An early-season road test had both Peninsula Pirate teams on their proverbial toes, but both squads managed to come away with one-goal victories at Shoreline on Sept. 10.

For PC’s men, they saved the best for last.

Down 2-1 in the second half, Peninsula’s Salvador Vargas scored a pair of second half goals to put PC ahead 3-2. Shoreline tied the match at the 77-minute mark, but Cesar Gervacio put PC ahead for good after converting a penalty kick with virtually no time left in regulation, clinching a win in PC’s conference schedule opener.

Shoreline went up 2-0 after just 12 minutes, getting goals from Abel Kossa and Angel Alcaraz. Juan Carrillo put Peninsula on the scoreboard at 28 minutes.

“Juan cut inside from the left, beating a player on the dribble and hit a knuckled shot — great strike,” PC assistant coach Jake Hughes said.

Peninsula moves to 3-0-1 overall.

On the women’s side, Jazmin Ramos notched a goal in the 56th minute and the PC defense held firm for a 1-0 win to kick off conference play.

“It was nice for Jazmin to get the goal,” Peninsula head coach Kanyon Anderson said. “She has been playing great in the midfield for us all season and it is fitting that she would get the game winner.

Ramos, a midfielder from Thousand Oaks, Calif., pounced on a loose ball and drove a shot to the back post. It was just the second goal Shoreline (2-1-0), last year’s NWAC tourney semifinalists, have conceded on the season and their first loss.

Peninsula (1-0-0, 2-1-1) controlled the majority of the game and were kept out of the back on the net by some good goalkeeping and a few missed chances, Anderson said.

“Shoreline is always a tough place to play,” Anderson said. “They are a hard-nosed team with good goal keeping and a commitment to defending.”

Peninsula’s men and women play at Everett on Sept. 14 and host Skagit Valley on Sept. 17.

PC men edge Spokane, women get a draw

The defending NWAC champion Pirate men overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat the reigning East Region champion Spokane Sasquatch 2-1 on Sept. 3.

The Sasquatch went out in front 1-0 in the 41st minute to take a 1-0 at halftime, but the Pirates scored the equalizer three minutes into the second half when Vargas found teammate Joey Hollimon on a corner kick. Saul Araiza scored the game-winner at 74 minutes when he created an own goal after beating two Spokane defenders in the box.

The Pirate women stunned the defending NWAC champions, ranked 13th in the National Soccer Coaches’ Association preseason women’s soccer poll, with an early goal, then fell behind 2-1 and wound up earning a 2-2 draw late in regulation.

PC’s Marriah Perez found teammate Kelly Kevershan on the left wing for the game’s first score. After two goals by Spokane at 32 minutes (a free kick by Anisha Nicholson) and just after halftime (Maddy Boyd, unassisted), the Pirates broke through with two minutes in regulation. Ellie Small skipped a pass to fellow sophomore Hoku Afong for a score and PC road win.

“We talked about how it is very unlikely to go into a place like Spokane and make as many mistakes as we did and expect to win,” Anderson said. “I was pleased with our ability to fight back and get the draw.”