PORT ANGELES — After a wobbly run through the latter portions of its league schedule, the Peninsula College men’s soccer team strung together a controlled, measured performance in a 3-0 NWAC playoff victory against Pierce on Wednesday at Wally Sigmar Field.
The Pirates (13-1-4) advance to face top-ranked North Idaho (15-1-2) in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Saturday.
“We found a lot of space in the middle of the field and kind of took what was available, and that seemed to be open for us all game,” Peninsula coach Kanyon Anderson said.
“We moved the ball pretty quickly, moved it well enough that we were hard to defend today.
“We’ve been starting to play better for the last two weeks, and this was a good tune up for us.”
Early chances
Midfielder Steven Rodriguez nearly found the net for the Pirates in the first minute of play, missing high and right from point-blank range in the center of the 18-yard box.
The Raiders managed to maintain control of the ball and cross midfield for one solid opportunity when a bouncing shot was saved from danger by Peninsula goalie Aaron Zavolokin in the 11th minute.
Zavolokin earned the shutout in net, his second on the season, after saving two shots.
The Pirates had plenty of possession in the opening minutes, much of it coming in the Raiders’ (4-12-1) half of the field, but didn’t get on the scoreboard until effort and skill came together in the 24th minute.
Peninsula midfielder Kassio Monteiro slid along the left sideline to keep a ball in play about 40 yards from the goal.
He dribbled up the left-hand side of the field, eventually finding forward Chris Chertude who slotted the ball home from the left side of the goal box for a 1-0 Pirates advantage.
Chertude had entered the contest as a substitute along with Eddie Benito just seconds before, and went from being admonished by Anderson for a rash defensive challenge to goal scorer in mere moments.
The Pirates had more chances to cash in before halftime, but shots by substitutes Caio Maciel and Benito went high over the goal in the 27th and 34th minutes, and a Benito-to-Chertude connection ended with a Pierce save at the right post in the 38th minute.
“I did think we were going to win a few balls in the air,” Anderson said of inserting the taller forwards in against the shorter Pierce back line.
“They just run well together, play at the back line together well; just a nice pairing.”
Monteiro also saw a goal taken away by an offside call in the 41st minute.
Peninsula added a second score four minutes into the second half.
“We played a ball in the box that was knocked down back to Kassio [Monteiro] and he played a little soft ball over the top of their back line and Eddie [Benito] ran on to it and was able to chip the keeper, kind of a bouncing ball over the top,” Anderson said.
“It was a very composed, skilled goal from all players involved.”
And one that appeared to deflate the Raiders attack, with Pierce putting up just one strong challenge toward the Pirates goal for the rest of the contest.
“Eddie’s been awesome for us all season,” Anderson said.
“We’ve started to find a little chemistry with the players who started today, but we have guys that come off the bench that are starters, too,” Anderson added in reference to the play of Benito and Chertude.
Peninsula took advantage of a lax defensive effort by the Raiders when Chertude made a long run down the left flank before sending a low pass through to the middle of the field.
Benito could have stepped in and taken the shot but wisely let the ball trickle past to a waiting Julio Soto.
Soto promptly buried the goal along with Pierce’s upset hopes, giving the Pirates a 3-0 lead with 35 minutes remaining.
“We’ve seemed to be finding our comfort zone a little bit more in the past few weeks,” Anderson said.
With his double duties as head coach of the Peninsula men’s and women’s teams, Anderson now faces a hectic travel schedule.
He’ll fly to Spokane for the men’s game across the state line in Idaho on Saturday, and ride the team bus, the Black Pearl, back to coach the women’s team in its contest at home against Treasure Valley at 1 p.m. Sunday.
“It’s nothing too strenuous, and nothing we haven’t faced earlier this season,” Anderson said of the trip.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsualdailynews.com.
