Score: Salem 9, Regent 0
Records: Salem (1-0-0) / Regent (0-1-0)
NORFOLK, Va.— The Salem soccer team picked up its seventh season-opening win in program history on Saturday, September 3rd, when the Spirits claimed at 9-0 victory over Regent in Norfolk, Va. The duo of Ashley Linden and Darilyn Nieto notched two goals each for the Spirits, becoming the 16th set of teammates to score multiple goals for the Salem in a match in program history and first since Sept. 1, 2021.
Salem received one goal each from Nathaly Berrezueta, Layla Locklear, Cristina Battistini, Olivia Nivens and Alyson Gammons scored one goal each.
Salem senior goalkeeper Jordan Tomberlin anchored the defensive attack by making two saves, while her teammates limited Regent to two shots, both on goal. It marks the fifth time in program history that Salem has opened the season with a shutout and first time since 2013 and 2014, when the Spirits downed N.C. Wesleyan (3-0) and Greensboro (12-0), that two season openers resulted in shutouts. Last season, Salem came through with a 9-0 win over Warren Wilson.
Nieto drove home the first goal of her collegiate career in the fifth minute, providing Salem with a 1-0 lead. Just over nine minutes later, Nivens found Locklear for the second Spirits goal of the game. Nivens singlehandedly moved that margin to 3-0 for Salem in the 43rd minute, scoring the final first half goal of the match.
Gammons and Nieto teamed up for the fourth goal of the match for Salem, first of the second half, in the 46th minute. Linden kept the Spirits' offensive attack rolling six minutes later, stretching the margin to 5-0, with an unassisted strike of her own.
Gammons, a native of Ridgeway, Va., completed her trip to the Commonwealth with a goal of her own as Salem's lead grew to 6-0 in the 55th minute.
Linden delivered the seventh goal of the match for Salem, marking the first multi-goal match of her career, in the 64th minute when she worked her way past the Regent defense. First year teammates Berrezueta and Battistini netted the final two goals of the game for the Spirits in the final 10 minutes of action at the 83rd and 84th minute, respectively.
SALEM NOTES
- Salem head coach Robin Ramirez becomes the first coach since Jay Callahan (2008, 2009) to win the season-opening matches of each of his first two seasons. Callahan would win the first three season openers in his Salem coaching career, also winning the 2010 opener.
- Jordan Tomberlin has three solo shutouts and four combined shutouts in her Salem career.
- Linden and Nieto join a historical duo of multi-goal scorers in same match. The others include:
Player Opponent Date Goals Erica Edwards William Peace Sept. 4, 2010 2 Tia Bringhurst William Peace Sept. 4, 2010 2 Amanda Orsino William Peace Sept. 4, 2010 2 Mackenzie Schmidt William Peace Sept. 21, 2010 2 Courtney Hedgecock William Peace Sept. 21, 2010 2 Anna Trakas Wesleyan (Ga.) Oct. 24, 2010 2 Tia Bringhurst Wesleyan (Ga.) Oct. 24, 2010 2 Amanda Orsino Wesleyan (Ga.) Oct. 24, 2010 2 Amber Lee William Peace Sept. 4, 2012 2 Sawyer Ferguson William Peace Sept. 4, 2012 2 Sataj Johnson William Peace Sept. 4, 2012 2 Taylor Norman Trinity Oct. 5, 2013 2 Nataly Mojica Trinity Oct. 5, 2013 2 Tarryn Johnson Washington Adventist Aug. 31, 2014 3 Jordan Lanier Washington Adventist Aug. 31, 2014 2 Brooke Bukas Washington Adventist Aug. 31, 2014 2 Nataly Mojica Agnes Scott Oct. 4, 2014 2 Tarryn Johnson Agnes Scott Oct. 4, 2014 2 Jordan Lanier Johnson Oct. 20, 2014 2 Taylor Norman Johnson Oct. 20, 2014 2 Sydney Priest Hollins Sept. 6, 2015 2 Tarryn Johnson Hollins Sept. 6, 2015 2 Maddie Crumpton Eastern Mennonite Sept. 26, 2015 3 Jordan Lanier Eastern Mennonite Sept. 26, 2015 2 Maddie Crumpton Wesleyan (Ga.) Oct. 18, 2015 3 Brooke Bukas Wesleyan (Ga.) Oct. 18, 2015 2 Jordan Lanier Trinity Oct. 30, 2015 3 Brooke Bukas Trinity Oct. 30, 2015 2 Kimberlee Templeton Mount Mary Nov. 6, 2015 3 Kayleigh Artise Mount Mary Nov. 6, 2015 2 Shelby Alfaro Mount Mary Nov. 6, 2015 2 Maddie Crumpton LaGrange Oct. 1, 2016 2 Jordan Lanier LaGrange Oct. 1, 2016 2 Chaniece Moss LaGrange Oct. 1, 2016 2 Baylee Greenwood Warren Wilson Sept. 1, 2021 3 Ellie Montes Warren Wilson Sept. 1, 2021 2 Alyson Gammons Warren Wilson Sept. 1, 2021 2