HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Railsplitters entered the fourth quarter trailing 12-8 but erased that with a 6-0 closing run to defeat Tusculum 14-12 in a South Atlantic Conference thriller on Wednesday afternoon at the LMU Lacrosse Complex. 
 
The come-from-behind victory snapped a two-game losing streak for Lincoln Memorial (11-3, 5-2 SAC), which earned its first-ever home win over the rival Pioneers (4-7, 2-4 SAC) to remain solidly in third place in the SAC standings. 
 
Adam Golia led the Railsplitters with two goals and five assists, and handed out three helpers during Lincoln Memorial's 6-0 flurry. Robert Tucker posted three goals and one assist, with all three of his goals coming in the fourth quarter, while Billy Kopsky led all players with four goals, including the game-tying goal with 7:32 left in the fourth. Kyle Arcuri added two goals and one assist and Anthony Teresky had one goal and one assist. Dylan Neisler scored one goal, but it was the biggest one of the match as it proved to be the game-winner with 1:51 left in regulation. 
 
Freshman goalie Michael Kessler was also sensational, making 11 saves, including two in the fourth quarter, to pick up the victory. 
 
Face-offs also played a pivotal role in the outcome as the Railsplitters won 19 of the 30 face-offs. Hunter Clark led that effort by going 13-for-22 while Kameron Andrews finished a near-perfect 6-for-8. The 19 face-offs won tied the third-highest mark of the season for Lincoln Memorial.   
 
Nate Wade paced the Pioneers with three goals and one assist, Tyler Klarner added three goals as well, and Chris Ryan and Andrew Kransberger had one goal and one assist apiece. Keegan Bell pitched in two goals. 
 
The Railsplitters and Pioneers traded blows early. Dallas Wade put the first goal through 49 seconds into the match to give Tusculum the lead, but Arcuri and Golia scored to put the Railsplitters ahead midway through the first quarter. The Pioneers ended the quarter on a 3-1 run, though, to carry a 4-3 advantage into the second. 
 
Kopsky and Chris Tucker pitched in goals early in the second quarter to put the Railsplitters back up 5-4, but a commanding 5-0 run powered by two goals from Wade and two from Bell gave the Pioneers a 9-5 cushion with less than five minutes remaining in the half. Kopsky scored with 4:04 left in the half to cut the Railsplitters' halftime deficit to 9-6. 
 
Lincoln Memorial got another goal back early in the third quarter on a score by Teresky but the Pioneers clapped right back with another 3-1 flurry to take a 12-8 lead into the final frame. 
 
However, the Railsplitters dominated the fourth quarter from start to finish, as Robert Tucker scored 57 seconds into the period to kick start the 6-0 closing run. Arcuri scored at the 12:55 mark to cut the deficit to 12-10 before Tucker put another goal through at the 8:30 mark to make it a one-goal game. The Railsplitters officially completed the comeback less than a minute later on a goal by Kospky that was assisted by Golia.
 
After more than five back-and-forth minutes, the Railsplitters took the lead for good on an unassisted goal from Neisler. Kessler then made a clutch save on a shot attempt by Bell with just over a minute left and Lincoln Memorial added an insurance goal on the other end, as Tucker scored with 21 seconds remaining to clinch the victory. 
 
The Railsplitters complete SAC play on Saturday when they host Newberry at the LMU Lacrosse Complex for a 3 p.m. start.