Ventura (17-4) awaits its Southern California regional playoff seeding Monday as WSC champion.

Two previous 13-8 wins over Citrus (14-10) meant nothing when the Owls opened up first quarter leads of 3-1 and 4-2.

"We knew if we could just hold on, we were better conditioned," said Ventura coach Mary Giles.

Citrus kept Ventura's leading scorer, Clark, off the scoreboard for the first 10 minutes.

"I was getting a little frustrated," said the Agoura High product. "It was physical out there."

But the Pirates used man-advantage situations to work their way back into the game.

"Once we started drawing ejections, we were able to set the tempo," said Clark.

Down 4-2 after one quarter, Ventura scored five of the next six goals to take a 7-5 lead with 4:57 left in the third quarter.

Clark and Allen each scored twice on the man advantage during that span.

Citrus star Meghan Turner, who had been held to a single goal in Ventura's previous two wins over the Owls, scored her fourth goal to pull Citrus within 7-6 with 4:27 to play in the third quarter.

The final 12 minutes became a swim meet as Ventura turned up the defense.

"It was swimming back and forth," said Clark.

"That's what we train for," said sophomore Mary Dugan.

Ventura sophomore Marissa Herold kept her net empty for the final 12:27, making a huge point-blank save with 37 seconds to play as Citrus pressed for an equalizer on the advantage.

"That was fabulous," said Giles. "What a storybook ending for her, and for us really."

"She saved us," said Clark.

Former Ventura center Randy Hunter leads Citrus with 10 points.

Playing without a pair of starters, the Moorpark College men's basketball team fell to host Los Angeles Harbor, 74-53, in its season opener Friday night.

La Verne drove for a field goal on its opening possession, but Derek Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown.

The Kingsmen have since added a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jericho Toilolo to Eric Rogers, a 35-yard Jackson Damron field goal, and a 2-yard run by Antoine Adams.

When it clinches a conference championship.

Kendall Dreyer's scrambled goal off Sinead Vaughn's corner kick three minutes into second half stoppage time gave the Moorpark College women's soccer team its second Western State Conference title in three years at cross-county rival Ventura with a 2-2 tie Friday night at the VC Sportsplex.

Dreyer scored twice for the second time this week to keep Moorpark (13-0-4, 8-0-2) unbeaten.

It was in a cluster of players and it found my head," said Dreyer, an Agoura High product, of her dramatic winner. "I somehow got it in the back of the net."

The Raiders have a seven-point lead in the WSC North over Ventura (14-3-1, 6-1-1), 26-19, with two matches to play.

"It was so competitive," said Dreyer. "We never put our heads down at all. I think that goal was scored as a team."

Jazmarae Strozier, the state's goalscoring leader, headed home her 23rd goal of the season to give Ventura a sixth-minute lead.

Dreyer evened the score for Moorpark in the 33rd minute, but six minutes later, the Pirates regained the lead on Monique Orocio's goal, set up by by Strozier.

After Ventura dominated the first half, Moorpark slowly took control of the play before its late pressure paid off.

The Agoura High product scored twice for the second straight game.

More to come.

Looks like the match for the WSC North will come down to a vibrant second half.

Strozier's headed chance to clinch the game for Ventura flashes just wide off a 80th minute corner kick.

In second half stoppage time, Moorpark heads a potential WSC-winning chance just wide.

UPDATE: VC still leads 2-1 after 53, 58, 65, 73, 79, 81, 88 90 minutes.

The loss was the first by the Vaqueros (8-5-4, 8-1-3) in WSC play. Moorpark (9-6-2, 7-4-1) pulled within five points of Santa Barbara in the standings, 27 to 22.

The Oxnard College men's soccer team (10-5-4, 6-3-3) is a point back with 21 after defeating visiting Glendale, 1-0, Friday on Sam Nellis' goal set up by Johnny Martinez.

The finishes qualified all four teams for the California Community College championships Nov. 21 in Fresno.

VC men were eighth. VC women were 12th.

OC men were 12th and OC women were 14th.

MC women finished 20th.

Moorpark (0-8, 0-4) at No. 19 Glendale (3-5, 0-4)
Sartoris Field, 7 p.m.
LAST WEEK: Pasadena 27, Moorpark 20; Hancock 55, Glendale 27.
SERIES HISTORY: Moorpark leads the series, 18-17, dating back to 1968. Moorpark won 51-44 in double overtime last year.
GAME FACTS: Following its closest loss of the season, on a fumble recovery in the end zone by Pasadena's Reuben Thomas no less, Moorpark is ready for its best chance for that elusive first win. Moorpark welcomes back WR Justin Bradley and OT Eddy McGilvra. QB Ian Shultis (143-of-278 passing, 1,587 yards, 16 TDs) has thrown for 76 percent of the Raiders TDs. Most have gone to WR Chris Gant (42 rec., 558 yards), who leads the state with 11 TD receptions. Glendale's offense revolves around RBs Jorge Chaidez (98 att., 463 yards, 2 TDs) and Willie Youngblood (124 att., 460 yards, 5 TDs).

Looking to defend their conference titles, the Ventura College men's and women's water polo teams will be the top seeds at this weekend's Western State Conference championships at Los Angeles Valley College.

The two teams went a combined 8-0 in WSC play. Both will face the winner of a preliminary march between host Valley and Santa Monica Friday.

The Ventura men (17-4), ranked No. 4 in the state, have won seven of its past eight games behind firepower like Spencer McGrath (52 goals, 20 assists), Mike Crowley (52 goals, 19 assists) and Tyler McClure (44 goals).

The Ventura women (16-4) have been led by the offense of sophomore Carly Clark, who has 91 goals, and the defense of sophomore Mary Dugan, who will defend high-scoring Citrus driver Meghan Turner should the two teams meet in Saturday's title game.

Turner has scored just one of her 72 goals in a pair of Ventura 13-8 wins over Citrus.

"We're pretty aware of what she can do," said Ventura coach Mary Giles. "We're really good defensively this year."

Two years after the Moorpark College women's soccer team ended cross-county rival Ventura's 10-year hole on the WSC North by clinching the title with a scoreless draw at the VC Sportsplex, the two teams will find themselves in the same place, in a similar situation Friday night at 5:30.

First-place Moorpark (13-0-3, 8-0-1) can clinch its second title in three years with a win or a draw. Second-place Ventura (13-3), 7-1) can top the table with a win.

"It's basically the same situation," said Ventura coach Steve Hoffman. "It's one of those games when you know you have to step up and do your thing.

"It's an interesting match. We know what we have to do. We have to go and try to win the game."

Moorpark earned its advantage with a 1-0 home win over Ventura on Oct. 13.

"I think we played pretty well the first time around, we just didn't finish in front of goal," said Hoffman. "We've got to deal with their speed and they defend awfully well."

The game features two of the high-scoring attackers in the state in Ventura's Jazmarae Strozier and Moorpark's Lindsey McClellan.

Strozier, the Buena High product whose father, Clint, played football for Moorpark, leads the state with 22 goals. Moorpark does not post its statistics.

"I think we're just going to play the best we can," said McClellan. "Hopefully it all works out."

The Moorpark College women's volleyball team (14-1, 6-0), ranked No. 4 in the state, can take a two-match lead in the WSC North if it extends its conference winning streak to 19 matches Tuesday at second-place Santa Barbara City (16-2, 5-1).

Five of the six local programs qualified for Saturday's Southern California cross-country championships at the familiar hilly course at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut.

Oxnard and Ventura college, which qualified both its men's and women's teams with solid finishes at last week's WSC Championships, is aiming for the Top 14 finishes that would mean a state meet berths.

"That would be really good," said Oxnard coach Gino Sharp. "It's difficult to just send one team."

Although like many local programs, the Pirates have been stricken by illness.

"It's a hard time of the year to keep everyone healthy, especially this year," said Ventura College coach Nancy Fredrickson. "It's gone through the entire team."

The Pirates host Citrus at 2 and the Condors visit Los Angeles Trade-Tech at 5.
Ventura is welcoming all alumni back for the game.

Former stars who have already RSVPed for the postgame event include Cedric Ceballos, Lester Neal, Brandon Jessie, Tony Walker, Kevin Tate, Stephane Brown, Alfred Kennedy, Chris Clayton and Steve Amar.

UPDATE: Please note that Oxnard is on the road. The first version of this post said differently.

Lindsey McClellan opened the scoring in the 42nd minute on an assist from Christian Cameron for Moorpark (12-0-3, 7-0-1 WSC North). Katie Rappazzo and Brooke Nixon combined for the shutout in goal.

Jazmarae Strozier, Taylor Benton and Ashley Gnagy scored as the Ventura College women's soccer team won their fifth straight game 3-0 over Oxnard Tuesday.

Taylor Steele, Yadira Toraya and Kristi O'Connor picked up assists for Ventura (13-3, 6-1 WSC North). Aslyn Rau and Adi Pimental combined for the shutout in goal.

Midfielder Joel Chaves won the ball in the 88th minute and found Arrevalo, who beat a pair of Raiders as he cut inside and finished his first goal of the season. Moorpark had taken the lead in the 80th minute on a full-field move.

"It was great that they battled at 1 o'clock in the heat," said Oxnard coach Ross Greaney of his team, which has been inundated with flu-like symptoms this week. "I was subsituting like a hockey coach."

With a win, Oxnard (9-5-4, 5-3-3) or Moorpark (8-6-2, 6-4-1) could have moved within striking distance of first-place Santa Barbara City in the Western State Conference. Instead, the Ventura County derby finished in a draw for the eighth time in 12 meetings.

Host Ventura opened eyes by taking the first game before the Raiders, ranked No. 4 in the state coaches poll, responded Tuesday night with a four-game victory, 23-25, 25-16, 25-14, 25-16.

Una Siljegovic had 20 kills, 11 digs and four blocks, Shakila Balki had 12 kills and 20 digs and Rachael Olinyk had 15 kills and four blocks as Moorpark (14-1, 6-0) pushed its winning streaks to 10 straight overall and 18 straight in Western State Conference North Division play dating back to Nov. 2007 with its fifth straight win over its pesky rival.

"They played hard in the first game and kind of took it to us a little bit," said Moorpark coach Steve Burkhart. "But we responded well. I was really was pleased with that."

Sandra Alvarez had seven kills, Justine O'Connor had 24 assists and Andrea Bennent had 17 digs for Ventura (8-9, 3-3), which taught the WSC North leaders a vital lesson.

"Teams are going to come after you," said Burkhart. "It doesn't matter what their record is. It's a good lesson for our girls to learn.

"I thought it was a great effort by VC. They did a lot of good things out there."

Kayla Phipps, Ventura's 6-foot-2 middle, had six kills and three blocks on the right side.

"She's a big block and we hit it a lot," said Burkhart. "I think it worked for them a little bit to have her over there."

It also made Moorpark work a little harder.

"They were fired up," said Ventura coach Mandy Rodriguez of her team. "They wanted to come out ... and show Moorpark they could play with them.

"They played with a ton of heart and forced Moorpark to step up their game."

WSC VOLLEYBALL
NORTH WSC PCT. GF GA SEASON PCT.
Moorpark 5-0 1.000 15 1 15-1 .938
S Barbra 4-1 .800 13 4 15-2 .882
Ventura 3-2 .600 9 9 8-8 .500
Cuesta 2-3 .400 9 9 5-11 .313
Hancock 1-4 .200 3 13 5-9 .357
Oxnard 0-5 .000 2 15 5-7 .417

WSC MEN'S WATER POLO
TEAM WSC SEASON
Ventura 4-0 17-4
Cuesta 3-1 18-11
Citrus 2-2 14-13
LA Valley 1-3 8-15
S Monica 0-4 1-20

WSC WATER POLO
TEAM WSC SEASON
Ventura 4-0 16-4
Citrus 3-1 14-10
Cuesta 2-2 11-18
S Monica 1-3 6-16
LA Valley 0-4 5-19

WSC MEN'S SOCCER
TEAM WSC POINTS SEASON
S Barbara 7-0-3 24 7-5-4
Canyons 7-3 21 10-6
Moorpark 6-4 18 8-6-1
Oxnard 5-3-2 17 9-5-3
LA Mission 5-3-2 17 8-7-2
Hancock 2-5-3 9 4-9-4
Glendale 2-7-1 7 4-11-2
Citrus 0-9-1 1 2-12-2

WSC WOMEN'S SOCCER
NORTH WSC PTS. SEASON
Moorpark 7-0-1 22 12-0-3
Ventura 5-1 15 12-3
S Barbra 3-2-2 11 8-3-5
Cuesta 3-3-1 10 4-9-3
Oxnard 2-6 6 3-12-1
Hancock 0-8 0 0-12