The Aurora University men's lacrosse team took the field at Spartan Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon against the Titans of Illinois Wesleyan University, with the Spartans looking to get their 2025 season off on the right track in their first game of the campaign. Despite a four point day from Tyler Foerstel that included three goals and an assist, AU was downed by the Titans by a score of 13-7.


GAME SCORE: Illinois Wesleyan University 13, Aurora University 7
RECORDS: Aurora University 0-1 overall; Illinois Wesleyan University 3-0 overall
LOCATION: Spartan Athletic Park - Montgomery, Illinois


- The Titans took a 1-0 lead over AU eight seconds into the contest.
- The Spartans tied the score back up at 10:18 in the first when Chris Bucci ripped one into the back of the net off an assist from Rielan Pura.
- About midway through the first, IWU scored two goals to take a 3-1 lead.
- Tyler Foerstel found the back of the net for AU at the 4:43 point in the first, cutting into the Titan lead.
- IWU added one more nearing the end of the first to give the Spartans a 4-2 deficit entering the second.
- Foerstel maneuvered around a couple of Titan defenders and scored less than a minute into the second.
- Four goals from the Titans in the second gave them a 8-3 lead going into the halftime break.
- Luke DuPont scored at the 11 minute mark for AU in the third following an IWU goal, making it a 9-4 deficit for the Spartans.
- Three more goals from the Titans gave them an 11-4 lead entering the fourth.
- AU continued to show fight with three goals within the first four minutes of the fourth, one more each from Foerstel and DuPont.
- Eli Pangborn also found the back of the net for AU during that three goal span off an assist from Foerstel, as they trailed 13-7.
- The Spartans would end up falling by this 13-7 score.


Points: Tyler Foerstel, Luke DuPont and Rielan Pura (2)
Goals: Tyler Foerstel (3), Luke DuPont (2), Chris Bucci and Eli Pangborn (1)
Assists: Rielan Pura (2), Tyler Foerstel and Owen Spencer (1)
Ground balls: Austin Spoklie (6) and Noah Kosmicki (2)
Caused Turnovers: Dean Romaker (3)
Saves: Asher Deputy (11)


Next scheduled action for the Spartan men's lacrosse team comes on Wednesday, February 26 when they travel to Kalamazoo College. Opening face-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (est) / 4:00 p.m. (cst) in Kalamazoo, Michigan.