BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Mac Harden and Ty Funderburk scored six goals apiece but it wasn't enough as the Elmhurst men's lacrosse team fell 25-18 to Illinois Wesleyan University in the CCIW Tournament final.
 
Elmhurst closed out its 2019 season with an 11-6 overall record while Illinois Wesleyan improved to 16-1 and secured the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Elmhurst matched the Titans goal-for-goal for the first quarter before Illinois Wesleyan seized control in the second. The Bluejays jumped out in front first as Funderburk scored just 49 seconds into the game to put Elmhurst up early. The Titans answered back with two goals in less than a minute to take a 2-1 lead. Back-to-back goals from Funderburk and Harden put the Bluejays back in front at 3-2, but the Titans scored three straight to move in front 5-3 with 6:30 remaining. Marcus Yandall and Funderburk scored less than a minute apart to pull Elmhurst even at 5-5 with four minutes remaining. After a Will Rossi goal for the Titans with three minutes remaining, Funderburk scored his fourth goal of the quarter with 1:17 remaining to tie the score at 6-6 after one quarter.
 
Harden scored less than a minute into the second quarter to put Elmhurst back up at 7-6, but the Titans took control after that. IWU used a 7-1 run over the next 10 minutes to open up a 13-8 cushion. The Titans held a 16-11 lead at the half.
 
The Titans scored the first two goals of the second half before Elmhurst use a 3-2 run to pull to within six. IWU scored three times in the final two minutes to pull away for a nine-goal lead after three quarters. The Bluejays outscored the Titans 4-2 in the fourth quarter to make the final score 25-18.
 
IWU outshot Elmhurst 70-47 and held a 42-31 lead in ground balls. The Titans also won 33-of-44 faceoffs.
 
Harden and Funderburk powered Elmhurst's attack with six goals apiece. Yandall added two goals and a team-leading three assists to finish with five points. Carter Meyer scored two goals and won seven faceoffs for the Bluejays. Andrew Frerich and Dan O'Connell totaled a goal and an assist apiece for Elmhurst. James Beck and Cullen Nordeman added assists for the Bluejays. Harry Meredith recorded 14 saves in the cage for the Bluejays.
 
The Bluejays could not contain the Titans' Rossi as he totaled 10 points on nine goals and one assist. Rick Smith and Ty Collins totaled three goals apiece for IWU. Benigno Houser earned the win in net with eight saves.
 
Elmhurst closed the book on the season with their fifth consecutive CCIW Tournament appearance and first-ever CCIW Tournament Final appearance. The Bluejays also won double-digit contests for the second straight season.