Opponents:
Salem vs. Southern Virginia | September 1 | Virginia Wesleyan Tournament | Virginia Beach, Va. | 3 p.m.
Salem vs. Thiel | September 1 | Virginia Wesleyan Tournament | Virginia Beach, Va. | 5 p.m.
Salem vs. Virginia Wesleyan | September 2 | Virginia Wesleyan Tournament | Virginia Beach, Va. | 11 a.m.
Salem vs. Bridgewater (Va.) | September 2 | Virginia Wesleyan Tournament | Virginia Beach, Va. | 3 p.m.

SPIKERS HEAD TO VIRGINIA BEACH FOR TWO-DAY, FOUR-MATCH TOURNAMENT
The Salem volleyball team opens the 2023 regular season with a two-day, four-match tournament hosted by Virginia Wesleyan in Virginia Beach, Va. It marks the second time in the last three years that the Spirits have opened on the road.

The Spirits begin the season with 157 all-time wins, posting 45 victories on the road and 72 win at Varsity Gym. Salem has claimed 40 wins at neutral site matches.

SALEM PICKED FIFTH IN USA SOUTH PRESEASON POLL
One year removed from putting together the best single-season turnaround in USA South Conference history, the Salem volleyball team was picked to finish fifth in the 2023 USA South Conference Preseason Polls. The polls, released in a statement from the league office on Thursday, August 24th, were conducted by the leagues' head coaches.

The Spirits, who finished the 2022 season 21-10 and 12-6 in USA South Conference play, established the mark for most conference wins (11) and overall wins (20) from one season to another after posting just one victory in the 2021 campaign. The fifth-place prediction ties the 2019 unit for the second-best predicted finish, one off from the 2018 team that was picked fourth overall in the USA South East Division standings.

With 20 more overall wins than the previous season, Salem bested the 2010 Greensboro volleyball team's mark of 16 wins, for the best turnaround in league history. Salem became the 12th program in USA South Conference since 2001 to improve its win total by at least 10 wins. The 21-10 mark also resulted in the best win percentage (.677) for the Spirits in volleyball history.

SALEM ALL-TIME IN OPENERS, ROAD OPENERS
The Spirits head into the match against Southern Virginia looking to earn their eighth win in a season opener in program history, boasting a 7-7 all-time mark in season openers heading into the weekend. A victory over the Knights would mark the second time in program history that Salem has collected a win in the opening match of the season, equaling a mark by the 2018 and 2019 units. The opportunity presents itself after the Spirits opened the 2022 campaign with a 3-0 win over Johnson & Wales.

Prior to defeating the Wildcats, a season ago, the last time that Salem opened the season with a victory was in 2019 against Wilson. The Spirits won that match in 3-0 fashion (25-15, 25-19, 25-18) at the Route 42 Classic in Harrisonburg, Va., hosted by Eastern Mennonite.

The 2023 Spirits are looking to become the first team in program history to open the season by winning at least three matches in a four-match in-season tournament. Salem has opened a season with a four-match tournament on nine occasions, earning at least two wins on four occasions. The Spirits evenly split (2-2) the Eastern Mennonite Tournament in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

LOOKING TO BUILD ON SUCCESS OF 2022
The Spirits have quickly transitioned from the hunters to the hunted after their 21-10 record a season ago. After being picked to finish ninth in the USA South Conference standings, Salem took the league by storm and ended the season by reaching the USA South Conference Tournament Semifinals, falling to Southern Virginia in three sets.

The Spirits, who finished the 2022 season 12-6 in USA South Conference play, established the mark for most conference wins (11) and overall wins (20) from one season to another after posting just one victory in the 2021 campaign. The fifth-place prediction ties the 2019 unit for the second-best predicted finish, one off from the 2018 team that was picked fourth overall in the USA South East Division standings.

With 20 more overall wins than the previous season, Salem bested the 2010 Greensboro volleyball team's mark of 16 wins, for the best turnaround in league history. Salem became the 12th program in USA South Conference since 2001 to improve its win total by at least 10 wins. The 21-10 mark also resulted in the best win percentage (.677) for the Spirits in volleyball history.

Salem earned several pieces of hardware following the 2022 season, with Rymer being named USA South Conference Coach of the Year as well as AVCA Region VI Coach of the Year. Aspen Bradley brought home Second Team All-Conference, Valeria Rosa Lopez was named Honorable Mention All-Conference and Ashlyn Wood earned All-Sportsmanship Team.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN FOR 2023
Salem head coach Barry Rymer focused his recruiting mission from overhauling a roster to adding key pieces for sustained success. Rymer lost just two players from last season, Brooklyn Snow and Ashlee Peak, and returned six of eight starters along the way.

Two of his upperclassmen returnees from 2022 include seniors Valeria Rosa Lopez and Macy Nelson. That tandem, along with junior returnees Anna Rymer and Taylor Alleyne, will look to quickly mesh with sophomores Aspen Bradley, Ella Brameus, Ashlyn Wood, Abrielle Eckenroth, McKenzie Tullock as for the Spirits this season.

Quick Hits on Key 2023 Returnees

Lopez: Became the fourth different Spirit in program history to eclipse the 300-kill mark in a single season, finishing with 304 on the slate, second-most on the team. Ranked among Top-5 statistical leaders in total attacks (851-1st), kills/set (2.69-2nd), digs (373-2nd), digs/set (3.30-3rd), service aces (27-4th) and total blocks (21-5th). Enters her final season at Salem with 661 kills (2.23 kills/set) and 963 digs (3.32 digs/set) as she looks to join Taylor Moulton as the second player in program history with at least 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.

Nelson: A high-level defender who anchored the Salem back row with the third-most digs (340) on the unit at a clip of 3.47 digs/set, which was tops on the team. Her 340 digs marked the 10th-most in a single-season in program history. Responsible for 10 service aces along the way.

Rymer: One of the top all-around performers for Salem in 2022, closing among the Top-5 statistical leaders in solo blocks (27-1st), assisted blocks (48-1st), blocks/set (0.64-1st), total attacks (703-3rd), kills (285-3rd), kills/set (2.44-3rd), attack percentage (.302-3rd) and service aces (30-3rd). Proved to be one of the most efficient hitters in the Salem lineup, topping the .300 hitting percentage in 17 matches.

Alleyne: Limited to just eight sets (four matches) over the course of the season after sustaining a broken ankle in preseason camp. Wrapped up the season with three kills and one dig, while assisting on three blocks.

Bradley: A high-impact, first-year performer for Salem, who was among the Top-5 statistical leaders in kills (351-1st), kills/set (3.03-1st), total attacks (784-2nd), attack percentage (.321-2nd), solo blocks (23-2nd), assisted blocks (28-2nd), total blocks (51-2nd) and blocks/set (0.44-2nd). Bradley established the program and first-year record for most kills in a single-season (351). Joined teammate Valeria Rosa Lopez as the second set of teammates in program history with 300 kills in a single season

Brameus: Impact first-year performer for the Spirits, ranking in the Top-5 in service aces (53-1st), digs (398-1st), total attacks (549-4th) and kills (161-5th). Brameus tied Hannah Delcamp (2016) for second-most single-season service aces in program history. Was responsible for the fifth-most single-season digs (398) in program history.

Wood: Led the Salem lineup in assists (685), assists/set (5.91) and attack percentage (.368) while making 38 service aces, placing her second on the team. Closed with fourth-most digs (236) at a clip of 2.03 digs/set and helped the Spirits finish with 1507 kills (12.88 kills/set) and a .230 attack percentage, all establishing single-season highs in program history. The 685 assists by Wood marked the fifth-most in program history in a single-season and her attack percentage (.368) is the best of any Spirit to play at least 10 sets.

Eckenroth: Closed out a solid all-around season by ranking in the Top-5 in kills (179-4th), kills/set (1.60-4th), attack percentage (.229-4th), total attacks (516-5th), total blocks (24-4th) and assisted blocks (19-4th). Contributed at least six kills in 18 matches over the course of the season, posting a single-match season-high 11 in a three-set victory over Roanoke on October 17th.

Tullock: One of seven Spirits with at least 100 digs (116) on the slate, averaging 2.23 digs/set. Used her defensive prowess to reach double-digit digs in six contests, including a single-match season-high 21 in a clash with Huntingdon on September 17th.

ALL-TIME SERIES WITH VIRGINIA WESLEYAN TOURNAMENT OPPONENTS
Salem will face the quartet of Southern Virginia, Thiel, Virginia Wesleyan and Bridgewater (Va.) over the two-day stretch of September 1st and 2nd.

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA: The Knights have won all six head-to-head meetings between the two programs dating back to their first-ever meeting on October 26, 2010. Southern Virginia has claimed five of those wins in 3-0 fashion with Salem claiming its lone set victory on September 29, 2022. The Knights, who go in search of their third consecutive USA South Conference title, were picked as the top team by the league's coach's in the 2023 preseason poll. The Knights' roster boasts an impressive lineup of returning stars, including Sydney Bassett, Jilane Pedersen, Jessica Ensley, and Brenna Clyde, however missing are two-time USA South Player of the Year Courtney Pinkston and 2022 USA South Libero of the Year Emma Steiger.

Head-to-Head Series vs. Southern Virginia

THIEL: Friday afternoon's clash with Thiel marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Thiel enters the season predicted to finish fifth in the Presidents' Athletic Conference polls after posting a 19-11 overall record and 9-1 league mark in 2022. Sophomores Daisy Jenness and Carlie Reynolds, and freshman Arin DeLattre were named to the 2023 PAC Women's Volleyball Players to Watch list.

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN: Virginia Wesleyan and Salem have met on just one occasion, which took place on October 11, 2008. The Virginia Wesleyan University volleyball team was selected second in the ODAC Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's 13 head coaches. The Marlins received 129 votes and three first-place votes in the No. 2 spot, Randolph-Macon sits in the top spot with 137 votes and six first-place votes. Last season, the team posted a 20-8 overall record and improved to 11-1 in conference play to win the ODAC regular season title for the first time in program history.

Head-to-Head Series vs. Virginia Wesleyan

BRIDGEWATER (Va.): Bridgewater has dominated the all-time series with Salem, winning all seven head-to-head meetings since the first-ever clash on October 10, 2008. Four of those wins have come by 3-0 margins, while Salem nearly pulled the upset in five-set meetings in 2017 and 2018. Bridgewater last met Salem on September 3, 2021, posting a four-set victory in the process. The Bridgewater College volleyball team was selected fifth in the ODAC Preseason Poll. The Eagles rounded out 2022 with a 17-12 overall record and a 9-3 mark in conference competition and bowed out in the ODAC Quarterfinals.

Head-to-Head Series vs. Bridgewater (Va.)