Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois Wesleyan University and Elmhurst College will face off once again in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men's Lacrosse Championship this Saturday. This encounter repeats last season’s thrilling final where the Titans claimed a narrow 12-11 victory in overtime. Notably, IWU has maintained a 14-game winning streak against Elmhurst, with recent meetings being closely contested.

In their semifinal match, the top-ranked IWU triumphed over fourth-seeded North Central College with a score of 15-12. The Titans established a commanding lead early at Tucci Stadium, going up 10-1 before North Central mounted a comeback. Highlighting IWU's strong first quarter was Ike Eastburn, who notched three consecutive goals in a brief span. Despite NCC narrowing the gap to a single goal in the final period, IWU responded with three successive goals to secure the win and advance to their eighth CCIW final in nine years.

Billy McHugh, Gage Black, and Timothy McHugh were instrumental in the Titans' late-game surge. Timothy McHugh contributed significantly with seven points, while Colin Tervo and Josiah Karnehm delivered strong performances in goal, with 17 and 16 saves respectively.

On the other side of the semifinal bracket, second-seeded Elmhurst secured a decisive 14-5 victory over third-seeded Carthage. Elmhurst's nine-goal run in the first half was decisive, with standout performances from Eli Spence and Fischer Son, each netting three goals during this period. Spence and Son went on to lead their team with four goals each, and Spence added four assists to his tally. Tony Vazquez and Noah Mickelson also played key roles, excelling in faceoffs and saves, respectively.

Though Carthage outpaced Elmhurst in shot attempts, the Bluejays’ efficient offensive execution and solid defense ensured their advancement to the final. Key contributors for Carthage included Andrew Johnson and Alec Gern, who combined for three goals and two assists.