Contact: Tyler Bremner, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Box Score

Feb 24, 2024 – The North Central College men's lacrosse team traveled across town to face Benedictine University for the annual Battle for the Maple Ave Cup, securing their first win of the 2024 season, 16-14.

North Central (1-0) has seized the Maple Ave Cup for the fourth consecutive season after downing the Eagles (0-1) 14-3 last year. Benedictine was the first to get on the board with a shot from Will Robinson to sneak in the first goal of the game at 12:48. Just forty-five seconds later North Central fired back behind the shot of Joey D'Cuhna for the first goal of the 2024 season. Twenty seconds later Rylan McQueary also found the net to seal the Cardinals in the lead for the match 2-1.

As the snow began to play a factor in the game, Kadin Melin scored the final goal of the day with a setup from Luke Paris to put the Cardinals up 3-1 with 8:28 left in the first quarter. The match was then paused and resumed on the following day, opening with an undeterred scoring effort from Charlie Snyder just fifty-two seconds in. The defense held down the Eagles until 1:29 was left on the clock when Robinson sent a shot past to notch the score 4-2 at the end of the quarter.

Entering the second quarter, Illgen set up Melin for his second goal of the game just thirty-seven seconds in. North Central kept the pressure on between Illgen's first goal in the twelfth minute and McQueary's second in the ninth minute. With the Cardinals firmly in the lead 7-2, the Eagles ramped up their pace finding the net twice in sixty-five seconds between Robinson and Ben Zimmerman to trim the Cardinal lead down to three. North Central did not let this slide as Dylan Andersen and Illgen fired right back to put the Cardinals back up to 9-4 to end the half.

With Benedictine feeling the pressure, they entered the half finding four gaps between Dylan Langley, Sarna, and Robinson only separated by Illgen's seventh-minute goal for his third of the match. With the Eagles now crept within two points, McQueary put the team back ahead with an assist from Illgen for one goal and a solo goal to end the third quarter 12-8.

To begin the fourth quarter, a back-and-forth scoring battle took place as Snyder and Tom Eberhardt answered both Sarna and Robert Schroeder's goals. With the score at 14-10, Benedictine would find room again to trim the lead within two between Robinson and Luis Hernandez with 5:43 left. North Central answered back with setups from Illgen and Zach Kuyava to give Luke Paris and Eberhardt their first goals of the season. The Eagles tried to claw back finding two openings in the final four minutes between Sarna and Robinson, closing the score 16-14.

McQueary led the offense in goals with four while Illgen (3), Eberhardt (2), Melin (2), Snyder (2), Luke Paris (1), Andersen (1), and D'Cuhna (1) followed behind. Illgen led the Cardinals in assists with four while Kuyava and McQueary each earned one.

Evan Watanabe led the defensive effort with two caused turnovers while securing four groundballs. In goal, Aidan Murphy competed for all 60 minutes saving nine scoring attempts.

North Central returns to Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium for its home opener against DePauw University. The match is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. Find the full 2024 schedule here.

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