ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- The Pirates got three goals apiece from Olivia Konopka, Allison Kysela, and Ella Nejad, as Rocky River defeated Revere, 11-8 on Thursday night.

Sharp passing on offense and a ballhawking effort on defense led to the Pirates (2-1) finishing as a plus-5 in the turnover exchange. Grace Harte and Kalyn Scalabrino led the way in forcing Minutemen miscues, and both were in on plenty of ground balls on a night that saw Rocky River double up Revere, 28-13, on ground balls. For the game, River committed 12 turnovers; the Minutemen were tagged with 17.
  
Kysela scored the Pirates' first two goals of the evening as part of a 2-for-1 trade in the opening seven minutes of play. Konopka, Nejad, and Konopka again then scored as part of a 3-1 River run over the next 10 minutes of play. The Detroit Road Buccaneers rode that stretch to a 6-4 lead at the half.

Goals by Nejad and Kysela in the opening minute of what was a rainy second half gave the Pirates a four-goal cushion. The Maroon & White were firmly in control of the contest from that point forward. Goalkeeper Hannah Burgess had a stretch of three straight stops over the front half of the second stanza. Her good work in front of the River cage coincided with the Pirates putting the game out of reach. Burgess finished the night with seven saves.

Harte and Iris Polly also netted goals for the Pirates, whose 11 goals marked a season-high. Konopka (three), Harte, Polly, Kysela, and Daisy Thompson tallied assists in the game.

Revere was led by Quinn Downing and Kaitlyn Bodjanac. Each tallied four goals in a losing effort.


by Skip Snow