HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Off to the best start in program history, the Lincoln Memorial University men's lacrosse team opens South Atlantic Conference play on Saturday with a trip to the Palmetto State to face Coker.
 
The Railsplitters (5-1) extended their winning streak to three games by bulldozing the Shorter Hawks last Friday at the University of the Cumberlands 21-5, while the Cobras (3-2) squeaked by Palm Beach Atlantic last Saturday 10-9. Coker has won three of its last four matches since opening the season with a 12-6 loss at North Greenville.  
 
Schedule / Game Day Links:
 
Saturday, March 10 at Coker (2pm) – Live Stats / Video
 
Quick Hits:
 
- Nine different players tallied multiple points in the Railsplitters' destruction of Shorter, which pushed Lincoln Memorial to the best start in program history. Adam Golia led that effort with four goals and three assists while Chris Tucker added three goals and an assist. Robert Tucker, Kyle Arcuri and Billy Kopsky chipped in two goals and an assist apiece.
 
- Lincoln Memorial will be trying to piece together a four-match winning streak for just the second time in program history. The 2017 team won four straight from February 18-March 4, 2017.
 
- Golia enters SAC play leading the conference in goals (26) and points (42). He is just 10 points away from breaking the single-season program record that he established during the 2017 campaign. The Victoria, British Columbia native is already tied for the program single-season record for assists with 16.
 
- The Railsplitters are one of only two teams in the SAC with just one loss this season along with Lenoir-Rhyne, who is off to a 6-1 start that includes wins over No. 7 Limestone, No. 5 Seton Hill and No. 8 Belmont Abbey. Lincoln Memorial's lone loss came against Saint Leo, which is ranked No. 11 in this week's USILA poll.
 
- Through six matches, Lincoln Memorial is ranked seventh in the nation in points per game (24.83) and scoring margin (7.33) while ranking eighth in scoring offense with 15.67 goals per match. The Railsplitters are also ranked 20th in the nation and second in the conference in scoring defense by allowing just 8.33 goals per contest.
 
- Two LMU players are ranked in the top 20 nationally in caused turnovers per game in Ryan Benck (13th, 2.20) and Josh Hernandez (19th, 2.00). As a team, the Railsplitters are ranked eighth in the country in caused turnovers per game with 11.67.
 
- Lincoln Memorial finished tied for fifth in the SAC standings and made its first-ever appearance in the SAC tournament last season. The Railsplitters are 6-18 all-time against SAC competition, but that is marred by an 0-8 mark during the inaugural 2015 season.
 
Know the Opponent:
 
- After trailing 1-0 at the end of the first quarter, Coker scored seven goals in the second quarter to take the lead for good in its hard-fought 10-9 victory over Palm Beach Atlantic last Saturday. Rylee Marsh led the Cobras with three goals and three assists, while Ethan Irizarry and Matt Murphy had two goals and an assist apiece.
 
- Marsh once again led Coker to a 13-3 win over Embry-Riddle back on February 25 with three goals and two assists. The senior attacker has produced a team-high 15 points on seven goals and eight assists. Irizarry has contributed a team-high eight goals to go along with five assists, while Murphy has pitched in seven goals and four assists.
 
- Despite their 3-2 record, the Cobras have struggled on some key areas of the field. Coker is ranked 51st out of 58 teams nationally with a 40.2 face-off winning percentage. On top of that, they average just 25.00 groundballs per game, ranked 52nd nationally.
 
- Coker does have a solid defensive unit that ranks 19th nationally and leads the SAC with 8.20 goals allowed per game. Offensively, the Cobras are putting up 8.80 goals per contest.
 
- Freshman goalie Chris Hagy has played all but 2:14 minutes for the Cobras this season. Over the course of five starts, Hagy has made 53 saves, allowed 41 goals and accumulated a 56.4 save percentage, the 24th-best mark in the nation.
 
- Coker is 2-1 at home compared to 1-1 on the road this season.
 
- The Cobras were projected to finish eighth out of nine teams in the SAC preseason coaches' poll. Coker went 1-7 in SAC play last season.
 
Series History:
 
- The Railsplitters are 1-2 all-time against the Cobras. Lincoln Memorial suffered an 18-9 loss to Coker in 2015 and was denied a spot in the SAC tournament with a 12-9 loss to the Cobras in 2016. However, Lincoln Memorial picked up its first-ever win over Coker last season with an 11-9 win in Hartsville.
 
- Golia led the Railsplitters in last season's victory over Coker, scoring four goals while handing out an assist. Arcuri chipped in two goals and an assist, while Robert Tucker added two assists.