ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- The Pirates kept their season-opening win streak going with a dominant 19-0 victory over Brunswick Thursday.

Rocky River bolted to an 8-0 lead over the first seven minutes of play and would go on to score 13 goals in the opening half and six more in a running-clock second half. Tremendous defensive work up and down the field -- in transition and against Blue Devils offensive sets -- was on display throughout the Northern Ohio Lacrosse League tilt at Rocky River Stadium. The Pirates (5-0, 3-0 NOLL) held Brunswick to just six total shots, and only three of those were on frame. River's shutout was its second in a row: the Pirates opened their week by downing Mentor 17-0 on Tuesday.

At the other end, dangerous Pirate shooters lurked around every turn. Led by Kaitlyn Byrne (four goals), Olivia Konopka (3G), and Alexis Tisler (3G), Rocky River had a half-dozen players net multiple goals on the evening. In all, nine players scored in a game that saw 33 Pirate shots (25 on goal).

Rocky River was a plus-7 (32-25) in the ground ball exchange and a plus-12 in turnovers (14 to 26). Active Buccaneer sticks spilled many a Blue Devil possession, often before the visitors were even within 30 yards of the River cage. As a team, River clocked 14 caused turnovers. Taitum Connelly, Mackenzie Russell, and Kalyn Scalabrino caused two turnovers each. Russell also logged four ground balls, a goal, and an assist. Ava Patti also had four ground balls for the Maroon & White, which gained a measure of retribution against Brunswick. The Blue Devils defeated Rocky River 9-7 last season (May 10), dealing the Pirates one of their two losses in circuit play in 2021.

Konopka had seven points (three goals, four assists) on the night, which marked a single-game season high for the team.

Hanna Burgess (25 minutes) and Acadia Hover (25) split the evening protecting the Pirate twine. Hover helped preserve the shutout with three second-half saves.


by Skip Snow

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