HARROGATE, Tenn. -- After checking off another program milestone earlier this week, the Railsplitters (5-3, 1-3 SAC) begin a closing stretch that will see them play three of the last four matches of the regular season at home when they welcome the Brevard Tornados (1-9, 0-4 SAC) to Harrogate on Sunday for a 1 p.m. South Atlantic Conference tilt.
 
Follow the Match
 
Live Stats
 
Last Time Out
 
Lincoln Memorial raced out to a 5-0 lead and stiff-armed a late comeback push to defeat the Tusculum Pioneers 13-12 and notch the first SAC victory in program history on Wednesday evening in Greeneville, Tenn. The Railsplitters, who ended an 11-game league losing streak dating back to the start of the 2015 season, led wire-to-wire and carried a 13-6 cushion into the fourth quarter. But Tusculum outscored Lincoln Memorial 6-0 in the final quarter and could have tied it late had the Pioneers' shot attempt at the 35-second mark not gone wide of mark. Kyle Arcuri (Patchogue, N.Y.), Adam Golia (Victoria, British Columbia) and Justin Stewart (Copaigue, N.Y.) led the Railsplitters to victory, as Arcuri had two goals and two assists, Golia produced three goals, and Stewart notched a goal and handed out three helpers.
 
Clearance, Face-Off Efficiency
 
As they have been all season, the Railsplitters were stellar in the clearance department in that win over Tusculum, going 10 for 16 in those opportunities. Lincoln Memorial has been effective in that area for most of the season, ranking fifth in the SAC in clear percentage with an 83.9 percent clip. Behind Josh Hernandez (Middletown, N.Y.), the Railsplitters also dominated at the face-off x, winning 18 of the 27 face-offs in the match. The Railsplitters are ranked fourth in the league in face-off winning percentage with a 49.3 percent mark.
 
Neisler Reaches 20-goal Mark
 
After scoring five goals at Georgian Court, sophomore Dylan Neisler (Detroit, Mich.) was limited to just a single goal in the Railsplitters' win at Tusculum, but that marker did push his season goal total to 20. Neisler is the second LMU player to hit the 20-goal threshold this season, joining Golia, who leads the team with 27 goals. Neisler, who is ranked eighth in the SAC in total goals, needs three to surpass his total from the 2015 campaign.
 
Home Sweet Home
 
The Railsplitters are returning to Harrogate for the first time since March 12, when they suffered a 12-3 loss at the hands of Catawba. Lincoln Memorial is 6-5 all-time at home, a winning trend it hopes to continue with the start of a home-heavy closing stretch. This is the first leg of a four-game finish that will feature three home matches.
 
Last Meeting Against Brevard
 
In last season's low-scoring affair between Lincoln Memorial and Brevard, the Tornados scored a minute and a half into overtime to steal a 5-4 victory in Brevard, N.C. The Railsplitters never led in that contest, using a man-up goal from Golia at the 3:28 mark of the third quarter to draw the match even at 4-4 and eventually send the game into overtime. Lincoln Memorial went 25 for 26 on clearances, but committed 24 turnovers and watched as Brevard accounted for a 49-28 edge in groundball recoveries. The Railsplitters also missed out on several scoring opportunities by going 1 for 4 in man-up chances.
 
Tumbling Tornados
 
It's been a trying season for the Tornados, who lost the first six matches of the season before finally putting a notch in the win column with a 21-6 beatdown of Davis & Elkins on March 10. Brevard has lost three straight matches since that win, though, falling in overtime at Coker, losing an 18-5 decision at Queens and slipping to 1-9 overall with a 22-13 loss at home against Lenoir-Rhyne on Wednesday.
 
Brevard's Offensive Woes
 
The Tornados have struggled mightily on offense this season, ranking near the bottom of the SAC statistical rankings in nearly every significant offensive category. Brevard is second-to-last in the league in scoring with 9.1 goals per match and is last in the SAC in clear percentage with a 77 percent mark. The Tornados are also second-to-last in the conference in face-off winning percentage with a 39.1 percent clip. To make matters worse, Brevard is also last in the SAC in total goals against (145) and goals against average (14.33).
 
Road Weary
 
Brevard has lost seven consecutive road matches dating back to last season's finale, when they suffered a 15-6 loss at Lenoir-Rhyne in the quarterfinals of the 2015 SAC Championship. 
 
Players to Watch
 
Freshman forward Kyle Hunziker leads the way for the Tornados with 14 goals and 12 assists, while Anthony Alfonso and Mathew Dropuljic are tied for the team lead with 17 goals apiece. Alfonso has also contributed six assists. Freshman forward Jackson McKaig has added 14 goals, while junior Ryan Taylor has produced eight goals and six assists. Three different goalkeepers have started at least one match for Brevard, a trio led by freshman Peyton Mooney, who has allowed a 14.56 goals against average and recorded a 50.7 save percentage in seven starts. Xzavier Holmes was the most recent starter for the Tornados, making 12 saves and allowing 22 goals against Lenoir-Rhyne.