For Northeast Ohio soccer fans, the Oct. 4 matchup between GLC conference rivals Bay and Rocky River was seismic. Both girls sides came in not only as The Morning Journal’s top two squads, with Bay ahead of Rocky River all season long, but also state ranked, with the Rockets ranked No. 5 to the Pirates No. 2 ranking in the OSSCA Division II state poll.
The visiting Rockets had the opportunity to avenge a shutout loss from a year prior on their home turf. In turn, Rocky River could add another statement win to remain undefeated season and effectively clinch the conference with a win.
The Pirates did just that, powered by Sophia Sindelar’s four goals and Ava Patti’s three assists as they took down the Rockets, 7-2.
“We’re a strong team,” Rocky River coach Patrick Hopkins said. “We’re not a one-dimensional team. We play together, our defense is strong, our mid(fielders) are strong. We have a lot of strengths.”
It was a complete game with a fast and physical start for Rocky River, with Maeve Kelly tallying the game’s first score two minutes in with the assist from Patti, followed by a Mia Carney Olympico on a corner kick at the five-minute mark for an early 2-0 advantage.
GOAL ROCKY RIVER
Maeve Kelly in the 2nd minute with the assist from Ava Patti @rrgspirate 1@baygirlssoccer 0@MJournalSports @BayAthletics @RRCSActivities pic.twitter.com/ISY7WGLDFI
— Sean Fitzgerald (@fitzonsportsbsr) October 4, 2023
Rocky River kept possession and limited opportunities for Bay All-American and Notre Dame commit Tessa Knapp, keeping her in check halfway through the first 40.
Then Knapp broke loose and was isolated with the ball at her feet. She took advantage of the situation by putting foot on ball and striking the score home 21 minutes in.
GOAL BAY
Tessa Knapp in isolation. Foot to ball and score in the 21st@rrgspirate 2@baygirlssoccer 1@MJournalSports @RRCSActivities @BayAthletics pic.twitter.com/l68oaVInIh
— Sean Fitzgerald (@fitzonsportsbsr) October 4, 2023
Sindelar had been fairly quiet during the early portion of the game, but that changed quickly with back-to-back scores in the 27th and 28th minute scores that doubled the score to 4-1.
GOAL ROCKY RIVER
27th minute
Sophia Sindelar scores her 30th goal of the season. Ava Patti with her second assist of the night@rrgspirate 3@baygirlssoccer 1@MJournalSports @RRCSActivities @BayAthletics pic.twitter.com/Hd1KyBmGl3
— Sean Fitzgerald (@fitzonsportsbsr) October 4, 2023
Those two quick hits gave the junior Florida commit 31 goals on the year before adding two more to the total in the second half for a four-goal evening, with Grace Quaiser adding the final goal of the second half.
Sophia Sindelar postgame chat. Story will be up later tonight on @MJournalSports @rrgspirate @RRCSActivities @SindelarSophia pic.twitter.com/UopWLRoly5
— Sean Fitzgerald (@fitzonsportsbsr) October 5, 2023
“I’m so proud of everything that the girls did today,” Sindelar said. “We all played our part and that’s what got us this far. It wasn’t one single goal, it wasn’t one single play, it was the whole team. The team’s mentality was perfect from the start.
“We knew what we wanted to come out and do and we never took our foot off the gas. I’m so proud of them.”
Bay still had a response in the closing minutes of the first half. With Dayton commit Emery Aschenbrener on a corner kick, she found Knapp and perfectly placed the ball on Knapp’s head to head the ball in to make it 4-2 going into halftime.
GOAL BAY
Emery Aschenbrener on the corner finds Tessa Knapp who heads it in for 2nd goal of the evening in the 34th minute
I'm getting my exercise tonight LOL@rrgspirate 4@baygirlssoccer 2@MJournalSports pic.twitter.com/0PATlYMyNF
— Sean Fitzgerald (@fitzonsportsbsr) October 4, 2023
“We just had to figure out their offense and our defense needed to figure it out and they did,” Bay coach Beth English said. “The score does not reflect how I feel that we played, I think we had a good game. The girls left everything on the field.”
“We didn’t start the game how we wanted to,” Emery Aschenbrener noted. “They scored two right on top of us. Obviously, that’s kind of hard to come back from but I’m proud of our team at least in the first half for having a little bit of grit. They were trying to get those two goals, make River a little nervous. It just wasn’t our game, it wasn’t a great end result.”
Rocky River neutralized the Bay attack in the second half and put three more goals in and came away with its second straight win over the Rockets, not to mention the GLC crown all but locked up. Senior and Dayton commit Mackenzie Russell said the Pirates had to take care of business and were prepared for this game of top-five state teams.
“Before this game, we knew we needed to be in a mindset where even if we go down or face adversity, we’re going to pick each other up and just keep going at it, no matter what,” Russell said.
All in all, clinching the conference on their home turf in front of a raucous crowd capped off a great night for Ava Patti and her teammates.
“It feels awesome, especially having all of our fans here and parents,” Patti said. “Even having fans from other cities and everything, it just felt awesome.”
Bay (11-2-1, 5-1-0) will take on Revere on Oct. 7 on the road while unbeaten Rocky River (13-0-0, 6-0-0) heads to Victory Park the same day to play St. Joseph Academy.
