Seventeen players have netted at least one goal this season for Lake Norman's girls soccer team.
Even with all their offensive options, nobody tickled the twine in Wednesday's 0-0 stalemate with Mooresville.
"Coach (Dane) Perry said they've been struggling just a little bit with finishing," Blue Devils coach Steve Stith said.
Don't expect anybody around here to feel sorry for the Wildcats, the North Piedmont Conference bully since the program began in 2003.
Wednesday's tie was only the third time in 62 NPC games that Lake Norman hasn't posted a bigger number on the scoreboard than its opponent.
It's not like the Wildcats didn't have opportunities in their first of two meetings with Mooresville. They dominated possession and carried the play for most of the contest.
Mooresville goalkeeper Alicia Danenhower was sensational, though, stopping 24 shots on goal. The Wildcats fired another 30 or so shots, but they weren't on frame, largely because the Blue Devils defensive unit forced them to shoot from distances exceeding 15 yards.
"We've scored 56 goals in 13 games," Perry said. "But if you go back and look in our big games -- West Forsyth, North Mecklenburg, this one, Asheville, Tuscola -- no more than two goals a game. So we have got to learn how to put the ball in the back of the net against top teams."
Mooresville (8-1-4, 5-1-2 NPC) isn't ranked third in the 3A state coaches poll like Lake Norman (10-0-3, 7-0-1 NPC), but the surging Blue Devils haven't lost in eight outings.
And now they're in the thick of the conference championship race.
"It's definitely a big step for us," Danenhower said of Wednesday's outcome. "I think it's going to keep us going on a high roll."
She's probably right, but I still like Lake Norman's chances at capturing a fifth consecutive conference championship. The Wildcats put too much talent on the field not to favor them.
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