The Aurora University men's lacrosse team took on the Falcons of Concordia University Wisconsin for the 2025 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship at Spartan Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon. The first-half was a game of runs with AU running off eight straight in the second quarter to build a lead they would not relinquish on their way past the Falcons 14-9 to move on to the 2025 NCAA Division III Tournament.


GAME SCORE: Aurora University 14, Concordia University Wisconsin 9
RECORDS: Aurora University 14-5 overall and 11-0 NACC ; Concordia University Wisconsin 12-8 overall and 8-3 NACC
LOCATION: Spartan Athletic Park - Montgomery, Illinois


- AU captures the third consecutive NACC Tournament Championship and ninth total.
- Spartan goalie Asher Deputy was named NACC Tournament MVP.
- All-Tournament team members include Griffin Joas, Tyler Foerstel and Ben Strub.
- AU will make their third straight and ninth overall trip to the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship field.


- AU opened a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals from Ben Strub.
- CUW responded with two in a 31 second frame midway through the first to tie the game 2-2.
- The teams remained tied 2-2 going to the quarter break.
- The Spartans exploded in the second, running off eight straight goals to go ahead 10-2.
- Owen Spencer got the AU scoring started 1:16 into the second.
- Strub followed with his third of the game with Tyler Foerstel scoring three times in the run, Griffin Joas scoring twice and Rielan Pura rounding out the scoring run.
- Pura assisted on the first Joas goal and Foerstel assisted on the Pura goal.
- CUW scored twice late in the second as the teams went to halftime with AU ahead 10-4.
- Three more goals from CUW opened the third as the AU lead was cut to three at 10-7.
- A Joas goal off an assist from Chris Bucci stopped the CUW scoring run and gave AU some mojo back.
- Bucci added an unassisted goal in the third as AU led 12-8 after three.
- Joas and Strub each scored their fourth goals of the game in the fourth as AU was victorious 14-9.
- Spartan goalie Asher Deputy and the AU defense was strong all day as Deputy finished with 11 saves and 11 ground balls.
- Deputy was also tagged with a penalty as AU had six called on them while not having a man-up opportunity on the day.


Points: Ben Strub, Griffin Joas and Tyler Foerstel (4)
Goals: Griffin Joas and Ben Strub (4)
Assists: Rielan Pura, Tyler Foerstel and Chris Bucci (1)
Ground balls: Asher Deputy (11) and Griffin Joas (5)
Caused Turnovers: Austin Spoklie (3), Zach Klug and Noah Kosmicki (2)
Saves: Asher Deputy (11)


Next action for the Spartan men's lacrosse team comes in the 2025 NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. AU will find out the opponent and location of their next game on Sunday, May 4 when the NCAA announces the field at 8:00 p.m. on NCAA.com.