Rain may have washed out baseball, softball, and tennis on Thursday, but that only cleared the stage for lacrosse and volleyball to shine. Here's everything you need to know from the action-packed day on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
In a thrilling boys lacrosse showdown, the East Greenwich Avengers proved that it's not how you start—it's how you finish. Trailing Portsmouth at halftime, the Avengers stormed back in the second half to secure a hard-fought 10-8 victory over the Patriots.
The game carried extra weight, as these two teams met in last year's Division II title game, which Portsmouth won. East Greenwich had already avenged that loss with a 6-5 win on April 30, keeping their undefeated streak alive. But May brought challenges, with losses to Westerly and Division I Pilgrim before the team regrouped with wins over Prout and Middletown.
Thursday night's rematch started as a defensive battle. Portsmouth took a 4-3 halftime lead, fueled by second-quarter goals from Rafferty Dionne and Luke Brandariz. But the Avengers came out of the break with renewed energy. A long-pole goal from Charles Butterfield tied the game at 5-5, and after Dionne answered back, Cooper Lake's tally gave East Greenwich a 7-6 lead they would never relinquish. Brady Parks opened the fourth quarter with a goal, stretching the lead to two and putting the game out of reach.
Austin Dufresne was the star of the night, scoring the game's first and last goals as part of a four-goal performance. Parks and Wyatt Gelzhiser each added two goals, while Butterfield and Lake chipped in with one apiece. Goalkeeper Brendan Darcey was solid between the pipes, making eight saves to seal the win.
For Portsmouth, Dionne was unstoppable with five goals, while Joe Sanderson, Teddy Gersen, and Brandariz each found the net. Jack Colna made seven saves in the loss.
The victory improves East Greenwich to 11-2 overall and moves them to second in the Division II RPI standings. With games coming up against Cranston West on Saturday and a potential first-place showdown at Westerly on Monday, the Avengers are peaking at the perfect time. Portsmouth drops to 12-3 and sits third in the RPI rankings, but with the playoffs approaching, both teams have plenty to play for.
Coaches, don't forget to send in your game results each weeknight by emailing pjsports@providencejournal.com from 6 to 10 p.m.