Site:
Buena Vista, Va.

Score:
Southern Virginia 3, Salem 0 (25-23, 25-15, 27-25)

Records:
Salem (13-6, 5-4 USA South) / Southern Virginia (8-12, 5-3 USA South)

Up Next:
Salem at Mary Baldwin | October 7 | Staunton, Va. | 2:30 p.m.

BUENA VISTA, Va. — Sophomore Aspen Bradley drove home 10 kills, while Valeria Rosa Lopez added six and Abrielle Eckenroth delivered five, but it Southern Virginia that earned the victory (25-23, 25-15, 27-25) over Salem when the two teams clashed in USA South Conference action on Thursday evening in Buena Vista, Va. The setback halts a six-match winning streak for Salem, which tied the longest in program history. 

Bradley, who reached double-digit kills for the fourth time in the last five matches, led the way for a Salem unit that tallied 32 total kills. Lopez struggled to find her rhythm, committing 11 errors in the clash, while Eckenroth committed just one miscue in 15 total attacks to finish with a .267 attack percentage.

Jolina Bun led the Salem backrow with 18 digs, while Anna Rymer handed out 15 assists and Ashlyn Wood chipped in 11 assists along with six digs.

First Set Recap
Southern Virginia broke a seven-all deadlock, the fifth tie among the first 14 points, with a slam from Jilane Pedersen. Bradley and Eckenroth kept the Spirits within striking distance, 10-9, but it was kills from Madison Green, Breanna Clyde and Pedersen that stretched the margin to 16-13. Bradley singlehandedly drew the match even at 16 with a series of kills, eventually providing Salem with an 18-17 advantage. The Knights capitalized on a series of unforced errors to establish a 22-19 lead, winning the opening set on a kill from Brookelyn Madland.

Second Set Recap
The back-and-forth battle for supremacy in the match spilled over into the opening stages of the second frame, resulting in seven ties before a nine-all deadlock. A series of errors allowed Southern Virginia to assume a 13-11 lead, forcing a Salem timeout. The Knights would allow just two points during a 9-2 rally, highlighted by slams from Madland and Nikki Stevenson, forging in front 22-13. Ella Brameus entered for Salem, completing a return from injury, to deliver a kill, but it was a service ace from Sarah Hoofman and slam by Sydney Bassett that completed the 25-15 victory.

Third Set Recap
After Southern Virginia stormed out to a 5-2 lead early in the third, Salem answered by scoring seven of the next 11 points, highlighted by two kills from Eckenroth, to even the frame at nine-all. Three ties and eight points later, Salem committed four unforced errors, opening the door for a 17-13 lead by the Knights. Bradley and Eckenroth came through with kills, while Bradley teamed with Adalyn Raney for an assisted block, resulting in a 22-20 Southern Virginia lead. Salem was on the receiving end of four errors by the Knights, pulling even at 24, but it was a block by Madison Green coupled with an attack error that allowed for the Southern Virginia sweep.