Score:
Salem 7, Guilford 2 | September 24 | Greensboro, N.C. | McMichael Courts
Up Next:
Salem vs. Methodist | September 30 | Winston-Salem, N.C. | Bert Lain Tennis Center
Salem vs. Pfeiffer | September 30 | Winston-Salem, N.C. | Bert Lain Tennis Center
Records:
Salem (1-0) / Guilford (0-1)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – For the first time since the 2018 campaign the Salem tennis team opened the season with a victory, which came when the Spirits claimed a 7-2 victory over intracity foe Guilford on Sunday, September 24th at McMichael Courts in Greensboro, N.C.
The Spirits, who have now won five straight meetings against Guilford, last opened the season with a win on September 29, 2018 when they downed Hollins by a 9-0 margin.
In Sunday's clash, the Spirits earned two points in doubles action. One of those points came from the No. 1 pair of first year's Mariana Faint and Adley Keim, who defeated Ashley Belnap and Kancie Tate by an 8-6 margin. Teammates Cadence Durham and Alyx Diggs, who were the No. 3 seeds for Salem, grabbed an 8-1 win over Molly Wilson and Bethany Lupo.
Guilford's lone doubles point came from Jolie Nhouyvanisvong and Nya Reed, who fought past the hard-charging pair of Alana Bridges and Emily Griffis to post an 8-7 (7-5) victory in No. 2 doubles play.
The Spirits picked up five points in singles play, including Keim's 6-2, 6-0 win over Belnap in No.1 singles action, helping the Salem rookie to mark her first collegiate wins in both singles and doubles action. Faint was also successful with a victory in No. 2 singles action, picking up her second win of the day and first collegiate victory, by scores of 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7) over Nhouyvanisvong.
Durham helped Salem sweep the top three seeds as she took down Kancie Tate by scores of 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Bridges bounced back from her doubles setback to come away with a 7-5, 6-2 victory in No. 5 singles play over Wilson. First year Alyx Diggs picked up her first singles win in collegiate play by battling past Lupo by scores of 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.
Guilford's lone win in singles action came by virtue of Reed's 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 triumph over Griffis in fourth-seeded action.
The two teams will rekindle the rival on Saturday, September 30th at the Bert Lain Tennis Center on the Salem College campus.
Singles competition
1. Adley Keim (SAL) def. Ashley Belnap (GCW) 6-2, 6-0
2. Mariana Faint (SAL) def. J. Nhouyvanisvong (GCW) 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Cadence Durham (SAL) def. Kancie Tate (GCW) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Nya Reed (GCW) def. Emily Griffis (SAL) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
5. Alana Bridges (SAL) def. Molly Wilson (GCW) 7-5, 6-2
6. Alyx Diggs (SAL) def. Bethany Lupo (GCW) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Mariana Faint/Adley Keim (SAL) def. Ashley Belnap/Kancie Tate (GCW) 8-6
2. J. Nhouyvanisvong/Nya Reed (GCW) def. Alana Bridges/Emily Griffis (SAL) 8-7 (7-5)
3. Cadence Durham/Alyx Diggs (SAL) def. Molly Wilson/Bethany Lupo (GCW) 8-1