Women’s soccer: PC gets split in early-season games

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 31, 2016

The Pirates are playing at a fever pitch and the season has just begun,

Peninsula’s women’s soccer squad split a pair of “friendlies” to some top-tier NWAC foes last weekend, knocking off defending South Division champ Lane 3-0 on Aug. 27 before falling 2-1 to NWAC title runner-up Highline 2-1 a day later.

Against Lane, PC put home two first half goals and another early in the second half. Hoku Afong, a striker and central midfielder, opened the scoring at 13 minutes off an assist from Cierra Hamilton. Kelly Kevershan made it 2-0 at the 35-minute mark off a feed from Coby Yoshimura. Marriah Perez completed the scoring about 10 minutes into the second frame.

Akari Hoshino recorded the shutout.

“It was the first time in the season where we were able to control the majority of the possession which allowed us to create more chances around the goal,” PC head coach Kanyon Anderson said.

In a rematch of the 2015 NWAC semifinal, Peninsula took on Highline’s Thunderbirds and despite holding the majority of possession in the first half the Pirates found themselves down 2-0. Highline midfielder Chentay Warnes made a great individual play for the game’s first score, Anderson said. Arianna Fiorillo made it 2-0 Highline just before halftime off a PC defensive breakdown.

“The second half was better for us as we were able to create more dangerous chances despite having less possession,” Anderson said.

Peninsula sophomore defender Kameryn Jury-Hale made a run deep into Highline territory and Bri Jackson-Vallente scored an easy tap in after Jury-Hale shot was deflected.

Highline keeper Rachel Thompson was forced to make 15 saves.

Anderson praised Yoshimura, Kennady Whitehead and Marriah Perez for their recent play, as well as Hoshino in net.

“We have the toughest preseason we have ever had,” Anderson said, noting the team’s scrimmages against the University of Victoria and Vancouver Island University, and games against Lane and Highline.

Peninsula is ranked No. 15 in the national junior college poll; Highline is No. 17. The Pirates are at Spokane, the No. 13-ranked team in the nation, on Sept. 5, at Shoreline Sept. 10 and Everett on Sept. 14.