GATLINBURG, Tenn. -- TJ Miller scored with 1:53 remaining in regulation to break a late tie and push the Alma Scots (1-0) past the Lincoln Memorial University men's lacrosse team (1-2) 5-4 at the Rocky Top Sports World in Gatlinburg, Tenn. on Monday. The Railsplitters and Scots were originally scheduled to meet in Harrogate, but snow and ice created impossible playing conditions at the LMU Lacrosse Complex.  
 
Monday's match was about as close as one would expect between two teams that needed almost every bit of the allotted 60-minute time frame to decide a victor. The Railsplitters picked up 32 of the 60 available ground balls, while the Scots narrowly mustered a 29-22 advantage on shot attempts. The two teams were tied with 16 shots apiece after three periods, but Alma outshot Lincoln Memorial 13-6 in what proved to be a decisive fourth frame.
 
The Railsplitters and Scots traded a single goal apiece in each of the first three periods.
 
Dylan Neisler (Detroit, Mich.) opened the scoring and provided the Railsplitters with a 1-0 advantage at the 3:38 mark of the first period, using a pass from Justin Stewart (Copiague, N.Y.) to tally his fourth goal of the season. Alma answered with just 41 ticks left in the period thanks to a goal by Mitch Adams.
 
The Railsplitters regained the lead just 24 seconds into the second period on a score by Tylor Justin (Buffalo, N.Y.), assisted on by Stewart. The Scots responded at the 9:52 mark with a goal by Tyler Bennett. There were only five combined shots for the remainder of the half, with Lincoln Memorial recording four of those five shot attempts.
 
The home team took the lead for the third time in the match with 8:19 left in the third period as Adam Golia (Victoria, British Columbia) found Ronny Paulino (Copiague, N.Y.) for his fourth goal of the season. An unnecessary roughness penalty opened up a man-up opportunity for the Scots, who took advantage by squaring it up at 3-3 with a goal by Kyle Schnitzer with 4:45 left in the frame.
 
With it all tied up at 3-3 more than six minutes into the fourth stanza, Alma took its first lead of the contest on another goal by Schnitzer at the 8:48 mark. The Railsplitters brought it back even just two minutes later as Steward found Justin for his sixth goal of the season and second of the match.
 
The matched was locked in a 4-4 stalemate for nearly five minutes until Austen Irrer hit Miller for the game-winning goal at the 1:53 mark.
 
The Railsplitters would not register another shot attempt after Alma took the lead, going the final six and a half minutes without an offensive attempt.
 
Justin finished the match with two goals and a team-leading three shots on goal, while Stewart led all players with three assists.
 
Josh Hernandez (Middletown, N.Y.) matched a game-high mark with six ground balls, but struggled on face-offs, winning just four of his 11 opportunities. Colin Jackson (Winnipeg, Manitoba) led all players with four caused turnovers while picking up four ground balls.
 
Alma had 29 turnovers in the match to LMU's 27 miscues. The Railsplitters were nearly perfect in going 19-for-21 on clearances. The Scots were just 8-for-14 in that department.
 
LMU goalkeeper Joe Medel (Virginia Beach, Va.) faced 10 shots and finished the match with five saves in 60 minutes of action. His counterpart, Al Lesperance, collected four saves over that same span.
 
It was a physical contest from start to finish with 12 infractions whistled and nearly 12 total penalty minutes served. The Railsplitters were responsible for 10 of those infractions, with six coming in the chippy final period.
 
The Railsplitters had only two man-up opportunities and went 0-for-2 on those chances. Lincoln Memorial's man-down defense was stellar, though, thwarting nine of the Scots' 10 opportunities.
 
Lincoln Memorial opens up South Atlantic Conference play this Saturday, welcoming the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears to the LMU Lacrosse Complex for a 3 p.m. match.