The Aurora University men's soccer team took on Illinois Institute of Technology at Spartan Athletic Park on Wednesday night as apart of the NCAA DIvision III Diversity and Inclusion Week events. The Spartans battled the Scarlet Hawks down to the final seconds in match that saw a total of 10 goals including three from AU's Branden Dolezal. Despite Dolezal's hat-trick, the Spartans would draw with the Scarlet Hawks 5-5.


FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 5, Illinois Institute of Technology 5
LOCATION: Spartan Athletic Park
RECORD: Aurora University 6-4-4 overall and 5-0-2 NACC; Illinois Institute of Technology 7-4-3 overall


- Branden Dolezal scored the first of his three goals in the 12th minute after he intercepted one in the IIT defensive zone. Dolezal easily maneuvered his way around the goalie for the easy strike to make it 1-0 AU.
- The Scarlet Hawks answered back less than two minutes later to tie the score at two.
- IIT took a 2-1 lead in the 29th minute, but the Spartans came right back with 12 minutes to go in the first half. Dolezal scored his second goal of the match off an assist from Josue Roman to tie the match at two.
- This score would hold going into the halftime break.
- IIT regained the one goal lead about a minute and half into the second half, making it 3-2.
- Dolezal picked up right where he left off in the first half with his hat-trick goal just 9 minutes into the second half. Roman secured his second assist when he set-up Dolezal with a beautiful cross to tie the match at three.
- At the 74 minute mark, the Scarlet Hawks took 4-3 lead.
- AU continued to show fight later in the second half when Carlos Viayra netted an unassisted goal to tie the match back up.
- Adrian Maldonado gave the Spartans the lead with less than six minutes to go. Enrique Gonzalez struck one towards the goal that found Maldonado inches from the IIT goalie. Maldonado snuck one past him to give AU the 5-4 lead.
- The match would become tied at five with a Scarlet Hawk goal at 86 minute mark.
- The Spartans saw a corner kick with only 15 seconds to go. A couple of shots from Dolezal and Maldonado were blocked, resulting in the 5-5 draw.


POINTS: Branden Dolezal (3), Josue Roman (2), Adrian Maldonado, Carlos Viayra and Enrique Gonzalez (1)
GOALS: Branden Dolezal (3), Adrian Maldonado and Carlos Viayra
ASSISTS:Josue Roman (2) and Enrique Gonzalez (1)
SAVES: Alex Ageladelis (4)


Next scheduled action for the Spartan men's soccer team comes on Saturday, October 19 when they travel to Milwaukee School of Engineering with opening kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.