ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Rocky River bounced back from a Saturday loss at Worthington Kilbourne with an impressive 11-6 triumph over Northern Ohio Lacrosse League foe Avon Lake Tuesday.

Late first-half goals from Olivia Konopka and Grace DeWitt helped extricate the Pirates from an early 4-3 deficit. Rocky River (8-1, 5-0 NOLL) took a 6-4 lead into halftime, and a shutdown Pirate defense would allow just two Shoregals scores in the second half. Both of those came in the final minute of play.

A man-up goal and a pair of free-position netfinders keyed Avon Lake's early success. But from the 9-minute mark of the first to the 1-minute mark of the second -- a stretch of 33 minutes in clock time -- the Pirates blanked the Shoregals 8-0. Konopka netted three of those eight goals in that stretch. DeWitt had two as did Alexis Tisler, who finished with four goals and two assists on the night.

A stingy Striped Buccaneer defense has held opponents to six goals-or-less in six of the team's last seven games.

River's next game is slated for April 23 (at Olmsted Falls).



by Skip Snow

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