PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College women were tested but held on to earn their 50th-consecutive Northwest Athletic Conference North Region victory in a 50-43 win over the Bellevue Bulldogs.
Alecsis Smith led the way with 14 points and eight rebounds, scoring five points and grabbing four of those rebounds in the fourth quarter.
The Pirates, now 18–4 overall and a perfect 10–0 in conference play, jumped out to a 26–18 halftime lead and held on for their 50th straight Northern Conference victory.
Makena Patrick played well on the glass, scoring nine points and grabbing nine boards. Kimberlee Brown added nine points.
Neah Bay’s Ryana Moss ended up with seven points, six rebounds and a steal in 32 minutes of play.
Pirates’ point guard Marley Myers added six points, three assists and two steals.
Collectively, Peninsula shot 3-of-6 from the free-throw line in the fourth while attempting to seal the contest.
The Pirates doubled down on the defensive effort in the fourth, limiting the Bulldogs to 4-of-19 shooting in the final frame.
Peninsula (10-0, 18-4) are ahead of second-place Skagit Valley (9-1, 13-11) in the NWAC North Region standings with four games to play, including hosting the Cardinals in the regular season finale for both teams on Feb. 25.
In the men’s contest, the No. 1-ranked Bellevue men seized the momentum early on against Peninsula with an 11-0 run to go up 20-9 midway through the first half and the Bulldogs seized a 74-54 win over the Pirates.
The Bulldogs kept adding to their first-half advantage, closing out the half on a 7-0 run for a 42-20 halftime deficit.
Patrick O’Dingo led Peninsula with 11 points. Sam Tekeste and Cinco McNeal each scored 10.
The Pirates (4-6, 5-20) remain tied with Everett for the fourth and final playoff spot.
Peninsula wins Saturday at Edmonds and/or Wednesday at home game against Everett would likely clinch a playoff spot for the Pirates.
Jay Cline/Peninsula College Athletics Peninsula’s Cinco McNeal Jr. throws down a two-handed slam dunk during the Pirates’ 74-54 loss to the first-place Bellevue Bulldogs at home Wednesday.
