through for the Pirates' first trip to the 3C2A State Elite Eight in 23 years. Kayla Murdoch had a double double of 14 kills and 11 digs and Autumn Rojelio recorded 19 digs and handed out five assists to lead Ventura (21-3) to the state tournament next weekend at Mt. San Antonio College.

It is difficult to defeat a good team three times in a season, and the Pirates had already beaten SMC twice, each in five sets, before Saturday's playoff match-up.  VC left little doubt, beginning with a close first set win. Ventura inched ahead late in the first set when a net violation and a kill by Talia Behrens edged the Pirates ahead 23-21. Behrens hit another winner and Murdoch put the set away with a kill from Ashley Johnson's assist, and Ventura took the first set 25-21.

In the second set, Makena Schaumloeffel and Kylie Ibbotson each hit winners to push VC ahead 13-7. Rojelio set Murdoch for the kill with a pass from the baseline to make it 16-12 for the Pirates before Santa Monica rallied with four straight winners. Schaumloeffel hit another winning shot and Jocelyn Montoya recorded a service ace for a 21-19 margin before Ibbotson's kill and Behrens' soft winner. Ibbotson hit a wicked back-row kill to put Ventura to set point and Schaumloeffel hit the winner as VC moved ahead 2-0 with the 25-22 set triumph.

Sensing the urgency of the moment, both teams picked up intensity in the third set. Murdoch got things started with an early kill and a pair of blocks. Ibbotson shared a block with Brianna Morrison, then hit a winner as the Pirates moved ahead 9-6. SMC won four straight to take the lead before Ibbotson halted the skid. After two more scores by the Corsairs, Schaumloeffel, Behrens and Murdoch all hit winners to even the count at 13. Murdoch broke the tie with a winner and three SMC errors put the Pirates ahead 18-14.

Santa Monica pulled to within 20-19 before Murdoch and Ibbotson each had a kill and Behrens blocked one at the net to move Ventura to match point. With Ibbotson on the serve, Johnson set Behrens for the runner to clinch the victory and the trip to the state championships.

Murdoch added three service aces and a pair of block assists to her stat line and Rojelio hit a pair of aces. Ibbotson continued her late-season surge with nine kills and a team-best .419 hitting percentage to go along with eight digs. Schaumloeffel had 12 digs and six kills and Behrens also hit six winners with a pair of blocks. Johnson handed out 27 assists in the win.

The Pirates move on to the 3C2A State Elite Eight for the third time in program history. VC placed third in 1991 and fourth in 2000. Ventura begins the draw on Friday Dec. 1 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut as Southern California's No. 2 seed, playing NorCal No. 3 Feather River at 1:00 pm.  The winner of that match will play NorCal No. 1 San Joaquin Delta and SoCal No. 4 Irvine Valley in the state semifinals on Saturday Dec. 2.

Tickets for the 3C2A State Championships are available online at https://cccaa.hometownticketing.com/embed/all and all games will be streamed live on https://baosn.tv/cccaa/ for a $12 daily fee.