BELOIT, Wis. – In an afternoon matchup at Strong Stadium, the Beloit College men's lacrosse team faced a formidable conference opponent in Aurora University. Despite a persistent effort and several flashes of individual brilliance, the Buccaneers (3-5, 0-4 NACC) were unable to find the back of the net, ultimately falling 24-0 to the Spartans.
The Buccaneers' defensive unit remained under heavy fire throughout the contest as the Spartans (5-3, 4-0 NACC) unleashed 81 total shots. Beloit's goalkeeping duo proved to be the backbone of the effort. Christian Moore (Dubuque, Iowa) started the game, recording 10 saves in 30 minutes of action. Mateo Passalino (Lake Forest, Ill.) took over for the second half, contributing 8 saves of his own to finish with a combined team total of 18 saves.
On the field, Alexander Klemp (Broomfield, Colo.) and Brayden Carter (Georgetown, KY) led the defensive disruption, each recording two caused turnovers. Klemp also secured two ground balls, helping Beloit successfully navigate 16 of their 22 clear attempts.
One of the bright spots for the Buccaneers was the play of Cristian Lewis (Seattle, WA) at the faceoff dot. Lewis went 11-for-25 on the day, winning nearly half of his draws against a high-powered Aurora midfield. His tenacity at the center of the field also led the team in ground balls, where he scooped up five to keep Beloit in the possession hunt.
While the Buccaneers were held scoreless by a stingy Aurora defense, they did manage to create several scoring threats. Liam Walker (Elmhurst, Ill.) led the offensive charge for Beloit, leading the team with eight total shots. Walker's persistence in the attacking third forced the Spartans to stay honest throughout the game.
Sky Solig (Warroad, MN) was also a key contributor to the offensive effort, recording four shots and winning his only faceoff attempt of the afternoon. In the first half, Solig had a promising look on goal that was ultimately blocked, and in the second quarter, he tested Aurora's Zach Fuzy with a high-velocity shot that was narrowly saved. John Imbriale (Brooklyn, NY) and Rilan Larmore (Olympia, Wash.) also contributed to the attack, combining for five shots as the Buccaneers looked for a late-game spark.
Despite the outcome, the Buccaneers showed resilience in their ground ball play, tallying 29 as a team. Key contributions came from across the roster, including four ground balls from Christian Moore and three apiece from Keegan Heikila (West Salem, Ore.)Parker Davis (Inver Grove Heights, MN), and Walker.
The Buccaneers hit the road for their next three games. They are in Fond du Lac on Wednesday to take on Marian University. Game time from Smith Field is set for 7 pm.
