McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team emerged victorious in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Championship, securing a place in the NCAA Division III Tournament with a 16-13 win over Elmhurst University. The match on May 3 at Tucci Stadium marked the seventh league tournament title for Illinois Wesleyan and the third consecutive win for the team, raising their season record to 14-2. Elmhurst, meanwhile, concluded with a record of 13-3.

Senior Colin Tervo (West Linn, Ore.-West Linn) was a key player in the game, accomplishing a program record of 23 saves. "Tervo made a program record 23 saves in the game, the most since Will Harris tied the then record of 22 against Southwestern March 29, 2021." With the victory, Tervo's personal record now stands at 13-2, and his annual tally of 196 saves sets a new high in the program's history.

Supportive teamwork on defense was a notable component of the game strategy, with junior Karsten Nordlie (Roscoe, Ill.-Hononegah Community) forcing three turnovers, and junior Kade Miers (Cincinnati, Ohio-Xavier) and senior Bobby Conroy (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University High) each causing two turnovers.

Offensively, efforts were led by junior Noah Dretzka (Delafield, Wis.-Kettle Moraine) and sophomore Jake Kahoun (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington), both contributing four points in the match. Kahoun scored three goals and provided an assist, while Dretzka added two goals and two assists.

Senior Nick Schroeder (Waunakee, Wis.-Waunakee) faced tough competition on faceoffs but managed to win 14 of 26 and collect nine ground balls. In a strategic play, sophomore Timothy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) assisted senior Sam Skelton (Portland, Ore.-Franklin) in a critical moment, helping the Titans gain an early 2-0 lead.

The game experienced shifts with Elmhurst tying at 4-4 and then leading 7-4, but Illinois Wesleyan regained its footing through coordinated efforts, including a game-tying play by McHugh and a standout save by Tervo, which led to a transition goal by McHugh.

Entering the latter half, the Titans took control and sustained the lead by converting defensive plays into offensive successes. "The save kept the momentum in favor of the home team, as IWU scored on the offensive possession."

As the game neared its end, Schroeder won a critical faceoff that allowed Dretzka to score, reinforcing the lead 15-12. Despite Elmhurst's attempts to close the gap, another significant play by Nordlie helped maintain control, and Tervo's final save sealed the tournament victory.

Illinois Wesleyan will donate the automatic qualification to the NCAA Tournament, with the selection details to be disclosed in the NCAA Selection Show. The show airs at 9 p.m. ET, with additional information available on the Illinois Wesleyan men's lacrosse schedule on iwusports.com.