Men’s Lacrosse Readies for Battle at No. 8 Dickinson
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University men’s lacrosse team kicks off its spring break trip with a battle at eighth-ranked Dickinson College this Saturday, March 11. Game time is slated for 12 p.m. ET and will mark IWU’s first game this season against nationally ranked competition.
IWU (3-2) heads into the game riding a three-game win streak, most recently upending Whittier College, 16-15, in overtime at Tucci, March 4. On the flip side, the Red Devils boast a 4-0 mark. Dickinson most recently toppled 13th-ranked Cabrini, 16-11, on the road, March 4.
Illinois Wesleyan has one of the most balanced attacks in the country this season, as the Titans are eighth nationally in assists, 10th in points, and 12th in scoring offense. Senior Carson Kiichle (Vancouver, Wash.-Skyview) paces the offense with six points per game, 22nd-most in Division III, with his team-leading 17 assists along with 13 goals. Junior Ike Eastburn (Colorado Springs, Colo.-Cheyenne Mountain) is the team leader with 15 goals, while senior Connor Kiichle (Vancouver, Wash.-Vancouver) has added 10 goals and nine assists on the year.
Defensively, the Titans are forcing 14.6 turnovers per game (eighth nationally) and ranked fourth in the country with 260 ground balls. IWU’s 52.0 ground balls per game are second-best nationally. Sophomore Colin Tervo (West Linn, Ore.-West Linn) has made 49 saves in goal on a .505 save percentage. He holds a 3-1 record since stepping into the starting role after IWU’s opener.
Illinois Wesleyan has seen a boost at the X behind the play of sophomore Nick Schroeder (Waunakee, Wis.-Waunakee). Since returning to the field after missing the Green and White’s first two games of the season, Schroeder has gone 65-for-81 in faceoffs, good for a .802 clip. He has scooped up a team-best 35 ground balls and has also scored a goal.
Schroeder was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week, March 5, alongside the league’s Offensive Player of the Week in Carson Kiichle. The duo went on to earn spots on the United State Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association’s Team of the Week.
Saturday’s game is slated to get underway at 12 p.m. ET at Dickinson’s Biddle Field Complex in Carlisle, Pa. Links to follow the game, including a live stream and live stats, can be found on the men’s lacrosse schedule page of iwusports.com.