PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College women’s soccer team stayed on track to overtake Highline in the league standings after posting an 8-0 blowout of Grays Harbor to open a doubleheader at Wally Sigmar Field.
Meanwhile, in the second game, the Peninsula men tied 1-1 in a nonconference match with Trinity Lutheran.
Wednesday’s matches also included sophomore day recognition for 14 men’s and 14 women’s soccer players playing their final regular season home game.
The women’s win over the Chokers, a first-year program that has won just one game this season, was expected and helped Peninsula pull even with Highline in the West Division point totals with one game to play.
If the Pirates win at Olympic at 1 p.m. today, they’ll earn their fourth West Division title in the five-year history of the women’s program.
Peninsula (14-1-2, 16-1-2) has beaten and tied Highline (14-1-2, 16-1-2) this season, so a tie in the standings would go in the Pirates’ favor.
Peninsula started super-fast against Grays Harbor, with Solana Ashe scoring in the first minute off of an assist from Mary Pierce.
Kayla Bell found the net in the 22nd minute off of an assist from Alyssa Bertuleit.
Freshman C.J. Stetser also notched a goal and has now scored eight on the season, the second-most goals from a freshman in program history behind Bri Afoa’s 23 in 2012.
Rebecca Tafte, Taylor Berg, Tasha Inong each scored one goal, and Paige Mahuka rounded out the scoring for the Pirates with goals in the 83rd and 85th minutes.
Peninsula played all three goalkeepers in the match, a program first, as freshman Manaia Siania-Unutoa and sophomores Kasie Lough and Emily Flinn all saw time in net.
Peninsula men tie
The Pirate men opened the scoring quickly, with Micah Weller slotting home a goal after a scramble in the box in the ninth minute.
Peninsula had two other chances to add to the lead in the first half but came away empty handed when Caio Maciel was fouled just outside the 18-yard box and earned a free kick and on a corner taken by midfielder Trevan Estrellado.
Trinity notched the equalizer in the 64th minute.
The Pirates looked to have retaken the lead late when a Dylan Clark cross found the net but it was taken off the board after Peninsula was called for an offsides penalty.
The Pirates (8-1-3, 11-1-4) trail Highline (9-1-2, 9-2-3) by two points in the standings with one game to play, today at 3 p.m. against Olympic at Gordon Field in Bremerton.
Peninsula will need to win and hope for a Thunderbirds loss at Tacoma on Saturday, or else the program’s four-year run of West Division titles will come to an end.
