Benet boys lacrosse pulls ahead from Naperville North in the second half

Benet Academy boys lacrosse travels to Naperville North for the first match of the season.  Benet comes into the year off a fourth place finish in last year’s IHSA State Series, while North looks to strike back after losing to Benet in the Sectional Semis. The Redwings also won last year’s season opener 15-12 against the Huskies. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.

Benet Academy boys lacrosse leads early against Naperville North

The action gets going early on as Tommy Bartenhagen from behind the net, takes it and strikes it past the goalie for the first goal of the season as Benet leads early up 1-0.

Benet would continue the strong start as Grant Randolph finds Charlie O’Grady whose fast strike is buried into the net.  Benet extends their lead up 2-0.

Now with the lead at 2-1, Randolph keeps it a two-goal game as he pushes through and adds a score after assisting the previous goal to make it 3-1 for the Redwings.

Mattix Groves ties the game for the Huskies

North would continue to linger around, however, in the second quarter Mattix Groves works through the midfield and bounces one over the keepers head.  The Huskies tie the game up at 3.

The tie wouldn’t last long, however.  On the ensuing face-off, Michael Frieri wins it and races down the other side.  He finds Thomas Tierney who rips one past the goalie to make 4-3 Redwings.

North once again responds.  On the man advantage following a penalty, Griffen Fiore rings around the Redwing defense and gets this shot home to tie it up again at 4.

Benet, however, looks to break the tie before the half.   Randolph takes it himself and fires from a distance for his second score of the night. Benet leads 5-4 going into the break.

Benet lacrosse outscores Naperville North 7-1 in the second half

From the start of the second half, Benet would dominate.  Frieri fakes the pass and shoots through the defense for the goal. Redwings up 6-4 at the start of the third.

Now 7-4, Henry Bartenhagen passes it to Tierney who gets knocked to the ground but still scores.  He quickly gets back up to celly as Benet doubles the lead up 8-4.

Benet’s defense would remain stout in the second half.  North trying to go from mid-range but it’s tipped into the air by goalie Zach Gorman and Benet takes over possession.

Now with the score 9-4, North tries to inch closer, but Gorman knocks the shot away as the Redwing defense continues to fly.

Then to ice things up, Randolph once again shakes around the defense for the hat trick to make it 10-4.  Both teams would exchange scores late as Benet starts the season with a 12-5 win over Naperville North.