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AVON, OH – The Avon Eagles staved off a second half rally by the Westlake Demons to pull away for a 10-7 victory late. The Eagles were led by the Schaffer sisters who combined for 6 goals while the amazing Ayla Perez finished with a hat trick while playing defense. Perez, can score in a number of ways and when she is attacking, few can stop her. These three were playing at a top-level tonight, and when they do they are tough to stop. The Eagles also received a goal from Ally Urban.
Speaking of playing at an elite level, few in the area do it better than Lucy Rocco of the Westlake Demons. Rocco was on fire tonight, with 5 of the Demons 7 goals, and a fury with the ball every time she touched it.
Ella Schaffer wasted no time at all getting the Eagles on the board as Avon took the opening draw immediately into the scoring zone. She connected on her shot coming from behind on a sweep and put the Eagles up 1-0, 24 seconds into the game. Moments later, it was Ella again, this time setting up her sister Ava Schaffer to score as the Schaffer sisters helped the Eagles earn a 2-0 lead less than 3 minutes into the game.
The Demons needed an answer and quickly got one as Lucy Rocco pierced the net only seconds later to cut the lead in half at 2-1. Moments later, Westlake had a chance to tie it with a straight on shot, but it was saved beautifully by Grace Herbert. Ally Urban kept the momentum with Avon as they went on the attack and scored right after the big save, to extend their lead to 3-1 with 3:08 to go in the first. The quarter ended with Avon up 3-1.
The Eagles picked up where they left off with a goal to start the second quarter. They held the ball for nearly two minutes before Ava Schaffer connected on her second goal of the game. They showed patience and excellent positioning to find the back of the net. Lydia Tymoszczuk had a chance to cut into the lead but her free possession shot was stopped by Herbert, keeping things at 4-1.
A short while later, it was Avon with the Free Possession, and they did connect as Ayla Perez took a side angle, charged in, and make it count! The Perez rocket made it 5-1 Eagles with 7:46 to play in the second quarter.
Two goals by Westlake over the next two minutes cut into the Eagle lead at 5-3 with 4:30 to go in the opening half. Before they could get any closer however, it was Ayla Perez going bottom shelf to push the Eagle lead back out to 6-3. Perez showed again tonight how she can score in a multitude of different ways.
A free possession attempt by Westlake was turned away by Herbert to keep it at 6-3 Eagles. The game went to half with Avon up 6-4 after Lucy Rocco connected on her third goal of the game for the Demons.
A card on an Eagle allowed the Demons to go on the advantage 3 minutes into the second half. The Eagles did a masterful job killing the penalty and kept the Demons at bay, still at 6-4. Right afterwards it was Ava Schaffer grabbing the hat trick, and placing the Eagle lead back out to 3 at 7-4 with 5:20 to go.
The Demons cut into the lead one more time, as Rocco scored her fourth goal of the game to make it 7-5 Eagles as we closed out the third. Or so we thought, it was Ayla Perez of Avon with a stunning last second goal that literally crossed the pipes as the horn blew to end the period with Avon up 8-5.
The Demons started the final quarter like a house on a fire as Lucy Rocco took the draw to the house as she stormed through Eagle defenders on her way to smashing one, practically through the net to cut the Eagle lead down to 8-6 with 11:49 left in the game. The Demon magic continued moments later when Lydia Tymoszczuk scored in the middle of the pocket and connected for Westlakes 7th goal of the night, cutting the Eagle lead down to 8-7 with 9:16 to play.
Avon needed to recapture the momentum in the worst way and did so when the Demons were accessed a card. Westlake used the man advantage to score as Ella Schaffer found the back of the net for the second time on the night, improving the Eagle lead to 9-7 with 5:42 to go.
Ava Schaffer created a larger buffer with another goal, her fourth with 3:34 to go, making it 10-7 Avon. The Eagles hung on there for the win.
