Brambleton, VA (April 28, 2023) - The conditions weren't great for a key Potomac District tilt, but non-stop cold rain doesn't seem to bother lacrosse players. The forecast called for a let-up midway through the game, but no one on the field was paying any attention to the weather. The visiting Riverside Rams were ready to get district play underway against the Independence Tigers.
Chas Sumser Photography was there to capture the action and emotion and posted a gallery of images from the game.
The first quarter was competitive. The Rams' Chase Paschuck opened the scoring in the third minute, but he was quickly matched by the Tigers' Will Kubie. The score remained tied until late in the period when Riverside went on their first surge of the night, scoring three unanswered before Kubie netted his second goal of the night. Riverside led, 4-2, as the quarter ended.
Hershel Griffin opened the second period with a goal for the Tigers, which cut the margin to a single goal, but that's when the balanced Riverside attack took over. Five different Rams scored in the period while the Tigers would only add two more. The Riverside edge at halftime was wider, 9-5, but not insurmountable for the home team.
But the Rams' lead quickly ballooned after the break. From the beginning of the third quarter to the end of the game, it was all about possession--and the majority of possession belonged to Riverside. Their set offense worked to near perfection, and the Tigers were unable to win enough face-offs to kick-start their attack.
After scoring twice to end the first half, Riverside added seven unanswered in the third period to completely take over the game. Paschuck scored twice, and Porter Lasseigne netted three of his own to lead the Rams on a nine-goal run, opening a 16-5 lead with a quarter to play.
Riverside slowed the pace down in the final period, but continued to dominate possession. The Tigers had more opportunities, but the Rams' defense was stout in front of goalie Griffen Ambuhl. Kubie scored the Tigers' only goal of the second half with just a minute remaining in the game, but Independence was never able to mount a threatening surge again.
Oh, and the rain never really let up. So much for forecasts.
Final Score: Riverside 17 - Independence 6
