Opponents:
Salem at Pfeiffer | October 21 | Misenheimer, N.C. | 12 p.m. | N.E. Lefko Field

SPIRITS HEAD TO PFEIFFER FOR USA SOUTH CONFERENCE ROAD MATCH
The Spirits make the trek to Pfeiffer on Saturday, October 21st, looking to earn their first USA South Conference victory of the 2023 season. It is one of two remaining road matches on the docket for Salem, who will head to N.C. Wesleyan on October 25th before completing the regular season with a match against Greensboro.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPIRITS
Sophomore Darilyn Nieto returned to the Salem lineup after a one-game absence, delivering seven shots (one shot on goal), while teammate Mireya Sanchez added 13 saves in net. However, Mary Baldwin converted three goals, including two in the second half, to earn the 3-0 victory over the Spirits at Varsity Field on Monday afternoon.

Nieto was the only offensive player with at least a shot in the contest for Salem, while the Fighting Squirrels combined for 45 shots (16 shots on goal). Both Shea Rider (11) and Sara Gruntowicz (10) had double-digit shots for the Mary Baldwin, while Najila Castillo-Wright and Sydney Kirkpatrick closed with four apiece.

The duo of Rider and Gruntowicz attempted three shots on goal apiece for the Fighting Squirrels, while Kaitlin Bower and Rachel Gatten closed with two. Teammate Maddy Vinson manned the goal, making one save en route to the win.

Closing with 19 shots in the first half, Mary Baldwin notched its lone goal of the frame in the 29th-minute by Rider, who drove home a pass from Harmony Crawford.

The lead moved to 2-0 in the 75th-minute after a shot from Castillo-Wright reached the back of the net. Gruntowicz capped off scoring in the 82nd-minute with an unassisted goal of her own. Mary Baldwin ended the half with 26 shots.

Appearing in net for the first time since facing Methodist on September 30th, Sanchez closed out her second double-digit save performance of the season with 13 saves.

NIETO DRIVES HOME 10TH GOAL OF SEASON
After a 28-day goalless streak, which marked the longest of her collegiate career, Darilyn Nieto drove home her 10th goal of the season in a clash against Meredith on Saturday, October 7th.

By virtue of that goal, Nieto became 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, joined 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.

Nieto also moved into sole possession of ninth on the all-time goals list, passing Bringhurst in the process. She is now one shy of Ellie Montes for eighth on the all-time list (25) and two away from tying Tarryn Johnson and Taylor Norman, who are deadlocked for sixth-most career goals (26) in Salem soccer history.

DOUTRICH JOINS UNIQUE COMPANY
After converting 22 saves in a setback to William Peace on October 14th, Salem first-year netminder Marissa Doutrich not only equaled her own program single-match record, but she also tied Hannah Wagner for the most single-season double-digit save outings in program history with four.

Doutrich posted her four double-digit save outings during an 18-day stretch from September 27th through October 14th, beginning with a program record 22-save outing against Southern Virginia.

The York, Pennsylvania, native emerged with 18 saves in a setback to Brevard (Oct. 3) and 16 stops in a 1-1 tie versus Meredith four days later. She bookended her previous 22-save outing against the Knights by converting 22 in a clash with William Peace on October 14th.

That performance against the Pacers tied Wagner's 2018 mark for most single-season double-digit save outings in program history. Coincidentally, it broke a tie with Jazmine Bridgeman, who had three double-digit save outings during the course of the 2009 campaign.

ALL-TIME SERIES WITH PFEIFFER
Salem is 3-2-0 in five all-time clashes with Pfeiffer, winning the last two head-to-head meetings.

The series between the two programs began on October 4, 2017, with a 2-1 victory by the Spirits. Pfeiffer evened the series in 2018 with a 3-1 triumph and followed that with a 1-0 victory on October 9, 2018. However, Salem has responded with a pair of wins in 2021 (1-0) and 2022 (2-1), regaining the edge in the all-time series.

The Falcons enter the match with a 2-12-1 overall record and are 0-6 in the USA South Conference standings. Pfeiffer has claimed both of its two wins at home in 2023, defeating Warren Wilson (4-0) and Carolina University (2-1), which marks the last outing of the season.

The trio of Yailine Riera, Kelsy Esquivel and Khamani Spencer lead the way in offense for Pfeiffer with three goals apiece. Riera has a slight edge in points (seven) with an assist to her credit.

Meanwhile, the tandem of Kaylee Ollis (66 saves) and Olivia Garver (20) have anchored the Falcons' defense by combining for 86 saves (.642 save percentage).

Head-to-Head Series vs. Pfeiffer