All it took was an early goal to get the Pirates going.

And get going they did, to the tune of a 3-1 win against the visiting South Puget Sound Clippers Saturday night.

Lucas Costa, Miguel Gonzalez and Jake Hughes each had scores as Peninsula opened their conference schedule with a win, outshooting the Clippers 29-4.

Josh Wright opened the scoring for South Puget Sound just 10 minutes into the contest, sneaking a shot past P.C. keeper Alec Risk.

Gonzalez got the equalizer with his team-leading fifth score five minutes later, off an assist from Brent Ricigliano.

It stayed tied until Hughes took a feed from David Astudillo and scored, and Costa added a goal in the 84th

minute off a free kick.

"We did a great job of controlling the ball and having the majority of possession, (but we) just had a little problem attacking and finishing," Peninsula coach Andrew Chapman said.

"The second half was a good half for us. We starting to run at them more and tired out South Puget Sound."

The Pirates are on the road for the next couple of weeks, with games at Southwest Oregon (Sept. 15), at Clark (Sept. 16) and at Pierce (Sept. 25).

Pirates get mini sweep in Vancouver

For a two-game series the Pirates headed south last week and came back happy, winning a pair of one-goal contests for their first wins of the 2010 campaign.

On Sept. 7, P.C. came within two minutes of a shutout before settling for a 2-1 win against Edmonds.

Gonzalez opened the scoring at 27 minutes off a feed from Aaron Funderburk.

Patrick Wolverton made it 2-0 Pirates about 5 minutes before halftime off an assist from Brian Holguin.

Edmonds’ Jeremy Pynch spoiled the shutout in the 90th minute off a free kick.

P.C. keeper Alec Risk had four saves.

The Pirates outshot the Tritons, 20-6.

"(A) very sloppy game – lots of rain – which created a very wet and muddy field," Chapman said. "It was great to get two strikers scoring goals. Defense did a great job."

A day later, Peninsula edged Walla Walla 3-2 as Gonzalez scored the game-winner with about two minutes on the clock.

"The men played very hard and would not give up," Chapman said. "They were not going to tie the game."

P.C.’s Tyler Hindmarch found the net early, scoring an unassisted goal in the third minute.

Walla Walla’s Marco Acevedo scored off a free kick in the 24th minute.

"We have to do better in (not) giving up free kick goals," Chapman said. "Three out of four (goals) in nonleague play have been on set pieces."

Eight minutes later, Astudillo found Gonzalez for a score to put Peninsula up 2-1 at halftime.

With five minutes remaining, it looked as if the Pirates would come away with another 2-1 win, but Walla Walla’s Talon Wyatt pushed a shot past P.C. keeper Jared Wilson off a corner kick to tie the game.

Gonzalez and Peninsula had the last laugh, taking a Hindmarch feed and finding the net to give Peninsula the sweep.

"It was great to see them fight for another goal after being scored on with only four minutes left," Chapman said. "Our midfield had a great game and did really well to shut down their midfield."

Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.