Men’s soccer: PC rises to top in NWAC North
Published 9:58 am Tuesday, September 29, 2015
The Peninsula College men’s soccer team moved into sole possession of first place in the Northwest Athletic Conference North Division with a pair of conference wins last week.
The Pirates topped Whatcom at home on Sept. 23 and Edmonds on the road on Sept. 26.
Against Edmonds, the Pirates jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first half, and after Edmonds evened the score at 48 minutes, Jonathan Martinez scored the game-winner just two minutes later.
Martinez instigated the first score, beating a Triton defender on the left side and cutting the ball across to Micah Weller for a score.
Marcus Wilson tied it up early in the second half, but Peninsula — ranked No. 2 in the most recent Alaska Airlines NWAC Coaches’ Poll — responded right away on a counter attack. Eddie Benito found Martinez who sent a volley over oncoming goalkeeper Giberto Avila as a defender closed.
Overcoming the Orcas
At home against the Whatcom Orcas three days earlier, PC broke out of a 1-0 thriller with two goals in the final 20 minutes.
Benito crossed the ball deep in the box back to C.J. Harvey, who scored for the quick 1-0 Pirate lead just four minutes in.
That’s the way it stayed for another 66 minutes until Martinez scored the insurance goal off an assist from Harvey, and a third goal when Trevan Estrellado found Harvey who blew past Orcas defenders on the left side and slipped a shot between Whatcom keeper Hector Gutierrez for his second goal of the match (and collegiate career).
Pirate keeper Nick Johnson picked up two with two saves for his NWAC-leading fourth shutout of the season.
The Pirates outshot Whatcom 13-2.
Coming up
Peninsula (4-0-1 in conference, 6-1-2 overall) is at Shoreline on Sept. 30 before returning home for PC’s “White Out Game” against Everett on Oct. 3.
The Pirate Athletic Department, sponsored by the Associated Student Government, is dispersing white “Pirate Proud” T-shirts at the contest.
North Division standings
Team Conf. Pts. Over. GF-A Sho.
Peninsula 4-0-1 13 6-1-2 19-7 4
Whatcom 3-1-1 10 4-2-1 14-11 1
Edmonds 2-2-1 7 2-4-2 9-14 1
Shoreline 1-1-3 6 1-1-6 11-9 2
Sk. Valley 1-3-1 4 1-5-1 7-14 1
Everett 0-4-1 1 0-6-1 4-21 0
