Pirates' Polo Rallies, Falls in Double-OT

The VC women's water polo team scored the final four goals in regulation play against visiting Cerritos forcing overtime before falling 16-15 in the second extra period at the Ventura Aquatic Center Thursday afternoon. Lauren Mora scored five goals overall, three in the final 3:12 of the fourth quarter for send the game to bonus time. Fiona Watkins found the inside of the cage three times with four assists and six steals.

VC got off to a slow start, falling behind 2-0 early before Mora assisted Megan Findlay's goal halfway through the opening quarter to get the Pirates on the board. Findlay also scored on the next possession to tie the game at 2-2, but the Falcons rebounded to take a 5-3 advantage at the quarter break.

Cerritos then dominated the second quarter to hold a commanding 9-3 lead at halftime.

Mora began the Ventura come-back with a score at the 6:51 mark of the third period. After a Cerritos score, the Findlay, Watkins and Mora netted consecutive goals to pull the Pirates  to within 10-7. VC trailed 11-8 heading into the final stanza.

Cerritos scored two more goals early in the final period before Ventura mounted a furious rally in the final four minutes of regulation play. With the Pirates trailing 14-10, Mora assisted a Watkins goal with 4:05 on the clock, then Watkins helped scores by Mora for the next two scores. Mora scored the game-tying goal with 48 seconds remaining with an assist from Sierra Cameron, sending the game to overtime.

The teams traded goals midway through the first extra period with Anna Lowe scoring for VC.  In the second bonus stanza, Watkins answered a Falcon goal at the 1:47 mark, but Cerritos managed another score with 1:15 remaining for the 16-15 final.

Lowe and Findlay each finished with three goals and two assists while Kiran Shah had a goal, an assist and four steals. Katie Falls had six saves in goal for the Pirates (2-1).

The Pirates return to the pool on Friday Sept. 10 at the Cuesta Central Coast Invitational in San Luis Obispo with games against Merced and Diablo Valley.