HARROGATE, Tenn. – Coming off of a signature win over No. 16 Queens, the Railsplitters (5-4, 1-2 SAC) look to keep the good times rolling on Wednesday when they host the Tusculum Pioneers (6-2, 2-1 SAC) in South Atlantic Conference action at 3:30 p.m. at the LMU Lacrosse Complex. Lincoln Memorial pummeled Queens 11-5 on Saturday to snap a three-match losing streak and pick up the program's first-ever win against a nationally-ranked opponent, while the Pioneers defeated Catawba 14-8 on Saturday to move to 2-1 in conference play.
Schedule/Gameday Links:
Wednesday, March 29 vs. Tusculum (3:30pm)
Live Stats /
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Quick Hits:
-Saturday's win over Queens was significant for a number of reasons. Along with being the program's first win over a nationally-ranked opponent, Lincoln Memorial was able to exorcise its fourth-quarter demons. After carrying a 7-2 lead into the break, the Railsplitters were held scoreless in the third and took a slim 7-5 lead into the fourth. LMU, who had been outscored 13-3 in the fourth quarter during its three-game losing streak, dominated the final quarter and put the game away with a 4-0 flurry. It also represented the first SAC win of the season for the Railsplitters.
-A balanced offensive effort and a dominant performance in goal by
Joe Medel (Virginia Beach, Va.) carried the Railsplitters past the Royals.
Adam Golia (Victoria, British Columbia) led all players with three goals, while
Dylan Neisler (Detroit, Mich.),
Billy Kopsky (Smithtown, N.Y.) and
Robert Tucker (Wantagh, N.Y.) had two goals and two assists apiece.
Kyle Arcuri (Patchogue, N.Y.) also chipped in two goals. Medel made 16 saves and recorded the second-best save percentage of his career with a 76.2 percent clip, holding Queens to its lowest goal total since the 2015 season opener.
-Golia became the first player in program history to surpass 100 career points in Saturday's win, as the Victoria, British Columbia native now has 102 points on 72 goals and 30 assists. This season, Golia is ranked second in the league in goals with 26 and fourth in points with 34. He needs just seven more goals to match his single-season record of 33.
-Golia is one of three LMU players ranked in the top 20 in the SAC in goals, as Arcuri is seventh with 19 and Kopsky is 20th with 13. Kopsky has scored eight goals over the last four matches, including a five-goal outburst against Florida Southern. Arcuri has scored at least two goals in seven of his nine appearances.
-The Railsplitters have absolutely dominated the second quarter of matches this season with a combined 33-15 advantage. Lincoln Memorial outscored Queens 3-2 in the second quarter of Saturday's win.
-Saturday's victory put the Railsplitters in prime position to make a run down the stretch. Lincoln Memorial is currently tied for sixth place in the SAC standings, but have yet to play Coker, Mars Hill or Brevard, who are a combined 1-10 in league play. The Railsplitters also have to play Tusculum and Lenoir-Rhyne, who are a combined 7-1 in SAC action.
Notes on the Pioneers:
-Tusculum outscored the Indians 8-2 from the start of the second quarter to the end of the third to power Saturday's 14-8 win in Greeneville. Nate Wade led the Pioneers with three goals and two assists, while Chris Ryan and Liam Macdonald had three goals apiece. Since dropping a 15-8 decision at Tampa in the season opener, Tusculum has won six of its last seven games and lost to league-leading Lenoir-Rhyne 12-11 in overtime.
-Wade, Ryan, Macdonald and Ben Boyd are all ranked in the top 20 in the SAC in goals. Wade is fifth in the league with 22 goals, while Ryan is sixth with 21. That duo has combined for 57 points total. Boyd is tied for 13th in the SAC with 17 goals, while Macdonald has produced the 17th-most goals with 14.
-Tusculum leads the SAC in goals per game with 15.5, due in large part to a league-leading 54.8 man-up percentage. The Pioneers are also one of the better defensive teams in the conference, ranking third in the SAC in goals against average with 8.82.
-Senior Kevin Haggerty has started all eight matches this season and logged 414 total minutes of work for the Pioneers. His six wins are the second-most in the SAC, while his 55.9 save percentage trails only Wingate's Will Sheridan and Lenoir-Rhyne's Ryan Crompton for the league lead. Haggerty has made double-digit saves in two straight matches with a season-high 16 against Lenoir-Rhyne and 12 versus Catawba.
-The Pioneers are solid at the face-off x with a 49.3 face-off winning percentage – the third-best mark in the league. Alexander Kleinberg is 68-for-130 on face-offs, while Conrad Carney III has won 12 of his 17 face-off attempts.
Series History:
-The Railsplitters and Pioneers are an even 1-1 against one another all-time and the scoring is dead even at 20-20. Tusculum won the first meeting between the two teams 8-7 in double overtime in Harrogate in 2015, while Lincoln Memorial returned the favor with a 13-12 win last season in Greeneville, which was the Railsplitters' first-ever SAC victory.
-In last season's win, Lincoln Memorial raced out to a 5-0 lead and held on for dear life down the stretch. The Pioneers ended the game on a 6-0 run, but the Railsplitters kept Tusculum off the board for the final 2:30 to capture the 13-12 victory. Golia led LMU with three goals, while Arcuri had two goals and two assists.
