MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Despite a strong comeback effort in the second half of action, the Illinois Wesleyan women's lacrosse team fell to Rhodes College in the second round of the NCAA Division III championships on Sunday, May 14, by a final score of 16-10. Sophomore Grainne Kelly led the team with five caused turnovers on the day in addition to her three goals scored and three ground balls picked up.
 
With a loss the Titans season concludes with a 14-6 record, one win off of the program-best 15 wins set in the 2016 season. A loss snaps a program-record seven-game winning streak for IWU. Rhodes improved to 19-0 on the year and will face seventh-ranked Gettysburg in the third round of competition.
 
Rhodes controlled the action in the first-half, outscoring the Titans 9-3 which includes a 4-0 run to open the contest. Sophomore Claudia Richman got Illinois Wesleyan on the board with a goal by way of junior Abby Kushina at the 16:59 mark. Richman scored two goals on Sunday, both of which came in the first half.

After Rhodes scored two to start the second half, Illinois Wesleyan began to mount their comeback effort. IWU scored six of the next seven goals to pull within three goals of the Lynx with six minutes to play. Rhodes' Maggie Rippeto stifled the Titans momentum with a goal just 30 seconds after sophomore Sara Dust pulled the Titans within three. Dust matched Kelly goal-for-goal with three scores of her own.

After Rippeto's late strike, the Lynx scored three more times as opposed to once for IWU, to put the Titans "Sweet 16" dreams out of reach.

Also scoring multiple goals for IWU on Sunday was sophomore Dani Engelbreit who tallied two goals, two ground balls, and three caused turnovers. Sophomore Sam Bidlack recorded one assist to give her 33 for the season, the second most on the team. In goal junior Claire Quist made four saves on 29 shots faced. Dust and junior Mariah Smith each won a total of five draw controls for IWU.

Senior Maggie Krause concluded her career with a four assist performance. This performance gave Krause 74 points on the season, good for a program-record. Krause finishes as IWU's all-time leader in points (164), goals (101), and assists (63).

For Rhodes, goalkeeper Katherine Tooley made 13 saves on 31 shots faced. Offensively the Lynx were led by Kendall Cunningham who scored a game-high eight goals. Cunningham came into today's game as the Division III leader in total goals scored this season with 100.