OTTAWA HILLS, Ohio (May 3, 2023) -- Rocky River closed out the back half of a successful two-games-in-as-many-days stretch with a 20-7 win at Ottawa Hills Wednesday.
The Pirates got a 10-point game from junior captain Kaitlyn Byrne as they followed up a 15-2 triumph over Olmsted Falls from Tuesday. River's 20 goals tied a season-high (April 4 vs. Avon Lake). Sharp passing netted 12 assists in the contest, also tying a season-best (March 28 vs. Mentor).
Tangled in a 3-2 battle early, the Striped Buccaneers broke free of their non-conference hosts with an 8-0 run from 20:51 to 10:53 in the first half. Byrne had three goals and two assists in that stretch. Her final game line -- eight goals and two assists (alongside a game-high seven draw controls) -- knotted her with Lauren Cain (9G, 1A) for most points recorded in a single game in program history. Cain logged her 10-pointer against Wooster on May 11, 2019. Byrne, who had already registered four five-point games this season, has tallied 28 points over Rocky River's last six games. With 48 points this season (39G-9A), she is the second-leading point scorer (Alexis Tisler: 34-16--50) on a squad now averaging 14.1 goals per game.
On Wednesday, Rocky River (13-2) toted a 13-5 lead into halftime. In the second half, the Bucs leveraged a 9-of-10 performance on draws and seven spills in limiting offensive looks for the Green Bears. For the game, River won 21-of-29 draws (72.4%), 22-of-35 ground balls (62.9%), and produced 14 caused turnovers. The latter figure marked the Pirates' best spill total since April 20 (14 vs. Bay).
Emme DeMilt (2G, 3A, 2 GB) and Skylar Silk (4G) led the effort for the Green Bears (8-4).
Joining Byrne with prominent numbers in the River ledger were Grace DeWitt (3G, 2A, 3 GB, 2 CT), Mackenzie Russell (2G, 5 GB, 3 CT, 5 DC), Annika Mocho (5 GB), Elle Mocho (2G), Daisy Thompson (4G, 2A), and Alexis Tisler (1G, 2A).
Thompson's six-point game marked a career-best. Annika Mocho has now registered 15 ground balls over the team's last three games.
CANNON FIRE ...
FEEL THE BYRNE: Kaitlyn Byrne's fourth score Wednesday marked the 100th goal of her career. The junior attacker clocked three goals as a freshman (2021) and 62 as a sophomore (2022). Byrne leads the 2023 Pirates in goals (39) and is second in draw controls (53). She has scored three goals or more in a game 22 times in her career.
ON DECK: The Striped Buccaneers will close out their regular season slate with a non-conference game against a cross-river foe next Wednesday (May 10). The Maroon & White will host St. Joseph -- an 8-1 team since March 30 -- in a 7 p.m. tilt at Rocky River Stadium.
by Skip Snow
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