CLEVELAND, Tenn. – After pulling off a pair of dramatic upsets this past weekend, the Lincoln Memorial women's soccer teams hopes to continue its Cinderella run on Friday when the Lady Railsplitters face off against the No. 3 nationally ranked Columbus State Cougars in the Southeast Regional championship match at the Lee University Soccer Field.  
 
Making the program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 2007, sixth-seeded Lincoln Memorial (14-4-2) advanced past both Limestone and No. 14 Carson-Newman with 5-3 victories in penalty-kick shootouts in Jefferson City, Tenn., to earn the program's first trip to a region title game since 2004. 
 
With a win on Friday, the Lady Railsplitters would head to the national quarterfinals for only the second time in program history and first time since that same 2004 campaign. It would also tie the program's highest-ever ranked win from the 2005 season when LMU knocked off No. 3 ranked West Florida. 
 
Columbus State (17-0-2) has yet to lose this season, as the Cougars cruised to the Peach Belt Conference regular-season title with a perfect 10-0-0 conference record and also captured the PBC tournament crown by beating Georgia College in a PK shootout 4-2. CSU earned its spot in the region championship match by dismantling Flagler 4-0 on Sunday. 
 
The Basics 
 
Friday, November 16 vs. Columbus State – 4pm
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Quick Hits 
 
- In Saturday's NCAA tournament opener against Lander, the Lady Railsplitters jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Itzel Ballesteros in the 19th minute and Jessica Cravero in the 66th minute. However, the Bearcats rallied back with two second-half goals to tie the match. Neither team scored for the remainder of the match, forcing a decisive PK shootout. The Lady Railsplitters' quintet of Cravero, Rachel Taylor, Fabienne Loetscher, Gabby Garcia and Amanda Perez went a perfect 5-for-5, while goalie Ann-Marie O'Connell made a crucial stop to secure the 5-3 triumph. 
 
- Just over 24 hours later, the Lady Railsplitters faced No. 14 Carson-Newman in the Southeast Regional semifinals. And for the second time in seven days, Lincoln Memorial prevailed, this time via another 5-3 PK shootout win. O'Connell made another PK save while the Lady Railsplitters again converted all five of their attempts to eliminate the 2017 national runners-up from the tournament. 
 
- The Lady Railsplitters boast two of the top 40 point scorers in the nation in Cravero and Ballesteros. Cravero ranks 15th in the nation in total points with 42, which is buoyed by her 11th nationally-ranked 19 goals. Ballesteros is 36th in the country with 35 points on 12 goals and 11 assists. 
 
- O'Connell has emerged as one of the top keepers in all of Division II and played a key role in the Lady Railsplitters' Sweet 16 appearance. The junior made a season-high nine saves against Lander and that doesn't include the stop in the PK shootout. Against Carson-Newman, O'Connell made a clutch save to prevent the potential game-winning goal in the 77th minute and stopped another PK attempt in the shootout. 
 
- The Lady Railsplitters own a 0.85 goals against average and have posted 10 shutouts across 20 matches this season. The LMU defense has conceded multiple goals only three times this season. 
 
- Lincoln Memorial had six players earn All-SAC honors, including first-team selections Cravero, Ballesteros, Mariana Diaz and Alyssa Berry. Loetscher and Maria Hernandez were also picked to the All-SAC second team. Cravero was named the SAC Freshman of the Year, while head coach Sean Fraser was pegged as the SAC Coach of the Year. On Wednesday, Cravero was named to the CCA All-Southeast Region first team, while Ballesteros and Berry earned second-team honors. 
 
Know the Opponent 
 
- There's no doubt about it – Columbus State is a dominant side. The Cougars are second in the nation in scoring with 3.84 goals per match, fourth in total goals (73) and total points (210) and 23rd in goals against average with a stingy 0.67 mark. 
 
- Nine different players have registered double-digit points for CSU this season, led by Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year Olivia Jarrell's 42 points on 16 goals and 10 assists. Riley Clark has compiled 16 goals and six assists, while Kimmy May has five goals and 10 assists on her ledger. PBC Freshman of the Year Racheal Sweigard has added seven goals and four assists, while Brooke Nail has seven goals and two assists. 
 
- The Columbus State defense is anchored by All-PBC defenders Madeline Goodfellow and Amanda Murphy as well as goalkeeper Bria Riancho, who has allowed just 11 goals in 19 starts. The sophomore has a 0.58 goals against average and an .859 save percentage. 
 
- The Cougars have advanced to at least the regional final in each of the last four seasons, including a trip to the national semifinals in 2016 and a national runner-up finish in 2015. CSU also made Elite Eight appearances in 2008 and 2007 under head coach Jay Entlich, who is 258-55-24 in his 15-season tenure. 

- On Wednesday, six Cougars were named to the CCA All-Southeast Region first team, headlined by Jarrell's selection as the Southeast Region Player of the Year. 
 
- Columbus State has not lost since being destroyed by Carson-Newman 6-0 in the 2017 Southeast Regional championship match. This season, the Cougars have outscored its opponents by a combined 73-13 sum. 

- Murphy scored two goals, while Clark and May also tallied to lead the Cougars into the region championship match in that 4-0 win over Flagler. In that match, CSU landed 14 of its 19 shots on frame. 
 
- LMU and Columbus State played five common opponents this season in Carson-Newman, Tusculum, Lander, Young Harris and USC Aiken. The Cougars went 5-0 against that quintet with a decisive 18-3 scoring edge. Lincoln Memorial finished 2-3-2 against those opponents, including a 1-1-1 mark against Carson-Newman. 
 
Series History 
 
- The Lady Railsplitters are 1-4 all-time against Columbus State and have lost four straight in the series since beating the Cougars 7-3 in 2005. 
 
- The last meeting occurred in 2012 when Columbus State laid down a 5-0 beating against the Lady Railsplitters in Harrogate. 
 
- On the aggregate, CSU has outscored the Lady Railsplitters 17-8 in the teams' five clashes.