HARROGATE, Tenn. -- The Railsplitters (6-4, 2-4 SAC) clawed back from a late two-goal deficit to tie the game, but Mars Hill (3-8, 3-4 SAC) scored with 25 seconds left in regulation to snap Lincoln Memorial's three-match winning streak with a 7-6 victory in South Atlantic Conference action on Saturday in Harrogate.
 
The Railsplitters held a 4-3 lead at the half, but suffered through an extended second-half scoring drought while the Lions catapulted ahead 6-4, a lead they would hold until late in the fourth quarter.
 
After being held scoreless for a more than 30-minute stretch that began at the tail end of the second period, Lincoln Memorial conjured up some late magic to tie the game with time dwindling away in regulation, as Kyle Arcuri (Patchogue, N.Y.) scored two goals in quick succession. Arcuri brought the Railsplitters within one by driving around the back of the net and putting the ball into the upper right-hand corner at the 4:29 mark. Just over a minute later, Adam Golia (Victoria, British Columbia) found Arcuri open in front of the net, and Arcuri delivered the game-tying goal at the 3:17 mark.
 
With the match then tied at 6-6, Lincoln Memorial won the ensuing face-off and took up residence on their offensive end of the field. However, all three of the Railsplitters' shot attempts came up empty before Mars Hill regained possession and swung the field. A penalty was whistled on LMU's Kyle Fleck (Toledo, Ohio) at the 48-second mark, giving the Lions a man-up opportunity. Mars Hill seized that moment, as Dylan Livingstone zipped it in from the left wing to put the Lions on top 7-6.
 
The Railsplitters won the final face-off of the game, but were unable to get off a shot attempt against Mars Hill's compact, zone defense, which mucked up Lincoln Memorial's offensive attack from the start.
 
Despite matching a season-high mark with 49 shot attempts, the Railsplitters produced their second-lowest goal output of the season against the slow-down, methodical pace implemented by Mars Hill. Lincoln Memorial was also victimized by a stellar outing from Mars Hill keeper Ryan Kearney, who made 18 saves to power the Lions to their third straight victory.
 
Arcuri led the Railsplitters with his two fourth-quarter goals, while Billy Kopsky (Smithtown, N.Y.), Jared Courchene (Sagkeeng, Manitoba), Justin Stewart (Copiague, N.Y.) and Reggie Golfin (Detroit, Mich.) also added a goal apiece for the home team.
 
The Lions were led by Dima Ferriera, who poured in four goals on eight shot attempts. Jake Trafton also produced a goal and an assist for Mars Hill, which scored seven goals on just 21 shots and 11 shots on goal.
 
Lincoln Memorial keeper Joe Medel (Virginia Beach, Va.) fell to 6-4 on the season after allowing all seven goals and making four saves over 60 minutes of action.
 
The Railsplitters jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after Courchene recovered a saved shot in front of the net and snuck one by Kearney at the 13:15 mark before Dylan Neisler (Detroit, Mich.) connected with Golfin at the 6:53 mark.
 
The next passage of play would go handedly in favor of Mars Hill, though, as Ferriera scored late in the first and struck again early in the second quarter to draw the match even at 2-2. Josh Bryers then scored at the 7:20 mark to complete the Lions' 3-0 flurry and put the visiting unit ahead 3-2.
 
The Railsplitters didn't trail for long, though, as Kopsky and Stewart scored unassisted goals less than a minute apart to put Lincoln Memorial back in front 4-3 with more than five minutes left in the half. That is where the score stood at the break.
 
The Railsplitters were held scoreless in the third quarter, while Ferriera scored twice and Trafton tallied his lone goal of the match to send Mars Hill into the final period with a 6-4 edge.
 
Lincoln Memorial won 11 of the 17 face-offs and scooped up a 26-22 edge in groundball recoveries, but the Lions were nearly perfect in clearance, going 16 for 19 in that department.
 
The Railsplitters are back in action next Saturday, when they travel to Hickory, North Carolina for a South Atlantic Conference showdown against Lenoir-Rhyne beginning at 3 p.m.