PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College women’s and men’s soccer teams, both ranked No. 1 in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College’s Alaska Airlines Coaches Poll, and both posting wins on Wednesday, face a showdown with powerhouse Spokane on Saturday afternoon at Sigmar Field.
The Peninsula women, coming off a 3-0 win at Lower Columbia on Wednesday, tackle the third-ranked Sasquatch in what promises to be Peninsula’s biggest test of the season.
While the women’s game could possibly be a preview of the 2012 NWAACC championship, Saturday’s men’s game also matches two strong programs.
“Saturday’s two matches promise to be very exciting,” athletic director Rick Ross said.
“If ever we’ve needed fan support, Saturday is the day, especially for the women’s match.”
Kickoff at noon
Saturday’s kickoff is noon for the women and 2 p.m. for the men.
The top-ranked Pirate men (3-0-0 in conference, 10-1-0 overall) lead the NWAACC in goals scored with 40 and in goals against with only five.
The seventh-ranked Sasquatch, meanwhile, have not lived up to their ranking, going winless in their first three conference matches and sporting a 2-4-1 overall record.
Peninsula’s high-powered and balanced attack is led by Henrique Noujeimi, Daniel Gonzalez and Alex Martinez.
The three Pirates are tied for third among the NWAACC’s top scorers.
Martinez leads the NWAACC in assists with seven, while Erick Urzua and Yoshi Tamukai are second with five each.
In Wednesday’s 4-1 non-conference win over Trinity Lutheran University, the Pirates found themselves in a physical dogfight.
The Peninsula men opened the scoring 35 minutes in when 6-foot-3 Aaron Jeffery soared above the pack on a corner kick from Omar Ambrocio to head the ball into the net.
The Trinity men then tied the match before the Pirates responded to put it out of reach on back-to-back goals by Gonzalez, both assisted by Tamukai.
The final goal came during stoppage time when Tamukai scored off an assist from Zac Newton.
Women’s Soccer
Spokane (4-0-1, 5-0-2) is led by Lateashea Currie, who in just three matches emerged as the second leading scorer in the NWAACC with eight goals and three assists.
Peninsula (6-0-0, 11-0-0) is led by Briana Afoa (seven goals, one assist) and Rachel Sandoval (six goals, four assists).
The match will not only feature some of the top individual scorers in the NWAACC, but it pits the top scoring team, Peninsula, with 64 goals, against the top defensive team, Spokane, a team that has given up only three goals while scoring 23.
The Pirate defense has allowed just seven goals in 11 matches.
The Sasquatch women are coming off a 1-1 tie against second-ranked and defending NWAACC champion Walla Walla, while the Pirates stopped unranked Lower Columbia 3-0 on Wednesday in Longview.
Against the Red Devils, the Pirates got off the bus and immediately put two balls in the net.
Afoa scored in the first minute off an assist from Annie Armstrong and Jordan Dinneen followed with a goal just two minutes later, that too coming from an Armstrong pass.
The Peninsula women added an insurance goal in the 66th minute when Sandoval scored on a ball from teammate Shelbi Vienna-Hallam.
Denae Brooks recorded the shutout.