Peninsula men advance to final four

Whatcom (white) loses out to Peninsula (black) in a playoff shootout.
Photo from Pirates MySpace match gallery.

Bellingham Herald recaps match

After a tough fought match that went all 90 minutes, plus 2 (10min) overtimes, and a shootout, the Peninsula College soccer team will advance onto the NWAACC final four next weekend. The Pirates fell behind at the 30^th min mark when Whatcom was able to crack their defense. It stayed that way until the 79 min when Whatcom was able to go up 2-0. The Pirates, not losing in now 15 games, were not going to go so easily. With a couple of changes the PC men were able to score their first goal only a minute after Whatcom’s second giving the score 2-1 at the 80^th min. THE goal was scored by Sean Gaskins header off a Hugo Vasquez free kick. Only 1 min later the Pirates tied things up when Ernest Boham hit a rocket from 35 yards out that beat the Whatcom keeper, assist was Sean Gaskins.

Now tied with only minutes remaining the Pirates struck again in the 88 min when John Troka was able to get in behind the Whatcom defense and get a nice ball played by Gaskins that Troka was able to tuck in the back of the net. The Orcas then picked up two red cards but were able to capitalize on a free kick with only 30 sec. remaining to send the game into overtime. The Pirates were not able to take advantage being up two men and so the game went into a shootout.

The Pirates missed their first shot, but were able to make their next 4 while the Pirate GK Jase Hall saved two shots from the Orcas to give the Pirates the quarterfinal win. The Pirates will now play in the NWAACC Final Four semifinal on Sat. Nov. 22^nd at the Starfire Complex in Tukwila, WA at 4pm against Walla Walla CC. With the winner moving onto the final on Sun. Nov. 23^rd.
Andrew Chapman

Head Men's Soccer Coach

Peninsula College