BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team defeated North Central College, 17-7 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play Saturday, April 16 inside Tucci Stadium. The Titans improved to 2-1 in the CCIW as the Cardinals dipped to 1-2 in league play.

North Central scored the game's first two goals to take a 2-0 edge around the 11 minute mark, but Illinois Wesleyan came back with a dominant seven-goal spurt. Senior Landry Elliott (Milwaukee, Wis.-Nicolet) notched IWU's first goal on a pass by sophomore Britney Maldonado (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James Conant) with 10:18 to go in the first period. 

Maldonado evened the score with a goal of her own before finding junior Sarah Gleason (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) to put IWU in front, 3-2. Gleason tacked on another goal, this time on a helper from Elliott, and freshman Mia Fiandaca (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) extended the Titans' lead to 5-2. Fiandaca's goal, her 22nd of the season, forced a North Central timeout with 8:05 to go in the quarter.

The scoring slowed a bit from there, but Illinois Wesleyan used goals from Elliott and junior Carlyn Bratt (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine) which opened up a 7-2 Titan lead after one period.

The Cardinals scored the lone goal of the second quarter, finding the back of the net on a free position with 2:24 to go, to trim IWU's advantage to 7-3 at the break. 

North Central pulled within three twice in the third quarter, but a free-position goal by Maldonado reclaimed a four-goal edge, 10-6, with 3:07 remaining in the frame. Elliott packed on another goal following a NCC card on an assist by senior Cassandra Jones (Elk Grove Village, Ill.-Conant) to up IWU's cushion to five, 11-6, into the final stanza.

The Titans ran away with the game in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Cardinals, 6-1, to close out a convincing 17-7 victory.

Elliott put together a monster day for the Green and White, going for four goals and assisting on five others for a total of nine points. Maldonado finished just behind her, tying for the team lead with five helpers and netting a hat trick. Fiandaca tied Elliott for the team-high with four goals, with Gleason adding three. Bratt tallied two goals and Jones net one and three assists.

Junior goalkeeper Rebecca Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Lake Zurich) made six saves in net. Freshman Lizzie Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-St. Viator) tallied three saves as she entered in relief.

The Titans continue CCIW play with a two-game roadtrip beginning Wednesday, April 20, at Elmhurst University. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at EU.