AURORA, Ill. - After scoring 22 goals in a home rout of Illinois Institute of Technology on Wednesday night at Art Keller Field, the Firebirds were stymied by Aurora on both ends of the field. The Spartans got out to an excellent start against Carthage and didn't look back, running away with a 17-6 victory. 



 

• Final score: Aurora 17, Carthage 6. 
• Location: Spartan Athletic Park - Aurora, Ill. 
• Records: Carthage 6-3, Aurora 6-1 

 

• Aurora began the game on a 3-0 run, scoring a trio of goals within the first five minutes of action. 
• Carthage's Rachel Harris, who recently eclipsed 200 career points on Wednesday night against Illinois Institute of Technology, put the Firebirds on the board with a goal at the 8:34 mark of the opening period. 
• The home asserted itself over the next six minutes of the period, rattling off four unanswered goals to gain a strong 7-1 advantage. Carthage's Shannon Heitschmidt scored courtesy of an Elizabeth Oda assist to shrink the deficit to five heading into the second period. 
• The Spartans scored twice more to behind the second period, doing so in just 30 seconds to take a 9-2 lead - Carthage's largest deficit of the season. The Firebirds answered Aurora's pair of goals with a set of its own, pulling back to within five. LeFevre and Harris each found the back of the net for Carthage. 
• Aurora closed the first half with another pair of unanswered goals, seizing a firm 11-4 lead over Carthage in Illinois. The Spartans outshot Carthage 24-6 in the first half, going 6-6 on clears. 
• The first three goals of the second half came from the sticks of Aurora as the Spartans ballooned their lead to 14-4. Piper LeFevre scored again for Carthage, but the Firebirds trailed 14-5 leading into the game's final period. 
• The Firebirds were unable to carve into Aurora's lead in the fourth period as the Spartans outscored Carthage 3-1. Carthage fell 17-6 at Spartan Athletic Park.

 

• Rachel Harris led the team in goals, netting three in the loss. 
• Piper LeFevre and Shannon Heitschmidt each scored for Carthage as well, with Oda assisting Heitschmidt. 
• First-year athlete Hannah Kim led the Firebirds in ground balls, securing four. 

"Very tough game out there today," acknowledged Carthage College interim head women's lacrosse coach Rebecca Congel. 

"It's gonna be a big growing game for us - there's a lot to take away and learn from. I thought Sydney [Kuyava] and Izzy [Rahmel] did a great job on defense, really driving people out of the eight. Oda did a great job hustling in the re-defend."

"We have a lot of room to grow so I'm looking forward to that."



 

• Carthage competes again this Wednesday, March 29 at 4 p.m. as the team is set to battle with Lake Forest College in Illinois.