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Men's lacrosse celebrating the win over Colorado College Feb. 13, 2026
Donny Cortez
7
Winner Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES 2-2
6
DePauw DEPAUW 1-2
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES
2-2
7
Final
6
DePauw DEPAUW
1-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan ILL. WES 3 3 1 0 7
DePauw DEPAUW 2 2 0 2 6

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Men’s Lacrosse Downs DePauw in Road Contest

Titans take defensive battle, 7-6

GREENCASTLE, Ind. - In its first road contest of the season, the Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team defeated DePauw University, 7-6, in a defensive showing Wednesday night, Feb. 25. With the win, IWU improves to 2-2 on the season, while DePauw dips to 1-2.

Juniors Jake Kahoun (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington) and Nate Pound (Theinsville, Wis.-Homestead) led the Green and White with two goals apiece. A trio of Titans combined for the other three goals, while junior Timothy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) notched the lone assist for the visitors. 

At the X, senior Michael Rocco (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville) went 6-for-9, followed by a 3-of-5 showing from sophomore Matt Arnold (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Prospect). Senior Karsten Nordlie (Roscoe, Ill.-Hononegah Community) notched a team-best five ground balls, followed by four each from Timothy McHugh, and sophomores Jake Sline (Homewood, Ill.-Homewood Flossmoor) and Rylee Blair (Marshall, Wis.-Sun Prairie West). 

Defensively, Nordlie, along with senior Billy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) and junior Wyatt Hart (Littleton, Colo.-Valor Christian) posted two caused turnovers apiece. Sophomore Jaymeson Zackery (Saint Paul, Minn.-Eastview) earned the win in goal, as he made eight saves in 60 minutes between the iron. 

As a team, the Titans finished with the advantage in shots (39-35), shots on goal (20-14), ground balls (39-33), face offs (11-4), and went 29-of-41 on clear attempts. The Tigers tallied the edge in caused turnovers (22-14), and saves (13-8), and finished 34-of-46 in clears. 

Illinois Wesleyan opened the day on a 3-0 run, beginning with a goal from sophomore Ethan Cavanaugh (Davis, Calif.-Davis Senior) less than a minute into the game. Pound buried a shot a few minutes later, and Nordlie made the Tigers pay for their turnover, as he made it a three-goal lead with 9:42 on the clock in the first quarter. 

DePauw came back to tie the contest at three, but IWU quickly responded to break the stalemate. Rocco won the faceoff after the third DU goal, setting up the Green and White offense. After Timothy McHugh's shot was blocked, Kahoun scooped up the ground ball and buried his shot to make it 4-3 in favor of the visitors at the 14:06 mark in the second period.

Once again, DePauw answered, and the game remained scoreless, as both goalkeepers came up with clutch saves. Freshman Tyce Baldwin (Aurora, Colo.-Grandview) forced a Tigers error, scooping up the ball to put the Green and White in a quick transition. Pound wasted no time, as he net his second goal of the game to put IWU back out in front, 5-4, with 5:22 to go in the first half. 

Needing just 30 seconds, the Titans made it a two-goal game. Rocco won the faceoff, and Kahoun followed a blocked shot with a goal for his second score of the night. IWU looked poised to make it a three-score differential, as senior Kade Miers (Cincinnati, Ohio-St. Xavier) forced a turnover with under a minute to go, but the Titans were unable to get a clean shot on goal to end the half. 

What looked to be a scoreless third quarter quickly changed as the Titans drew a penalty with 2:31 to go. Timothy McHugh found sophomore Owen Miller (Brookfield, Wis.-Brookfield Central), who snuck one between the legs of the DePauw goalkeeper to make it 7-4 with 1:46 remaining in the third period. 

DePauw net two unanswered goals to trip the lead to one. Looking to tie the game with a minute to play, Nordlie forced a crucial turnover, and Blair scooped up the ground ball to give the Green and White a chance to drain the clock. The Titans did just that, taking the low-scoring affair, 7-6.

Illinois Wesleyan will enjoy a weekend off before hosting Benedictine University Thursday, March 5. Action is slated to begin at 7 p.m. inside Tucci Stadium.
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