North Division standings
Team Conf. Pts Over. GF-GA
Peninsula 10-1-0 30 15-1-0 65-4
Everett 10-1-0 30 12-2-1 41-5
Whatcom 5-6-0 15 6-7-0 19-24
Shoreline 4-6-1 13 6-7-2 23-21
Edmonds 3-8-0 9 4-9-1 15-34
Sk. Valley 0-10-1 1 2-10-1 9-46
Sequim Gazette staff
Now that the division’s power houses have separated themselves, it’s time for another battle of the best.
The No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the conference meet this week after both Peninsula and Everett women each earned a pair of conference victories last week.
The second-ranked Pirates (10-1-0 in NWAC play, 15-1-0 overall) tallied a home win against Edmonds Oct. 14 and another against Shoreline Saturday afternoon.
With top-ranked Everett (10-1-0, 12-2-1) getting wins against Edmonds and Skagit Valley last week, it sets up a kind of NWAC postseason preview set for Oct. 21 at Sigmar Field iN Port Angeles.
“We are looking forward to our matchup with Everett,” Peninsula coach Kanyon Anderson said. “That might have been part of our struggle (against Shoreline, a 2-0 win). We talk about taking things one game at a time but that match up will likely decide the division title and I know the girls are looking forward to it.”
Against the Dolphins Saturday, the Pirates came out sluggish and didn’t do a good enough job of getting to loose balls, Anderson said. Still, it was the Pirates opening the scoring when Ellie Small scored a breakaway goal in the 17 minute off of a quick, long throw-in from Audrey Barham.
“Ellie continues to work hard and get goal important goals for us,” Anderson said.
Peninsula’s Kennady Whitehead scored off of a corner kick in the 58th minute.
“The second half was better; we were sharper and created good chances,” Anderson said.
Manaia Siania-Unutoa got the shut out with two saves, PC’s 12th of the campaign (tops in the conference).
Evading Edmonds
The visiting Edmonds Tritons were already a bit banged up coming into the contest. Coming up against a nationally ranked powerhouse like Peninsula didn’t help.
Small had three goals and two assists and teammate Lexi Kreiger aded a pair of scores as the Pirates drubbed the visiting Tritons 9-1 on Oct. 14.
Peninsula newcomer Myu Ban had five assists, which may be a single-game club record; Anderson, the PC coach, said the team doesn’t officially keep stats on assists.
“We played well tonight with a good motivation to get into the attack with a sense of purpose,” Anderson said. “We have been a bit passive at times in front of the goal this season but we seem to have turned a corner in our attacking play.”
Other PC goals came from Barham, Coby Yoshimura, Hoku Afong and Paige Mahuka.
Peninsula shut out Edmonds earlier this season, but by a mere 3-0 count.
Siania-Unutoa and Cicely Warnick combined to mind Peninsula’s goal, holding the Tritons to one score.
“Every active player on the roster played today, which is a great thing,” Anderson said. “It keeps everyone hungry and focused.”
Looking ahead
The Pirates’ Oct. 21 match with Everett will likely decide the North Division championship, and with it a bye in the first round of the NWAC playoffs and a home quarterfinal playoff in the second round.
The Pirates have a number of goal scorers this year, led by Kreiger, who ranks fifth among the leading scorers in the NWAC with 12 goals. Small is coming on strong in the second half of the season with eight goals. Ban leads the NWAC in assists with 11. Siania-Unutoa has nine shutouts and teammate Cicely Warnick has three.
The Trojans are led by the scoring of Lauren Allison, who ranks third among NWAC scoring leaders with 14 goals, followed by Bailey McMullen and Kristin Snyder, each with four. Everett keeper Emily Sorenson has 10 shutouts.
Peninsula then plays at Skagit Valley and host Whatcom on Oct. 28. Peninsula finishes the regular season with an Oct. 31 match at Edmonds.
