WINGATE, N.C. -- The Lady Railsplitters (2-4, 0-2 SAC) and Wingate Bulldogs (4-3, 0-1 SAC) will both be looking to notch their first South Atlantic Conference victory of the season on Saturday at 4 p.m. when the two teams collide at 4 p.m. in Wingate, N.C.
 
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Last Time Out
 
Lincoln Memorial tallied its most goals ever in a SAC match last Saturday, but fell just a bit short in a 19-13 loss to the Catawba Indians in Harrogate, Tenn. The Lady Railsplitters scored the first goal of the game, as Jasmin Click (Clermont, Fla.) found the back of the net 35 seconds in, but Catawba scored four goals in the final four minutes of the first half to carry a 9-5 lead into the break. The Lady Railsplitters could never close the gap to less than three in the second half, though. Casey Kelly (Ellenwood, Ga.) led the way with three goals and two assists, while Click and Amara Moss (Woodbridge, Va.) had three goals apiece. Bre'Asia James (Vero Beach, Fla.) chipped in two goals and an assist.
 
Drawing Closer to First SAC Win
 
The Lady Railsplitters sank to 0-10 all-time in SAC play following last Saturday's loss, but Lincoln Memorial's second-year program continues to make immense strides. After not losing a league match by less than 13 goals last season, the Lady Railsplitters have suffered a one-goal defeat against Newberry and a six-goal loss against Catawba.
 
The Start of Road-Heavy Stretch
 
Saturday's match begins a road-dominant close to the 2016 campaign, as the Lady Railsplitters will play their next four matches and seven of their last nine outside of Harrogate. After the Wingate match, Lincoln Memorial travels to Pikeville on Monday, Queens next Saturday and close out the month of March at Tusculum on the 30th. The Lady Railsplitters won't appear back in Harrogate until April 2, when they return to the friendly confines to face Brevard.
 
Draw Control Dominance
 
Through six matches, the Lady Railsplitters are ranked 13th in the nation and second in the South Atlantic Conference in draw controls per match with 14.83. That is nearly double from last season, when Lincoln Memorial finished last in the league in that category with 7.92. James leads the SAC in draw controls with 33, while Moss is seventh in the league in that department with 24.
 
Turnover Prove
 
The Lady Railsplitters are ranked 13th in the nation and fourth in the SAC in turnovers forced per game with 11.33, but Lincoln Memorial is near the bottom of the national standings with 22.0 turnovers per game on offense. Kelly leads the Lady Railsplitters in caused turnovers with 12, while Click has forced eight miscues.
 
Last Meeting against Wingate
 
The Bulldogs defeated the Lady Railsplitters 18-1 in last season's game in Wingate, N.C. Wingate opened that contest on an 11-0 run before Lincoln Memorial tallied its lone goal of the match at the 9:31 mark of the first half on a shot by Autumn Beddington (Newburgh, Ind.). The Bulldogs carried a 12-1 lead into the half and outscored the Lady Railsplitters 6-0 over the match's final 30 minutes. Wingate dominated nearly every aspect of the match, outshooting Lincoln Memorial 41-4 and winning 16 of the 21 draw controls.
 
Wingate's Season Review
 
The Bulldogs opened the season with a narrow 6-5 loss to Mount Olive before ripping off three straight wins over Belmont Abbey (13-9), Chowan (20-4) and Young Harris (11-8). Wingate then suffered back-to-back losses to Wheeling Jesuit (18-10) and Lenoir-Rhyne (18-9) in the SAC opener. The Bulldogs were last in action on Wednesday afternoon, when they defeated Lees-McRae 13-8.
 
Players to Watch
 
The Bulldogs are paced by electric scorer Paulena Dempsey, who ranks sixth in the nation and first in the SAC with 28 goals coupled with seven assists. Not to be outdone, Emily Nosek has accounted for nine goals and 16 assists, while Brittany Andrews has recorded 18 goals on 26 shots on goal. Shannon O'Neal has also produced double-digit points with 10 goals and two assists. Freshman Arion Pierre has started all seven matches in net for the Bulldogs, recording a stingy 9.95 goals against average with a 48 save percentage.