Site:
Winston-Salem, N.C.

Score:
Meredith 67, Salem 60

Records:
Salem (7-10, 3-7 USA South) / Meredith (6-12, 4-7 USA South)

Next Game:
Salem at Greensboro | Greensboro, N.C. | 2 p.m. | January 27 | Hanes Gym

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Meredith held off a 21-point fourth quarter surge by Salem, which resulted in Dionne Sampson closing with 22 points and Isabella Childs adding 11, to earn a 67-60 USA South Conference victory at Varsity Gym on Tuesday evening in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Trailing by 10 points, 49-39, heading into the final quarter, Lee opened scoring with a free throw. The lead quickly dwindled to six, following a 3-pointer from Sampson less than one minute into the quarter. Sampson would eventually trim the margin to four, 49-45, at the 8:30 mark. Just over three minutes later, Sampson calmly knocked down two free throw to make for a 51-48 contest.

Defenisvely rebounding, coupled with three points from Lee, brought the game to a climatic 51-51 tie. Carriere broke the deadlock with a layup and the Avenging Angels added buckets in succession from Ray and Carriere in succession to extend the margin to 61-54 with just under two minutes left. Salem would eventually pull to within four, 63-59, on a Sampson jumper with 52 seconds remaining. Meredith would score four of the final five points to complete the seven-point victory.

The Avenging Angels, who were led in scoring by Danika Ray (18) and Piper Carriere (13), finished 27-of-60 (45%) from the field and were 13-of-28 (46.4%) at the charity stripe. Danika was efficient throughout the course of the game, knocking down 8-of-13 from the floor, while Piper converted 6-of-12 from the field. Piper also made five free throws in eight trips to the line. The biggest difference for the Avenging Angels came in the paint, where they owned a 32-12 advantage along with an 18-5 lead in points in the paint.

Salem's offensive catalyst was Sampson, who drove home 22 points after hitting 8-of-14 from the floor, knocking down three 3-pointers along the way, and converting three free throws. Childs provided a lift off the bench with 11 points and three rebounds. The Spirits, who were 20-of-53 (37.7%) from the floor and 4-of-6 (66.7%) from beyond the arc, also got a solid all-around performance from Ti'Erra Lee. Lee delivered nine points, while grabbing seven rebounds (six offensive), to go along with two blocks.

FIRST QUARTER
Sampson provided the Spirits with their first points of the game with a jumper at the 7:54 mark, but Meredith would eventually move in front 9-2 following a layup off the hand of Emma Lodge. Triana Smallwood converted two free throws with 2:15 remaining to help Salem slice the deficit to one, 9-8, but it was timely buckets by Rylie Wade and Carriere that established a 16-10 lead at the close of the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER
Sampson drained a key 3-pointer in the early stages of the second, slicing the score to 16-13, before a 6-3 run by the Avenging Angels, capped off by a Skyler Wade layup, stretched the lead to 22-16. Cristina Battistini got into the offensive act with a 3-pointer of her own, making for a 24-21 margin, but the Spirits managed just one point down the stretch as Meredith took a 33-22 lead into the intermission.

THIRD QUARTER
Nykerah Engle helped Salem trim the lead under double figures, 35-27, with a free throw just over two minutes into the frame. Lee did the same with 6:15 remaining, following a made jumper from Rylie Wade, as the score stood at 38-29. With the lead bouncing between single and double digits for Meredith, Engle drove home a pass from Sampson to make for a 43-34 contest. Childs and Smallwood scored the final points of the quarter for Salem, which headed into the fourth facing a 49-39 deficit.