ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The Tusculum Pioneers (16-3) scored the game-winning goal in the 109th minute to hand the Railsplitters (11-7-1) a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in the title match of the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Championship on Sunday evening at Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill, S.C.
 
With the loss, Lincoln Memorial falls to 1-2 in the SAC tournament championship match since joining the league in 2007. The Railsplitters have now lost the last two in the closing minutes, as Anderson defeated Lincoln Memorial in the 2012 title match on a goal in the 88th minute.
 
All-SAC first team honoree Andre De Giorgi was responsible for both of Tusculum's goals, including the eventual game-winner with 1:43 left in the second overtime.
 
De Giorgi's late stunner capped a tightly-contested match that featured strong build-ups and solid form from both sides. The Pioneers outshot the Railsplitters by the slimmest of margins, finishing with a 25-24 edge in total attempts with an 11-9 advantage in shots on goal.
 
Prior to De Giorgi's winner, the two sides had been held scoreless for more than 81 minutes, as both regulation goals were scored in the first 30 minutes of play.
 
The Railsplitters tallied first as All-SAC honorable mention selection Henrique Rezek (Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil) put Lincoln Memorial on the board in the 16th minute. Rezek did everything to set up that goal, using a heads-up play to swipe the ball from a Tusculum defender to put himself in a one-on-one with Pioneer netminder Jorge Alvarez. Rezek made a quick move to his left to freeze Alvarez before knocking a left-footed shot into the open goal.
 
The Railsplitters caught a good break in the 23rd minute, as Isai Hernandez broke in behind the LMU defense and netted a goal. However, Hernandez was called offsides to keep the Railsplitters in front 1-0.
 
But the Pioneers would get the equalizer in the 27th minute as De Giorgi headed it just out of the reach of August Ahlin (Stockholm, Sweden) for his 15th goal of the season. De Giorgi's header was set up by a cross from Vetle Salte from the far sideline.
 
Danilo da Silva (Campinas, Brazil) and Felipe de Sousa (Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil) nearly gave the Railsplitters the lead in the 58th minute, but Silva's initial shot was saved as was Sousa's header off the deflection. Alvarez made another save on a header by Victor Peres (Brasilia, Brazil) from point-blank range in the 62nd minute
 
The Railsplitters built up another beautiful chance in the 77th minute as da Silva whipped a pass to George Burne (Carlisle, England), whose shot was blocked by a well-placed Tusculum defender before it crossed the goal line.
 
Tusculum didn't have a real scoring opportunity until the 86th minute, when De Giorgi headed one on goal that Ahlin saved with a diving effort. Ahlin later preserved the 1-1 tie again by making another diving save on a free kick by Salte with 43 seconds left in regulation.
 
Ahlin continued his heroic play early in the first overtime, making another game-saving save on a shot by Hernandez 36 seconds in. Tusculum was responsible for the only other shot on goal of the period, but Ahlin denied that 95th minute shot to eventually send the match to a second overtime.
 
With nothing much happening in the second overtime, the Railsplitters and Pioneers looked destined for a penalty-kick shootout. However, a foul near midfield gave Tusculum the opening it needed. The Pioneers played a long ball into the box, which was headed back to the middle by Jonathan Spicher. De Giorgi did the rest from there, knocking the one-timer to the left of Ahlin to give Tusculum its second straight SAC tournament title.
 
Ahlin made a career-high nine saves in the match, building off of his impressive eight-save performance against Brevard in the semifinals of the SAC Championship.
 
The Railsplitters will now wait to learn their postseason fate, as Lincoln Memorial looks to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007.
 
The field for the 2016 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship will be revealed via a live selection show on the NCAA.com at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Six teams will be selected to compete in the Southeast Regional. The Railsplitters fell just outside of the top eight in the last Division II Southeast Region poll, which was released prior to the start of the SAC Championship.