Site: Misenheimer, N.C. / Merner Gym

Score: Pfeiffer 78, Salem 73

Records: Pfeiffer (6-13, 4-9 USA South) / Salem (2-18, 3-12 USA South)

Next Game: Salem at Mary Baldwin| February 8| Physical Activities Center | Staunton, Va. | 2:00 p.m.

MISENHEIMER, N.C. — Salem rebounded from a difficult shooting first half to outscore Pfeiffer 47-34 in the second half, but it was a pair of conversions by Alexis Bynum and Hannah Isley that proved to be the difference as the Falcons claimed a 78-73 win in USA South Conference action on Friday evening at Merner Gym.

The hard-charging Spirits were trailing by 12 points entering the final frame and opened the quarter with a 12-2 run that sliced the Pfeiffer margin to 65-63. The Falcons used a 5-0 run to stretch the margin to seven, 70-63, capped off by a Tanaesha Ellison 3-pointer. However, the scrappy Spirits capitalized on two jumpers from Cree Bass to trim the deficit to 70-68 with 2:17. Timely scores from Bynum and Isley down the stretch offset five points from Dionne Sampson to help Pfeiffer complete the five-point victory.

Sampson led four Salem shooters in double figures with 16 points, hitting 4-of-14 from the floor and 7-of-11 at the free throw line. Sampson also climbed the glass for 10 rebounds, resulting in her first double-double of the season. Teammates Alize Munn (15), Cree Bass (14) and Tamsi Echendu (11) also reached double figures for Salem, highlighting a Salem offense that finished 28-of-65 (43.1%) from the floor and 13-of-24 (54.2%) at the free throw line.

Minnie Griffin established herself in the paint for Salem with a game-high 13 rebounds (10 defensive), while Echendu was active with nine. Bass forced a team-high six steals, while Sampson was a catalyst for the offensive attack with five assists.

FIRST QUARTER
Pfeiffer capitalized on an 8-of-16 shooting performance to establish a 22-10 lead at the close of the opening quarter. Echendu netted the first bucket of the game for the Spirits, making for a 4-2 contest, before Pfeiffer put together a 9-2 run to assume a double-digit lead. Alize Munn and Dionne Sampson drove home a pair of buckets for Salem, but the Falcons maintained a double-digit advantage 16-7. After Alize Brooks trimmed the deficit to nine, 19-10, Pfeiffer closed the quarter with three points.

SECOND QUARTER
The Spirits headed into the intermission facing a 44-26 deficit after knocking down 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-9 from the free throw line. Pfeiffer countered by finishing 10-of-19 (52.6%) from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers, and forced eight Salem miscues. The Spirits' offense received its first bucket of the frame from Munn at the 7:53 mark, making for a 29-13 contest, before a 7-2 run by the Falcons extended the margin to 36-16. Salem bounced back with an 8-2 run of its own, capped off by Munn jumper.

THIRD QUARTER
Salem came out strong in the third quarter, outscoring the Falcons 25-19 in the 10-minute session. After falling behind by 20 points, 48-28, a 3-pointer from Sampson coupled with an Echendu layup helped trim the margin to 15. Salem continued to chip away at the lead as it fluctuated between 14 and 16 points, with Savanah Atkins' layup making the margin 56-44. The Falcons answered with a 5-1 run, making for a 61-45 contest, before a series of buckets by Cristina Battistini, Munn and Bass in succession resulted in a 63-51 lead for Pfeiffer.

SALEM QUICK NOTES
-Sampson led four Salem shooters in double figures with 16 points, hitting 4-of-14 from the floor and 7-of-11 at the free throw line. Sampson also climbed the glass for 10 rebounds, resulting in her first double-double of the season.
-Minnie Griffin established a single-game season-high in rebounds (13), grabbing 10 on the offensive glass. The 13 rebounds are a single-game season-high by any player on the Spirits' roster in 2022-23.
-Alize Munn (15), Cree Bass (14) and Tamsi Echendu (11) also reached double figures for Salem, highlighting a Salem offense that finished 28-of-65 (43.1%) from the floor and 13-of-24 (54.2%) at the free throw line.
-It marked the sixth time this season that the Spirits hit at least 40 percent from the floor.