College soccer: Peninsula men, women wrap season in different manners

Entering the Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals, Peninsula College’s men’s soccer team is in a bit of a slump, with one win in the Pirates’ last four contests dating back to Oct. 16 (1-1-2).

The Pirates were bitten by the Bellevue Bulldogs 2-1 on Oct. 30 in the regular-season finale for each squad, yielding the go-ahead score, a goal by Beckett Heynen, in the 50th minute.

Bellevue also opened the scoring in the 19th minute on an unassisted goal by Santiago Vergara.

Nil Grau notched the lone Peninsula goal in the 27th minute, tying the game at 1-all, his NWAC-leading 18th of the season in 14 games played. Grau also sits fourth among the NWAC assists leaders and leads the NWAC in total points with 47, well clear of Highline’s Leon Tezuka (38).

The Pirates totaled five shots and produced 11 corner kicks but couldn’t add any other scores.

Peninsula (9-1-2, 12-1-2) will host the winner of the Nov. 6 first-round NWAC Tournament matchup between West No. 3 Tacoma (8-6-1, 8-10-1) and South No. 2 Lane (8-5-1) at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 9.

The Pirates defeated Tacoma 3-1 at the NWAC Friendlies in both teams’ season openers back in August.

Lane has won five straight matches.

PC women: Peninsula 1, Bellevue 0

Kawai Bento’s 20th-minute goal stood up as the Peninsula College women wrapped an unbeaten regular-season campaign in a 1-0 win over the second-place Bulldogs on Oct. 30.

The Pirates played with a player advantage after Bellevue’s Macie Masterson was awarded a red card ejection in the 28th minute, but couldn’t find the net.

Peninsula goalkeeper Alexandra Naill turned away four shots to earn the clean sheet in goal.

The Pirates (10-0, 12-0) will face the winner of the Nov. 6 first-round NWAC Tournament match between West No. 3 Tacoma (7-4-1, 9-5-2) and South No. 2 Portland (6-4-2, 6-6-3) at home at noon Nov. 9.