By Oly Archibald
PORT ANGELES — The third-ranked Peninsula Pirate women, now 17–4 overall and 9–0 in the Northern Conference, put their 49-game conference win streak on the line tomorrow night against always-tough Bellevue at Peninsula College.
The Bulldogs are 12–11 overall and 7–2 in conference play and are much better than their record indicates.
In the first meeting between the teams, Peninsula trailed by two with a minute to play before former Neah Bay Red Devil Ryana Moss knocked down a three from the left baseline. The Pirates held on for a 63–60 win.
Moss finished 4-for-5 from three-point range for 17 points. Alecsis Smith added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Pirate point guard Carliese O’Brien delivered an all-around performance with nine points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocked shots.
Former Neah Bay Red Devil Ryana Moss hit a three-point shot with a minute left to lift Peninsula past Bellevue, 63–60, in their first meeting.
Bellevue, currently third in the Northern Conference, has won three straight games and is led by 6-foot sophomore Shannel Kovalsky of Fairbanks, who averages 13 points per game. Shooting guard Lily Auelua, a 5-9 sophomore from Mount Rainier High School, scored 17 points in the first matchup with Peninsula.
Pirate point guard Carliese O’Brien is having an outstanding season running head coach Alison Crumb’s fast-paced offense.
Tomorrow night’s game will be broadcast here on KONP Newsradio.
Meanwhile, the 2026 NWAC Tournament bracket is out, giving Pirate fans a chance to start planning. The tournament will again be held at Columbia Basin College in Pasco.
If the Peninsula Pirate men earn the Northern Conference’s No. 4 seed, they would play March 4th at 2:00 against the No. 1 team from the East.
If the Pirate women secure the No. 1 seed, they would play Saturday, March 7th, against the East’s No. 4 seed, currently projected to be either Yakima or Treasure Valley. A win would send Peninsula to the Elite Eight, likely facing Lane or Umpqua on Sunday, March 8th at 2:00.
The Pirate men tip off tomorrow at 5:00 against the top-ranked Bulldogs.
Peninsula guard Patrick O’Dingo and the Pirates will look to upset top-ranked Bellevue tomorrow night at 5:00