BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lincoln Memorial (3-0-2) kept its undefeated streak alive through the opening week of South Atlantic Conference play but settled for a pair of ties against Tusculum and Queens to drop out of the national rankings. The Railsplitters now take a breather from conference play for a matchup against No. 12 Lees-McRae. The Bobcats (5-0-1) already have as many wins this year as they did in all of 2016.
 
The Basics 

Wednesday, September 20 at Tate Field – 7:30 p.m.
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Quick Hits 

- Lincoln Memorial opened SAC play with a pair of ties against Queens and Tusculum. The Railsplitters sit in sixth place after the opening week but are one of just two teams yet to drop a match this year along with Lenoir-Rhyne, who travels to the LMU Soccer Complex Saturday.
 
- Danilo da Silva was held scoreless for the first time this season Wednesday at Tusculum, but the junior rebounded with a goal and assist vs. Queens. Da Silva leads the Railsplitters with four goals in five games. Felipe de Sousa opened the season with a goal in three straight games but has been held scoreless in the past two, though he picked up an assist Saturday.
 
- Da Silva and de Sousa have accounted for seven of Lincoln Memorial's 11 goals. Eight different Railsplitters have assisted on a goal, led by Andres Pratto's three. Pratto picked up two of those assists Saturday and added a goal for his first career multi-point game.
 
- Caleb Cothrin made his fourth start in goal Saturday and allowed a season-worst three goals. The junior goalkeeper had allowed just one goal in nearly 300 minutes of game prior to that contest and still ranks third in the conference with a 0.88 GAA and 0.833 save percentage.
 
- Lincoln Memorial was held without a goal Wednesday for the first time in 14 matches. The team scored eight goals in its first three games of the 2017 season and scored at least two goals in four of its five matches.
 
- The Railsplitters have not been in outshot any of their five matches and hold a 78-58 advantage overall. Of those 78 shots, 45 have landed on goal. Ten of Lincoln Memorial's 19 shots Saturday were on target, and the team's current .577 shots on goal percentage would break the program record of .520 set back in 2000. The team is tied for tenth in NCAA Division II with 9.0 shots on goal per game.
 
- The six players to have scored a goal for Lincoln Memorial—da Silva, de Sousa, Pratto, Victor Peres, Diego Velazquez and Philip Wong—have attempted 53 of the team's 78 shots. Of those, 34 have landed on goal for a .642 shots on goal percentage.
 
- LMU averages the 12th-most fouls per game in the nation at 17.2. Opponents are also averaging 17.2 per game against the Railsplitters. Lincoln Memorial's 17 yellow cards are tied for fourth in NCAA Division II as well.
 
- Lincoln Memorial is without a loss through five games for the third time in the past four seasons. The 2015 squad opened 6-0-1 while the 2014 team started 4-0-1. The Railsplitters are one of 25 teams yet to lose this season.

Know the Opponent 

- Lees-McRae is undefeated through six games for the first time since 2009. The team is also off to its first 3-0 conference start since 2013. The Bobcats, along with Lincoln Memorial, are one of 25 teams yet to lose in 2017.
 
- The Bobcats' current five-game win streak is their longest since a seven-game streak in 2015.
 
- Lees-McRae has outscored opponents 16-8 for the young season, including four performances with at least three goals scored. The team's 2.67 goals per game average is tied for 19th in NCAA Division II.
 
- The Bobcats are 3-0 at Tate Field and have outscored opponents 7-2.
 
- The team is tied for the most assists in the nation with 20. Its 3.33 assists per game ranks third.
 
- Tom Deeley's six goals is tied for tenth in the nation. He scored at least once in the team's first five games before finally being held off the score sheet Saturday at Mount Olive. The senior has also added three assists and is tied for 13th in the country with 2.5 points per game. He opened the season with four straight multi-point efforts.
 
- Harvey McMorrow is tied for the national lead with six assists. He has a three-game point streak and has recorded a goal and five assists over that span.
 
- Tyler Pavlet has started all six games in goal. He earned his first shutout of the season Saturday at Mount Olive to improve his goals against average to 1.26.
 
Head-to-Head

- Lincoln Memorial blew away Lees-McRae 6-1 in last year's matchup in Harrogate. George Burne recorded the quickest hat trick in LMU history with all three scores in 2:27.
 
- The Railsplitters are 5-3-1 overall against Lees-McRae and 3-2 in Banner Elk. Lincoln Memorial won the teams' last meeting there in 2015, 3-2.