A youth movement is afoot for the Peninsula College women’s soccer team.

The five-time NWAC Champion Pirates return 12 sophomores, many of whom played starting roles for 2022’s NWAC North Region champs. That bunch will provide the underpinning for the team’s hopes of a deep NWAC Tournament run in November.

But it’s how and where the large freshman class will plug in and play that is the overarching theme of the 2023 preseason.

“We are young this year with the biggest incoming freshman class [20 players] we have ever had,” head coach Kanyon Anderson said. “We are still in the process of figuring out the pieces and where they fit together. At this point we want to see players who are hard working, competitive and committed and we are seeing that in droves.

“We have depth everywhere and good players at every position. It’s all a matter of figuring out the best chemistry.”

Led by last season’s second-leading scorer Briana-Jean Tanaka (nine goals, five assists), Peninsula also brings back fellow forward Sydney Soskis (three goals, three assists), plus Alexia Rodriguez-Burdeaux (two goals, one assist) and Maylin Rivera (one goal).

Caneel Corpuz, a standout at left back from the 2021 Pirates’ NWAC Championship squad, redshirted in 2022 after a knee injury and will see time in midfield this fall.

Wagner impressing, PA’s Petty a Pirate

Sequim’s Hannah Wagner already notched a goal in a preseason exhibition against the University of Victoria on Aug. 13. She’s seen time at a number of positions and could bounce between spots during the season. Wagner scored two goals while playing in 13 games last season.

“She could be our best utility player in the last five years,” Anderson said of Wagner. “She scored a goal against Victoria, played some outside back, then scored a goal. My moving her around isn’t because I don’t value her, it’s because she can do anything and play anywhere.”

Sophomore center backs Lauren La Fountain and Emily Eckert earned “lots of minutes and experience,” last fall according to Anderson.

“Blake Plummer right back, and Keilee Silva at left back both started playoff games,” Anderson said.

Sophomore goalkeeper Talia Marini saw action in 10 games last season, starting one and allowing zero goals. Marini pulled double-duty as a member of the Pirates’ women’s basketball team last winter as well.

“It looks we have really, really solid goalkeeping which is cool,” Anderson said.

Port Angeles’ Anna Petty joined the Peninsula program after a stellar career as a Roughrider.

“Anna Petty has played really well recently,” Anderson said. “She’s at forward and she’s brave, athletic and reads the game really well and sets other players up really well. A point guard on the field.

Freshman Gemma Rowland was a 3A/2A/1A all-state first team pick at defender out of Central Linn High School near Corvallis, Ore.

She is a triplet, part of a wave of Rowland’s set to arrive on the Peninsula College campus.

Sister Maya and brother Ryan are planning to play for the Pirates women’s and men’s basketball teams, respectively.

Montesano’s Jaiden King, an all-state midfielder for the Bulldogs, also will be in the mix.

Anderson’s program goals are multi-faceted.

In his 14th season as the only head coach in Peninsula women’s history, the five-time NWAC champion coach said there’s been a re-calibration of focus in recent years.

“Part of a paradigm shift for me, it’s always been we have to win the division, we have to win championship at the end of the season,” Anderson said. “But that focus can limit the scope of what program can do for a player.

“We have them for 12 league games, 18 hours, and they’ll be here at Peninsula for 10 months each year. That’s a drop in the bucket of what we are doing to help them grow as people, as students and hopefully move on and continue to get their schooling paid for through soccer.”

Competition-wise, Anderson expects Skagit Valley, Bellevue and Everett to offer the most challege this fall and considers defending champ Spokane, Lower Columbia, Columbia Basin and North Idaho as championship contenders.

After Aug. 22 and Aug. 23 NWAC friendlies against Lower Columbia and Centralia, the Pirate women are at Spokane on Sept. 2 and take on Western Wyoming in Coeur d’Alene on Sept. 3.

Peninsula opens conference play at home on Sept. 6 against Everett.

PC Pirate home games to be live streamed at nwacsportsnetwork.com.peninsula.

Fall sports preview: Peninsula College women’s soccer

Head coach: Kanyon Anderson (14th season); 220-22-18 overall, five-time NWAC champion

2022 record: 10-0-0, 12-2-0, lost to eventual champion Spokane in an NWAC quarterfinal (penalty kick shootout)

Players to watch: Briana-Jean Tanaka, F, So.; Lauren La Fountain, D, So.; Emily Eckert, D, So.; Sydney Soskis, F, So.; Maylin Rivera, MF, So.; Keilee Silva, D, So.; Alexia Rodriguez-Burdeaux, MF, So.; Blake Plummer, D, So.; Caneel Corpuz, MF, RSo.; Hannah Wagner, Utility, So.

Newcomers: Anna Petty, F, Port Angeles; Jaiden King, MF, Montesano; Gemma Rowland, D, Central Linn HS, Halsey, Ore.

Outlook: Pirates are deep and talented and have the best coaching staff in the NWAC. A Final Four or championship game appearance is always a possibility.

Peninsula College women’s soccer

2023 season schedule

Date Opponent Time

• Non-conference

Sun., Aug. 13 — at University of Victoria/VIU (scrimmage) 12:15 p.m., 2:30 p.m.

Wed., Aug. 16 — at NW University (scrimmage) 11 a.m.

Aug. 19 — vs. North Idaho Noon

Aug. 22 — NWAC Friendly: vs. Lower Columbia 5 p.m.

Aug. 23 — NWAC Friendlies: vs. Centralia 2 p.m.

Sept. 2 — at Spokane 7 p.m.

Sept. 3 — vs. Western Wyoming/at North Idaho 11 a.m.

• North Division

Sept. 6* — vs. Everett 2 p.m.

Sept. 9 — at Whatcom Noon p.m.

Sept. 16 — at Shoreline 12:30 p.m.

Sept. 20 — at Edmonds 2

Sept. 23** — vs. Bellevue 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 27# — vs. Skagit Valley 5 p.m.

Oct. 4 — at Everett 5:30 p.m.

Oct. 7## — vs. Whatcom Noon

Oct. 14+ — vs. Shoreline Noon

Oct. 18++ — vs. Edmonds 2 p.m.

Oct. 21 — at Bellevue Noon

Oct. 25 — at Skagit Valley 5 p.m.

• Postseason

Nov. 1 — NWAC first round (location TBA) TBD

Nov. 4 — NWAC quarterfinals (location TBA) TBD

Nov. 10 — NWAC semifinals, Starfire Sports (Tukwila) TBD

Nov. 12 — NWAC championship/all-star games, Starfire Sports (Tukwila) TBD

* Pirate Proud day (free or discounted T-shirts)

** Parent’s Day (PC players’ families free admission)

# Youth Soccer Night (discounted admission, special events)

## Breast Cancer Awareness Day

+ Fan Appreciation Day

++ Sophomore Recognition Day

2023 PC women’s soccer Roster

No. Name Position Year Hometown

0 Kylie Janke (Goalkeeper, Fr.) Bluffdale, Utah

1 Talia Marini (Goalkeeper, So.) Reno, Nev.

2 Briana-Jean Tanaka (Forward, So.) Hilo, HI

3 Shaylynn Banaay (Defender, Fr.) Ewa Beach, HI

4 Maylin Rivera (Midfielder, So.) Sparks, Nev.

5 Taya Bohenko (Midfielder, So.) Las Vegas, Nev.

6 Chloe Saplan (Midfielder, Fr.) Hilo, HI

7 Caneel Corpuz (Midfielder, So.) Hilo, HI

8 Anna Petty (Forward, Fr.) Port Angeles

9 Lauren La Fountain (Defender, So.) Reno, Nev.

10 Brooke Reiber (Midfielder, Fr.) Selah

11 Jaeda Mae Edayan (Forward, Fr.) Mililani, HI

12 Keilee Silva (Defender, So.) Hilo, HI

13 Blake Plummer (Defender, So.) Juneau, Alaska

14 Hannah Wagner (Defender, So.) Sequim

15 Alexia Rodriguez-Burdeaux (Midfielder, So.) Selah

16 Shawna Larson (Forward, Fr.) Graham

17 Emma Crystal (Midfielder, Fr.) Pocatello, Idaho

18 Elliana Barden (Forward, Fr.) Cheney

19 Emily Eckert (Defender, So.) Wenatchee

20 Rylie Echavaria (Midfielder, Fr.) Waipahu, HI

21 Kawai Bento (Midfielder, Fr.) Aiea, HI

22 Risa Nishida (Forward, Fr.) Osaka, Japan

23 Jaiden King (Defender, Fr.) Montesano

24 ISIS-Jade Bryant (Defender, Fr.) Honolulu, HI

25 Olivia Dimmick (Forward, Fr.) Eagle River, Alaska

26 Marley Hamlett (Midfielder, Fr.) Anchorage, Alaska

27 Evee Stoddard (Defender, Fr.) Pocatello, Idaho

28 Desiree Dutra (Forward, Fr.) North Pole, Alaska

29 Sydney Soskis (Forward, So.) Corvallis, Ore.

32 Gemma Rowland (Defender, Fr.) Shedd, Ore.

71 Kalynn Casanova (Goalkeeper, Fr.) Henderson, Nev.

Photo by Rick Ross/Peninsula College / Peninsula’s Alexia Rodriguez-Burdeaux, a sophomore midfielder from Selah, controls the ball in an Aug. 13 scrimmage at the University of Victoria.

PhotoS by Rick Ross/Peninsula College Anna Petty of Port Angeles, center, looks to keep possession in a preseason scrimmage at the University of Victoria on Aug. 13. Petty and the Pirates fell to their hosts, 4-2.

Photo by Rick Ross/Peninsula College / Peninsula’s Alexia Rodriguez-Burdeaux, a sophomore midfielder from Selah, looks to push the ball upfield in an Aug. 13 scrimmage at the University of Victoria.

Kanyon Anderson, who had five NWAC championship titles as head coach of the Peninsula College women’s soccer squad, talks to players prior to their preseason scrimmage at the University of Victoria in mid-August.