BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Mac Harden scored a season-high eight goals, but it wasn't enough as the Elmhurst men's lacrosse team dropped a 29-20 offensive shootout at Illinois Wesleyan University.
 
Elmhurst had its five-game winning streak snapped in the loss, dropping to 7-5 overall and 2-1 in the CCIW. Illinois Wesleyan improved to 11-1 overall and 3-0 in league play.
 
Illinois Wesleyan raced out to an 8-1 lead in the opening quarter. The Titans struck 90 seconds into the game before Harden scored 29 seconds later to pull Elmhurst even at 1-1. The Titans ripped off the next seven goals over a six-minute span before Cullen Nordeman scored back-to-back goals to bring Elmhurst to within five at 8-3. IWU Scored in the final minute of the first quarter to open up a 9-3 lead after one quarter.
 
Marcus Yandall scored early in the second before the Titans ripped off the next five goals, expanding their lead to 14-4. Elmhurst used a 4-1 run over the next eight minutes to close to within seven at 15-8 but the Titans scored the final two goals of the half to take a 17-8 lead at the break.
 
The Titans opened the second half with an 8-1 run to lengthen their lead to 16 (25-9). Elmhurst closed the game on a 11-4 run to make the final score 29-20.
 
IWU outshot Elmhurst 72-47 and held a 50-34 edge in ground balls and also won 38-of-52 faceoffs.
 
Harden led Elmhurst with nine points, totaling eight goals and one assist. Ty Funderburk and Nordeman totaled four points apiece. Funderburk totaled two goals and two assists while Nordeman scored three times and added an assist. Andrew Frerich and Dan O'Connell scored two goals each while Andrew Lentz and Yandall also scored for the Bluejays.
 
Jake Delgado took the loss for Elmhurst, surrendering eight goals in 13 minutes.
 
Rick Smith led the Titans with 12 points, scoring seven goals and totaling five assists. Will Ross added four goals and three assists while Charles Hildestad scored three. Benigno Houser stopped nine shots to earn the win in goal for the Titans.
 
Elmhurst hosts North Central College on Wednesday, April 17.