Pirates tops in West

Published 2:37 pm Friday, March 21, 2014

That didn’t take long.

Any thoughts the Pirate women’s soccer program would take some time to get used to play in the NWAACC were dispelled last week as Peninsula racked up a pair of impressive road wins.

The Pirates are 3-0 in conference play, tops in the NWAACC West division.

Peninsula built a two-score lead and held on in the waning moments to the victory – thanks to keeper Ashley Manker – as they toppled Southwestern Oregon 2-1 on Sept. 15.

P.C.’s Jessica Farrell ripped a 40-yard free kick for a score at the 23-minute mark, the first half’s only goal.

Farrell made it 2-0 about 70 minutes in off a feed from Tabitha Bare for the 2-0 lead.

Southwestern Oregon’s Natalie Manning made it a one-score game 10 minutes after that.

Manker, who tallied four saves on the afternoon, needed a last-minute save on the goal line to deny the Lakers at least a tie.

A day later at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash., the Pirates and Clark’s Penguins battled to a scoreless tie until Pirate Jackie Rodgers chipped in a corner to Shawna Thein, who beat the Clark keeper for the game’s only score.

Manker had the shutout for P.C. as the Pirates outshot the Penguins 17-9.

"Ashley and the defense had a great game," Peninsula coach Andrew Chapman said. "The ladies worked hard and never gave up."

The Pirates are at Clackamas on Friday, Sept. 24, before hosting West division foe Tacoma on Wednesday, Sept. 29, and South division foe Chemeketa on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.