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Bloomington, IL - April 20 - NCAA Men's Lacrosse: Illinois Wesleyan vs Elmhurst (Photo by Jimmy Naprstek/Kodiak Creative)
Kodiak Creative
12
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 11-2, 3-0
11
Elmhurst ELMHURST 10-2, 1-1
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
11-2, 3-0
12
Final
11
Elmhurst ELMHURST
10-2, 1-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 2 2 3 5 12
Elmhurst ELMHURST 4 3 2 2 11

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Men’s Lacrosse Wins in 12-11 Thriller Over Elmhurst

IWU is last remaining unbeaten team in CCIW

ELMHURST, Ill. – Down by as many as five in the first half, the Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team showcased its strong second-half play as the Titans mounted an impressive comeback for the 12-11 victory over Elmhurst University, Saturday, April 19 at Langhorst Field in Elmhurst, Ill. With the win, IWU becomes the only remaining unbeaten team in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play and clinches at least a share of the regular season title with an 11-2 overall record and a clean 3-0 conference slate with one game left to play in the regular season. Elmhurst falls to 10-2, 1-1 in the CCIW. 

IWU held the statistical advantages over Elmhurst – who ranks No. 15 in the most recent NPI rankings – in shots (48-37), ground balls (27-26), and extra-man opportunities (3-for-4, 1-for-4). Elmhurst held the slim advantage in faceoffs (16-11). Additionally, the Green and White went 23-for-24 in clears attempts while forcing 17 Bluejay turnovers to IWU's 15. 

Fifth-year Bob Boone (Los Angeles, Calif.-Notre Dame) powered the Titan offense with five points on two goals and served as IWU's key distributor of the day with three assists. Fifth-year Gage Black (Peoria, Ill.-Dunlap), senior Sam Weinberg (Highwood, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest) and junior Noah Dretzka (Delafield, Wis.-Kettle Moraine) tied for second-most points on the team with three apiece. Weinberg's three points all came by goals while Black and Dretzka were good for two goals and an assist each. 

Senior Nick Schroeder (Waunakee, Wis.-Waunakee) went 10-for-24 at the X while sharing a team-lead six ground balls with senior Sam Skelton (Portland, Ore.-Franklin). Skelton also had a team-high three caused turnovers. Senior goalie Colin Tervo (West Linn, Ore.-West Linn) spent all 60 minutes in goal, totaling 14 saves and holding the Bluejays to their second-lowest point total this season. 

Elmhurst cracked the scoreboard first, landing two in the first four minutes of play. With the Titans finally settling in, Dretzka put IWU on the board, scoring twice in a two-minute span to level it at 2-2. With his defender riding the entire way to the net, Dretzka ripped it past the Elmhurst goalie just two minutes before Black found Dretzka again for a wide-open goal.

The Bluejays managed two more goals before the quarter ended as the Green and White trailed 4-2 heading into the second 15 minutes.

Elmhurst moved up by three to take a 7-2 advantage in the second quarter but a caused turnover by senior Tyler Crawford (Cary, Ill.-Prairie Ridge) held off the Bluejays with 6:30 left in the half. A shot by Black went wide on the other side but the Titans would find their chance to score a few minutes later when a clutch save by Tervo sparked a battle through the midfield. Junior Billy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) came away with the ground ball, finding his younger brother sophomore Timothy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) outside the crease for the goal to cut the deficit to 7-3.

Black sniped one last goal before the half's end to trail 7-4.

Elmhurst scored out of the break to double it up 8-4. IWU answered with around-the-horn ball movement before Black delivered a point-blank goal to make it 8-5 off the assist from Boone. With Weinberg posted up at the top of the crease, Boone set him up for the perfect low-goal to cut the Bluejay lead to two 8-6.

Elmhurst scored again but another big save for Tervo halted a possible Bluejay run. Efficient passing for the Titans saw T. McHugh dish to Weinberg for the IWU's seventh goal of the game to keep it within two, 9-7, heading into the final 15 minutes.

Following suit with the first three quarters, Elmhurst came out of the break hot, scoring the first two goals of the fourth period. Trailing again by four with under 10 minutes to go, IWU went on a five-goal scoring run and the Green and White's dominant defense held the Bluejays off. 

Boone battled his defender for his first goal of the game after playing chef for much of the contest. Forty seconds later, Boone dished it out to sophomore Jake Kahoun (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington) for a diving goal at the crease to make it 11-9 with 7:50 left to play. Fifth-year Ike Eastburn (Colorado Springs, Colo.-Cheyenne Mountain) put away a goal off the helper from senior John Kittoe (Waunakee, WIs.-Waunakee) to bring it within one. Boone came in from the midline, surprising the Bluejay defenders with a quick shot that rebounded right back to Weinberg who buried it in for the equalizer with one minute on the clock. 

A crucial save from Tervo with 25 seconds left to play gave Boone a prime scoring opportunity to take the first lead of the game with 12 seconds left to go. Relentless defense from the visitors held off the Bluejays in the final moments as the Titans came away with the 12-11 win to take sole possession at the top of the conference with one game left in the regular season.

Illinois Wesleyan returns home for its final game of the regular season as the Titans host Carroll University, Saturday, April 26, in a CCIW matchup on Titan senior day. Game time is set for a 12 p.m. start and will serve as the first half of a doubleheader with the IWU women's lacrosse team.
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