Site: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Score: Salem 3, Johnson & Wales 0
Records: Salem (3-1-0) / Johnson & Wales (0-3-0)
Up Next: Salem vs. Randolph (Wednesday, Sept. 14)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.— The Salem soccer team fought through constant rain and physical defense by Johnson & Wales to claim its third shutout of the season (3-0) behind an 11-save outing from senior goalkeeper Jordan Tomberlin on Saturday, September 10th at Varsity Field.
Tomberlin improved to 3-1-0 on the season in net, logging 79 minutes before giving way to classmate Alexcina Wartski. The combined shutout marks the sixth in the career of Tomberlin and fourth for Wartski.
Tomberlin's 11-save effort is the second-most of her career, three shy of her single-match career-high 14, which came in a 1-0 defeat of Greensboro a season ago.
The physical play of Isabel Scott, Kylie Clark, Olivia Nivens and Layla Locklear, who suffered a facial injury in the match, was also key to Salem's defensive success. That quartet played a key role in helping the Spirits earn their first back-to-back home wins to open a season since 2017.
Salem established its lead in the sixth-minute of the contest when first year Cristina Battistini drove home her second goal of the season after an assist from the tandem of Darilyn Nieto and Caelan Gaul.
Gaul got into the scoring act herself in the 33rd minute, driving home a pass from teammate Ashley Linden, extending the Salem lead to 2-0.
Nieto added an insurance goal, her sixth of the season, for Salem in the 72nd-minute by virtue of Linden's second assist of the contest.
SALEM NOTES
- Salem earned its 85th all-time win at Varsity Field with the 3-0 victory.
- Robin Ramirez now has 10 victories in his Salem career with the defeat of the Wildcats.
- The 2022 unit has equaled the mark from the 2009, 2014 and 2016 teams with three shutouts in the first four contests.
- Salem committed just four fouls in the match, all coming in the second half.
