WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Salem volleyball team will put the finishing touches on its five-week spring practice schedule on Tuesday evening, just four days after competing in a series of matches over the weekend at Averett on Saturday, April 15th.
Salem head coach Barry Rymer is looking to build towards the 2023 campaign after his unit posted a 21-10 overall mark and 12-6 record in USA South Conference play in 2022. Rymer's team, which finished 1-23 in his first season at the helm, had the best turnaround in program and USA South Conference history by finishing 21-10 in 2022. After being picked to finish ninth in the preseason polls, Rymer's unit finished 12-6 in league action—which resulted in the most conference wins in program history—and established the single-season mark for the best turnaround in league history along the way.
With 19 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 is one of 12 programs 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.
TRIO OF MATCHES AT AVERETT: The Salem volleyball team took part in a quad match at Averett on Saturday, April 15th. Over the course of the afternoon, the Spirits faced Roanoke, N.C. Wesleyan and host Averett, giving Rymer a chance to evaluate his team's progression in the spring.
Salem opened the quad match by playing Averett, earning a 25-20, 25-23 victory. The second match pitted the Spirits against Roanoke, splitting the contest by scores of 25-23 and 18-25. Salem continued the day and claimed its second win by defeating fellow USA South Conference rival N.C. Wesleyan by scores of 25-23, 25-11.
vs. Averett: Abrielle Eckenroth led all Salem hitters with seven kills, while Valeria Rosa Lopez added six. Eckenroth, who committed just one miscue over the course of the match, posted a .429 attack percentage, while Ella Brameus tallied a .300 attack percentage. Ashlyn Wood handed out 21 assists for Salem, while adding seven digs. Eckenroth was also key on the back row with a team-high 11 digs, while Lopez added 10. The Spirits also received seven digs each from both Wood and McKenzie Tullock. Jacie Jarvis was one of three Spirits, along with Brameus and Aspen Bradley, to drive home four kills in the match.
vs. Roanoke: Rising sophomore Aspen Bradley capped off a 10-kill performance with a .588 attack percentage in the second match for the Spirits. Joining Bradley among the offensive leaders was Lopez, who finished with eight kills and a .267 attack percentage. Wood piloted the offense with 18 assists, while Brianna Moore added 13 assists. Defensively, Bradley and Lopez delivered one solo block apiece, while the combination of Rymer and Moore added eight digs apiece. Macy Nelson led the back row with nine digs.
vs. N.C. Wesleyan: In the final match of the afternoon, Salem received seven kills each from the trio of Rymer, Lopez and Isabella Mann. Mann was one of five Salem hitters with a .500 attack percentage or better, wrapping up the contest with a .875. Rymer was also among the group with a .778 attack percentage, as were Lopez (.700), Eckenroth (.500) and LindaGrace York (.500). The primary setter in the match was Wood, who finished with 28 assists. On defense, Brameus sparked the Spirits with 11 digs, while Rymer and Wood added eight digs apiece. Tullock also made her presence felt with six digs, while Nelson contributed five digs. Brameus closed out the quad matches with six total service aces, notching two in each match.
RYMER ANALYSIS OF THE QUAD MATCH: "I was pleased with the overall performance of the team. We hit the ball really well, but we endured a few issues occasionally with our passing. I really liked the team's overall energy and most importantly we got contributions from the entire lineup."
MAKING BIG IMPRESSIONS IN THE SPRING: During the 15-practice spring session, Rymer was able to work directly with instituting new game plans and folds into his offensive and defensive schemes.
Outside of the usual rotation that was on the court during the 2022 season, which continued to improve their game during the offseason, Rymer was impressed with the play of Isabella Mann and Jacie Jarvis. One individual, Ashlyn Wood, has improved her physical conditioning during the offseason in preparation for the upcoming 2023 campaign.
"I was impressed with the work that both Mann and Jarvis had during the offseason and it has shown on the court during practices this spring," said Rymer. "Overall, I was impressed with the attitude of the team as whole. Realizing that she is going to be an integral part of piloting the offense, Ashlyn Wood has done a great job at conditioning herself for the extensive playing time that she will be required to have for the season."
RYMER SHARES EXCITEMENT SET FOR THE 2023 SEASON: "I am super excited to bring the team back for the start of the 2023 season. To have the returners back, along with our new recruits, is going to be an exciting time for Salem volleyball in the fall."