Men’s soccer: Pirates power past Sasquatch

Published 3:29 pm Friday, March 21, 2014

Sequim Gazette staff

  So much for the hype.

The Spokane Sasquatch, ranked No. 7 in early polls, have lost five early season contests — including a 7-0 decision to host Peninsula on Saturday.

Alex Martinez scored a hat trick (three goals) by the 37th minute, Henrique Noujeimi had two second half scores and teammates Daniel Gonzalez and Erick Urzua had two assists each in the blowout.

“We played really well, one of the better games I have ever seen us play over the years,” Peninsula coach Andrew Chapman said. “We moved the ball really well and were able to attack from the outsides.”

Peninsula outshot Spokane 26-4, and P.C. keeper Guilherme Avelar earned the shutout with four saves.

The No. 1-ranked Peninsula squad got off to a bit of a slow start in its previous match but picked up the pace in the second half of a 4-1, non-conference win at Trinity Lutheran University in Everett on Sept. 26.

Aaron Jeffrey opened the scoring when he headed Omar Ambrocio’s corner kick past Trinity’s goalkeeper for a 1-0 Peninsula lead.

Trinity Lutheran tied the game but Pirate sophomore Daniel Gonzalez put the game out of reach with scores at 73 and 77 minutes, both on assists from Yoshi Tamukai.

Tamukai added a score of his own in the closing moments off an assist from Zac Newton.

Avelar had 10 saves for the Pirates, as Trinity out-shot P.C., 14-12.

The Pirates host Tacoma today, Oct. 3, at Sigmar Field; game time is 4 p.m.

Peninsula travels to Walla Walla on Oct. 6.