McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team secured their sixth consecutive victory this season, defeating Wabash College with a score of 11-6 on March 1. The match was played under challenging conditions, including cold weather and strong winds, along with a temporary power outage. This win marks the best start to a season in the program's history, with IWU now standing at 6-0 while Wabash's record falls to 3-2.

Three Titan fifth-year players led the team in scoring, each contributing three points. Gage Black and Ike Eastburn both scored three goals, while Bob Boone added two goals and an assist. Senior Nick Schroeder excelled by winning 11 out of 16 faceoffs and leading the team with six ground balls.

Junior Billy McHugh demonstrated defensive prowess by causing five turnovers and collecting five ground balls. Freshmen Carlo Adams and Owen Miller also contributed significantly with five ground balls each.

IWU dominated in several aspects of the game, holding advantages in shots (58-27), shots on goal (24-13), ground balls (47-34), clears (19-14), faceoffs (12-8), and caused turnovers (19-9). Wabash had more saves, totaling 13, while IWU's senior Colin Tervo made seven saves with a .538 save percentage, earning his fifth win of the season.

Gage Black initiated scoring for IWU just 40 seconds into the game. A turnover forced by Miller allowed Eastburn to score soon after, establishing an early lead for IWU. Although Wabash responded quickly with their first goal, IWU maintained control throughout the game.

In the second period, IWU extended their lead to 5-2 without allowing any goals from Wabash. The Titans continued to build their advantage through strategic plays and effective defense.

Despite some late efforts from Wabash to close the gap, including back-to-back goals that brought them within striking distance at one point, IWU maintained their composure. A man-down situation did not deter sophomore Jake Kahoun from scoring another goal for IWU.

Looking ahead, Illinois Wesleyan will travel to Colorado Springs for a two-game series during spring break. They are scheduled to play against Colorado College on March 12 and Ursinus College on March 14.