HARROGATE, Tenn. -- The Railsplitters (7-3-2, 4-2-2 SAC) close out the home schedule against a familiar foe on Wednesday afternoon, welcoming the Tusculum Pioneers (6-6-1, 3-4-1 SAC) to the LMU Soccer Complex for a 3:30 p.m. South Atlantic Conference bout.
 
Since suffering through its first three match losing streak in more than 10 seasons from September 24 to October 1, Lincoln Memorial has regained some momentum by reeling off three victories and a draw over its last four appearances on the pitch. The Railsplitters head into Wednesday's tilt with Tusculum following a gritty 2-1 win over the Anderson Trojans, paced by goals from Yinka Lawal (Bromley, England) and Lucas Coro (Ribeirao Preto, Brazil). The Trojans fired four shots on goal in the final 25 minutes, but the LMU defense - fronted by senior keeper Marcel Barwanietz (Berlin, Germany) - denied Anderson the equalizer.
 
Wednesday's match stands as the 25th all-time meeting between Lincoln Memorial and Tusculum, as the two programs first met during the 1989 campaign. The Railsplitters hold a 12-10-2 edge, buoyed by an 8-2 record over the last 10 head-to-head encounters. LMU is aiming for its third straight win over the Pioneers to build on top of a 5-0 win in 2012 and a 2-1 triumph in 2013.
 
Tusculum is coming off of a tough 2-1 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne this past Sunday, which snapped a three-match winning streak. The Pioneers shut out Brevard, Catawba and Lees-McRae in succession, outscoring their opponents 11-0 over that stretch. Currently sitting in eighth in the South Atlantic Conference standings, the Pioneers cannot afford to lose any of their final three league bouts to ensure a spot in the SAC Championship field.
 
Offense has flowed freely for the Pioneers, who rank second in the SAC in total shots (222), shots per game (17.1) and shots on goal (93) while ranking third in the league with 22 total goals. Those can come in bunches, too, as Tusculum combined for 10 scores in the wins over Brevard and Catawba. Tusculum has scored multiple goals five times this season, but they have also been shut out on two occasions. The Pioneers are allowing 1.05 goals per game, the third-lowest mark among SAC opponents.
 
Senior Roberto Pimentel has accounted for nearly a third of the Pioneers' goals, striking for seven in 13 appearances. Pimentel also leads Tusculum with 44 shots and 23 shots on target. Sophomore Jonathan Spicher has posted four goals, 25 shots and 13 shots on goal, while freshman Andreas Kvam has contributed three goals and an assist in only seven appearances. Junior Tyler Linkous is the Pioneers' leading assist man with three to go alongside a pair of goals.
 
In net, the Pioneers have juggled between sophomore keepers Jorge Alvarez and Ashley Elsey. Elsey started seven of the first nine matches, but Alvarez has stepped into that role over the past four contests. Alvarez has allowed only two goals over his last four starts, posting three straight clean slates. All told, Alvarez carries a 0.98 goals against average with 18 total saves.
 
The Railsplitters are the only team in the South Atlantic Conference that has produced more shot attempts (234) or shots per game (19.5) than the Pioneers, but Lincoln Memorial carries an identical 1.7 goals for average with 20 total goals to its credit. Five different Railsplitters have accounted for multiple goals this season, led by Leonardo da Silva's (Itajuba, Brazil) six scores. Pedro Villa (New Braunfels, Texas) has chipped in with four goals, while Barwanietz, George Burne (Carlisle, England) and Yuri Passos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) have added two apiece.
 
The Railsplitters and Pioneers are slated to kick off the final regular-season contest at the LMU Soccer Complex at 3:30 p.m. The LMU Sports Network will be providing a live, free broadcast of the match with pre-game coverage beginning at 3:15.

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