BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — In the semifinals of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament, the Carthage College men's lacrosse team were defeated by Illinois Wesleyan 15-9 on Thursday night.
- Final score: Illinois Wesleyan 15 - Carthage 9
- Location: Bloomington, Illinois - Tucci Stadium
- Records: Illinois Wesleyan 12-4, Carthage 11-6
- Carthage got on the board first as reigning CCIW Offensive Player of the Week award winner Colin Poitras scored at the 13:22 mark of the first.
- Illinois Wesleyan rattled off three-straight goals, going ahead 3-1.
- Alec Gern scored his first goal; however, the Titans netted two closing out the quarter ahead 5-2.
- Goals from Andrew Frey and Andrew Johnson made it a two-point score.
- Two goals for the home team moved it to 8-4 four until another goal from Johnson saw the Firebirds trail only by three heading into the intermission break.
- Poitras got the ball rolling in the third with his second goal of the game.
- Illinois Wesleyan responded, scoring six unanswered goals.
- In the fourth, goals from Frey and George Burchfield cut it to 14-8.
- Though Johnson netted another goal at 6:55 of the fourth, Illinois Wesleyan won 15-9.
"I want first to thank our coaches who are leaving. They volunteered so much time and dedication to this program. Coach Torrence and JC have made a significant impact in their time here. Besides being great coaches and mentors for the players, they are both quality people, and I feel blessed to have had time with them.
I want to thank all the players too. They did everything we asked this season. It's just a great group of young men, and I wish we could have brought home a championship this season because they gave us that level of effort.
We set high expectations this year to get back on top in the CCIW, and I felt like we had the team to have achieved that goal. We came up short, and it's time to start working toward next season. There is only ever one direction, and that's forward."
