ELMHURST, Ill. – Ty Funderburk totaled 10 points and Mac Harden added seven points to lead the Elmhurst College men's lacrosse team to a convincing 21-10 win over Carthage College in the semifinals of the CCIW Tournament.
 
The victory bell at Langhorst Field rang loud and clear after the game as the Bluejays celebrated their first-ever trip to the CCIW Tournament Finals with the win. Elmhurst improved to 11-5 with the win while Carthage finished its season at 13-5.
 
Elmhurst raced out to an early lead, scoring the game's first five goals in the opening 12 minutes of action. Andrew Frerich and Funderburk scored two goals apiece and Dan O'Connell added a goal to stake Elmhurst to the early five-goal lead. Carthage broke the Elmhurst run with 90 seconds remaining after Noah Lindner scored. Funderburk connected on his third goal of the quarter with one minute remaining to give Elmhurst a 6-1 lead after the quarter.
 
The Bluejays added to their lead at the start of the second quarter as Frerich, Marcus Yandall and Funderburk all ripped home goals to give Elmhurst a 9-1 lead. Elmhurst led 10-2 with six minutes remaining when Carthage mounted a rally. The Red Men scored three straight to cut Elmhurst's lead to 10-5. Nate Yuhas scored for the Bluejays with just over two minutes remaining but Lindner scored with 14 seconds left on the clock to cut Elmhurst's lead to 11-6 at the half.
 
The two squads traded goals for the first 10 minutes of the third quarter before Elmhurst scored three straight to close the quarter. O'Connell scored with just under three minutes to put Elmhurst up 15-8. Elmhurst scored twice in the last 10 seconds to help pull away. Funderburk intercepted a Carthage pass and found a streaking Harden down the middle. Harden added one to the highlight reel with a behind-the-back, over-the-shoulder goal in front of the net. Carter Meyer promptly won the ensuing faceoff and fed Funderburk. Funderburk ripped home a goal as the horn sounded to put Elmhurst in front 16-8 after three quarters.

The Bluejays continued to pull away in the fourth quarter as Cullen Nordeman and Harden scored to extend Elmhurst's lead to 10 at 18-8. Carthage scored with 7:58 left, but the Bluejays ripped off three straight goals to take a 21-9 lead before coasting to the 11-goal victory.
 
Elmhurst outshot Carthage 56-30 in the contest and held a 41-26 edge in ground balls.
 
Funderburk powered Elmhurst's attack with 10 points, scoring six times and adding four assists. Harden added seven points, tallying four goals and three assists. Nordemann finished with six points, scoring three goals and adding three assists, while Frerich also finished with three goals. O'Connell added two goals for Elmhurst while Carter Meyer added a goal and an assist to go with 15 ground balls and 19 faceoff wins. Yandall totaled four points on a goal and three assists. Harry Merdeith picked up his fourth win of the season in the cage, stopping 10 shots, totaling six ground balls and causing three turnovers.
 
Carthage was led by Lindner's four goals. Andy Szun and Brody Ilstrup totaled two goals apiece for the Red Men. Sam Kotsonas took the loss in goal, recording 14 saves while allowing 14 goals.

Elmhurst will play at Illinois Wesleyan University in the CCIW Tournament Final on Saturday, May 4. The winner of the game will earn the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start time.