Falcons Fall in Home Opener

MEQUON, Wis. – The CUW men's lacrosse team opened the home portion of the 2023 season on Wednesday afternoon against the Dubuque Spartans.

The Spartans netted the first goal of the game.

Sophomore Gio Nowotarski (Reading, Pa.) tied the game at one with an unassisted goal.

Dubuque ended the first quarter with five, unanswered goals to go into the first break with a 6-1 lead.

Freshman Jason Michalski (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) opened the second quarter with a goal off an assist from sophomore Max Esposito (Gaithersburg, Md.).

Three more Dubuque goals pushed their lead to 9-2.

Esposito found freshman Preston Meier (Owatonna, Minn.) for his first goal and the third Falcon goal of the matchup.

The Spartans netted two more goals to close the half with an 11-3 lead.

Two more goals from the visitors, including a man-up goal, gave the Spartans the 10-goal lead.

The Blue and White recorded four-straight goals spanning the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to six at 13-7. Senior Jack Gromosky (Danville, Ind.) got the ball rolling with an unassisted goal with 7:40 remaining in the third quarter. 

Esposito netted his first goal of the game off an assist from junior Calen Ruger (Grafton, Wis.) for the fifth Falcon goal. Esposito paid it back with an assist to Ruger for his first goal of the game to end the third quarter. Nowotarski got the fourth quarter started with a goal and an assist credited to Esposito.

Four Dubuque goals saw a 17-7 lead in favor of the Spartans with two minutes remaining.

Meier netted his second goal of the game off an assist from sophomore Chase Drexler (Vernon Hills, Ill.).

With 10 seconds remaining, the Spartans netted their final goal and the Falcons followed that up with a goal with just one second left on the clock from Jack Gromosky.

Esposito led the Falcons with five points including one goal and four assists.

Freshman Frank Trewyn (Mukwonago, Wis.) was 12-16 in the faceoff circle.

The Falcons host Hanover on Saturday for their second-straight home matchup.