The Northwest Athletic Conference’s top-ranked Peninsula men remained unbeaten with a 2-1 win over No. 6-ranked Highline at Starfire Stadium, the site of the NWAC Championships, on Sept. 29.

Peninsula struck early, scoring in the 16th minute when Dylan Clark sent a free kick into the box, where Eddie Benito settled it and Micah Weller for his second goal of the season.

That 1-0 score stood through halftime but Highline found the equalizer at the 53-minute mark when Alex Lewis took a rebound off the chest of Pirate keeper Aaron Zavolokin and slotted it in for a 1-1 tie.

Two minutes later, however, as Benito got his head to a ball in the box and directed it into the Thunderbird net — his third goal of the season.

Highline missed a header near the far post as time expired.

Peninsula improved to 9-0 on the season and 7-0 in conference play and lead the West Division with 21 points, followed by Highline at 5-1-2 with 17 points and Bellevue at 4-4-0 with 12 points.

The Pirates and North Idaho remain the only unbeaten teams in NWAC soccer. North Idaho is 8-0-1 on the season and 6-0-1 in East Division play in their first year in the NWAC after departing the National Junior College Athletic Association in 2013.

The Pirates, ranked No. 13 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Junior College Division I Poll, host Bellevue’s Bulldogs at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, at Sigmar Field in Port Angeles.

See a photo slideshow of the Pirates’ Sept. 24 match against Edmonds here.