Site:
Rocky Mount, N.C. | Scalf Field
Score:
Salem 3, N.C. Wesleyan 1
Records:
Salem (3-7-4, 1-5-2 USA South) / N.C. Wesleyan (3-12-0, 1-6-0)
Up Next:
Greensboro at Salem | October 28 | Winston-Salem, N.C. | 2 p.m. | Senior Day | Varsity Field
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – Salem sophomore Darilyn Nieto delivered a clutch performance that singlehandedly put her team into eighth place in the USA South Conference standings, netting her program-record fifth career hat trick as the Spirits emerged with a 3-1 victory over N.C. Wesleyan on Wednesday afternoon in Rocky Mount, N.C.
The Spirits, who have five points following two ties and their triumph over N.C. Wesleyan, hold a two-point advantage heading into the season finale against Greensboro on Saturday afternoon. The Senior Day clash against Greensboro College will also be critical in the jockeying for eighth-place in the USA South Conference standings as N.C. Wesleyan takes on seventh-place Mary Baldwin, who is 2-5-1 in the league and has seven points to its credit.
Nieto notched her third hat trick of the season and her fourth multi-goal performance of 2023, and broke a tie with Sawyer Ferguson for the most career hat tricks in Salem soccer history on Wednesday. Ferguson had accumulated four between September 1, 2012 and September 28, 2014, to establish the mark at Salem.
The Spirits were facing a 1-0 deficit at the intermission, after a penalty kick by Samantha Dell put N.C. Wesleyan in the lead in the 35th minute. However, Nieto quickly evened the match by driving home a pass from Sky Sykes in the 54th minute.
Twelve minutes later, Giselle Ramos hit an open Nieto, who found the back of the net to put Salem in the lead, 2-1. The Greensboro, N.C., sophomore recorded her fifth career hat trick, third of the season, in the 83rd-minute, driving a shot into the top shelf of the net, following Ramos' second assist of the day.
While Nieto provided the offensive punch, goalkeeper Mireya Sanchez anchored the defense with 16 saves, including eight in the first half.
Salem attempted eight shots (seven shots on goal) in the match, while N.C. Wesleyan countered with 22 shots (17 SOG). Nieto was responsible for seven shots for the Spirits, including six on goal, while Taylor Gable had one each. Dell countered with a match-high eight for the Battling Bishops, making six shots on goal.