Two games into the NCHSAA 4A state soccer playoffs, it was time for the Pinecrest girls to get physical.

“Jack Britt is a physical team — we figured that out the first time we played them,” Patriot coach Todd Abbey said of a Buccaneer squad his team defeated 2-0 two months ago. “Tonight it was just nice to see the work ethic we put into it. We were winning balls and we weren’t backing down.”

The Patriots (17-6-3) scored a pair of goals in each half to grab a 4-0 victory. They advance to a third round contest at home on Wednesday against New Bern (17-4-2). The second seed from the Mideastern Conference was a 4-2 winner over Terry Sanford.

Keegan Lynch opened the scoring for the Patriots in the eighth minute with a header off a pass from Keegan Cary that caught the Buc goalkeeper far off her line. In the 22nd minute, the Pats’ Kristen Phelps was taken down hard near the Patriot bench about 40 yards from the goal. It was one of a number of hard spills and collisions that marked a rough first half.

“It was scary,” Patriot inside midfielder Mariotti Meyers said of the flying bodies, “but I definitely think we beat them physically. Good teams are physical, fast and good with their feet. It’s good we got to experience some of that this time.”

The Patriots capitalized on the opportunity when Antonia Meyers blasted home the rebound off the resulting free kick by Kathryn Palmer, making it 2-0. The Pats had numerous chances to extend the lead as Mariotti Meyers, Cary and Ally Parziale helped control the center of the midfield and the match.

Eight minutes into the second half, Mariotti Meyers snuck a low shot from about 25 yards away inside the near post, making it 3-0. The final goal by Palmer in the 72nd minute came off a cross from Ashlyn Douglas.

“The last time we played them I thought we complained a little too much,” Abbey said. “This time we just stepped up and did it. It got a little chippy at times. The thing I was most proud of is that we kept our tempers.”

The most serious challenges faced by Patriot goalkeeper Abbey Crider came off long free kicks in the first half. The shutout was the fifth in the last six matches and the team’s 15th of the season. Jack Britt ended its season with a record of 15-9-2.

Contact Charlie Bergmann at cbergmann@nc.rr.com.