PARMA, Ohio -- Rocky River closed out an unbeaten regular season slate with a 9-0 win at Normandy on Wednesday evening.

The Pirates earned a share of their third straight Great Lakes Conference title in the process. River and Buckeye -- foes that played to a 2-2 draw on Sept. 9 -- both finished the 2020 GLC campaign with 8-0-1 marks. 

On Wednesday, Rocky River (14-0-2, 8-0-1 GLC) got goals from eight different players in winning its 11th straight match since the tie at Buckeye. That streak is now tied with 11-game runs in 2010 and again in 2011 as the second-longest in program history (2013: 16 consecutive victories from Sept. 7-Nov. 8). 

Pirate goals were scored by Maeve Kelly (two), Bella Crompton, Maya Patti, Ava Blair, Maeve McKeown, Addie Harris, Cara McKenna, and Chloe Eberlein. Kelly, Blair, and Harris also logged assists in the on-sided affair. Also chipping in with assists were Taylor Byall (two), Mackenzie Russell (two), and Keira Vesy. River scored six goals in the first half and three in the second. The nine markers for the match tied a season-high (Aug. 31 vs. Fairview).

The rout of Normandy (3-13, 0-9 GLC) at Byers Field also marked the Pirates' 12th shutout of the season. Senior cage-keeper Sabrina Rick has been in on the decision in all 11; on Wednesday, Rick passed Sara Connelly (2012-13) and moved into third-place on River's career shut-outs list. Rick has submitted 24 clean sheets over her career for the Maroon & White. In 2020, she is part of a Pirate defensive effort that made it through 16 regular season matches allowing just six goals.

And now, a remarkable regular season gets celebrated. And rightfully so. The eighth conference title in program history is hoisted by a deep and talented Rocky River team. And soon that celebration will melt into preparation for postseason play. Rocky River will host a DII Northeast District Tournament game on Oct. 22 (vs. the winner of a Monday Beaumont/Brookside match).

The Pirates close out the regular season with a No. 3 ranking in the DII Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association Poll. Their potential match dates in the district bracket include Oct. 26 and Oct. 29.




CANNON FIRE ...

MOVING UP: Senior Maya Patti's Wednesday goal marked her seventh of the season and the 43rd of her career. That vaults Patti past Olivia McDonald (2014-17) and into sole possession of sixth place on Rocky River's all-time scoring list. The Pirates' record for career goals is 82, a mark co-held by Grace Bennett (2010-13) and Abby Elinsky (2011-13).

CONFERENCE CALL: Prior to earning its three GLC championships, Rocky River Girls' Soccer also registered five titles in the West Shore Conference (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014).