The Aurora University Spartan men's soccer team cruised to a 5-1 win Tuesday afternoon on Vago Field, handing the Regents of Rockford College the Northern Athletics Conference loss.
The Spartans jumped out to a quick lead in the 12th minute of play when sophomore midfielder Sean McGinnis connected with a header off the right foot of senior midfielder Justin Pederson. McGinnis' third goal of the season rocketed past Regent freshman goalkeeper Matt Zawadzki.
A mere six minutes later, Pederson collected his second assist of the contest, this time finding junior midfielder Mike Emma, giving AU a 2-0 lead.
AU was not done in the first-half though, 12 minutes later in the 30th minute, sophomore forward .
The three goal lead entering halftime intermission was enough to give freshman goalkeeper Ethan Cashen the victory. But Cashen's afternoon was not over.
With fellow freshman goalkeeper Nick Sloan taking over in the net for AU, Cashen got the call from Spartan head coach Pete Watkins on the offensive end. Subbing in the 63rd minute for Helmer at the forward position, it took Cashen no time at all to light the lamp. One minute into his time as a field player, Cashen took a pass from Emma and hammered a shot off his left foot past Zawadzki giving the Spartans a 4-0 lead.
Four minutes later Emma tallied his second goal of the contest and fifth of the 2009 season, he was assisted by McGinnis.
After a substitution in goal for AU, junior goalkeeper Kevin Soderstrom replace Sloan, the Regents ended the Spartans chance for their seventh shutout of the season.
Junior defender Bronson Garcia scored his first goal of the season off a pass from Ricky Gonzalez.
The Spartans out shot Rockford 29 to four in the game, 19 to three in shots on goal, while the Regents led the foul category with a 16 to two advantage.
This victory moves the Spartans to 7-5-1 overall, 3-4 in the NAC and the loss drops the Regents to 1-9, 1-7 in the NAC.
