Site:
Winston-Salem, N.C. / Varsity Gym

Score:
Salem 3, Brevard 1 (25-17, 25-20, 25-27, 25-15)

Records:
Salem (8-5, 1-3 USA South) / Brevard (3-5, 1-1 USA South)

Up Next:
Salem vs. N.C. Wesleyan | September 23 | Rocky Mount, N.C. | 12 p.m.
Salem vs. N.C. Wesleyan | September 23 | Rocky Mount, N.C. | 2 p.m.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Led by the double-digit kill performances from Valeria Rosa Lopez (15), Aspen Bradley (13) and Anna Rymer (13) the Salem volleyball team picked up its first USA South Conference win of the season in 25-17, 25-20, 25-27, 25-15 fashion over Brevard on Tuesday evening in Varsity Gym.

The victory, which marked Salem's 2023 home opener, gives the Spirits their eighth win in their last 10 home contests dating back to October 8, 2022. Bradley highlighted the Salem triumph with a .429 attack percentage, driving home 13 kills in 28 total attacks, while committing just one error along the way. Rymer connected on 13 kills in 38 attacks, posting a .316 attack percentage, while handing out 21 assists, contributing nine digs and converting two service aces.

For the fourth time in as many matches, Lopez topped double-digit kills while adding a match-high 21 digs. First year outside hitter Victoria Stratmann also made her presence felt in the rotation with nine kills and 11 digs. Ashlyn Wood piloted the offensive attack with 28 assists, helping the Spirits close with 60 kills and a combined .270 attack percentage.

While Lopez led the way on defense with 21 digs, teammate Jolina Bun added 12 and Stratmann came through with 11. Rymer narrowly missed a double-double performance with nine digs, but contributed two solo and two assisted blocks.

Bervard's top offensive threat was Makenna Perkins, who closed with 18 kills and a .333 attack percentage in 39 total attacks.

First Set Recap
Salem broke a five-all deadlock with a 6-2 run that was highlighted by three kills from Stratmann in the early stages of the frame. Brevard trimmed the deficit to two, 12-10, following an unforced error. However, timely kills by Bradley along with a strike and a service ace by Lopez provided Salem with a comfortable 20-14 advantage. The Spirits surrendered three consecutive points, but it was the combination of Wood in serve along with two kills by Stratmann and Abrielle Eckenroth that gave Salem an eight-point victory.

Second Set Recap
With the offense finding its rhythm in the first set, Salem exploded for 14 kills and a .353 attack percentage in the second set, claiming a five-point win. Two kills each by Lopez and Adalyn Raney established a 12-6 lead for the Spirits. Lopez poured in two more kills and Salem capitalized on a slam from Rymer as it built a 16-9 advantage. Bun delivered a service ace and Bradley followed with a kill to stretch the Salem lead to 21-13, but a Brevard rally, highlighted by two service aces from Perkins, helped narrow the margin to 22-18. Salem received kills down the stretch by Lopez and Rymer to complete the 2-0 lead.

Third Set Recap
Brevard responded to the challenge with 14 kills and a .239 attack percentage in the third set, grabbing a 12-6 lead early in the third. Eckenroth and Rymer, who came through with four kills in a seven-point stretch, pulled Salem to within 17-15 and forced a Tornados' timeout. Bradley drove three kills past the Brevard defense for the Spirits, who assumed a 21-20 lead late in the game. The game reached a 22-22 tie, the first four, before the teams eventually drew even at 25. Perkins drove home consecutive kills for the Tornados, who claimed the 27-25 victory.

Fourth Set Recap
Looking to wrap up its eighth win of the season, Salem regrouped from a difficult third frame and converted six kills in the first 12 points to establish a 12-6 lead. Bradley added two more kills to her total, while teaming with Rymer for a block, and the duo of Stratmann and Lopez added kills of their own to make for a 20-10 advantage. After a trio of points from the Tornados, Rymer and Lopez combined for the final two points of the match as Salem picked up its first USA South Conference win.

SALEM NOTES
-The victory, which marked Salem's 2023 home opener, gives the Spirits their eighth win in their last 10 home contests dating back to October 8, 2022.
-Bradley highlighted the Salem triumph with a .429 attack percentage, driving home 13 kills in 28 total attacks, while committing just one error along the way.
-Rymer connected on 13 kills in 38 attacks, posting a .316 attack percentage, while handing out 21 assists, contributing nine digs and converting two service aces.
-Wood piloted the offensive attack with 28 assists, helping the Spirits close with 60 kills and a combined .270 attack percentage. The 60 kills are a single-match season-high for Salem in 2023.
-Salem is now 4-1 all-time against Brevard in the head-to-head series.
-Spirits are now 8-6 all-time in home openers, claiming its last win in a home opener a season ago against Johnson & Wales. It is the second time that the Spirits opened the home portion of their schedule with home wins in consecutive seasons. The last time came in the 2018 and 2019 campaigns. The 2018 victory came after a five-set battle against Averett, with the Spirits posting a 26-24,29-27,25-27,21-25,15-10 victory over the Cougars. In 2019, Salem took down Carolina University in a home opener on September 17th, posting a 25-27,25-18,25-17,25-20 win.