Men’s Lacrosse Makes Program History With CCIW Win

At the beginning of the season, the Elmhurst University men’s lacrosse team spoke about growth, chemistry, and finishing what they started. The Bluejays opened the year with confidence to get over the hump, but their goals were never just about starting strong.

On April 25, that early season belief turned into program history.

EU defeated the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans 16-12 at Langhorst Field to clinch the CCIW regular season championship, their first in program history. 

For the players, the moment after the final whistle was more than just a celebration. It was a chance to recognize how far the program has come.

Senior Harry Moriarty, a faceoff midfielder for EU, described the win as “juiced.” He went on to say that it was special “seeing a bunch of the alumni there that were able to cherish the moment with us as well.”

The connection between former players made the title feel bigger than one game for EU. The win represented a step forward for the current team but also a moment shared with the people who helped build the program before them.

However, the team did not win the title easily. The Bluejays built a strong 7-4 lead after a hat trick by senior attackman Eli Spence. In the first quarter, Spence would finish with seven goals in total.

But after the three-point lead and constant back-and-forth goals by each team, the Titans would slowly creep closer. They scored two goals in the second half, cutting EU’s lead 11-9.

The Titans then had another late push in the fourth quarter, making the score 12-11, cutting the Bluejays’ lead to only one. Instead of losing control, EU responded with four goals in the final 11 minutes to close out a win. Not only was the offense clicking, helping put up points, but the Bluejays defense held their own, as senior goalkeeper Andrew Lacksonen had 12 saves in the game, keeping the Titans at bay.

When the game got tight, the Bluejays relied on the trust they had built throughout the season.

When asked what was going on in Moriarty’s mind as IWU made its run, he responded, “To be honest not much, because the rest of the team and I instilled much faith into one another.” He continued, “When teams start to make plays, it doesn’t bother us and we keep focusing forward.”

That response reflected the maturity EU developed throughout the year; the Bluejays finished conference play 5-0 and improved to a 14-3 overall record with the win. They also outshot IWU 50-41, won the ground ball battle 36-25, and dominated in faceoffs 22-7.

This victory was also a turning point for the program’s identity.

“It’s huge,” Moriarty said. “It means a lot to make history to put Elmhurst men’s lacrosse on the map for the future of the CCIW and the NCAA as a whole.”

That historic meeting connects back to what the team talked about earlier in the season. At the start of the year, EU wanted to build off its early success and show that it could stay consistent throughout a full schedule. Since then, the Bluejays have gone through both high points and difficult losses, which helped shape the team into a more complete group.

The biggest change, according to Moriarty, has been becoming “battle-tested.”

“Throughout the season we’ve had some historic wins, and some losses where we weren’t playing to our standard like we should have,” Moriarty said. “But, having been on both sides of that coin, we were able to learn from our mistakes and make adjustments that led to the improvement of the team  that we are now.”

That answer may define the EU’s season best. The Bluejays did not become conference champions only because of one strong game. They grew through the entire season, learning how to handle pressure, respond to mistakes, and trust each other when games became close.

Still, even after winning the regular season title, the team is not treating the moment like the final goal.

When asked how the win showed that EU had finished what it started, Moriarty pushed back on the idea.

“If I’m being honest, this one hasn’t shown that, or anything at all,” he said. “We still have plenty of season left, and because of that, all we can do now is focus on our game this coming Wednesday.”

That mindset gives a story of a different ending. Winning the CCIW regular season title is already a historic accomplishment for EU men’s lacrosse, but inside the program, the Bluejays still see more ahead.

The team began the season talking about finishing what it started. After winning its first regular season conference title, EU has already made history. But for the Bluejays, the finish line has not arrived yet.

EU defeated IWU on May 2 to win the CCIW Men’s Lacrosse Tournament.