Falcons Start Conference Play Undefeated

MEQUON, Wis. – It was a day of celebration all around for the men's lacrosse team on Saturday afternoon.

The Falcons honored the senior class of 2023 after their matchup against the Beloit Buccaneers to open conference play.

The Falcons opened the game with a four-goal first quarter. Sophomore Gio Nowotarski (Reading, Pa.) recorded the first Falcon point. 

Just nine seconds later, senior Brayden Torp (Suamico, Wis.) netted the second goal of his career. Torp was assisted by sophomore Pat Ryan (Western Springs, Ill.). 

Torp proceeded to assist on the next goal which came from junior Caleb Ruger (Grafton, Wis.). Ruger paid that back with another goal from Torp to finish the quarter on a high note.

Freshman Jason Michalski (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) opened the second quarter with an assist from sophomore Max Esposito (Gaithersburg, Md.). Eight seconds later, freshman Connor Quill (Schaumburg, Ill.) scored his first goal off his collegiate career on an unassisted goal after scooping up the faceoff. Esposito found the back of the net for the first time in the game with just over 12 minutes left in the half.

Esposito's goal was the last of the half and the birds went into halftime with a 7-0 lead.

An assist 43 seconds into the second half from Esposito fell for a goal from Ruger. That assist was Esposito's 100th collegiate point.

The Falcon scoring continued with their ninth goal coming from senior Matthew Sierzega (Grayslake, Ill.) off an assist from Esposito. Pat Ryan found the back of the net to put the Falcons up by double digits with an assist coming from Nowotarski. Just over a minute later, senior Jack Gromosky (Danville, Ind.) sunk a pass from sophomore Chase Drexler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) for yet another Falcon goal. 

Drexler assisted on the next goal as well, this one from Michalski.  

Beloit netted their only goal of the game with 20 seconds left in the third quarter.

Senior Evan Leden (Waukegan, Ill.) is typically known solely on the defensive end of the ball. In this matchup, he got involved on the offensive end with an assist on the 13th Falcon goal. The goal was scored by freshman Will Rolain (Appleton, Wis.). The goal was Rolain's first of this collegiate career.

Sierzega netted his second goal of the game off an assist from Drexler and Michalski recorded his third goal of the game on a man-up opportunity with an assist coming from freshman Preston Meier (Owatonna, Minn.).

Not only did Torp record his first multi-goal performance, he sunk his third goal of the matchup with 4:53 left in the game for his first collegiate hat trick.

The Falcons finished with a 16-1 victory and improved to 1-0 in conference play.

The offense with led by Torp with three goals and one assist. Michalski was close behind with three goals. This marks back-to-back hat tricks for the young freshman.

Leden recorded six saves in the matchup.

The Falcons are back in action at Edgewood on Wednesday after their busiest week of the year.