HARROGATE, Tenn. – The curtain closes on the inaugural season of Lincoln Memorial University men's lacrosse on Saturday as the Railsplitters (3-10) welcome the Asbury Eagles (6-3) to Harrogate, Tenn. for a nonconference showdown set for a 1 p.m. start.
Game day links: Live Stats Last time out: Brevard scored just over a minute and a half into overtime to stun the Railsplitters and spoil sophomore goalkeeper
Joe Medel's (Virginia Beach, Va.) scintillating 19-save effort by capturing a 5-4 win in the South Atlantic Conference finale in Brevard, N.C. last Saturday.
Justin Stewart (Copiague, N.Y.) staked Lincoln Memorial to a 1-0 lead at the 11:28 mark of the first period, but the Tornados built a 3-2 advantage at the end of one.
Stewart collected his second goal of the match with 1:14 left in the first half to even the score at 3-3. The Railsplitters and Tornados traded goals in the third stanza, with
Adam Golia (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) tallying his 11th goal of the season, while both teams went scoreless in the fourth frame to send the game into a decisive overtime session.
It marked LMU's second overtime loss and the fourth defeat decided by just one goal of the program's first season.
Medel showing his true mettle: Medel's career-best 19-save performance at Brevard was the exclamation point on what has been an outstanding debut season for the sophomore goalkeeper. The Virginia Beach, Va. native is ranked second in the South Atlantic Conference and 12th in the nation with a 56.7 save percentage, while his 9.15 goals against average is the lowest among the league's qualified keepers. Medel is fourth in the SAC in total saves (136) and 25th in the nation in saves per game with 10.46. He has made double-digit saves in eight matches this season.
Stewart's solid season: Midfielder
Justin Stewart has quietly put together a nice season for the Railsplitters, scoring 14 goals and handing out 10 assists to rank second for Lincoln Memorial with 24 total points. The Copiague, N.Y. native has registered at least one point in 11 of his 13 appearances with multiple points in eight of those matches. He posted two goals and two assists against Catawba on March 14 and handed out three assists against Alma on February 23. He has accumulated at least one point in five straight matches.
Defensive dominance: With Medel serving as the foundation and defenders
JJ Bloom (West Bloomfield, Mich.) and
Ryan Benck (Hauppauge, N.Y.) emerging as All-SAC caliber players, the Railsplitters have compiled the nation's 27th-ranked scoring defense, limiting opponents to just 9.85 goals per game. Lincoln Memorial gets even stingier in man-down situations, killing off the penalty 78.7 percent of the time. That mark translates to the nation's eighth-ranked man-down defense.
Eagles experiencing success in inaugural season: The Eagles have experienced a tremendous amount of success for a first-year program, compiling a 6-3 overall record with four straight wins dating back to a 15-14 win over Davidson College on March 20. Most recently, Asbury tallied a 13-8 win over Emory and a 12-6 victory over Georgia State in Atlanta, Ga. on March 27 and 28. The Eagles earned the program's first win in thrilling fashion on March 7, knocking off Appalachian State in double overtime.
Asbury players to watch: Bobby Bennett paces the Eagles' offense with 33 goals, 11 assists, 44 points and 4.889 points per game. Bennett scored 12 of Asbury's 15 goals in that win over Davidson. Jake Butler has accounted for 24 goals and 13 assists, while Justise Packer has scored 16 times and handed out a team-high 15 assists. Brandon Smoot leads the Eagles in ground-ball recoveries with 82. Gabriel Fardin has accounted for 52 ground balls, while his brother, Didier Fardin, has amassed 46 ground balls and gone 81-for-142 on faceoffs.
Frerman in goal: Freshman Austin Frerman will be making his 10th start in goal for the Eagles. In his first nine appearances, Frerman has allowed 96 goals with 126 saves, accounting for a 10.667 goals against average. He has made double-digit saves in every single match this season.
