The Aurora University men's lacrosse team battled to overcome a feisty for from Benedictine University in the 2024 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Semi-final on Wednesday evening at Spartan Athletic Park. AU out-lasted the Eagles 15-12, rallying late in the first-half before going on to lead the entire second-half.


GAME SCORE: Aurora University 15, Benedictine University 12
RECORDS: Aurora University 13-5 overall and 8-0 NACC ; Benedictine University 6-11 overall and 3-5 NACC
LOCATION: Spartan Athletic Park - Montgomery, Illinois


- The Spartans opened up a 2-0 lead with goals from Tyler Foerstel and Conor Bolton. 
- BU gave AU fits at the face-off dot all night which led to the Eagles tying the score with one goal coming a man-up.
- AU appeared to settle in, answering with three goals of their own from Foerstel, Bolton and Brody MacDonald to lead 5-2 with just under four minutes to play.
- But the penalty bug was something the Spartans couldn't shake early on as BU scored two more man-up tallies before tying the game late in the first quarter.
- BU took a 6-5 lead early in the second.
- MacDonald knotted the game up at 6-6 with his second of the game with 9:11 left in the second.
- After BU took a 7-6 lead, MacDonald and Foerstel each scored their third of the game to give AU an 8-7 lead with 5:35 remaining.
- Benedictine would tie the game to send the teams to halftime tied 8-8.
- BU started the third quarter with a man-up but the AU defense locked in and forced a shot clock violation.
- The momentum of the defensive effort quickly led to three AU goals and an 11-8 lead.
- Ben Strub, Chris Bucci and Foerstel tallied the goals in the Spartan run.
- BU hung around with goals around two more Ben Strub tallies for his hat trick.
- AU led 13-10 going to the fourth quarter.
- A pair of Benedictine goals early in the fourth pulled the visitors to down just one at 13-12 with over 12 minutes of action to go.
- With 10:10 on the game clock, Owen Spencer fired a laser to the back of the BU net to give the Spartans a 14-12 advantage.
- The Spartans dominated possession in the fourth quarter and Bucci added an insurance goal with 2:22 remaining.
- AU's defense locked down the Eagles and the Spartans were able to breathe a deep sigh of relief as they won 15-12 to advance.


Points: Brody MacDonald and Tyler Foerstel (6)
Goals: Tyler Foerstel (4), Brody MacDonald and Ben Strub (3)
Assists: Brody MacDonald (3), Tyler Foerstel and Reilan Pura (2)
Ground balls: Chris Bucci and Tyler Foerstel (4)
Caused Turnovers: Zach Klug (3)
Saves: Asher Deputy (9)


Next scheduled action for the Spartan men's lacrosse team comes on Saturday, May 4 when they host the Championship game of the NACC Tournament with Concordia University Wisconsin. Opening face-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Spartan Athletic Park in Montgomery, Illinois.