Hollis Brookline's Braden Treacy, right, tries to disrupt the shot attempt by Alvirne's Connor Hall during Monday's Division II game in Hollis. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

HOLLIS – The postgame pizza is starting to taste a little better these days for the Hollis Brookline High School boys lacrosse team.

The Cavaliers, after a tough seven game losing streak, have now won two straight, including Monday’s tight 9-7 win over the Alvirne Broncos, a game in which the little things meant everything.

“I don’t think it’s any one thing,” Cavs coach Dom St. Laurent said. “We played a tough stretch against some solid teams. … The past few games, even in practice, we’ve started to play fundamental lacrosse better.”

The Cavs, now 3-7 in Division II, overcame a slow start defensively – and a great start on offense by Alvirne – as the Broncos jumped out to a 3-1 lead. Things were tied 5-5 at the half, however, and 6-6 after three quarters and the 4-5 Broncos, down 7-6, evened things up with 6:29 left.

But the Cavaliers prevailed because they did the little things. Ben Dufoe, in just his second game after suffering a groin injury in the final practice before the opener, was left open on the left side and beat Alvirne goalie Ayden Kelly with 4:19 remaining for the third of his three goals and the game-winner.

Connor Pinnault Cook got an insurance goal with 2:37 to play – his second of the game – after the Broncos turned it over despite being a man up.

“Sometimes that’s the tough play for us at the end, the attention to detail, the minor things,” Broncos coach Jason Downey said. “Just kind of cost us the close games. They have a lot of heart, they give it their all, but sometimes it’s just the small little mental mistakes we need to clean up.”

A major key to the game was the fact HB’s Justin Colby won every faceoff except one where he was called for a push. With all those possessions, It’s a credit to the Bronco defense and Kelly that the Cavs didn’t win going away. Kelly was outstanding in net with 15 saves.

“Our defense gave our hear out,” Downey said. “Did everything I asked them to do.”

“Justin’s done a pretty steady job for us throughout the year,” St. Laurent said. “He’s definitely a big part. Like any other sports, time of possession is a huge factor. He’s winning them at a good clip for us.”

Ethan Bender also had two goals for the Cavs, while single tallies went to Grover Farwell and Tommy Anderson. Alvirne got four goals from Connor Hall and a hat trick by Jared Graham. The Cavs overcame Kelly’s 15 saves thanks to the fact they were able to scoop up 15 ground balls. HB goalie Tuker Luter had nine saves.

In the decisive fourth quarter, HB grabbed a 7-6 lead on Bender’s blistering shot through traffic with 10:53 left (he had two goals), but the Bronocos had one goal left in them in a game that might now have been so close a year or two ago.

“It’s our fifth year in the program now,” Downey said. “We’re finally starting to make some headway and work hard. We have our bumps but we’re doing really well.”

They just couldn’t taste that postgame success like the Cavs.

“We’re trying to do the little things right,” St. Laurent said, “and it’s turning into a little bit of success for us.”

The game on Monday was played as a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Awareness.

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