WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Just three days after earning a 2-1 victory over Randolph College in Lynchburg, Va., the Salem soccer team returns to the Commonwealth of Virginia for a weekend series that includes clashes with Old Dominion Athletic Conference foes Eastern Mennonite (Saturday) and Sweet Briar (Sunday), as it continues a four-match road swing.

The Spirits, who are 3-1 on the season, are a perfect 2-0 away from Varsity Field, earning a 9-0 victory at Warren Wilson to open the season on September 1st and a 2-1 victory at Randolph on Wednesday evening.

In the clash with Randolph, Salem capitalized on a pair of first half goals by Gina Franco and Ellie Montes, along with seven saves from the goalkeeping tandem of Alexcina Wartski and Jordan Tomberlin, to earn a 2-1 win.

Salem assumed the 1-0 lead when Franco converted a goal in the high right corner following a pass from teammate Anna Fretwell at the 19:33 mark. Montes provided the Spirits with the game-winning goal just over 13 minutes later when she shook the Randolph defender for her fourth goal of the campaign.

Tomberlin closed out the first half with a pair of saves for the Spirits, picking up her first win of the season. Wartski turned all five shots for Salem in the second half, preserving the third win of the slate.

OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT, DEFENSIVE PROWESS: The Spirits have outscored their opposition 20-3 this season through the first four matches of the season. That is the most goals scored through the first four matches in any season in program history, topping the previous 19-goal benchmark that was held by the 2009 squad. In total, five Salem units have scored at least 15 goals through the first four matches.

Defensively, Salem's three goals allowed is tied for the fourth-fewest in program history through four matches. The 2014 and 2016 squads allowed just one goal through four contests while the 2015 limited the opposition to two goals through four. The current Spirits are tied for fourth-fewest alongside teams from 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013 with three goals allowed.

Salem is led in individual goals scored by Montes (five) and Baylee Greenwood (four).

MOST SALEM GOALS SCORED THRU FOUR MATCHES

HEAD COACH ROBIN RAMIREZ THOUGHTS ON THE WEEKEND: "The team responded well after the setback in the Guilford game. They managed to grind out that win against a tough Randolph team. There's another good opportunity to get better this weekend against two quality opponents in Eastern Mennonite and Sweet Briar."

PREVIEWING EASTERN MENNONITE: The Royals head into their third match of the 2021 campaign with an 0-2 mark after a pair of 2-0 setbacks to Methodist (Sept. 4) and St. Mary's (Md.), which came on Wednesday night.

Dating back to a 0-0 double overtime tie with Ferrum on October 19, 2019, Eastern Mennonite has been blanked in seven of their last eight matches. The lone win in that stretch, 8-0, came against Sweet Briar on November 2, 2019.

Eastern Mennonite has attempted 13 shots in the early stages of the season, including six shots on goal. Individually the Royals are led by Hannah York (five shots) as well as the trio of Ashley Iscoe, Hailey Smith and Laura Troyer, who have attempted two shots apiece.

Aja Laun and Anna Filipkowski have both spent time in net for Eastern Mennonite, combining for 12 saves (.750 save percentage).

SALEM vs. EASTERN MENNONITE (ALL-TIME SERIES)
(Spirits lead series 3-0)

PREVIEWING SWEET BRIAR: This weekend marks the first-ever meeting between Salem and Sweet Briar in program history. Sweet Briar enters the weekend with a 1-0 mark after claiming a 2-1 victory over Wilson at home on Wednesday evening. The Vixens, who had their first two matches of the season canceled, capitalized on goals from Dominique Cunningham and Kaitlynn Rupert.

While the duo of Cunningham and Rupert powered the Sweet Briar offense, teammate Katelyn Meyer finished with five saves to claim the victory in net. The Vixens attempted eight shots over the course of the match, attempting five shots on goal.