HARROGATE, Tenn. – A 5-0 run that started just before the first half ended and concluded late in the third quarter propelled the Railsplitters to an 11-8 South Atlantic Conference win over Catawba on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon at the LMU Lacrosse Complex.
 
While extending the program's longest-ever and the nation's second-longest active winning streak to seven games, Lincoln Memorial (9-1, 3-0 SAC) also reset the program wins record with six games remaining in the regular-season schedule. The Railsplitters surpassed the 2017 team's eight wins while driving the best SAC start in program history to 3-0.
 
The Indians (4-5, 2-2 SAC) suffered their second consecutive loss as Lincoln Memorial topped Catawba for the first time in program history, snapping a three-game losing streak in the series.
 
Billy Kopsky, Adam Golia, Dylan Neisler and Robert Tucker combined for nine goals and six assists to lead the charge for Lincoln Memorial offensively. Kopsky piled up two goals and three assists, Golia delivered two goals and two assists to mount the 60-point summit, Neisler scored a season-high and match-leading three goals, and Tucker provided two goals and an assist.
 
Freshman goalie Michael Kessler – the reigning SAC Defensive Player of the Week – backed that offensive outburst by making 12 saves with six in each half.
 
Dalton Cook and Cole Fanzo led the Catawba attack as Cook had two goals and two assists and Fanzo chipped in two goals. Joe Barber was the only other Indian with multiple points with a goal and an assist.
 
The Railsplitters controlled the pace in the opening quarter and blanked the Indians to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Tucker got the scoring started at the 12:09 mark off an assist from Kopsky, who doubled the lead with a goal of his own at 4:15. Bryan Halona, who also had an assist in the match, capped the quarter with his first goal of the season with 1:47 left.
 
Catawba flipped the script in the second frame, though, using a 5-1 run that required less than five minutes of game time to take a 5-4 lead. Cook scored twice during that flurry to lead the Indians.
 
The Railsplitters stopped the bleeding and briefly tied the match back up on a goal from Neisler at 4:53 of the second quarter, but Fanzo answered less than two minutes later to put Catawba back on top.
 
However, Lincoln Memorial reclaimed the momentum as the final seconds ticked away in the second quarter on a clutch game-tying goal by Kairos Bodley, which sparked that 5-0 scoring run that extended deep into the third quarter.
 
Neisler kept the run going with the go-ahead goal at the 9:20 mark of the third quarter, and Golia tallied back-to-back goals at 7:58 and 3:16. Kopsky then capped that decisive spurt with his second goal of the match with 90 seconds remaining in the third to push the Railsplitters ahead 10-6.  
 
The Indians never cut the deficit to less than three after that. Justin Warnock scored just before the third quarter ended to make it 10-7, but Neisler netted his third and final goal of the match with 11:20 left in regulation to push the lead back to 11-7.
 
Catawba scored again with 8:39 left but neither team scored the rest of the way as the Railsplitters finished off the victory.
 
Lincoln Memorial outshot the Indians 38-29, including a 12-5 edge in what proved to be a pivotal third quarter. The Railsplitters also posted a 24-20 advantage in shots on goal. LMU won the turnover battle 23-18.
 
The Railsplitters begin a three-game road trip on Wednesday, Mach 28 by paying the Mars Hill Lions a visit for a 2 p.m. start.