Looking for their third NWAC title in four seasons, these Pirates couldn’t get past a familiar foe in the semifinals.

Peninsula dropped a 2-1 nail-biter to Highline on Nov. 14, ending a spectacular season with just their second loss in 22 matches.

The Pirates, so used to sailing into familiar territory, found themselves out of the NWAC final for the first time since 2010, their inaugural campaign.

Peninsula looked like a good bet to qualify for their fifth-consecutive final after edging North Idaho College in the quarterfinals, but they ran into a Highline team with one of the better defenses in the conference. Playing on a wet and windy pitch at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, PC and Highline — former familiar foes in the West Division before Peninsula moved to the North this season — battled to a scoreless tie for a half.

Then, in the span of just four minutes, Highline tallied their two goals. Analise Miller-Wells scored in the 54th minute and just two minutes later Dulce Armas scored from 40 yards out for a 2-0 Thunderbirds advantage.

Peninsula, boasting the top-scoring offense in the NWAC, finally broke through when Tasha Inong found Myu Ban for a tally at 3 minutes, but PC couldn’t break through against Highline keeper Rachel Thompson for the equalizer.

Highline fell to Spokane 2-0 in the final on Sunday afternoon.

Peninsula finished the 2015 season with a 20-2-0 mark to go with 87 goals — tops in the conference — and 15 shutouts, tied with Everett for the conference best total.

Ban, a freshman from Japan, led the conference with 14 assists. Lexi Kreiger was PC’s top goal-scorer, tying for seventh place in the NWAC with 14 goals.

PC keeper Manaia Siania-Unutoa racked up 12 shutouts — tied for second in the NWAC — and gave up just eight goals while making 47 saves during the season.