McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team is preparing to host the North Central College Cardinals on April 30 at Tucci Stadium in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Semifinal. The Titans secured the No. 1 seed by achieving a perfect conference record after a 26-7 victory over Carroll University, granting them the CCIW Regular Season title.

Illinois Wesleyan holds a 12-2 overall record and remains undefeated in conference play. They are on a six-game winning streak, with 17 Titans contributing to the scoring against Carroll. Standout performers included sophomore Timothy McHugh, who tallied six points, and fifth-year Ike Eastburn, who scored five goals.

McHugh leads the team with 66 points this season, including 22 goals and 44 assists, ranking him highly in the conference and nationally in assists. Eastburn stands out with a .540 shot percentage and an average of 3.26 goals per game. On the defensive side, senior Nick Schroeder leads with 94 ground balls, while senior Sam Skelton has caused 26 turnovers this season. Their goalkeeper, Tervo, has an 11-2 record with 156 saves.

The Titans' defense excels, leading the conference in ground balls and caused turnovers, while their offense is the highest-scoring in the CCIW. North Central, the No. 4 seed, comes into the semifinal with a 7-5 overall record and 1-3 in the CCIW. The Cardinals have faced Illinois Wesleyan once earlier this season, where they lost 19-10.

The semifinal game begins at 7:30 p.m. on April 30 at Tucci Stadium. Admission costs are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors, students, and children ages 6-14. Children 5 and under, as well as current CCIW students with valid ID, can attend for free. Live stats and a live stream will be available.

In another semifinal, No. 2 Elmhurst University will face No. 3 Carthage College. The winners of these matches will compete for the CCIW Championship on May 3.