Site:
Fayetteville, N.C. / March F. Riddle Center

Scores:
Methodist 3, Salem 0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-21)

Records:
Salem (17-9, 8-7 USA South) / Methodist (15-7, 10-5 USA South)

Up Next:
Salem at Pfeiffer | October 28 | Misenheimer, N.C. | 12:00 p.m.
Salem vs. Bob Jones | October 28 | Misenheimer, N.C. | 2:00 p.m.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Salem received a pair of double-digit kill performances from the duo of Anna Rymer (14) and Aspen Bradley (13), but it was 15 kills each from the Methodist tandem of Jeanana Fowler and Savannah Hovander that proved to be the difference as the Monarchs posted a 25-23, 25-22, 25-21 victory over Salem in a USA South Conference battle at the March F. Riddle Center.

Rymer, who has driven home 14 kills in two of her last four matches, wrapped up the contest with a .423 attack percentage after limiting herself to just three miscues. Bradley was also efficient in the outing, positing a .419 attack percentage as she delivered double-digit kills in 31 total attacks.

Teammate Valeria Rosa Lopez drove home six kills, but her nine digs were the individual highlight of the evening. Lopez's first three digs of the evening helped her surpass Zy Henderson for second-place on the program's all-time digs list, where she now trails only Taylor Moulton. Ella Brameus and Jolina Bun added seven digs each for the Spirits. Meanwhile, Ashlyn Wood handed out a team-best 24 assists.

First Set Recap
Methodist opened the match by posting 18 kills and a .341 attack percentage, despite falling behind by a 12-9 score following a slam from Rymer and a service ace by Brameus. The Salem lead grew to four, 14-10, with a spike by Bradley. However, a 7-1 run, capped off by three kills from Fowler, put Methodist in the driver's seat with a two-point lead. The two units would reach an 18-all deadlock, but it was three kills from Jamie Holton down the stretch that helped cinch the two-point victory for the Monarchs.

Second Set Recap
Salem again grabbed the early lead, this time moving in front 14-9 with Rymer in serve and Bradley providing two kills in that stretch. Methodist converted slams by Fowler and Hovander to move to within one, 17-16, before eventually grabbing a 20-19 lead with three kills and a service ace by Hannah Hewett. Rymer eventually evened the frame at 20, the first of three ties, before spikes by Holton, Fowler and Hewett provided Methodist with the 2-0 lead in the match.

Third Set Recap
With neither unit able to establish more than a two-point lead in the opening phases of the third set, the game reached a 10-all deadlock with a slam from Rymer. The Monarchs answered with three straight points, taking a 13-10 lead, before doubling that margin with a slam by Fowler that resulted in a 20-14 advantage. Salem answered with back-to-back kills by Brameus, which trimmed the margin to 22-18, but Holton drove home the decisive point to help the Monarchs earn the regular season split with the Spirits.