WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Salem senior Jae Lehman, who entered the final regular season game of her collegiate career without a goal, recorded a hat trick as the Spirits earned an 8-2 win at Varsity Field on Senior Day on Oct. 26.
Lehman was one of eight seniors playing their last regular season contest for the Spirits, who improved to 11-5-1 overall and 6-2 in the USA South with the six-goal victory.
Lehman got Salem on the scoreboard at the 3:56 mark with a breakaway goal past the Fighting Squirrel defense, following a pass from Baylee Greenwood.
Greenwood found Lehman for the second Salem strike of the afternoon, this time at the 33:36 mark of the first half, and the senior again responded by finding the back of the net. Just over two minutes later, Greenwood got into the scoring act herself, driving home a shot from the right side from five yards out that provided the Spirits a 3-0 advantage heading into the intermission.
Lehman netted her third and final goal of the game, which extended the Salem margin to four, at the 48:20 mark of the second half following a pass from Kim Sephaphathi on a rebound shot.
Courtney Chaplin became the second Salem senior to net a goal in the match at the 49:55 mark when she scored her fifth goal of the campaign from nine yards out, stretching the Spirits' lead to 5-0. Sephaphathi kept Salem's offense rolling with a goal, following a pass from Amy Bounds, when she scored from three yards out in front of the net for the sixth Spirit goal of the afternoon.
Bounds picked up her fourth goal of the slate and became the third Salem senior to notch a goal in the match at the 62:57 mark, following a breakaway attempt from seven yards out, when she drove the ball past netminder Anyka Wilkin into the right side of the goal.
The final Salem goal of the match came off the foot of junior Callie Adams at the 71:34 mark. Adams, who has been limited to five matches this season after suffering a preseason injury, netted the second goal of her career and first since 2017, by virtue of a pass from senior Alyssa Denkovich.
Mary Baldwin (5-12, 1-7 USA South) took advantage of goals by Annie Ammons and Caroline Metivier, to avoid the shutout.
Salem goalkeeper Hannah Wagner, who finished with four saves, improved to 7-3-1 on the season with the victory. Jordan Tomberlin, who played the second half, finished with one save for Salem.
The Spirits established their single-match season-high in shots (39) in the contest, attempting 22 in the first half and 17 in the second. The senior tandem of Lehman and Hope Morrison finished with six shots each for Salem, while Sephaphathi and Denkovich added four.
Salem earned a first round bye in the USA South Conference Tournament, by virtue of finishing second in the league's East Division standings, and will host the quarterfinals on Nov. 2 at Varsity Field. For more information on Salem soccer check out www.salemspirits.com.