Never mind Apex girls’ soccer coach Kevin Todd’s latest post-match musings following the Cougars’ 7-0 shutout of Fayetteville Terry Sanford in the Saturday’s second round of the NCHSAA 4-A playoffs.

The coach’s words may as well have fallen on deaf ears.

“We’ve been struggling offensively,” Todd said. “For us to be able to put combination goals together, where someone is making crosses and assists, it bolsters confidence a great deal. It’s good to have it spread around, absolutely.”

Six players netted goals for Apex (17-2-3), which led 3-0 at halftime. The Cougars’ quest to repeat as state champions got a boost from some familiar surnames, with Katie Dodd putting in a pair of goals and Stephanie Partenheimer scoring once.

Older sisters Amy Dodd and Jennifer Partenheimer scored the game-tying and game-winning goals that lifted Apex over Matthews Weddington in last year’s state final.

“When you have that good lineage in your program, it helps,” Todd said. “The toughest goals are still ahead. The team we’re playing is much better. Therefore, we’re going to have to get better ourselves.”

Shots by Shelby McLaurin, Kristy Kasnowski, Hillary Hodge and Megan Hilbert also found the back of the net Saturday. Hodge added two assists.

The Cougars hosted Wilmington Hoggard in a third-round match Tuesday after press time. Apex won the last playoff meeting between the schools, who battled to a 2-1 overtime decision in the 2001 quarterfinals.

Entering Tuesday, the Cougars had 13 shutouts. Terry Sanford finished 20-6 overall.