In a match-up of schools who have been on opposite sides in numerous other sports over the years, the Spartans of Aurora University hosted the Carthage College Red Men Wednesday afternoon on Vago Field in men's lacrosse, the first time the traditional midwest NCAA programs played in lacrosse.

After a tight first-half, the young Spartans exploded in the second half for the 10-4 victory.

AU got on the scoreboard first just 1:10 into the game when freshman Alec Downing found fellow freshman Pat Diorka for the goal. Diorka's 33rd goal of the season blew past Red Men goalkeeper Spencer Curley.

The Red Men responded with the game's next two goals by Cory Childs (10:08) and Danny Morse (4:10) giving the veteran visitors momentum and the lead, 2-1.

Five and a half minutes into the second period, Diorka found the back of the net once again, this time he was assisted by freshman Jack Meachum.

The Spartans and Red Men defense led by spectacular play by goalkeepers Curley and AU freshman Adam Holka tightened up and took the game into the halftime intermission with a 2-2 score.

Coming out of the intermission, freshman Garret Rosiek got himself in the scoring column when he blistered a shot past Curley, giving AU a 3-2 lead.

But as was the case in the first half, the Red Men answered the AU scoring strike less than two minutes later to tie the game 3-3.

After the Red Men tied the contest, the Spartan defense, freshmen Corey Loubert, Wells Lifka, Kyle Kaminsky, Jack Barry and Spencer Fuqua anchored in front of Holka and limited the Red Men offense until the game was out of reach late in the fourth period.

While the Spartan defense was controlling the Red Men offense, the AU offense led by freshman Justin Bose went on a scoring tear. Bose scored his first of four consecutive goals with 7:16 to play in the third period and when he scored with 8:04 to play in the fourth period, he had given the Spartans a 7-3 lead. Three of his four goals were unassisted with his third goal coming off an assist from Diorka.

Diorka wasn't done with tallying points in the game though as just over a minute after the fourth conseuctive goal by Bose, he (Diorka) found yet another AU freshman Zachary Olsen on a man-up opportunity for Olsen's 11th goal of the season.

With 3:23 to play in the contest, Bose added a fifth point in the game when he assisted on Rosiek's second goal of the game just after a man-up opportunity had concluded for the Spartan special teams. The Rosiek goal gave AU a 9-3 lead.

Less than a minute later on another man-up opportunity for the Spartans, Downing blew a shot past Curley for his 17th goal of the season. He was assisted by Rosiek.

Holding a 10-3 advantage in the closing minute, the Spartan defense streak of not allowing a goal to the potent Red Men offense was snapped at an impressive 25:36. The final Carthage goal was tallied by Peter Slefinger.

AU controlled possession in the final minute and held on for the 10-4 victory in an important MLC contest.

Holka earned the win for the Spartans with 17 saves and freshman midfielder Andrew Miller was 10-of-18 in faceoffs and had a game-high six groundballs. Offensive leaders for the Spartans included Bose (four goals and one assist), Diorka (two goals and two assists), Rosiek (two goals and one assist), Downing (one goal and one assist), Olsen (one goal) and Meachum (one assist).

With the win, AU is now 8-5 overall and 4-2 in the MLC and the Spartan's can been seen in action next on Friday, April 22, 2011 when they host the University of Dallas. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. on Vago Field in Aurora, Ill.