HARROGATE, Tenn. -- An opportunity to make a major statement will present itself on Sunday afternoon when the Lady Railsplitters (3-2-3, 1-1-2 SAC) host the 12th-ranked Wingate Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0 SAC) in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action at Union College's Williamson Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Barbourville, Ky.
 
A high volume of rain and the subsequent mucky field conditions forced Lincoln Memorial to move its match, which was originally scheduled to be played on Saturday at the LMU Soccer Complex, to Union's turf surface about 35 miles north of campus. Admission is still completely free of charge for fans.
 
The Lady Railsplitters got back in the win column for the first time since September 16 on Wednesday when they absolutely pummeled Hiwassee in a record-breaking performance. Lincoln Memorial racked up 18 goals and outshot the Tigers 83-0 to reset the program's single-match record for both goals and shot attempts, which was previously set by the 2000 team in a 17-0 win over Campbellsville. Six different players tallied multiple goals for the Lady Railsplitters, led by Hanna Ratliff's (Corbin, Ky.) 4-goal, 2-assist outbursts.
 
Now the Lady Railsplitters must turn the page and try to find a way to create some offense in an all-important South Atlantic Conference match, which has been a struggle so far. LMU has produced just five goals, 16.3 shots per and a .077 shot percentage in four SAC matches this season. Those numbers don't quite tell the whole story, either, as three of the Lady Railsplitters' five league goals were scored against Tusculum.
 
No one offensive player has stood out for the Lady Railsplitters in SAC play. Kadie Soall (Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada) has scored two of those five goals, while the other three have come from Claire Leasure (Franklin, Tenn.), Olivia Thompson (Melbourne, Fla.) and Josefin Hedstrom (Burtrask, Sweden). Michelle Hunter (Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada) has produced 13 shots in SAC play, which ranks seventh in the conference, but she doesn't have a goal to show for it.
 
Sunday marks Lincoln Memorial's first match in Barbourville since they lost to Union 5-2 during the 2000 season.
 
The Lady Railsplitters have not beaten a ranked opponent since the semifinals of the 2013 SAC Championship, when they handed then No.16 Lenoir-Rhyne a 2-0 loss.
 
The Lady Railsplitters' showdown with Wingate can be followed via live stats at www.LMURailsplitters.com. There will also be updates on the official LMU Athletics Twitter page (@LMURailsplitter), where fans can join the conversation using the hashtag #LMUWSOC.
 
Know the Opponent
 
Wingate - 1 p.m. (at Union College) Live Stats
 
The Bulldogs enter Sunday's match atop the South Atlantic Conference standings, ranked 12th in the NSCAA Division II national poll and as one of just seven teams left in the country without a loss or tie.
 
Winners of back-to-back SAC Championships, Wingate narrowly avoided a stunning upset and remained undefeated last Saturday by beating the Newberry Wolves, who brought a 1-4-2 record into that match, in a 2-1 double overtime thriller. The Bulldogs and Wolves were unable to settle things in regulation after trading goals in the 70th and 83rd minutes. The two teams went scoreless through the first 10-minute period, but Caileigh Apicella scored in the 106th minute to give the Bulldogs the sudden victory.
 
Wingate has mixed a dominant defense that ranks 35th in the country and first in the SAC in goals against average with a stingy 0.68 mark with a balanced offense that is putting up 2.29 goals per match. The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 16-5, outshot the opposition 117-49, and allowed more than one goal just one time this season. That was way back on September 5 in a season-opening, 3-2 win at Lander.
 
With three-time SAC Athlete of the Year and All-American selection Jade Montgomery no longer in the picture, the Bulldogs' 16 goals have been spread out amongst 11 different players. Gabby Caliendo, Sophie Jendrzejczyk, Taylor Leyble and Kimmi Moore are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece. Leyble has a team-high 18 shots and 10 shots on goal. Brooke Howell is one of seven Bulldogs with a single goal, as she has 14 shots and seven shots on goal, but she will be forced to sit out Sunday's match after drawing a red card against Newberry. 
 
Wingate's sophomore goalkeeper Alexis Jones has been one of the sturdiest netminders in the nation, leading the SAC and ranking 19th in Division II with a 0.484 goals against average. She has posted two shutouts, amassed 19 saves and accounted for a SAC-best .864 save percentage in six appearances.
 
The Lady Railsplitters will be looking for their first win over the Bulldogs in eight years, as Wingate has won the last nine meetings between the two programs to build a commanding 10-3 advantage in the all-time series. Only three of the nine matches over that span have been decided by a single goal. Lincoln Memorial last defeated the Bulldogs on October 31, 2007, notching a 4-1 win in the quarterfinals of the SAC tournament.