BREVARD, N.C. -- Alex Bazzell scored just over a minute and a half into overtime to lead the Brevard Tornados (8-6, 3-4 SAC) to a stunning 5-4 win over the Railsplitters (3-10, 0-8 SAC) in South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse action on Saturday at Brevard High School in Brevard, N.C.
 
The loss overshadowed a spectacular performance by Lincoln Memorial's sophomore goalkeeper Joe Medel (Virginia Beach, Va.), who made a career-high 19 saves including five saves in the fourth period to preserve the 4-4 stalemate.
 
Justin Stewart (Copiague, N.Y.) led the Railsplitters with two goals, nine shots and five shots on goal, but the Copiague, N.Y. native also committed a season-high eight turnovers, as the Railsplitters turned the ball over 24 times as a unit. Adam Golia (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) and Jusstin Ruffin (Copiague, N.Y.) contributed the other two goals for the Railsplitters, while Dylan Neisler (Detroit, Mich.) extended his point streak to eight with an assist.
 
The Railsplitters were nearly perfect on clears, going 25-for-26 in the match, but they were unable to disrupt Brevard's flow as the Tornados went 20-for-21 on clears. Brevard also amassed a 49-28 edge on ground-ball recoveries.
 
Josh Hernandez (Middletown, N.Y.) tied the match-high mark with six ground balls, while Kyle Fleck (Toledo, Ohio) contributed four ground ball pickups. In addition to his work in the open field, Hernandez went 7-for-13 at the faceoff "X".
 
The Railsplitters struck first as a save by Medel turned into a quick clearance and a score by Stewart on the other end, giving the visiting unit a 1-0 lead with 3:30 expired in the first half.
 
Brevard scored the next two goals, though, as Anthony Alfonso evened the match with a goal at the 9:06 mark and Sam Postma gave the Tornados the lead with an unassisted marker at 7:33.
 
Ruffin notched his 10th goal of the season with 4:40 left in the first period to tie the match once more, but Alfonso buried his second goal of the period just a minute later to put Brevard in front 3-2 after one.
 
The second period nearly passed without a goal for either team, but Stewart tallied his second goal of the match with 1:14 left to send the Railsplitters and Tornados into the break tied at 3-3.
 
Neither team gained any separation in the third stanza as Brevard's Matthew Dropjuljic tallied an unassisted goal at 9:23, while LMU's Golia notched a man-up goal on a pass from Neisler with 3:28 left in the period.
 
The fourth period would pass in scoreless fashion, but it wouldn't pass without a good batch of drama. Medel was magnificent from start to finish but he was especially good in the last 8:34 of the fourth, making five saves to keep the Railsplitters' hopes alive. Medel made two consecutive stops with 5:21 showing on the clock, and then made another save with 1:33 left in the match.
 
Stewart fired a shot on goal with two seconds left in regulation, but Brevard keeper Andy Reilly made the stop to send the match into overtime.
 
Billy Kopsky (Smithtown, N.Y.) came up empty on LMU's only shot on goal in the overtime, while Bazzell finished off the Tornados' one and only shot of the frame with 3:25 showing on the clock to give Brevard the sudden victory.
 
Alfonso paced the Tornados with two goals, while Jaron Greenidge and David Buono led the way with six ground balls apiece. Reilly finished the match with 14 saves and four goals allowed in 61:35.
 
The Railsplitters bring their inaugural season to a close next Saturday, hosting the Asbury Eagles for a nonconference tilt at the LMU Lacrosse Complex. First faceoff is set for 1 p.m.