mlax catawba preview
Raymond Welch

Men's Lacrosse

Men's Lacrosse entertains Catawba for SAC bout on Saturday

HARROGATE, Tenn. -- The Railsplitters (3-1, 0-1 SAC) play their final home match in the month of March on Saturday when they welcome the Catawba Indians (0-3, 0-1 SAC) to town for a 1 p.m. South Atlantic Conference contest.
 
Follow the Match
 
Live Stats
 
Last Time Out
 
The Railsplitters broke the program's single-game scoring record in a 22-7 win over Notre Dame de Namur on Monday at the LMU Soccer Complex. Lincoln Memorial opened that contest on a 6-0 run and then outscored the Argonauts 6-0 in the fourth quarter to complete the wire-to-wire victory. Dylan Neisler (Detroit, Mich.) broke LMU's single-match goal record by scoring seven times, while Adam Golia (Victoria, British Columbia) tallied six goals and two assists to notch the highest point output in a match ever by a Railsplitter. Justin Stewart (Copiague, N.Y.) added two goals and three assists, as LMU bounced back from the loss at Queens.
 
A Long Road Trip Looming
 
After Saturday's match, the Railsplitters will not play a home match again until April 2, when they face Brevard. Lincoln Memorial's four-game road trip includes matches against Wingate, Cumberlands, Georgian Court and Tusculum. The contest at Georgian Court is of particular interest, as it will see the Railsplitters make the 700-mile trek to Lakewood Township, N.J. to face the Lions.
 
Something's Got to Give
 
With Monday's win over NDNU, the Railsplitters captured their fifth straight victory at home dating back to the end of the 2015 campaign. But Lincoln Memorial enters Saturday's match still seeking that elusive first South Atlantic Conference victory. The Railsplitters fell to 0-9 all-time in SAC play last Saturday in a 20-8 loss to the 20th-ranked Queens Royals.
 
Last Meeting with Catawba
 
A slow start ultimately doomed the Railsplitters in an 11-7 loss to Catawba last season in Salisbury, N.C. Catawba led from start to finish and opened on a 4-0 run, as Lincoln Memorial didn't get on the board until Neisler scored a man-up goal at the 5:57 mark of the second quarter. The Railsplitters closed the gap to 4-3 early in the second half, but Catawba ended the third quarter with a 3-0 spurt to put the game away. Stewart led the way with two goals and two assists.
 
Golia Piling Up Points
 
Sophomore midfielder Adam Golia is quickly approaching the highest scoring season in the second-year program's history. Neisler led the Railsplitters in points last season with 33 (22g, 11a), but Golia has 25 points (20g, 5a) through just four matches this season. The Victoria, British Columbia native has produced at least five points with a minimum of four goals in all four matches.
 
Catawba's Brutal Schedule, Slow Start
 
The Indians have played an incredibly difficult schedule up to this point and as a result they enter Saturday's match looking for their first win of the season. Catawba lost to No. 19 Belmont Abbey 18-3 in the season opener before suffering a similar fate in an 11-5 loss at No. 16 Mount Olive. The Indians most recently dropped the SAC opener at No. 14 Queens 14-11. Catawba went 5-10 last season and finished in a tie for seventh place in the SAC standings.
 
Players to Watch
 
The Indians have spread the wealth offensively, as no player has more than six points while eight have at least two. Josh Reedy leads the Catawba attack in points with six assists. Liam Lynch and Cole Fanzo share the team goal lead with four, while Joe Barber and Connor Kennedy sport the same stat line with three goals and an assist. At goalkeeper, junior Ryan Applegate has played all but eight minutes for the Indians, compiling a 52.8 save percentage with a 14.69 goals against average over his three starts.
 
Strong at Face-Off X
 
Catawba leads the South Atlantic Conference in face-off winning percentage with a 62 percent mark. Junior Connor Eakes has been the biggest proponent of that efficiency, as he has won 43 of his 66 face-offs. That hasn't aided the offense, though, as the Indians are ranked dead last in the SAC in goals per game (6.33), shooting percentage (18.4) and shots on goal (66).
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Adam  Golia

#10 Adam Golia

M
5' 9"
Sophomore
Dylan  Neisler

#0 Dylan Neisler

A
6' 1"
Sophomore
Justin  Stewart

#23 Justin Stewart

M
6' 4"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Adam  Golia

#10 Adam Golia

5' 9"
Sophomore
M
Dylan  Neisler

#0 Dylan Neisler

6' 1"
Sophomore
A
Justin  Stewart

#23 Justin Stewart

6' 4"
Senior
M