Opponent:
Salem vs. Carolina U. | September 23 | Winston-Salem, N.C. | Varsity Field | 4 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPIRITS
For the second time in as many matches the Salem soccer team earned a draw, this time with the match ending in a scoreless tie in the first-ever meeting with Johnson & Wales, when the two teams collided at the OrthoCarolina Sportsplex in Pineville, N.C., on Tuesday evening.

Salem was led in net by the goalkeeping tandem of Mireya Sanchez and Marissa Doutrich, who each tallied three saves in net. Sanchez capped off a solid first half of the match with three saves, after facing nine shots (three shots on goal), before giving way to Doutrich. The first-year netminder stepped in to close with three saves on 11 shots (three shots on goal) for the Spirits in the second half of play.

The Spirits, who were missing the services of Caitlin Clements and Nathaly Berrezueta, attempted five shots over the course of the contest. Four of those five attempts came off the foot of sophomore Darilyn Nieto, while Giselle Ramos added one shot attempt of her own. Nieto had two shots on goal for the Spirits, while Ramos closed with one.

The Wildcats, who also endured their second tie in as many games, finished the match with 20 shots (six shots on goal). Katie Douglas finished with a match-high six shots, while Emily Spies and Azalianna Absalom attempted three shots apiece.

Zoe Balmer made three saves between the pipes for the Wildcats on the evening.

FOURTH TIME WITH AT LEAST TWO TIES
With ties in their last two outings, the 2023 Salem soccer team becomes the fourth team in program history to have at least two ties in a single season. The others came in 2011, 2013 and 2022.

The 2011 unit became the first team with multiple ties in a single season, finishing in a double overtime scoreless deadlock with Ferrum (Sept. 23) and one-all tie with Covenant (Oct. 18).

Two years later, in 2013, Salem had consecutive matches with 1-1 ties at both Meredith (Sept. 11) and Methodist (Sept. 14). This marked the only time in program history that Salem has had ties in back-to-back matches.

The most recent season with multiple ties was 2022, where the Spirits knotted both Meredith (Oct. 8) and Greensboro (Oct. 29). The clash with the Avenging Angels came with both units scoring two goals, while Greensboro's match in late October was scoreless.

LOOKING TO BECOME THE FIFTH
In Salem's match with Agnes Scott, sophomore Darilyn Nieto netted her ninth goal of the 2023 season. With her next goal, Nieto will become the fifth player in program history to score at least 10 goals in multiple seasons in her career as a Spirit.

Nieto, who tallied 14 goals in her rookie campaign of 2022, will join Tia Bringhurst, Brooke Bukas, Sawyer Ferguson and Jordan Lanier as the only Spirits to reach double figure goals in multiple season. Three of those players (Bukas, Ferguson and Lanier) had at least 10 goals in three separate seasons.

Coincidentally, Nieto tied Bringhurst for ninth-most goals in a Salem career with 23. She is two shy of Ellie Montes for eighth on the all-time list (25) and three away from tying Tarryn Johnson and Taylor Norman, who are deadlocked for sixth-most career goals (26) in Salem soccer history.

SPIRITS WITH AT LEAST 10 GOALS IN MULTIPLE SEASON

ALL-TIME SERIES WITH CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
The Spirits have twice met Carolina University on the pitch in program history.

Salem claimed the first match by a 2-1 margin on October 17, 2019, however Carolina University retaliated with a 2-1 victory at a neutral site (Truist Soccer Park) on September 22, 2021.

Last match vs. Bruins (Sept. 22, 2021): Carolina University battled through two lightning delays and a halftime deficit to earn a 2-1 victory at Truist Soccer Park.

Cameron Dubuc delivered the game-winning goal in the 91st-minute after receiving a pass from teammate Mary Jester in front of the net. Dubuc delivered the game-winning goal to the right of Salem goalkeeper Tori Long.

It was the second Carolina goal of the half after Alondra Ramon knotted the match at one-all when she punched home a goal in front of the net following a pass from Dubuc in the 72nd-minute.

Salem received its goal from first year Ashley Linden just before the intermission. Linden drove a shot high over the top of the outstretched arms of Bruins' netminder Zee Ventura for the 1-0 lead.

The Spirits wrapped up the first half with 17 shots before attempting 12 in the second half. Meanwhile, Carolina was limited to five shots in the first period before attempting 14 in the second half. Ashley Linden was responsible for 10 of Salem's 29 shots, directing six of those attempts towards the net. Caelan Gaul tallied five shots (four SOG) and Baylee Greenwood finished with four shots.

The duo of Dubuc and Natasha Mariam shared the Bruins' team lead in shots with four, while Aaliyah Rubio finished with three shots on the evening.

Alexcina Wartski, the Salem starting goalkeeper, finished with two saves in the first half. Long assumed goalkeeper duties in the second half, making five saves in 46:32. Ventura converted 14 saves in just over 91 minutes of action for the Bruins.

CAROLINA UNIVERSITY AT THIS POINT OF THE SEASON
The Bruins enter the weekend with a 2-4-1 overall mark, splitting their last two outings against William Peace (W, 2-1) and Brevard (L, 2-1).

Salem and Carolina University have four common opponents on their 2023 schedule, including Randolph, William Peace, Brevard and Pfeiffer.

Natasha Mariam leads the way for the Bruins in goals (four) and total points (nine) on the season. She has attempted 19 shots, including eight shots on goal (.421 shots on goal percentage). Three teammates—Morgan Myers, Aubrey Sutton and Sarah Walters—have one goal each for Carolina University.

Destini Wilson is tops among assist artists for the Bruins with two.

The Bruins have been led in net by Kloe Totel, who has logged 540 minutes between the pipes in six matches over the course of the slate. She has converted 28 saves (.737 save percentage) and surrendered just 10 goals. Teammate Alona Locklear has played in one match, logging 90 minutes along the way, and made six saves while allowing three goals.