The two teams entered the game tied atop the conference standings, but will face-off again on Monday, this time at Fuquay. Thursday’s contest at Apex was originally scheduled for Sept. 9, but was postponed because of a conflict with Apex’s open house.

The Bengals drew first blood in the fifth minute when Andrew Sotak received a pass at the top of the 18’ from Davis Meyer. The through ball set up Sotak all alone in the box, and he touched it past goalkeeper Paul West for the 1-0 advantage.

It was the only time Fuquay — playing without senior Hector Valentin who picked up his fifth yellow card in the team’s win over Panther Creek on Monday — found the back of the net. Valentin had scored five goals in the previous two games.

Some games, Apex will rotate through up to four different goalkeepers. West, a junior, stayed in the net all night.

“Sometimes you see players that get in a zone,” Apex coach Kevin Todd said. “And when it’s a keeper, he needs to stay there.”

The Cougars managed to take the game by converting on set pieces — two off free kicks and another on a throw-in.

“We emphasize that so much,” Todd said. “At this point of the season you want to see that happen and it couldn’t have come at a better time, as key as this game was. It’s pleasing to them and it’s a confidence-booster to be sure.”

With 20:58 left in the first, Apex senior Parker McNeely’s throw-in from the left side of the goal almost scored on its own. It deflected off the goalkeeper’s mitts, into the crossbar, and into a leaping Jason Galatioto — who headed it in for the goal.

“[You] just kind of hope for the best,” Galatioto said. “I was in the right place at the right time.” On the Cougars’ second goal, junior David Murrell headed in McNeely’s free kick from 40 yards out with 11:08 remaining in the first.

“We’re always preach we have to score on set pieces,” Galtioto said. “That’s where most goals are scored.” Or in Apex’s case, all of them.

With the score still 2-1 in the second half, another set piece turned into a goal for Apex with 17:08 remaining.

A free kick opportunity was touched right from McNeely to Payne Clark. Clark sent the ball into the box, where after a brief 50-50 battle for the ball, the Cougars’ Auturo Alvan controlled the ball and fired one in for a 3-1 advantage.

For Fuquay, a win on Monday would re-tie them with Apex for first, although Green Hope is just four points out of first.

“I thought we played really well, possessed the ball and created just as many opportunities as Apex did, we just didn’t finish them,” Fuquay coach James Mountford said. “Tactically, we need to play basically the same way. I thought we played with a lot of intensity tonight. We just have to clean up the way we defend set pieces.”