Chicago, Ill. - For their first Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) game of the 2024 season, the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks men's lacrosse team welcomed the Benedictine University Eagles to Stuart Field. With both teams looking to break a 4-game losing streak, it would be the Hawks who ended up on top with a goal just before the final minute of action. At the final horn, the Hawks (2-5, 1-0) found themselves in the win column as they defeated the Eagles (1-7, 0-1) by a final score of 11-10. 

First Quarter (Illinois Tech 3 - Benedictine 2)

• At 11:54, Reed Tangeman scored the first goal of the game off a Jonathan Vitale assist to put the Hawks on the board. Tangeman, who just entered the field, ran a clear path towards the goal. Vitale, who was behind the goal, saw the wide open Tangeman and passed him the ball. Tangeman received the ball and placed his shot just to the inside of the Eagles goalkeeper to put the Hawks ahead. 

• The Eagles tied the contest for the first time at 9:08 with an unassisted goal by Tyler Sarna. 

• A few minutes later, at 6:47, the Eagles held the lead for the first time with an unassisted goal by Ben Zimmerman. 

• Tangeman picked up his second and final goal of the game, ending with a brace at the 2:47 mark. Tangeman scored an unassisted goal when he placed a shot into the back of the net while being sandwiched between two Eagle defenders. 

• Before the end of the quarter, Vitale scored an unassisted goal of his own. After his initial shot was saved by the Eagles goalkeeper, Vitale made sure to not miss the next one as he picked up the ground ball and sent the ball flying into the goal. 

• At the end of the first quarter, the Hawks led the Eagles 3-2

Second Quarter (Illinois Tech 3 - Benedictine 2)

• In the beginning of the second quarter, the Eagles would tie the game at 3-3 with a B. Zimmerman unassisted goal. 

• The visitors then took the lead just over a minute later with a Will Robinson unassisted goal. 

• After a few minutes of action, Vitale would score his second and final goal of the game to tie the contest up at 4-4. Vitale scored off an Owen Huard assist at 7:05 when Huard made a run straight towards goal and laid the ball off to an open Vitale. Immediately upon receiving the ball, Vitale ripped off a shot and sent the ball right past the Eagles goalkeeper. 

• Just under two minutes later, the Hawks jumped back ahead of the Eagles when Ty Dwyer scored off a Yano Porter assist. Porter, who was running from behind goal, passed the ball to Dwyer who sent a distance shot right into the back of the net. 

• Dwyer then picked up his second of the game with just 1:25 remaining on the clock. Tangeman assisted the goal after picking up a ground ball and passing the ball of to Dwyer. Dwyer, once again from distance, and practically the same spot, sent the ball flying towards the goal and right past the Eagles goalkeeper, putting the Hawks ahead by two goals. 

• At halftime, the Hawks led the Eagles 6-4.

Third Quarter (Illinois Tech 2 - Benedictine 4)

• Just under five minutes into the third quarter of play, the Eagles Robinson scored his second of the game to come within one of the Hawks.

• The Hawks then went back up by two goals at 9:13 when Huard recorded a goal for himself off a Dwyer assist. Making a quick transition up the field, Huard awaited a pass right in front of goal from Dwyer. Once he received the pass, all Huard had to do was turn towards goal and place the ball just to the inside of the Eagles goalkeeper for a Hawk goal. 

• Seven seconds later, the Eagles Jonathan Zimmerman scored an unassisted goal. 

• At 7:03, Diego Sosa joined in on the goal scoring action with an unassisted goal. Receiving the ball just behind the goal, Sosa continued his run just enough to dump a shot over the Eagles goalkeepers' head. 

• The Eagles went on to record two goals before the end of the quarter to tie the contest up. The first came at 5:08 from Robert Schroeder off a B. Zimmerman assist. The tying goal came at 2:28 from Sarna. 

• At the end of the third quarter, the Hawks and Eagles were tied at 8-8.

Fourth Quarter (Illinois Tech 3 - Benedictine 2)

• For the first time since the first quarter, the Eagles held the lead when the scored at the 9:20 mark. Schroeder put the Eagles ahead with a man-up goal off a B. Zimmerman assist.

• The Eagles then extended their lead with a Dylan Langley goal at 8:29 off a B. Zimmerman assist. 

• At 7:56, Porter cut the Eagles lead to one with a man-up unassisted goal. From distance, Porter scored off a bounce shot. 

• Then, with 3:28 remaining in the game, the Hawks tied the contest at 10-10 when Dwyer found the back of the net for the third time, earning himself a hat-trick. Altan Brown assisted the play when he passed the ball off to Dwyer who was making a diagonal run across the field and towards the goal. Dwyer sent his shot straight into the goal, giving the Hawks life.
  With just 1:58 remaining in the contest, Sosa scored the game winning goal for the Hawks in a man-up situation. After a foul was committed by the Eagles, the Hawks ended up with the ball in their offensive end. After receiving the ball and with a defender running straight at him, Sosa faked a shot, throwing off the defender and clearing a path towards goal. Just before another Eagle defender could get in front of him, Sosa sent a shot flying into the back of the net, putting the Hawks ahead. 

• The Hawks held onto the lead for the remaining minute of action, securing an 11-10 victory. 

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Ty Dwyer - 3 goals, 1 assist, 8 shots, 3 shots on goal, 4 ground balls, 1 caused turnover 

• Reed Tangeman - 2 goals, 1 assist, 7 shots, 4 shots on goal, 3 ground balls, 1 caused turnover

• Jonathan Vitale - 2 goals, 1 assist, 5 shots, 5 shots on goal, 2 ground balls, 1 caused turnover

• Diego Sosa - 2 goals, 9 shots, 7 shots on goal

• Yano Porter - 1 goal, 1 assist 3 shots, 3 shots on goal, 1 ground ball

• Owen Huard - 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots, 3 shots on goal

• Altan Brown - 1 assist, 2 shots, 1 shot on goal, 1 ground ball, 1-for-3 in face-offs

• Adam Mulka - 1 shot, 1 ground ball, 1-for-2 in face-offs

• Mohammed Jarad - 1 ground ball, 6-of-17 in face-offs

• Kyle Johnson - winning goalkeeper. 60 minutes played, 18 saves

Eagles Standouts

• Ben Zimmerman - 2 goals, 3 assist, 4 shots, 3 shots on goal, 3 ground balls

• Will Robinson - 2 goals, 10 shots, 6 shots on goal

• Tyler Sarna - 2 goals, 7 shots, 5 shots on goal

• Robert Schroeder - 2 goals, 11 shots, 8 shots on goal, 3 ground balls 

• Jonathan Zimmerman - 1 goal, 2 shots, 2 shots on goal, 5 ground balls, 9-of-13 in face-offs

• Dylan Langley - 1 goal, 3 shots, 2 shots on goal

• Adam Craig - 3 ground balls, 1 caused turnover, 7-of-11 in face-offs

• Leif Sigmond III - 1-for-1 in face-offs

Inside the Box Score

• Illinois Tech out shot Benedictine 46-41 with 29 shots on goal versus 28

• Both teams finished with 18 saves 

• The Eagles committed 18 turnovers while the Hawks committed 11 

• Both sides were 100% successful in clears as the Hawks went 19-for-19 and the Eagles went 17-for-17

• The Eagles edged the Hawks in ground balls 30-29

• In face-offs, the Eagles won the majority, going 17-for-25

• For extra man opportunities, the Hawks were 2-for-5 while the Eagles were 1-for-2

Up Next

The Hawks hit the road for an away NACC contest in Beloit, Wis. when they take on the Beloit College Buccaneers on Wednesday, April 3rd at 7:00 PM.