Peninsula girls soccer squads nets win

The Peninsula Soccer Academy high school girls squad knocked off the Washington Rush regional premier team 2-0 at the Albert Haller Playfields on Jan. 7.

Port Angeles’ CiCi Robinson scored the first goal 20 seconds into the second half. Sequim’s Olivia Barrett added the second score, on a cross from hard-charging Delaney Wenzl of Port Angeles. Bonnie Sires picked up the shutout in goal.

Coached by Peninsula College assistant coach Jake Hughes, the team is a Development Academy partnership between Port Angeles Youth Soccer and Peninsula College in its sixth season, boasting 44 youths from Sequim, Port Angeles and Port Townsend. The team plays in the North Puget Sound Soccer League, made up of Kitsap, King and Snohomish County teams.

The academy tied its third game 0-0 on Jan. 14 in Bellevue against Newport FC.

Hughes said the team played great despite not having the best preparations due to weather and working around other teams’ schedules to play indoors.

“I’m happy with our performance,” he said. “The first half we dominated and outshot them and defensively we were really well-organized.”

In the second half, Hughes said Newport came out fired up and pressed hard to score a goal, but Peninsula stayed resilient.

Hughes said Newport was a good team that moved the ball well and that they were a good test for his girls to show some grit and their raw talents.

Peninsula plays at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, against SK United from South Kitsap at South Kitsap High School.

For more on the league, visit here.