KENOSHA, WIS.—The Carthage College men's lacrosse team hosted Illinois Wesleyan University in the CCIW Men's Lacrosse Tournament Championship Game at Art Keller Field on Saturday afternoon. The Red Men were in pursuit of their second-consecutive CCIW Tournament Title against a Titan team they defeated 13-11 at Art Keller Field on April 8. The Red Men couldn't get déjà vu to kick in from last season's CCIW Tournament Championship Game as they fell to Illinois Wesleyan 12-8.
The Red Men will learn their 2017 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament fate during the selection show that can be viewed
here tomorrow, Sunday, May 7 at 9:00 p.m. (ET). Carthage is hopeful for an at-large, pool B slot into the tournament.
Andrew Krom paced the Carthage offense with a hat trick in the contest. Carthage goalkeeper
Ryan Smith notched a goal at the 5:49 mark of the second quarter to narrow Illinois Wesleyan's lead to 4-3. The last time a Red Men goalkeeper scored a goal was on April 10, 2013, accomplished by current graduate assistant coach James Fleming. Smith finished the contest with a season-high 18 saves.
The Red Men exit Saturday with a 16-4, 6-0 CCIW record while Illinois Wesleyan escapes Art Keller Field with a 15-3, 4-1 CCIW mark.
Illinois Wesleyan 12, Red Men 8
The Red Men out shot Illinois Wesleyan 14-8 in the first quarter, but only mustered one lead out of it. That occurred at the 12:39 mark of the first quarter when Krom gave Carthage a 1-0 advantage. Carthage and Illinois Wesleyan escaped the opening frame with a 2-2 tie.
Illinois Wesleyan pushed their lead to 4-2 with 12:13 left in the second quarter, thanks to two man-down goals. Red Men goalkeeper
Ryan Smith narrowed the score to 4-3 at the 5:49 mark of the second when he recovered a ball of an ensuing Titan turnover. He took a few steps in front of the goal where he sailed a high shot that found its way to the back of the net.
The Red Men didn't build another lead until there was 00:06 left in the third quarter when
Ethan Flight made the score 7-6.
That wouldn't last as Illinois Wesleyan cruised to a 6-1 fourth quarter en route to a 12-8 victory.