Chicago, Ill. — Illinois Tech faced a tough challenge on Saturday, falling 7-2 to DePauw University at Stuart Field. The Scarlet Hawks, now 0-5, rallied with two second-half goals but couldn't overcome DePauw's strong start or their stingy defense, as the Tigers improved to 3-2.

How It Happened

The game kicked off with Illinois Tech gaining early possession after Duwayne Aikins clinched the faceoff and Altan Brown snagged the ground ball. Despite creating chances, Illinois Tech couldn't break through, with DePauw's goalie, Anthony Reinhardt, making key stops against shots by Andrei Gran and Connor Montgomery. DePauw's Kam Shiver netted the quarter's only goal with just 55 seconds left, putting them ahead 1-0. Illinois Tech's goalie, Ryan Littler, kept busy, notably saving Alex Sharma's attempt as the quarter closed.

DePauw widened their lead in the second quarter, powered by Carter Cassidy's two goals. Cassidy struck first at 11:16, then again at 6:26, both aided by Jack Neff. Trevor Martay joined the scoresheet at 5:18 with another assist from Neff. Despite efforts from Diego Sosa and Jaeger Breault, Illinois Tech couldn't find the net, ending the half down 4-0.

The third quarter saw intense play from both sides. DePauw capitalized on a man-up situation, with Cassidy scoring off Neff's assist at 11:43. Illinois Tech responded with Diego Sosa finding the back of the net at 5:49. DePauw answered swiftly with Alex Sharma's goal at 4:51, assisted by Hudson Murray, followed by Cooper Kinney's unassisted score at 2:45. Although Aikins won several faceoffs, DePauw held a 7-1 lead going into the final quarter.

In the fourth, Illinois Tech showed resilience, outscoring DePauw 1-0 thanks to Diego Sosa's goal at 3:24. The quarter opened with a faceoff win leading to an early shot by Connor Montgomery, but Reinhardt was up to the task. Despite DePauw's offensive pressure, Littler's solid goalkeeping kept them at bay. Turnovers were exchanged, but Illinois Tech's strong defense and effective clears preserved their quarter advantage.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

Diego Sosa
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- 2 goals
- 10 shots
- 3 shots on goal

Ryan Littler
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- 11 saves
- 35 shots faced

Duwayne Aikins
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- 8 faceoff wins

DePauw Top Performers

Carter Cassidy
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- 3 goals
- 1 game-winning goal
- 6 shots

Jack Neff
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- 3 assists
- 5 shots
- 2 shots on goal

Anthony Reinhardt
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- 10 saves
- 2 goals against

Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech's record against DePauw now stands at 1-3, with losses in their last three encounters.
- Jaeger Breault delivered a season-high with 5 shots.
- Victor Bivona achieved a season-high with 5 ground balls.

Up Next
Illinois Tech is set to hit the road for a showdown against Hope College on Wednesday, March 11th, at 6 p.m. in Holland, Michigan.