HICKORY, N.C. – A week removed from the program's first win over Wingate in over a decade, the Lincoln Memorial women's soccer team gets another opportunity to prove itself on Saturday with a South Atlantic Conference test at Lenoir-Rhyne. 
 
The Lady Railsplitters (7-3, 3-2 SAC) solidified their best start since 2014, pitched their sixth shutout of the season and snapped a 12-match losing streak against Wingate that dated back to 2008 on Saturday with a thrilling 1-0 double-overtime victory at the LMU Soccer Complex. Itzel Ballesteros scored in the 106th minute to propel Lincoln Memorial to the win. 
 
Lenoir-Rhyne (7-4-1, 5-2 SAC) is coming off a 2-1 loss at Limestone on Wednesday. The Bears scored first in the 20th minute, but the Saints responded with goals in the 43rd and 61st minute to hand L-R its second straight setback. 
 
The Basics 
 
Saturday, October 13 at Lenoir-Rhyne – 5pm
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Quick Hits 
 
- Ballesteros scored her seventh goal of the season off a pass from Mikayla Vang, who notched her first point in an LMU uniform, to lead the Lady Railsplitters over Wingate for the first time since 2007. After being outshot 10-4 in the first half, LMU outshot the Bulldogs 17-5 the rest of the way, including a commanding 13-2 margin in the second half. 
 
- Ballesteros and Jessica Cravero are tied for the third in SAC in points with 20 apiece. Cravero leads the team with nine goals and 48 shots, while Ballesteros leads the team with six assists and 22 shots on goal. Cravero is looking to become the first LMU player with 10 goals in a season since Becky Thompson in 2009. 
 
- Offensively, the Lady Railsplitters are tied for second in the SAC in goals per game with 2.30 and shots per game with 17.3. Defensively, LMU is second in goals against average at 1.00 and leads the league with six shutouts. 
 
- The Lady Railsplitters' six shutouts are their most since the 2013 team had eight. 
 
- Ballesteros accounted for three goals, one assist and 13 shots in LMU's two wins last week to earn SAC AstroTurf Offensive Player of the Week. She became the first Lady Railsplitter to receive that honor since the conference debuted the award in 2012. 
 
- With a win on Saturday, the Lady Railsplitters would surpass their win total from the entire 2017 campaign when the team produced a 7-10 mark. Unlike last season, when LMU lost seven one-goal matches, the Lady Railsplitters are 2-1 in matches decided by one goal this season.  
 
Know the Opponent 
 
- The Bears enter Saturday's match alone in third place in the SAC standings. They won five consecutive matches from September 19 to October 3, but have since dropped back-to-back decisions against Queens (3-1) and Limestone (2-1). 
 
- Aside from last Saturday's setback against Queens, Lenoir-Rhyne's only other SAC loss came in a 1-0 decision against Carson-Newman on September 12. Between those two defeats, the Bears crushed Mars Hill 4-2, Newberry 5-1, Tusculum 3-1, Wingate 4-0 and Coker 3-0. 
 
- In SAC play, the Bears lead the league with 20 goals and rank second in shot percentage (.155) and shots on goal (57). L-R has also racked up 39 corner kicks against SAC opponents. 
 
- Forward Abbie Brown has carried the L-R attack, ranking second in the SAC with 10 goals off a league-leading 62 shots. She has added four assists with four game-winning goals. 
 
- Hannah Van Eerden, Judith Verdaguer and Stephanie Figueiredo have scored three goals apiece, while Aqsa Mushtaq has produced a pair of goals and assists. 
 
- Senior Loren Sterling has played every second in goal for the Bears this season, accounting for a stingy 1.05 goals against average and an .812 save percentage. She's made 56 saves and posted four shutouts. 
 
- The Bears are 6-1-1 on the road and just 1-3 at home this season. 
 
Series History 
 
- The Lady Railsplitters have lost the last three matches and nine of the last 11 overall against the Bears, who own a 10-5 advantage in the all-time series. 
 
- Lincoln Memorial is 1-5 in Hickory, N.C., all-time. The Lady Railsplitters have lost their last five road trips in the series and will be seeking their first road victory over L-R since 2007. 
 
- The Bears scored in the 83rd minute to defeat Lincoln Memorial 1-0 last season in Harrogate. The Lady Railsplitters were outshot 17-2.