ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (Aug. 26, 2023) -- Rocky River had its two-game, season-opening win streak snapped in a 4-1 Saturday loss to the Cougars of Lake Catholic High School.

The undefeated Cougars (4-0) applied a ton of pressure through the middle minutes of the opening half. Senior goalkeeper Giovanni Lizzini was under duress during that stretch. The River cage-minder came up with several stops in the Lake barrage, and a couple were of the grade-A variety. But the Cougars did manage two scores over that span  -- in the 17th and 25th minutes (goals by Harley Forkins and Marko Odorcic) -- as they opened a 2-0 lead in what was a physical tussle in sunny, humid conditions.

Lake slipped in a third goal on a Daniel Villa corner in the 35th minute. The Pirates were able to counter that tally just before halftime.

The Pirates (2-1) loosed their first shot of the match in the 39th minute when junior Stephen Cain rifled a bouncer from distance not immediately corralled by the Cougar 'keeper. Senior Chris Saade pounced on the loose change, and barreled into the Lake goal along with the ball. Those would be the only River shots of an opening half that saw the Pirates outshot by their visitors 12-2.

The game stayed physical in more of a defensive back-and-forth, with much of the exchange over the middle 40 yards of the field, in the second stanza. Sharp defensive work was turned in by Tanner LaPorte, Noah Nagy, and Brady O'Neill, but the final 40 minutes were scoreless ones for the Pirates. The second half amounted to another 12-2 Cougars' edge in shots. Lake's Alex Miljanovic scored the final goal of the contest (53rd minute).

For the match, the Cougars outshot the Pirates 24-4. Lake put 14 shots on frame to River's three. Lizzini registered 10 saves for the Buccaneers. Chris Saade's goal marked his third of the season.

Lake has now taken games from Rocky River in back-to-back seasons (4-0 win vs. RRHS Sept. 10). Since 2016, the Cougars are now 3-1-1 vs. the Maroon & White.

Saturday's contest marked Rocky River's 2023 home opener. The loss marked River's first in a home opener since Aug. 19, 2019 (3-1 loss to Chagrin Falls). The Pirates' home port will stay open for business, however. Saturday's tilt marked the first of three in a row on Detroit Road. That stretch is slated to continue Wednesday, when the Sons of Blackbeard clank swords and exchange cannon fire with the Valley Forge Patriots (7 p.m. kickoff).




by Skip Snow

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