PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College soccer women had already won another North Division title, but they found a way to set another milestone in a game Saturday that was basically a tuneup for the postseason.
After a 0-0 first half with Whatcom, which is also headed to the postseason, the women showed in the second half that they still have the hunger to keep winning.
The Pirates got two quick goals within five minutes right after the opening of the second half from their leading scorer Samantha Oliveira to blow the game open. They went on to win 3-0 with an insurance goal from Port Angeles’ own Kyrsten McGuffey.
“This is better already. Good stuff,” Peninsula coach Kanyon Anderson told his players after Oliveira’s first goal.
In winning this game, the Pirates won their astounding 31st game in a row (18 in a row this season), dating back to a 1-1 tie with Edmonds on Sept. 22, 2018. It was also their 38th game in a row without a loss — dating back to a 1-0 loss against Walla Walla in a preconference game on Aug. 24, 2018.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Peninsula’s Kaiya Denis, right, outraces Whatcom’s Alexa Sirmans during Saturday’s match in Port Angeles.
It’s a remarkable streak, yet one the Pirates don’t talk about or focus on, said Anderson.
“The only unbeaten streak we talk about is three in a row [in the postseason],” he said. Anderson said the team is focusing on improving and preparing for a tough postseason run that will begin on Nov. 9.
Anderson credited Oliveira with helping to spark the Pirates in that second half.
“Sam Oliveira brought it. She hit the post in the first half, she took it upon herself” in the second half, Anderson said.
Oliveira, leading the entire NWAC in goals scored with 19 and points with 41, tallied her first on a long over-the-top pass from Jordan Zarate in the opening minute of the second half. Oliveira got around the Whatcom defenders and made a nice right-footed shot from the left side of the goal past the Orcas’ keeper.
Oliveira’s second goal was all Oliveira. Gobbling up a loose ball near midfield, she wove her way between two defenders and found the right side of the net for an unassisted goal.
The Pirates’ McGuffey, a former Roughrider, scored the Pirates’ third goal in the 60th minute, with another assist to Zarate on a touch pass in the penalty area as McGuffey trailed the play and took advantage of the open net.
From that point on, the Pirates cruised, with backup goalkeeper Chloe Keenan-Merlo coming in and contributing a nice, diving save in the 75th minute to preserve the shutout.
“We talked at the half about raising out intensity. It’s hard to drive the external motivation [with a league championship in hand]. The natural motivation is there,” Anderson said.
Anderson also expect Whatcom, which finished a distant second in the North Division to the Pirates, to do some damage in the NWAC playoffs.
“They’re not just a playoff team. I expect them to win games in the playoffs,” Anderson said.
McGuffey has been a solid contributor for the Pirates in her freshman season, with four goals and four assists.
“It feels pretty cool, I grew up watching this program. Playing here is a dream come true,” McGuffey said.
McGuffey said there were plenty of adjustments from the Roughriders to the Pirates.
“The speed is a lot higher. The defense is a lot better,” she said. “A lot of hard work has come into” being on the Pirates team.
It was sophomore night for the Pirates’ 12 sophomores. Peninsula (14-0-0, 18-0-0) has one regular season game left at a good Everett (5-4-5, 9-5-5) team Wednesday. Anderson said the Pirates do have a goal of finishing the regular season with a perfect record.
The Pirates get a first-round bye in the playoffs and will host a quarterfinals match on Nov. 9 at Wally Sigmar Field.
