TUKWILA — The Peninsula College men’s and women’s soccer teams are both two wins from a championship entering the Northwest Athletic Conference semifinals Saturday.
Last season, the women advanced to the NWAC title game for the fourth straight season, but missed out on a third straight championship with a heartbreaking 1-0 to Everett.
All matches will be live streamed by the NWAC at tinyurl.com/PDN-NWACLive.
The Pirate men, meanwhile, missed out on the trip to the Starfire Sports Complex last season for the first time since 2009 after falling in the quarterfinals.
The top-ranked Peninsula women (20-1-0), champions in their first year in the North Division, face a familiar foe in former West rival, fourth-ranked Highline (16-3-1), at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The teams met twice last season in West Division, the Pirates winning 2-0 on the road and drawing 0-0 at home.
Peninsula is led offensively by leading scorer Lexi Krieger who has 14 goals and seven assists, play-making midfielder Myu Ban, who leads the NWAC in assists with 14, along with five goals and freshman wing players Ellie Small who has 10 goals and two assists) and Hoku Afong who has eight goals and three assists.
The Pirates’ defense has allowed an NWAC-low six goals on the season.
Highline is a stingy bunch, too, having given up just nine goals this season.
The Thunderbirds are led by Annalise Miller-Wells (11 goals), Arianna Florillo (10 goals, seven assists) and Madison Gale (10 goals, two assists).
Gale scored the eventual game-winner in the first minute of Highline’s 2-0 quarterfinal victory against Clark.
If Peninsula wins, it will face the winner of the other semifinal match between Shoreline (8-8-5) and Spokane (14-2-1) in Sunday’s championship game at 3:30 p.m.
Men’s Semifinal
Peninsula vs. Chemeketa
The second-ranked Pirates (14-3-3) will hope to avoid the upset-minded Storm (12-4-2) in Saturday’s 6 p.m. semifinal.
Chemeketa, the NWAC South runner-up, is riding an eight-game winning streak into the match, including a takedown of top-ranked and defending champion Highline on penalty kicks after their quarterfinal match ended tied at 3-all.
The Storm’s leading scorer Elvis Pavon recorded his 14th goal of the season in the win, and goalkeeper Leonardo Monrroy racked up eight saves.
Peninsula also will have to keep an eye on Gustavo Mendoza (11 goals, three assists) and Jorge Rico (nine goals, five assists).
The Pirates are led on offense by NWAC North MVP Johnny Martinez (12 goals, five assists), Keo Ponce (11 goals, one assist) and midfielder Eddie Benito (six goals, six assists).
Peninsula goalkeeper Nick Johnson has an NWAC-leading 10 shutouts this season.
Peninsula and Chemeketa last met in the 2014 NWAC Friendlies. The Pirates won that game 5-1.
If Peninsula wins, it will face the winner of Tacoma (13-3-4) and Spokane (12-4-4) at 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the championship match.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
