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Connor Kiichle vs. North Central College
13
North Central NCC 4-5, 0-1
16
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 6-4, 2-0
North Central NCC
4-5, 0-1
13
Final
16
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
6-4, 2-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
North Central NCC 4 4 3 2 13
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 5 4 3 4 16

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Men’s Lacrosse Secures Win Over Cardinals

Titans improve to 2-0 in the CCIW

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team claimed its second-straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game over North Central College Wednesday, April 6. The Titans defeated the Cardinals 16-13 to improve its record to 6-5, 2-0 CCIW as NCC dipped to 4-5, 0-1 CCIW. 

Trailing by two with 12:20 still remaining in the first quarter, the Titans quickly responded as junior Jaxon Hendrickson (Langley, British Columbia-Westtown) opened the scoring for the Green and White. Shortly after, freshman Jake Gisi (Wentzville, Mo.-Chaminade College Prep) picked up his first career goal assisted by fellow freshman Sam Skelton (Portland, Ore.-Franklin) to tie the game, two-all with just over 11 minutes still on the clock. 

Sophomore Trystan Seeley (Castle Rock, Colo.-Castle View) had himself a day as he netted three goals for the Titans. The first of which was around the 10:40 mark, to give IWU a one-goal advantage, 3-2. The gap grew as senior Griffin DeMilt (Toledo, Ohio.-Ottawa Hills) outran his defender where he found an open lane for an upper-corner goal to put the Titans up, 4-2. 

Seeley continued to be an offensive threat, circling around his defender to put away the Titans' fifth and the sophomore's second of the day. The Cardinals grabbed two more goals before the end of the first quarter.

Senior goalkeeper Thomas Laduzinsky (Geneva, Ill.-Wheaton Academy) got his 10th-straight start for the Green and White. The senior made a huge save around the three minute mark and another last second block off a Cardinal shot to keep IWU's lead intact, ending the first quarter, 5-4 for the Titans. 

Just 41 seconds into the second quarter, DeMilt netted his second of the night off a pass coming from Seeley, who controlled the ball while on the ground to find DeMilts stick. Up 6-4, IWU exchanged chances with NCC for the next five minutes. Laduzinsky put himself in front of another big shot from the Cardinals to keep IWU's lead alive, before sophomore goalkeeper Alex Oximana (Seattle, Wash.-Bishop Blanchet) came in for the senior. 

IWU found themselves in some penalty trouble as NCC took advantage, scoring two more goals to tie the game, 6-6, with 8:23 to go in the half. Senior Rick Smith (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln Way East) took back the lead for the Green and White putting away back-to-back goals just 19 second apart. After Smith's first goal, senior Zac Taylor (Brighton, Mich.-Brighton) kept possession after winning his own faceoff to give Smith his second opportunity. 

The Cardinals responded with a goal of their own to close the deficit back to one with the Titans still ahead, 8-7. At the 3:30 mark, Seeley completed the hat trick to pick up his 15th goal of the season and put the Titans back up by two, 9-7. NCC answered right back to bring the deficit back down to one, 9-8 as both teams headed into the locker rooms.

To open the second half, NCC scored an equalizer goal to tie the game at nine. The tie was short lived as Smith got his third of the day off a man-up opportunity as fellow senior Charles Hildestad (Carlock, Ill.-St. Viator) tallied the assist. 

With a 10-9 lead, senior Malcolm Hedgepeth (Houston, Tx.-The Kinkaid School) grabbed a Smith rebound to find junior Carson Kiichle (Vancouver, Wash.-Skyview), who found none other than Smith, tallying his fourth and IWU's 11th goal of the night. The Cardinals kept it close with another goal of their own to bring the difference back to one, 11-10 with just under nine minutes still to go in the third quarter. 

After NCC's goal, Oximana stood strong for the Green and White registering six saves to keep the Cardinals scoreless for the next eight minutes. It wasn't until the 50 second mark where the Cardinals once again tied the game, 11-11. IWU did not let the quarter end in a tie, as junior Connor Kiichle (Vancouver, Wash.-Skyview) gave IWU the lead back, 12-11 with seven seconds to go. 

In the final 15, IWU built on its lead and kept the Cardinals to only two goals in the final quarter. NCC's first of the quarter opened the period at the 12:34 mark, registering the final tie of the night, 12-12. 

The Kiichle duo added to the Titans' score as Connor Kiichle netted back-to-back goals, just 29 seconds apart. Brother, Connor Kiichle assisted both to give IWU a 14-12 advantage. 

Smith once again did what he does best and found the back of the Cardinals' net. After putting up his 32nd of the season to give IWU a 15-12 lead, a big save from Oximana, a ground ball by senior Daniel Dickerson (Wheaton, Ill.-St. Francis College), a successful team clear attempt, and an assist by senior Paul Mucci (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Bloomfield), Smith scored the Titans' final goal of the net and picked up his sixth of the game.

With a man-up opportunity, the Cardinals grabbed its final goal of the night as IWU sent NCC home after a 16-13 win.

Smith led the Green and White with a game-high six goals. Faceoff specialists, Taylor and sophomore Zo Lombardo (Elgin, Ill.-St. Viator), went 12-22 and 8-11, respectively at the x. In between the posts, Oximana picked up a career-high 15 saves for a .625 save percentage. 

The Titans continue CCIW play Saturday, April 9 at Carthage College for a 12 p.m. start. 
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