ROCKY RIVER, Ohio – Rocky River earned its fourth shutout
victory of the season, as the Pirates defeated Elyria Catholic, 3-0, on
Wednesday evening.The Pirates (6-3-1, 4-2 Great Lakes Conference) out-shot the
Panthers, 14-2, in a contest that Head Coach Kevin Zerbey saw as a continuation
in momentum from Saturday’s 4-2 win at Holy Name.
“We built off the momentum that we started in the second
half at Holy Name,” said Zerbey. “While we didn't score lots of goals in the
first half, I was happy with how we were playing. In the second half, we were
able to bring our play back up, and we got two really fine goals.”
Rocky River took a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute
when an Elyria Catholic giveaway led to Andrew Fry’s third goal of the season.
With senior goalkeeper Connor O’Toole coming up with a save on a Panther
breakaway and with EC just missing on a free kick bounding off the crossbar,
Fry’s marker made it to the break as the lone score in the half.
Chase DeClerck had the assist on that first goal, and
DeClerck and Fry would connect again in the 49th minute. A nifty,
long cross from the right corner from DeClerck was guided into the far upper 90
by Fry, as the Pirates extended their lead to 2-0.
Senior defender Keegan O’Neill landed his first career goal
in the 63rd minute to close out the game’s scoring. O’Neill stole a
pass near midfield, took a few long-legged dribbles, and then fired a 35-yard missile
past the Panther ‘keeper into the upper left 90.
Rocky River kept the field tilt in their favor in the
second. The Pirates finished the game with six corners to EC’s one.
The shutout marked River’s first since Aug. 28 and the 16th
of senior captain Connor Toole’s career. O’Toole is now tied for fifth on the
Pirates all-time shutouts roll (Mark Hoelzer, 2012-15; Ian Taylor, 2008-10).
The Maroon & White have now defeated Elyria Catholic in
three straight matches and in 6-of-the-last-7. The all-time series between the
Pirates and Panthers is now knotted at 12-12-2.
Up next for the Rocky River Pirates is a home date with the
No. 8 team in the state (Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association) – the Lexington
Minutemen. River will host Lexington on Saturday (Rocky River Stadium, 3 p.m.)
“Now we turn
our attentions to Lexington,” said Zerbey. They'll provide us with a good test
to see how we're doing."
by Skip Snow
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