BAY VILLAGE, Ohio (Sept. 11, 2024) -- In a hard-fought duel reminiscent of last fall's River-Bay DII state semifinal, the Pirates and Rockets played to a 1-1 draw at Bay Memorial Stadium Wednesday.
A Rocky River goal by Sophia Sindelar in the 29th minute was answered in the 66th by Bay's Lacey Gilmore. All the other attacks in the match were snuffed out by defenders and goalkeepers on both sides.
The Pirates (6-0-1, 2-0-1 Cleveland West Conference) and Rockets (3-0-2, 2-0-1), who played a 2-1 penalty-shootout thriller in a Buckeye State final four game Nov. 7, engaged in a physical tussle throughout. That was especially the case when touches developed into anything approaching a shot within 20 yards of the two goals. Both goalies -- Caitlin Rose for RRHS and Riley Mitchell for BHS -- handled quality shots ticketed for twine. And the War by the Shore rivals finished the match with what marked their third tie since 2014.
The Checkered Buccaneers struck first when a nifty 30-yard Grace Quaiser found Sindelar in stride down the right side of the field. Sindelar settled the pass with her right foot, crossing the orb to her left and then rifling an 18-yard left-footer that banged off the right post and into the goal. The play marked Sindelar's 15th goal of the season and Quaiser's sixth assist.
Bay countered past the midpoint of the second stanza. Just minutes after misfiring on a high-danger 2-on-1 break, the Rockets got an easy goal when an Emery Aschenbrener cross from the left side was mishandled and nodded toward a chip-shot area in front of the Pirate goal. Gilmore pounced on the loose change and knocked in from the doorstep.
The highest quality chances the rest of the way came from the home side. One whistler just missed wide left and two other hard shots were stopped by Rose, who registered eight saves on the evening.
The contest in Bay marked Rocky River's third straight road match and the squad's fifth such game in its last six. On Saturday, the Pirates will return to their home port. River will host on non-conference game against Chagrin Falls (7 p.m., Rocky River Stadium).
CANNON FIRE ...
SERIES: The last two River-Bay matches have certainly been close. And that's nothing new. Since 2014, the Pirates and Rockets have met 13 times. Seven of those games have been decided by one goal or less. Since 2014, the series is knotted at 5-5-3.
POINT MACHINE: In Friday's Rocky River win at Brebeuf (Ind.), Sophia Sindelar passed former teammate Ava Patti and became the program's top career point producer. Sindelar, who after Wednesday has 277 points (119 goals, 39 assists), eclipsed Patti's previous mark of 273 points (101G, 71A).
by Skip Snow
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