HARROGATE, Tenn. -- After making its official debut last weekend, the Lincoln Memorial University men's lacrosse squad christens the LMU Lacrosse Complex on Saturday afternoon as the Lees-McRae Bobcats (0-0) roll into Harrogate for a 1 p.m. nonconference tilt. The Railsplitters will be seeking the coveted first win in program history.
 
The Railsplitters (0-1) opened some eyes in last weekend's trip to Franklin Springs, Ga. for the program's inaugural match, taking a well-established Emmanuel team down to the wire. Lincoln Memorial trailed 4-2 at the half, but scored three straight goals at the start of the third period to briefly assume a 5-4 lead. The Lions answered by scoring six of the last eight goals in regulation, though, to claim a 10-7 victory. Dylan Neisler (Detroit, Mich.) and Justin Stewart (Copiague, N.Y.) scored two goals apiece to lead the Railsplitters.
 
The focus against Lees-McRae will shift to capitalizing on scoring opportunities. The Railsplitters put unrelenting pressure on the net all afternoon, hoisting 36 shots on goal in that matchup against Emmanuel, but Lion goalie Blake Duncan stonewalled 29 of those attempts. The possession battle was swayed heavily in the Railsplitters' favor, too. LMU collected 26 ground balls in 46 chances and went 17-for-23 on face-offs.
 
Josh Hernandez (Middletown, N.Y.) was the key to the Railsplitters' possession supremacy. Hernandez was responsible for all 17 face-off wins and led all players in the match by scooping up 11 ground balls. He also registered four shots on goal.
 
Finding a stable option at goalie will also be a significant factor in determining Saturday's result. Both Joe Medel (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Jeffrey Handman (Tampa, Fla.) split time in net for the Railsplitters last weekend, and neither player had much success. Medel allowed four goals on 19 shot attempts in a shade under 33 minutes, while Handman surrendered six scores on 16 shots in 27 minutes.
 
If the Railsplitters win on Saturday, it would be a landmark moment in the program's infant stage. But Lees-McRae arrives in Harrogate for its season opener, and the Bobcats are vying for the program's first win since knocking off Florida Tech in overtime on February 17, 2012. Lees-McRae has lost 37 consecutive matches since last tasting victory. That win over Florida Tech was actually the program's only one in the last four seasons combined. The Bobcats are 1-49 since the start of the 2011 campaign.
 
The Bobcats went 0-14 in 2014 and were outscored by their opponents 272-48 over the course of the season. Lees-McRae accounted for 3.43 goals per game, while opponents averaged nearly 20 goals per contest.
 
The Bobcats do return three of their four top scoring options from a season ago in Schuylor Dickerson, Louis Parks and Dalton Lamb. Dickerson led Lees-McRae with 14 goals and 16 points. Parks - who picked up 25 ground balls - produced eight goals while recording a team-high five assists and 48 shot attempts. Lamb scored seven goals and handed out four assists while leading the Bobcats with 32 ground balls.
 
Admission is completely free of charge to Saturday's men's lacrosse home debut as fans are encouraged to show up in mass in support of the Railsplitters. The LMU Lacrosse Complex is located in the southeast corner of campus and on the far side of Harrogate City Park.
 
The first face-off between Lincoln Memorial and Lees-McRae is set for 1 p.m. in Harrogate. Live stats will be accessible through www.LMURailsplitters.com, while fans can also stay updated on the contest through the official LMU athletics Twitter page (@LMURailsplitter).

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