Jack Blaylock and Ty Nagy celebrate goal against Benedictine
©Steve Woltmann
7
Lawrence LAWRENCE 2-2
9
Winner North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE 1-3
Lawrence LAWRENCE
2-2
7
Final
9
North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE
1-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Lawrence LAWRENCE 3 1 1 2 7
North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE 1 2 2 4 9

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Cardinals Break Through, Earn First Win of New BK Era

Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302

March 4, 2026 - The North Central College men's lacrosse team delivered an aggressive first win of the season against Lawrence University as the Cardinals prevailed 9-7 at home under the lights of Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. It marks the first win under head coach Brendan Kearney as the program sits 1-3 on the year, while Lawrence levels out to 2-2. 

Six different Cardinals scored in the win, led by Wyatt Hunt, Ben Kerkow, and Jack Blaylock all of whom notched two goals apiece. Devon Manjarrez, Ty Nagy, and Seth Rosen each recorded one goal. 

Gavin Braley led the team with a career-high 10 ground balls while going 14-for-19 at the faceoff X, tying his career-high faceoff wins. Kerkow and Will Handberg each totaled six ground balls, marking career-highs for both of them. Dominic Rohrer had a team-high three caused turnovers. Beck Hagen served all 60 minutes between the pipes, tallying 11 saves on a .611 save percentage.

A level matchup through the opening 10 minutes of play left the game scoreless until the 5:36 mark when Lawrence cracked the scoreboard first on a man-up opportunity. With the momentum in favor of the Vikings, the Cardinals found themselves trailing 3-0 with under three minutes to go. 

Manjarrez broke the scoring run with a goal at the 1:59 mark, cutting it to 3-1 heading into the second period. 

Four minutes in, Nagy caught Lawrence's goalie playing too far up and sent a long-range goal careening past the Vikings defender who attempted to step in to protect the iron, putting the Cardinals back within one and 3-2. 

Off a successful clear, Blaylock shook off his defender for a one-on-one look with Lawrence's goalie, delivering the equalizer in with 6:16 left in the half. Lawrence suffered a tripping penalty in the final three minutes but managed to notch a man-down goal to carry a 4-3 lead into the break. 

Lawrence wasted little time getting back into the swing of things as the Vikings put away their fifth goal of the game shortly after halftime. A few minutes later, Rosen delivered his second goal of the season to cut it back to within one at 5-4. Lawrence got a few more shots off following the Cardinal goal, but two crucial saves by Hagen in goal kept it at a one-goal game. Hunt ripped a goal to the back of the net to level the game at 5-5 heading into the final 15 minutes. 

Hunt continued his efforts in the final period, maximizing on a man-up opportunity thanks to a Lawrence holding penalty, giving North Central its first lead of the game at 6-5. Within a two-minute-span, Lawrence scored to make it 6-6 before Blaylock notched his second goal of the night to regain the 7-6 advantage.

The Cardinal defense hit another level of intensity to finish out the final period.

Kerkow extended North Central's lead to 8-6 with a spin move that dropped his defender and gave him an open look at the goal. A minute later, he put away his second goal of the night to build a three-goal lead over Lawrence. Lawrence managed to get one more in the net in the last 17 seconds but the Cardinals prevailed for their first win of the season in a 9-7 showing. 

The Cardinals hit the road for a three-game stretch that kicks off in Milwaukee, Wis. as North Central takes on the Milwaukee School of Engineering Saturday, March 7 at noon. 
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