Mount Vernon, Iowa — Illinois Tech Men's Lacrosse secured another conference victory with a win over Cornell College with a final score of 17-4 on Saturday at Van Metre Field. The Scarlet Hawks' offense fired 55 shots, converting 17 into goals, while their defense forced 27 turnovers from the Rams. Illinois Tech has a record of 6-8 and is 6-2 in its conference. Cornell College has a record of 3-9 and is 1-7 in its conference.
How It Happened
The game began with Illinois Tech establishing an early advantage over Cornell College, as
Duwayne Aikins won the initial faceoff. The Scarlet Hawks capitalized on its possession, with
Will Von Eyser scoring the first goal at 10:36, assisted by
Cooper Leonard.
Connor Montgomery extended the lead with three consecutive goals, the first at 8:34, followed by another just 41 seconds later, assisted by
Diego Sosa. He completed his hat trick at 6:28. Sosa added a fifth goal at 5:42, solidifying Illinois Tech's commanding 5-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Defensive plays and effective clears contributed to Illinois Tech's control throughout the quarter.
The Rams initiated the second quarter with a faceoff victory, but Illinois Tech's defense, led by
Drake Doubek, caused multiple turnovers. Tyler Foster scored for Cornell at the 7:23 mark with an assist from Kaden Weaver, narrowing the gap. However, Illinois Tech responded swiftly, capitalizing on a man-up situation with Montgomery's goal, assisted by Von Eyser, at 2:39. The quarter concluded dramatically as
Joseph Beaudoin scored with just seconds remaining, assisted by
Alexander Stokrp, extending Illinois Tech's lead to 7-1.
Illinois Tech dominated the third quarter, extending its lead with a series of strategic plays and precise scoring. Montgomery opened the scoring at 14:20, followed by Sosa's goal at 11:31 assisted by Stokrp.
Bodey Goertzen added another at 9:00, and Sosa found the net again at 5:04. Von Eyser scored at 3:21 with help from
Canyon Kuchel, while Leonard also contributed a goal, assisted by Montgomery, at 2:15. Despite Cornell's late efforts, including two goals by Foster, Illinois Tech maintained control, closing the quarter with a commanding 14-3 lead.
Illinois Tech dominated the fourth quarter, securing a decisive 17-4 victory over the Rams. Stokrp opened the scoring just one minute into the quarter with an assist from Leonard. Von Eyser quickly followed with a goal at 12:12. Despite a goal by Cornell's Foster at 11:00, Illinois Tech maintained control.
Jaeger Breault added another goal at 4:50, assisted by Stokrp, to solidify the win. Illinois Tech's defense, led by
Jordan Wadford, who made several key saves, held firm against Cornell's offensive efforts.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Diego Sosa
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- 3 goals
- 1 game-winning goal
- 9 shots on goal
Connor Montgomery
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- 5 goals
- 1 man-up goal
- 10 shots
Duwayne Aikins
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- 13 faceoffs won
Will Von Eyser
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- 3 goals
- 1 assist
- 7 shots on goal
Cornell College Top Performers
Tyler Foster
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- 4 goals
- 5 shots on goal
- 7 shots
Kaden Weaver
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- 2 assists
- 3 shots
- 1 shot on goal
Ben Wojewski
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- 10 faceoffs won
- 13 faceoffs lost
Nathan Diveley
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- 14 saves
- 44 shots faced
Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech improved to 5-0 lifetime against Cornell College.
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Andrei Gran achieved a season-high total of 6 ground balls.
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Connor Montgomery achieved a season-high of 5 goals.
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Diego Sosa achieved a season-high of 9 shots on goal.
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Jaeger Breault scored his first goal of the season.
- The team achieved a season-high 47 ground balls in the game.
- The team recorded a season-high 55 shots in the game.
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Alexander Stokrp recorded a season-high 3 assists.
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Victor Bivona scored his first goal of the season.
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Will Von Eyser recorded a season-high of 4 ground balls.
Up Next
Looking ahead, Illinois Tech will face Benedictine University as the away team on Wednesday, April 15. The game is set for 7 p.m. at a venue in Lisle, Illinois.
