ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst University men's lacrosse team stormed into the CCIW Tournament Championship game after a dominant 14–5 victory over Carthage in Wednesday night's semifinal at Langhorst Field.
The Bluejays used a commanding first-half performance to build an insurmountable lead, stifled a third-period Carthage rally, and closed the door in the fourth. With the win, Elmhurst (13-2, 3-1 CCIW) advances to face top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan this Saturday, May 3, at 12:00 p.m. in Bloomington with a conference title and NCAA berth on the line.
Eli Spence led all scorers with an explosive eight-point night, recording four goals and four assists. Fischer Son also netted four goals and added an assist for five points, while Brenden Crouse scored twice, and six total Bluejays tallied at least one goal. Pete Grebe (1G, 1A) and Hunter Hernandez (1G, 1A) also contributed multi-point performances, while Kaden Ames and Cullen McManaman each scored once. On the defensive end, the Bluejays collected 21 ground balls and forced 12 turnovers. Goalie play was steady, as Elmhurst matched Carthage with 12 saves.
Carthage drew first blood just under four minutes in on an unassisted goal from Alec Gern, but that would be the visitors' only lead of the night. Elmhurst answered with a four-goal barrage over the final nine minutes of the quarter. Eli Spence tied it up with an unassisted strike at 9:22, then Fischer Son scored twice in a 102-second span—first off a feed from Pete Grebe, then on a helper from Kyle Taylor. Spence capped the first-quarter outburst with a man-up goal set up by Hernandez, giving the Bluejays a 4–1 lead at the end of one.
The second quarter belonged entirely to the Bluejays, who extended their lead with five more goals, including three on extra-man opportunities. Spence notched his third of the night just 45 seconds into the period. Grebe and Son capitalized on a two-man advantage midway through the frame, pushing the lead to 7–1. Kaden Ames joined the scoring party at 9:23, also on the man-up, before Hernandez made it 9–1 with an unassisted effort. Carthage managed a late goal with nine seconds left, but the Bluejays carried a comfortable 9–2 lead into halftime.
Carthage attempted to claw back into the contest in the third, scoring three times to momentarily cut the deficit to 10–5. Ben Krok and Alec Gern each scored unassisted goals, while Andrew Johnson added one of his own and assisted on Gern's strike. But Elmhurst responded with poise. Brenden Crouse scored two clutch goals in the final five minutes of the period, including one with just three seconds on the clock, with assists from Spence and his own effort earlier in the frame. McManaman also found the net on an unassisted goal to keep the momentum with Elmhurst entering the fourth, up 12–5.
The Bluejays controlled the fourth quarter from start to finish, maintaining possession and burying two more goals to seal the win. Spence struck again with his fourth of the game at 12:58, and Son completed his four-goal performance with a finish off a Spence assist at 4:22. Elmhurst's defense was particularly stout down the stretch, holding Carthage scoreless for the final 20 minutes of play. The Bluejays forced four turnovers and went a perfect 7-for-7 on clears in the final frame to shut the door emphatically.
With the victory, Elmhurst earns a spot in the CCIW Tournament Championship and a rematch against top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan. The Bluejays and Titans will square off Saturday, May 3, at 12:00 p.m. in Bloomington for the conference crown.
