For Immediate Release: 11/09/13

Contact: Paulette Wyatt

 

Salem Comes from Behind to Defend #1 Ranking

 

Roslyn Nixon propelled top-seeded Salem College (9-15, 4-1 GSAC) to its fourth Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) winSaturday when she hit .353 in the Spirits' 3-1 (16-25, 25-9, 25-11, 25-21) come-from-behind win over fourth-seeded Finlandia University in the Spirit Center. The Spirits are defending champions, having received the GSAC's automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III National Volleyball Tournament after winning the conference championship in 2012.

 

Salem fell behind 1-0 after a hard-fought back-and-forth first set. The Spirits hit -.025 in the first and were riddled with nine errors while the Lions cruised with 10 kills on .200 hitting. Salem played smartly in games two and three, finding holes in Finlandia's defense. The Spirits hit .357 and .385, respectively, with 11 kills in each set. The Lions struggled with eight errors in game two and six in game three. Salem held on to their 2-1 lead to win game three 25-21.

 

Michelle Morgan added 16 kills on .303 hitting. Zy Henderson dug a game-high 22 balls. Chelsea Jones amassed a game-high 35 assists and added 15 digs. Olivia Newburn had six kills, seven digs and three blocks. Nixon added two blocks and four digs.

 

Emma Cole dominated on the Lions' side, tallying 16 kills. Kate Overmyer had 13 digs and Brierra Ruska added 12. Augustine Brutus had a game-high five blocks, one solo. Emma Cole added two solo blocks and one block assist in the effort.

 

Salem looks to defend their crown in the GSAC Championship match set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday evening. The win would earn the Spirits an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament.