Ventura blanks Vaqueros 2-0 in first-place showdown

Ventura scored two second-half goals on Tuesday night to defeat SBCC 2-0 in a WSC North first-place women's soccer showdown at the Ventura Sportsplex.

The Pirates won their fifth straight to improve to 9-4 overall and 3-0 in conference. They've outscored their last five opponents 19-4.

Janelle Garcia, the WSC's top scorer, tallied her 16th goal in the 71st minute on a breakaway down the left side. Hannah Greene got her second yellow and a red card in the 74th minute, leaving the Pirates with 10 players. Sarah Garcia scored an insurance goal on a penalty kick in the 81st minute.

Alejandra Camarillo had nine saves for the Vaqueros (8-4, 2-1), who had their three-game win streak snapped and suffered their first conference loss.

Santa Barbara got an apparent penalty kick in the 35th minute when Blayne Shoffit was fouled but the referee took it away after conferring with the linesman, according to SBCC coach John Sisterson.

Sisterson said his team played "very well in the first half. We had two headers that went just over the bar and Josefine Von Der Burg was just wide on a shot after the goalkeeper was on the ground.

"We could have been ahead 3-0 at the half," said Sisterson. "Alex played very well in goal and did a great job of directing the team."

The Vaqueros will host Cuesta on Friday at 7:30 p.m.