FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Taylor Moulton notched her third double-double of the season, finishing with 13 kills and 10 digs, and Kathryn O'Connell added 10 kills as the Salem volleyball team picked up its first USA South Conference win of the season by scores of 25-21, 25-21, 24-26 and 25-21 on the road against Methodist on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Senior setter Hannah Delcamp dished out a match-high 35 assists as the Spirits (5-5, 1-0 USA South) finished with 43 total kills. Along with double-digit strikes by Moulton and O'Connell, Salem also received solid outings by Brooklyn Snow (seven kills) and Madelyn Chappell (six).
Defensively, Moulton was one of three Spirits to total double figure digs, along with Delcamp (14) and Alexis Sunderland (10). Anna Schneider was active on the front row with four assisted blocks, while Delcamp and Chappell finished with three each.
"Good road win," said Salem head coach Bouaketh Chanthavisouk. "We hit well and for a stretch were in control most of the match. Methodist tried to get us out of rythym with a few tough service runs, but we were able to outlast them in the 4th set. We have got to learn to lay on the gas at the end of a set and push through to the final whistle."
Salem received eight kills in its first 14 points, including two each from the trio of Snow, Moulton and Chappell, as it established a 14-12 advantage. A pair of kills by O'Connell, coupled with a slam by Schneider, allowed the Spirits to maintain their lead, 21-18. Methodist trimmed the lead to two on two occasions down the stretch, but Salem took advantage of a Moulton kill and two unforced errors to complete the four-point win.
The Monarchs (1-8, 0-1 USA South) forced a five-all tie early in the second frame, but a kill by Delcamp coupled with a service ace by O'Connell provided Salem with a three-point cushion, 10-7. Methodist answered by scoring 12 of the next 19 points, moving in front by two, but O'Connell's service game resulted in a pair of attack errors as the Spirits drew even at 20-all. Two kills down the stretch by Moulton were instrumental in helping Salem grab the 2-0 advantage.
Looking to slam the door on Methodist in the third, the Spirits streaked out to a 10-5 lead following a series of kills by Snow, O'Connell and Moulton. Valeria Rosa Lopez and Schneider got into the act kills that resulted in a six-point Salem lead, putting Sunderland in serve which allowed the lead to balloon to eight, 20-12. The Monarchs capitalized on six unforced errors and five service aces in the next 18 points to secure the two-point win.
The back-and-forth battle continued into the fourth set with Methodist forcing three ties in the first 10 points before the Spirits assumed a 10-5 lead behind two service aces by Rosa Lopez and a pair of kills by Moulton and O'Connell. The Monarchs charged back, scoring nine of the next 15 points as they trimmed the Salem lead to 16-14 on a kill by Megan Andrews. Kills from Snow, Chappell and Moulton kept Salem in front, 21-20, in the waning stages of the match. Snow added a kill and Salem used two unforced errors by the Monarchs down the stretch to complete the four-point win.
Salem will make a quick return to the court on Saturday, Sept. 28, when the Spirits host a tri-match that includes clashes against Mary Baldwin (12 p.m.) and William Peace (4 p.m.)
