Salem vs. Regent | Saturday, September 2nd |1 p.m.
Norfolk Christian Academy | Norfolk, Va.
LAST TIME OUT
This weekend's match marks the first regular season match of the season for Salem, who squared off against Ferrum in a scrimmage on August 25th.
SALEM vs. REGENT
This weekend marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. It is the only opponent on the 2022 schedule that is a first-time opponent for the Spirits.
ANALYZING REGENT
Regent opened the 2022 slate on Monday, August 29th with a 10-0 setback to Hampton. The Pirates, an NCAA Division I program in the Colonial Athletic Association, scored five goals in each period, with the trio of Maya Martir, Nyle Nwainokpor and Taryn Goodwin netting three goals apiece along the way.
SALEM STRONG IN SEASON OPENERS
The Spirits are 11-2 all-time in season openers, brandishing a 6-2 mark on the road in openers since the program's inception in 2008. Salem's six road wins in the last 12 seasons have come against Bob Jones (2019), Hollins (2008, 2010), N.C. Wesleyan (2013), Washington Adventist (2014) and most recently Warren Wilson. The 9-0 victory over the Owls came in large part to Ellie Montes notching her second career hat trick.
This season marks the fourth straight that Salem has opened on the road. The Spirits began 2018 at Salisbury and followed with a match at Bob Jones in 2019. After a COVID-19 cancellation of the season in 2020, Salem began the 2021 campaign at Warren Wilson. The only other time that the Spirits began consecutive seasons on the road came in 2010 and 2011 when they faced Hollins and Meredith, respectively.
LOOKING BACK AT 2021 FOR THE SPIRITS
Robin Ramirez heads into his second year at the helm of the Salem soccer program with a mixture of experience and youth when the team opens the 2022 regular season in Norfolk, Va.
Ramirez concluded his first year at Salem with a 7-10-1 overall record, winning three matches against USA South Conference opposition along the way. He took over the reins of a program that had not taken the field since 2020, missing the entire 2021 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His seven victories equaled the win totals of his predecessors—Jay Callahan (2008-17) and Octavia Saunders (2018-20)—in their first season as well.
STRENGTHENING THE COACHING STAFF
Salem soccer coach Robin Ramirez announced on Tuesday, August 16th that Gina Ryan was named as an assistant coach for the Spirits. Ryan, who played collegiately at UNC Pembroke, joined the program prior to the start of the 2022 preseason camp, which began on Thursday, August 18th.
A native of Cape Carteret, N.C., Ryan was a four-year letterwinner for the UNC Pembroke soccer program while earning her bachelor of science in accounting. From 2016-19, Ryan appeared in 75 matches, logged just over 6,702 minutes and made 332 saves to cap off her career with a .849 save percentage. Along the way she was responsible for a 49-17-4 all-time record in net and notched 36 shutouts.
USA SOUTH PRESEASON POLL
Salem was predicted to finish ninth in the USA South Preseason Poll in a vote by the league's women's soccer coaches.
Methodist was placed atop the rankings thanks to receiving 78 total points and six of the possible ten first place votes. The Monarchs finished last season with a perfect 9-0 regular season Conference record and claimed the East Division Championship but fell in the semifinals of the USA South Tournament. Southern Virginia, who was second in the poll, grabbed 76 total points and the remaining four first place votes. Mary Baldwin rounded out the top-three with 58 points.