ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- The Rocky River Pirates won their 2020 home opener, riding a pair of Chase DeClerck goals, solid defense, and a key save by goalkeeper Ian Tomsik in a 2-1 victory over the Padua Bruins on Saturday afternoon.
DeClerck, who led Rocky River in both goals and assists last year as a junior, scored midway through the first half -- an answer to a Padua goal just three minutes prior -- and again two minutes before halftime. The Pirates weathered a second-half surge by the Bruins and closed out their second win of the week by outshooting the Bruins, 9-0, over the final 30 minutes of play.
The Bruins (0-2) struck first when senior Douglas Gerda scored on an assist from Antonio Rosa. The Padua netfinder -- in the 21st minute -- came on one of just three first-half shots for the visitors.
The Pirates (2-0) countered with a goal of their own three minutes-and-seven seconds later. River's 24th-minute score was a low DeClerck whistler sent to the left corner of the goal, past a diving effort by Bruin goalkeeper Joseph Antonelli. DeClerck's shot -- on an assist from sophomore Charlie Russell, who had come up with an alert steal moments earlier -- found pipework, but the ball was over the goal line before bounding back into the field of play. DeClerck's goal was one of four Pirate shots to find iron over the first 40 minutes of the match.
DeClerck would score again, lifting Rocky River to a 2-1 lead in the 38th minute. The 2019 First Team All-Greater Cleveland selection settled down a loose ball after a Jack Maher free kick. He then patiently set up the Bruin 'keeper with a couple deliberate taps before bouncing in the eventual twine-finder from the doorstep on the right side of the cage.
Two minutes later the two sides went into halftime with Rocky River leading, 2-1. The Pirates outshot the Bruins, 12-3, in the first half. River took six corners while keeping their own end-line flags free of traffic.
The visitors wrested away the momentum of the match early in the second. The opening 10 minutes of the second stanza included Padua's first corner kick and a pair of shots on goal. One of those two shots was of the penalty variety after a hand ball in the box in the 49th minute. But junior netminder Ian Tomsik smothered the attempt, preserving River's one-goal advantage.
The Pirates took control of the proceedings over the middle minutes of the second. Only a big effort Antonelli prevented a goal by Michael Triplett after a Triplett run down the left side in the 61st minute. A monster save by Antonelli denied Russell on a similar play down the right side in the 65th minute. Russell was effective throughout in setting up scoring opportunities and, on the game-tying goal in the opening half, collecting his first varsity point.
The balance of play was with significant field tilt in favor of the Pirates. Throughout the 80-minute contest, senior defender Chris Fry was a settling force in the River backfield, deftly thwarting many a developing threat. Fellow senior Nate Keeling did likewise over the middle 40 yards of the field. Both River vets loomed large in Rocky River outshooting Padua, 23-5, for the match.
For the game, Tomsik made three saves for Rocky River; Antonelli was credited with 12 stops for the Bruins.
DeClerck -- who tallied a goal in a 2-0 win over Padua last season (Aug. 24, 2019) -- scored his 11th and 12th career goals in Saturday's victory at Rocky River Stadium. After posting eight goals and seven assists a year ago, he has tallied three goals and an assist over Rocky River's first two games in 2020.
With Saturday's win, the Pirates now own an all-time mark of 12-7-2 against Padua. River has taken four straight in the series.
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