LONGVIEW — The Peninsula College women’s soccer team blanked NWAACC West Division foe Lower Columbia College to secure a playoff spot for the fourth time in the program’s four years of existence.
The Pirates, ranked 14th in the nation, moved back into first place in the most recent NWAACC coaches poll.
Peninsula, the only unbeaten and untied team in NWAACC play, succumbed its No. 1 ranking to Walla Walla two weeks ago, but regained that top spot when Spokane knocked off the Warriors last week. The Sasquatch moved ahead of Walla Walla into second place, followed by Clackamas, Edmonds, Highline, Whatcom and Everett.
In Wednesday’s shutout over the last-place Red Devils (1-10, 1-14), who only had 10 available players, the Pirates got on the scoreboard in the first minute of the match when Alyssa Bertuleit scored off an assist from Bronte Fitzsimmons, her NWAACC-leading 15th assist of the season.
The next two goals came from Bri Afoa, who is the second leading scorer in the NWAACC with 16 on the year.
Afoa’s scores, which came in the second minute and the 20th minute, were assisted by Bertuleit and Miranda Sochacki.
The Pirates then put the match out of reach with second-half goals by Alexandra Rojas-Ayala on a penalty kick and Mary Pierce, off an assist by Kelsie Ng.
Goalkeeper Laura Morgan recorded her second straight shutout.
“We played a shorthanded Lower Columbia team and were able to get minutes for lots of deserving players,” Peninsula coach Kanyon Anderson said.
“We did a nice job of attacking with our defenders and finishing our scoring opportunities early.”
With Wednesday’s win, the Pirates have faced each West Division opponent, tallying a 5-0 record.
They nail down a playoff berth due to their 17-point lead over fourth-place Tacoma (5-5-1, 6-8-1) with only 15 possible points left in the season.
“I am really proud of the way the team has played in the last few weeks,” Anderson said.
“We are showing consistency on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, and we are working hard for each other.”
The Pirates (11-0-0, 12-2-0) host Tacoma at noon on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at Wally Sigmar Field.
The Peninsula men play at 2 p.m.
