PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College men’s and women’s soccer teams will begin the defense of their 2012 Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) soccer championships in two weeks — and they will do so under a national spotlight.
The Pirate men are ranked No. 10 and the women No. 12 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Junior College Division I Preseason Ranking, which was announced last week.
The Clackamas, Ore., women are the only other NWAACC team in the Top 20 at No. 16.
The Pirates begin fall workouts today in preparation for their season openers, coming up Aug. 27-28 at the Starfire Soccer Complex in Tukwila, the very same place where they ended the 2012 season, hoisting NWAACC championship trophies.
It was the second NWAACC title for the Peninsula men, who also won it in 2010, and the first championship for any women’s sports team in Peninsula’s history.
The Peninsula men open against Edmonds at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27, at the NWAACC Friendlies Tournament, while the women will kick off their 2013 campaign at the same tournament at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, against Trinity Lutheran, a National Christian College Athletic Association Division I college in Everett.
Beat Edmonds in semis
The Peninsula men last played Edmonds in the NWAACC tournament semifinals last year.
The Pirates shut out the Tritons 2-0 on their way to their second championship in three years.
Peninsula gave up no goals in the championship tournament while scoring four in three games.
The Peninsula men also will play Everett on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 4:30 p.m. at the NWAACC Friendlies tournament.
The 2013 NWAACC soccer season officially kicks off with the third annual soccer friendlies at Starfire Sports Complex.
Nearly every league team will be present as 22 of the 24 league’s women’s teams and 19 of the 20 men’s team will be on hand.
Also appearing will be Rogue Community College, which is entering its inaugural season of men’s and women’s club soccer, and the Evergreen State College women’s team.
In total, there will be 43 matches played during the two-day event.
Rogue’s appearance will be a preview of the school’s soccer programs that are expected to join the league for the 2014 season.
NWAACC soccer teams attending will be taking part in a clothing drive community service project.
Fans, players and coaches attending the NWAACC Friendlies are invited to donate articles of clothing. Clothing items will be donated to a local non-profit agency.
