HARROGATE, Tenn. --- Nicole McKinney scored a pair of goals including the match-winner in the 87th minute to lead the Lincoln Memorial University women's soccer team to a 2-1 South Atlantic Conference victory over visiting Tusculum College Wednesday afternoon.

The Railsplitters (9-2-1, 7-1-1 SAC) climb into sole possession of first place in the conference standings, while Tusculum (8-6-1, 4-4 SAC) suffers its third straight loss.

Tusculum jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute when junior Taylor Lewis took a pass from rookie Jordan Newby in the penalty box left of the goal and flicked in a shot over the keeper's head to the far post. It was Lewis' team-leading seventh goal of the season.

McKinney tied the match in the 65th minute as she took a long pass from Fernanda Miachi, turned and found the back of the net for her third goal of the year.

The match remained deadlock until the 86:13 mark as McKinney's initial shot hit the crossbar, but the carom came back to her in front of the net as she put it away for the eventual match-winner.

The Pioneers got one more chance in sending the match to overtime, but Payton DeHart's tough-angled shot in the final minute scooted wide left of the goal from 11 yards out.

LMU out-shot the Pioneers by a 17-1 margin, including 6-4 on shots on goal. Tusculum owned a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks.

Tusculum senior goalkeeper Marissa Williams recorded four saves of the 17 shots she faced on the day. LMU net-minder Kayla Stephens notched three saves against the 11 shots she encountered.

The Pioneers travel to Coker College on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. league match on the Hartsville, South Carolina campus.

- TC -