The North Moore boys’ soccer team prepped for the upcoming playoffs with a 3-1 senior night win over Albemarle Wednesday.

The Yadkin Valley Conference closer was meaningless in terms of conference standings and the playoffs, according to Mustang coach Michael Shamberger, because both teams had locked up their place in the standings and in the playoffs.

Despite that, Shamberger said, the Bulldogs of Albemarle started the game very aggressively, taking a 1-0 lead with a goal 15 minutes into the match.

But the Bulldogs may have woken up a sleeping giant with the goal, as the Mustangs began to play with more intensity, applying more defensive pressure and gaining more possession time with the ball.

With 12 minutes left in the first half, North Moore’s Pedro Ugarte was taken down in the box. Fredy Loza took and converted the penalty kick to tie the score. The score remained 1-1 at halftime.

Once the second half began North Moore completely dominated the game, Shamberger said, with Albemarle getting no shots on goal in the final stanza, while the Mustangs had 11.

About midway through the second half, North Moore scored its second goal. From the left side of the field Luis Solache flicked the ball backward into the box. Loza received it, and with one touch ripped a shot that hit the inside of the near post and landed at the back of the net.

With 15 minutes to go in the game the Mustangs finished the scoring, with Ugarte delivering a bending free kick that Gerbacio Cabrera ran onto and headed into the opposite corner for the final score of 3-1.

After the game North Moore recognized five seniors who played their last regular-season home game.

The seniors honored were Brandon Ambriz, Cabrera, Oliver Castrejon, Brian Morales and Luis Solache.

Shamberger said he was very happy that his seniors got to celebrate on senior night.

“It is a strong class of seniors and they are all starters and will be greatly missed,” he said.

He was also pleased with the overall play of his Mustang squad and feels that they are playing well as they now transition into the state playoffs.

The Mustangs ended the regular season with a record of 10-4-1 and 8-1-1 in the conference.

As the second seed out of the Yadkin Valley Conference, the Mustangs will host a first-round 1-A playoff game next Wednesday, against an opponent yet to be named.