WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Salem swim team returns to the pool on Family Weekend and Fall Open House when it hosts Pfeiffer at the Salem Aquatics Center on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. It marks the first of two meets that the Spirits will host in the 2019-20 slate and the first of three events that Salem will take part in during November.
Fans are encouraged to take part in Family Weekend and Fall Open House festivities on campus, which will include free merchandise available to those in attendance as well as popcorn to Salem students.
The Spirits have taken part in three meets so far this season, coming away with 40 Top-10 individual finishes and 23 Top-5 individual finishes along the way. That includes a first-place performance by junior Olivia Kleven in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.35) at the William Peace Invite on Oct. 19. Kleven has a team-best six Top-5 outings in 2019, followed by Allison Wakefield (four), Ashleigh Nelson (three), Emily Inman (three) and Jaclyn Dennis (three).
Pfeiffer began its season on Saturday, Nov. 2, and split a dual against Sweet Briar (W, 125-38) and UNC Pembroke (L, 127-52) in the process. The top performer for the Falcons was Tiffany Bartholomew, who won the 100 freestyle in a personal-best time of 56.83. She also established the program record in the 200 individual medley (2:29.00), topping the previous mark of 2:31.01.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPIRITS: The Salem swimming team split a dual at Greensboro College on Saturday, Oct. 26, by earning a 78-19 win over the host Pride, resulting in their first team win this season. The Spirits, who also competed against Lees-McRae, suffered a 134-49 setback in the event.
The Spirits picked up their first points of the afternoon in the 200 freestyle, where Allison Wakefield (3:01.53) finished second and Ashleigh Nelson (3:02.77) closed in third. Two races later, in the 100 backstroke, Kristen Kellogg tapped the wall in 2:15.65 for Salem, closing in fourth.
Olivia Kleven posted a second place finish in the 100 breaststroke, ending the race in 1:19.37, just 0.32 seconds shy of Lees-McRae's Jenna Morris, who took first.
Four Spirits participated in the 50 freestyle, including Nelson who closed fourth in a time of 33.04. Jaclyn Dennis was fifth in the event (44.03), following by JaLisa Lumpkin (47.64) and Kellogg (53.60).
Salem was also represented by six competitors in the 100 freestyle, including Kleven, who was third place in a time of 1:04.29. Following in order for the Spirits was Wakefield (1:20.97, 4th), Nelson (1:24.04, 5th), Dennis (1:36.20, 6th), Kellogg (2:02.01, 7th) and Lumpkin (2:02.34, 8th).
Wakefield, in her third and final race of the afternoon, ended the 500 freestyle in fourth place with a mark of 8:30.19.
Kleven picked up her third Top-3 finish of the meet in the 200 individual medley, finishing third in a time of 2:39.18, behind the Lees-McRae pair of Molly Layde (2:26.53) and Hannah Campany (2:36.19).
For more information on Salem swimming check out www.salemspirits.com.
