HARROGATE, Tenn. – Seeking a season-best third consecutive victory, the Lincoln Memorial women's soccer team returns to action on Saturday to host the Anderson Trojans in South Atlantic Conference action at 8 p.m. at the Sansom Sports Complex in Knoxville, Tenn. 
 
Saturday's match was supposed to be held at the LMU Soccer Complex, but an abundance of rain and unplayable field conditions forced the move to Sansom's turf fields. 
 
Behind Jessica Cravero's second hat trick and the team's fourth shutout of the season, the Lady Railsplitters (5-2, 1-1 SAC) blasted Albany State 4-0 in their final nonconference tune-up on Tuesday, while Anderson (2-4, 2-0 SAC) crushed Mars Hill 6-0 last Saturday to win its second straight match. 
 
The Basics 
 
Saturday, September 29 vs. Anderson – 8pm
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Quick Hits 
 
- Cravero pushed her team-leading goal total to eight, recorded her second hat trick of her freshman campaign and scored in her fourth consecutive match to lead the Lady Railsplitters past Albany State on Tuesday. The Italian forward scored in the 37th, 47th and 60th minutes and now ranks second in the SAC in goals. Her eight goals are the most by an LMU player since the 2014 campaign. 
 
- In the 45th minute of Tuesday's match, senior Caroline Souza scored a goal that gave the Lady Railsplitters a 2-0 halftime cushion. It was Souza's first marker since an injury ended her 2017 season prematurely.  
 
- The Lady Railsplitters have posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since blanking Brevard and Queens in succession early in the 2015 season. If they are able to keep Anderson off the board on Saturday, it will be the program's first streak of three consecutive shutouts since 2010. 
 
- Cravero and Itzel Ballesteros are among the SAC leaders in points. Cravero is fourth with 16 points, and also ranks fifth in the league with 34 shot attempts. Ballesteros, who mostly rested against Albany State, is sixth in the SAC with 12 points on four goals and four assists. That duo has combined for 28 of the team's 43 points and 59 of 110 shots. 
 
- The Lady Railsplitters have dominated the first half of their matches this season, outscoring their opponents by a combined 11-4 margin with a 62-37 edge in shot attempts. 
 
- Goalie Ann-Marie O'Connell has posted a .750 save percentage with a 1.27 goals against average, but those numbers are slightly inflated by last Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Carson-Newman. Other than that, the junior has allowed only three goals all season and had a hand in four shutouts. 
 
Know the Opponent 
 
- Anderson played a murderers row of opponents to start the 2018 season and suffered the consequences, as the Trojans opened with four straight losses and were outscored 11-0 over that span. Anderson was beaten 2-0 by Georgia College, 2-0 at North Georgia and 3-0 at Limestone, each of which are currently ranked in the top five in the Southeast Region. The Trojans were then dismantled at UNC Pembroke 4-0. 
 
- Since that brutal start, Anderson has strung together back-to-back SAC wins over Newberry (1-0) and Mars Hill (6-0), who are both winless in the league. The Trojans are one of three programs without a loss in conference play along with Carson-Newman and Wingate. 
 
- Maggie Black scored twice, while Gabbie Fleming, Lexxi Longmore, Madison Cutts and Lexi Williams also added goals in Saturday's win over Mars Hill. 
 
- Kirsten Armetta is responsible for the only other Anderson goal this season as she tallied the game-winner against Newberry. 
 
- Both Abby Helm and Madison Paige have made four appearances in goal for the Trojans. Helm has played over 292 minutes, posting an .846 save percentage with a 0.62 goals against average, while Paige has produced a .640 save percentage and 3.27 goals against average over 248 minutes of work. 
 
- Anderson's .099 shot percentage is the lowest in the SAC, while their 45.1 shots on goal percentage is the second-lowest mark. The Trojans' seven goals ranks ahead of only Mars Hill and Coker. 
 
Series History 
 
- The all-time series is tied 4-4-1, but Anderson has won three straight over the Lady Railsplitters, including back-to-back overtime decisions. 
 
- A 93rd-minute goal pushed Anderson past Lincoln Memorial 1-0 in overtime last season. LMU was outshout 17-8, while Helm posted a shutout in goal for the Trojans. 
 
- In the most recent home meeting in October 2016, Anderson stole a 3-2 overtime victory at the LMU Soccer Complex on a goal in the 100th minute.