CHAPEL HILL — The Chapel Hill boys’ soccer team pounced at the opportunity to take first place in the Tobacco Road 6A/7A conference Thursday.

Chapel Hill and Riverside both entered the showdown with 4-0 conference records and were tied atop the standings, but the Tigers’ defense smothered the Pirates in a 3-1 win. Riverside was held to limited shot attempts and zero goals until the final three minutes of the game.

“We’ve been kind of teetering on a good, good solid performance,” Chapel Hill coach Davis Boyle said. “And tonight, we finally put it together. Every phase of the game. Every minute until the very end.”

Senior midfielder Eliot Werley scored two goals to lead the Chapel Hill offense.

Both teams remained scoreless for most of the first half. Chapel Hill sprinted ahead of Riverside defenders for multiple opportunities to score, but it couldn’t convert. On the other hand, Riverside struggled to maintain possession thanks to the Tigers’ constant tackles and intense on-ball pressure.

“The defense played under control (and) really composed” Boyle said. “And the midfield helped. They gave them options to pass out of the back, and they were covering for each other. It was great. They talked — they communicated — really the best they’ve communicated all season long, which helps, (and) that goes a long way.”

Werley broke the ice for Chapel Hill’s offense late in the first half by scoring a cross from junior Miles Tobolski.

“Miles Tobolski put a great ball across the box, and I was able to get there in front of the goalkeeper and just tap it in,” Werley said. “I think overall, during the game, we always stayed calm, moved the ball, and we talked really well together.”

The Tigers continued to attack at the beginning of the second half. Four minutes into the second period, Werley drew a foul near the net, and aced a penalty kick to put Chapel Hill ahead 2-0.

Minutes later, junior Harrison Boyle sent the ball past the Pirates’ goalkeeper for a three-score advantage.

“Cyrus (Ahmed) laid it off, and I took a touch,” Boyle said. “I’ve had a couple chances this year to hit one. I stayed patient this time, and chopped it on my left, kind of just placing it in the corner.”

Chapel Hill looked as if it were going to pull off the clean sheet until a controversial penalty called against the Tigers with about three minutes remaining allowed Riverside senior Henry Powlas to score on a penalty kick.

“A little miscommunication when we put our young goalkeeper in to get him some minutes,” Davis Boyle said. “The center back passed it to him a little bit harder than he thought, so he dove to make the save, so it didn’t go into the goal. The referee initially called a pass back, which should’ve just been an indirect free kick. And he went and talked with his (assistant referee), and then he came back and changed it to a denial of a goal scoring opportunity, which I’ve never seen and I don’t is something that should or is even able to be done.”

Chapel Hill now controls its own destiny in the pursuit of its third conference title in four years. The Tigers, who improved to 10-2-2 with the win, has five more regular season games left that are all against conference opponents. Riverside, now 7-6-3, will also end the regular season with five conference games. The Tigers and Pirates will meet again for the regular season finale on Oct. 27 at Riverside.

Riverside is still in the running to earn a share of the conference title.