Ben Kerkow looks to score against Elmhurst
Steve Woltmann Photography
4
North Central (Ill.) NCC 3-13
17
Winner Elmhurst ELMHURST 14-3
North Central (Ill.) NCC
3-13
4
Final
17
Elmhurst ELMHURST
14-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
North Central (Ill.) NCC 3 0 0 1 4
Elmhurst ELMHURST 2 8 6 1 17

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Men’s Lacrosse Concludes Season in CCIW Semifinal

Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302

ELMHURST, Ill. (April 29, 2026) - The North Central College men's lacrosse team concluded its season in a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Tournament semifinal game, as the fourth-seeded Cardinals fell 17-4 to the No. 1 seed, Elmhurst University Bluejays on Wednesday night at Langhorst Field.

Freshman Chase Odom led the Cardinals in scoring on the evening with two goals while fellow freshmen Chris Veal and Jack Blaylock each scored one. Jake Scumaci, Gavin Braley, and Wyatt Hunt were each credited an assist. A trio of Cardinals were credited with one caused turnover apiece including Hunt, Alex Porter, and Dominic Rohrer. Braley and Will Sanchez shared the team-lead three ground balls. Matthew Cranston got the start in goal and totaled 13 saves on the night while Beck Hagen also made an appearance and recorded one stop. 

Elmhurst scored first but a crucial stop in front of the Cardinal bench fired up the Red and White just before Odom delivered the equalizer off the assist from Hunt at the 12:42 mark. The Bluejays got it back though just a minute later. Braley won the next faceoff and found Veal open on the opposite side for a long-range goal to make it 2-2. Veal now ties for the Cardinals' fastest goal after the previous score at just four seconds.

North Central took their first lead of the contest with 5:36 left in the first as Scumaci dished off to Blaylock for the 3-2 advantage. Cranston played a crucial role in holding off the Bluejays in the first period, making seven stops in the opening 15 minutes. 

Nearly a full 15 minutes after its last score, Elmhurst tied it up at 3-3 at the 12:28 mark in the second and immediately added another to regain the lead. The Bluejays extended their lead to 10-3 before the end of the first half. 

North Central's defense held off the Bluejays through nearly the first five minutes of the second half but Elmhurst managed to string together six more goals to lead 16-3 heading into the fourth and final period.

The Cardinals broke the Bluejays scoring run early in the fourth on an unassisted goal from Odom who battled through his defender before burying the shot but North Central still trailed 16-4. Elmhurst sealed the win with its 17th goal in the final three minutes of play to advance to Saturday's CCIW Championship. 

North Central concluded its season in the CCIW Tournament, marking its sixth-straight appearance in the postseason, and finished with a 3-13 overall record and went 2-3 in conference play.
 
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