Union Pines earned its third straight league shutout victory in soccer Thursday in Fayetteville, with a 5-0 win over the Westover Wolverines.

With the win the Viking boys closed the regular season alone in third place in the 3-A Cape Fear Valley Conference standings at 8-4, while improving to 8-12 overall.

Rafael Pastrana got Union Pines on the board in the final minute of the first half on an assist by Trey Recabo. The goal gave the visiting Vikes a 1-0 lead at intermission.

That margin grew to 2-0 when Westover scored an own-goal in the 63rd minute. Less than five minutes later Pastrana found the back of the net a second time in the match. Darian Erickson and Recabo scored the final two goals of the match, both on assists from Tristan Mathews

The Vikings will be on the road to start the 3-A state playoffs against South Johnston (15-5-1), the second seed from the Eastern Carolina Conference, Wednesday Oct. 31 in Four Oaks at 6:00 p.m.