PORT ANGELES — Manuel Galiano’s goal in the 29th minute was all the Peninsula men’s soccer team needed offensively to dispatch third-place Everett 1-0 at Wally Sigmar Field on Wednesday.
The Pirates sealed an NWAC playoff berth with the Sophomore Day win, the team’s third victory in a row and ninth straight game overall without a defeat.
Peninsula (9-1-2, 10-3-2, 29 points) remains one point behind North Region leaders Whatcom (9-0-3, 11-2-4, 30 points) with three matches remaining in the regular season.
The Pirates and Orcas have tied in two previous meetings and Peninsula will travel north to face Whatcom on Wednesday.
Mason Haubrich notched the assist on Galiano’s eventual game-winning goal. It was the sixth goal of the season for Galiano, tying him with Haubrich and Hide Inoue for the team lead.
Goalkeeper Evan Scholes stood tall, stopping three shots to earn the shutout. Schloes is tied with Highline’s Alex Weaver with an NWAC-best seven clean sheets this season.
Before Peninsula visits Whatcom, the Pirates will head to Skagit Valley (5-7-0, 8-7-0) on Saturday. Peninsula has beaten the Cardinals twice, both by 2-0 margins, this season.
Women’s Game Peninsula 4, Everett 0
PORT ANGELES — The Pirate women clinched their eighth-straight league championship, but it took awhile for Peninsula to get on the board offensively against the Trojans on Wednesday.
“We tried to run a different formation than what we normally run because we thought it might be something we may need in the playoffs,” coach Kanyon Anderson said.
“It was something we haven’t trained at all and I challenged our smart sophomore class, they all started on Sophomore Day.”
Anderson said his group was excited to try the new look out, and the team did get a goal.
Samantha Olivera scored that goal, her team-leading 19th, in the 35th minute to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead at halftime.
Olivera is second overall in the NWAC in goals scored, one behind Bellevue’s Lauren Landis.
The teams stayed at the that 1-0 score for much of the second half.
“I think Everett felt confident they could stay in the game, they came out inspired and we switched back to a more familiar formation in the second half and Everett played good defense,” Anderson said.
“If there’s ever a time to experiment, that was the day to do it.”
But sophomore Taylor Graham stepped up on Sophomore Day and notched three goals in less than 10 minutes to give Peninsula breathing room.
Graham scored in the 80th and 84th minute on assists by Sammy Howa, and added an unassisted goal in the 89th.
“If Taylor doesn’t show up and drop a hat trick in the final minutes of the game . . . ” Anderson said.
“She made her presence felt offensively.”
The Pirates outshot Everett 28-2 in the match.
Peninsula’s Chloe Keenan-Merlo and Andrea Kenagy combined in goal on the shutout.
By clinching first, the Pirates have earned a bye in the first round of the NWAC soccer playoffs.
They’ll host a quarterfinal match against the winner of the South No. 3/East No. 2 winner Saturday, Nov. 3.
Peninsula (11-0-1, 13-2-1) visit Skagit Valley (5-6-1, 7-6-1) on Saturday.
________
Compiled from team reports. Email scores to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or phone 360-417-3525.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Everett’s Oshinaye Taylor, left, and Peninsula’s Halle Watson chase after the ball during Wednesday’s match at Wally Sigmar Field in Port Angeles.
