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Steele, Salem Tennis Look to Carry Over Momentum from 2021-22

Steele, Salem Tennis Look to Carry Over Momentum from 2021-22

Salem vs. Patrick & Henry CC | Saturday, September 17th | 10:00 a.m.
Bert Lain Tennis Center | Winston-Salem, N.C.

Salem vs. Pfeiffer | Saturday, September 17th | 2:00 p.m.
Bert Lain Tennis Center | Winston-Salem, N.C.

Salem at Randolph | Saturday, September 18th | 2:00 p.m.
Randolph Tennis Courts | Lynchburg, Va.

LOOKING BACK ON 2021-22 SEASON
Salem ended the 2022 spring season by winning six of its last seven matches, closing out the season with a team mark of 6-7. The Spirits bring a four-match winning streak into to the fall slate, which came over N.C. Wesleyan, Johnson & Wales, Mary Baldwin and Hollins. Four of those victories in the spring slate came in USA South Conference play.

STEELE RETURNS FOR SEVENTH SEASON
In 2021-22, head coach Ed Steele guided Salem to a six wins on the season, winning three matches at Bert Lain Tennis Center along the way. Steele's team posted four wins in USA South Conference play, tying the most league wins in program history with the 2013-14 team, coached by Kevin Fleck, along with his own mark, which he established in 2017-18.

Steele's four-match winning streak (third-longest in program history) to conclude the 2021-22 campaign is the longest since the Spirits put together a seven-match streak from April 5-April 26, 2014. The second-longest streak in program history spanned from February 23-March 17, 2011.

SPIRITS LOOK TO CARRY MOMENTUM INTO 2022-23
Salem tennis returns five players from 2021-22 squad, including Alyson Gammons, Haley Gilley, Natasha Guo, Ashley Linden and McKinley Rice. Both Gammons and Linden will be competing for the Salem soccer team this weekend, while Guo continues to recover from a foot injury.

Gilley and Rice, who combined for seven singles wins and four doubles victories in 2022, will be looked upon to provide leadership on the court during the fall slate. While Gammons posted the most singles wins (five) among returnees, Gilley came through with four as the No. 1 seed for the Spirits. Rice added three, all as the No. 2 seed for Salem.

Salem added three first-year players during the offseason—Alana Bridges, Cadence Durham and Harley Hedrick—to bring depth to the lineup for Steele. Other key additions include juniors Emily Griffis and Tiara Howard as well as senior McKenzie Allison.

SPIRIT TENNIS HONORED BY ITA
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) recently announced the 2022 Division III Women's ITA Scholar-Athletes and All-Academic Teams. The Salem College tennis team was one of four current USA South Conference member institutions—Brevard, N.C. Wesleyan and Pfeiffer the others—to earn a spot among NCAA Division III programs honored by the organization. Individually, five members of the team were recognized as ITA Division III Scholar Athletes.

Salem tennis wrapped up the 2021-22 academic year with a combined 3.48 GPA. Five student-athletes on the team maintained a 3.5 GPA or better, including Alyssa Cosentino (3.47), Haley Gilley (3.79), Alyson Gammons (3.94), McKinley Rice (3.54) and Gina Franco (3.64), matching the organization's criteria to be named as an ITA Scholar-Athlete.

TRIO OF OPPONENTS AWAIT SALEM TENNIS THIS WEEKEND
Salem will open the fall portion of its 2022-23 season this weekend against the combination of Patrick & Henry Community College, Pfeiffer and Randolph. All three of Salem's opponents are also beginning their 2022-23 season as well.

-Patrick & Henry's fall schedule will include meeting with Salem and Winston-Salem State on Saturday. Eight days later the Patriots will square off against the combination of Emory & Henry and Southwest Virginia to complete the fall.

-Pfeiffer will face Winston-Salem State on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at the Bert Lain Tennis Center before squaring off against Salem in the afternoon session. The Falcons reached the second round of the USA South Conference Tournament before falling by a 9-0 score to Piedmont. Pfeiffer was 11-8 overall with a 6-3 mark in league play, earning six of those wins at home and four on the road.

-Randolph will compete against Salem before taking on Washington & Lee (Sept. 21) and participating in the Pfeiffer Invitational (Sept. 25) in the fall. The WildCats ended the 2021-22 campaign with a 5-13 overall record and a 3-6 mark in ODAC play. Randolph dropped nine of its final 10 matches on the season, defeating Roanoke (5-4) on April 23rd in that stretch.