PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College men’s soccer team backed its way into the NWAACC playoffs after falling 1-0 to Highline on Wednesday at Civic Field.
The loss dropped the Pirates (7-3-1 in West, 9-3-3 overall) into second place in the West Division, two points behind Bellevue with only two games to go in the regular season.
Yet with that same Bellevue team knocking off Tacoma 5-1 on Wednesday, the Pirates clinched a playoff birth for the sixth straight year.
“We had a few great opportunities,” Peninsula men’s coach Andrew Chapman said. “We just shot wide and didn’t get it in.”
Peninsula outshot Highline 9-6 on the game but was shut out for the third time in five matches.
The Pirates are 1-3-1 since starting the season on a 10-game unbeaten streak and vaulting to No. 1 in the NWAACC coaches poll for the first time in school history. They dropped to No. 2 in the poll before Wednesday’s loss.
“They are not happy, they’re pretty upset,” Chapman said after being asked about falling to No. 2.
“They let an opportunity go with only two games left to determine our playoff spot.”
The men host their next game on Saturday against Olympic at Civic Field at 7 p.m.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
PENINSULA 2, HIGHLINE 2
DES MOINES — The Pirates saw a late lead slip away in Wednesday’s draw at Civic Field.
The Pirates never trailed in the game, outshooting Highline 12-9 and getting 10 corner kicks to Highline’s zero.
Tabitha Bare scored first for the Pirates off an assist from Ellen Rodgers to put Peninsula on top 1-0.
Shawna Theine scored the last goal for Peninsula off a pass from Jessica Farrell to take a 2-1 lead.
Yet Highline was able to find the net in the 86th minute to tie the game.
Peninsula (4-4-4 in West, 4-6-5 overall) needs to win two out of its last three games in order to make the NWAACC playoffs in its inaugural season.
The Pirates’ last home game on Nov. 6 against Green River will most likely determine who will take the West Division’s third-place spot, Peninsula head coach Kanyon Anderson said.
The women host their next game on Saturday at Civic Field against Olympic at 5 p.m.