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Owen Miller
Jimmy Naprstek/Kodiak Creative
15
Winner Aurora AC 1-1, 0-0
14
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1-2, 0-0
Winner
Aurora AC
1-1, 0-0
15
Final
14
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
1-2, 0-0
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Aurora AC 4 6 3 2 15
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1 2 5 6 14

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Slow Start Sinks Titans in Loss to Spartans

Titans travel to DePauw Wednesday, Feb. 25

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A second-half comeback came up short as the Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse fell to Aurora University, 15-14, in non-conference action at Tucci Stadium. The Titans slip to 1-2 on the season, while Aurora rises to 1-1.

Illinois Wesleyan was led by four-point showings from Jake Kahoun (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington) and junior Timothy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel). Kahoun paced the team with four goals, while Timothy McHugh's came via three goals and an assist. 

Senior Billy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel), sophomore Jaymeson Zackery (Saint Paul, Minn.-Eastview), and sophomore Wyatt Hart (Littleton, Colo.-Valor Christian) tied for the lead with two caused turnovers each. Zackery topped the team with six ground balls alongside senior Karsten Nordlie (Roscoe, Ill.-Hononegah Community), while finishing the day with 13 saves.

Senior Micheal Rocco (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville) went 11-for-18 at the X, with sophomore Matt Arnold (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Prospect) going 9-of-15.

Aurora rattled off the first four goals before junior Jarett Brunson (Marshall, Wis.-Sun Prairie East) leaped into the air for a rebound on an IWU shot and buried a putback in one motion. Brunson's goal was the final strike of the opening period as Illinois Wesleyan stared down a 4-1 deficit after 15 minutes. 

The Green and White attack continued to sputter, with the Spartans flying out to a 9-1 lead as the Titans called their second timeout of the day with 7:22 remaining in the half.

Sophomore Owen Miller (Brookfield, Wis.-Brookfield Central) slipped a pass to Timothy McHugh less than a minute after the reset and the junior flipped a shot over his right shoulder and into the net to cut AU's lead to 9-2.

Trailing 10-3 out of halftime, Illinois Wesleyan put together a strong second half to make things interesting down the stretch. Kahoun struck for the first goal of the third quarter and Timothy McHugh later buried a shot to pull the home team within six, 11-5.

After back-to-back Aurora goals stretched the deficit to eight, 13-5, IWU ripped off seven straight goals spanning the remainder of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth. Senior Cole Kennedy (Walnut Creek, Calif.-De La Salle) kickstarted the run that featured pals by junior Nate Pound (Theinsville, Wis.-Homestead), freshman Brody Jones (Boring, Ore.-West Linn), Kahoun, and sophomore Jeremy Langosch (Grayslake, Ill.-Warren Township). 

Sophomore Charlie Burghardt (Milwaukee, Wis.-Brookfield Central) gained possession near the Aurora sideline and took his defender towards goal. Looking to create his own shot, Burghardt shook a defender off his shoulder and fired a shot to bring IWU within one, 13-12, with 4:18 to play.

The Spartans came back with two goals in a 19-second span to inch back ahead by three, 15-12, with less than two minutes to go. 

Illinois Wesleyan mounted one last push, as Kahoun scored with 1:10 to go. The Green and White found the back of the net once more with Nordlie finding Jones for a goal. The strike with 33 seconds left brought the Titans within one, 15-14, but the comeback stalled there as AU won the next faceoff and held off IWU.

The Green and White hit the road for the first time this season as Illinois Wesleyan takes on DePauw University Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Greencastle, Ind. Game time is set for 7 p.m. ET.
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