ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (April 18, 2023) -- Rocky River had a five-game win streak snapped, allowing a season-high in goals, as the Pirates fell to the Avon Eagles 17-9 in Tuesday night Northern Ohio Lacrosse League action.
The Eagles held River to a 4-of-12 mark on clears and forced the Pirates into their most turnovers in a game (17) since the Double-R's season opener on March 17 (19 vs. Bay). The visitors made the most of 31 shots, putting 20 on frame and hanging crooked numbers in each of four quarters against a Pirate team that went into the night allowing just 4.8 goals per game.
Avon (7-1, 4-1 NOLL) won its sixth straight game behind big performances by sophomore Logan Conley (three goals, two assists) and senior Cam Santee (4G). The Eagles led 2-0 early, weathered two straight River goals (Wes Bennett, Rowan McDougal), and then took control of the chilled evening affair by scoring six of the game's next seven goals over an eight-minute stretch.
The visitors took a 10-6 lead into halftime. By the time River would get its next goal -- a man-down runner by Wes Bennett with eight seconds remaining in the third -- the Eagles had tacked three more scores onto their lead. Avon outscored Rocky River 7-3 in the second half to close out the 17-9 conquest, its second in a row over the Pirates.
For the game, Rocky River (7-2, 5-2) outshot Avon 41-31. The Pirates put 18 shots on goal. River came up empty in a pair of two-man-advantage situations; for the game, the Buccaneers were 1-for-4 with an extra attacker. The Pirates were a plus-2 in turnovers (17-19) and a plus-2 on faceoffs (15-13). The Maroon & White were undone 38-33 in ground balls (RR's first less-than-50% performance on scoops this season).
Rocky River's top individual performers were Bennett (3G), Cohen Blair (one ground balls, two caused turnovers), Andrew Lang (2G, 1A), and Mack Massad (1A, 14 GB, 4 CT).
McDougal's goal marked the 75th point of his career (55G, 20A).
The contest marked the opening of a busy week for the Sons of Blackbeard. River is slated to play a road game at Toledo St. Francis Thursday and then host Shaker Heights Saturday. The Saturday tilt -- with an opening faceoff at 4:30 p.m. -- will include a salute to Rocky River's 2012 and 2013 teams, both of which earned runner-up finishes in the Buckeye State tournament.
CANNON FIRE ...
A DOSE OF BENNETT-THRILL: With his hat trick Tuesday, senior attackman Wes Bennett has now planted multiple goals in six straight games. Over that span, Bennett has scored 21 points (14G, 7A). For the season, he has scored 23 goals, a career-high.
BANG-BANG: Junior midfielder Andrew Lang has scored exactly two goals in six of River's nine games this spring. Lang has tallied multiple goals in six straight games; he has reeled in multiple points in all nine games. For the season, Lang has registered 16 goals and five assists. His 38.1% (16-of-42) shooting mark leads the team.
by Skip Snow
# # # River # # #