The Illinois Wesleyan University men’s lacrosse team will travel to face Carthage College in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament semifinal on April 29. The match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Art Keller Field, following Illinois Wesleyan’s recent loss to Elmhurst University.
This matchup holds significance as both teams vie for a spot in the conference final, with Illinois Wesleyan entering as the No. 3 seed and Carthage as the No. 2 seed. The Titans finished their regular season with a record of 10-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
Several players contributed notable performances during the last game against Elmhurst, including senior Noah Dretzka who recorded four goals and two assists, and junior Timothy McHugh who led with three assists. Senior Michael Rocco tied for most ground balls alongside sophomore Jaymeson Zackery, while Rylee Blair led in caused turnovers.
Five Titans received All-CCIW honors ahead of the tournament: Dretzka, Timothy McHugh, Billy McHugh, and Karsten Nordlie were named First Team All-CCIW honorees; Rocco was named to the second team. Timothy McHugh leads the team this season with 33 goals, 33 assists, and a total of 66 points.
Rocco has secured a team-high number of ground balls at 61 and also leads in faceoffs won with a .570 win percentage. Defensively, Billy McHugh tops caused turnovers at 36 for Illinois Wesleyan—a statistic that helps place them fourth nationally in Division III for caused turnovers per game according to their official website. Zackery has made a team-high total of saves this season as goalkeeper.
Illinois Wesleyan plays its home games at Tucci Stadium according to its official website, competes at the NCAA Division III level according to its official website, is based in Bloomington, Illinois according to its official website, and holds membership within the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin according to its official website.
Carthage previously defeated Illinois Wesleyan earlier this month by a score of 12-9. The upcoming game marks their eighteenth meeting overall.
