Given Cape Girardeau Central's sectional losses to the eventual Class 4A soccer champion the last two years, a Final Four appearance has never seemed closer for the Lady Tigers.

This year, Central -- which has lost just three games in the last three seasons -- will face a less-intimidating team, Ritenour from St. Louis, today in a 5 p.m. sectional game at the Anheuser-Busch Conference and Sports Centre in Fenton.

The Huskies pose a formidable challenge to Central, no doubt. But Central, the 10th-ranked team in the state at 24-1-2, has to figure that this is its chance to prove to St. Louis and the rest of the state that it deserves some recognition as a force in girls soccer.

But first things first -- Ritenour.

"We don't know much about them and they don't know much about us," Central coach Tom Doyle said. "They've played some good teams and won and played some lesser teams and lost, so you never know."

Unlike Ritenour, which has one dominant scorer -- Ashley Wiebracht -- Cape Central poses a balanced attack with five players with at least 12 goals this season.

Sophomore Amber Voerg leads the team in goals (25) and assists (18). Kim Aslinger has scored 18 goals, Amanda Hiler 16, Jennifer Daume 15 and Lorie Bittle 12.

"This year, we're more balanced," Doyle said. "We'll be a little tougher to defend. You can't just shut down one player and beat us."

In all, Central, which smashed the school record of 20 wins in a season, has outscored its opponents 118-16. Sophomore goalkeeper Heather Hey broke a school record with 17 shutouts. Hey broke Amy Harris' mark of 15 shutouts which was set last season. Harris was a first-team all-state selection a year ago.

Doyle acknowledged that the players who returned from last year's squad have all improved, grown and matured.

But it's the overall aura of the group that impresses the coach most.

"I think we realize that we have to play as a team in order to win," he said. "They know that if they try to do it themselves, they can't win."

A Central win today would send the Lady Tigers into a state quarterfinal game Saturday at 7 p.m. in Fenton against either Hazelwood Central or Northwest-House Springs.