Site: Winston-Salem, N.C.

Score: Salem 3, Ferrum 0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-9)

Records: Salem (6-1) / Ferrum (2-6)

Up Next: Salem vs. Bob Jones (@Brevard, N.C.), Sept. 16

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.— First-year right side hitter Aspen Bradley was the model of consistency for Salem volleyball, closing with 11 kills and a .733 attack percentage, as she led the Spirits to a 25-17, 25-16, 25-9 victory over Ferrum at Varsity Gym on Tuesday, September 13th.

Bradley, who reached double-digit kills for the sixth time this season, had 15 attacks for Salem. She tied Roslyn Nixon's 2014 mark for the sixth-best attack percentage (.733) in a single-match in program history. Joining Bradley among the Salem kills leaders were Valeria Rosa Lopez (eight) and Anna Rymer (seven).

The offense tallied 42 kills and posted a .303 attack percentage overall, due in large part to a pair of double-digit assist performance from the tandem of Ashlyn Wood (18) and Ashlee Peek (17).

Meanwhile, the Salem defense kept the Panther offense off-balance with a strong performance by the front row—which tallied three solo blocks and 10 assisted blocks. Bradley led the way with three assisted blocks and one solo, while Rymer added two assisted and one solo and Abrielle Eckenroth came through with two assisted blocks.

Salem also took advantage of 16 digs from Lopez and 11 by Ella Brameus to limit Ferrum to -.042 attack percentage and 23 miscues in 95 attacks.

FIRST SET RECAP
Salem converted 17 kills in the opening set to post the eight-point victory. The Spirits grabbed a 13-5 advantage, following a slam from Bradley, and would stretch that lead to nine five points later. Ferrum fought back, behind the service game of Savanna Walker, to trim the margin to 19-16 following a kill by Taylor Joyner. Bradley answered with two kills and a solo block, while Nikita Sizemore delivered one kill and paired with Bradley on a block to deliver the victory for Salem.

SECOND SET RECAP
The two teams battled to four ties in the first 14 points, reaching a seven-all deadlock, before a service error coupled with a Brameus kill provided the Spirits with a two-point edge. Lopez stepped into serve and behind slams from Brameus and Bradley, Salem moved in front 12-7. Two kills from Rymer and one off the hand of Bradley put the Spirits five points from a win, 20-13. Salem allowed just three points down the stretch and closed the game out with back-to-back kills from Brooklyn Snow and Ashlee Peek.

THIRD SET RECAP
Salem put the match away with a decisive advantage from its offense, which posted a .545 attack percentage behind 12 kills in the final set. The combination of unforced errors, along with blocks from Eckenroth, Rymer and Wood, resulted in a 9-3 lead early in the frame for the Spirits. After surrendering just one point, Peek stepped into serve for Salem and capitalized on two kills from Snow, one from Bradley and four unforced errors to stretch the margin to 20-4. Ferrum managed just five more points, while Snow converted two kills and Jacie Jarvis added one to complete the Salem sweep.

MATCH NOTES
-This marks the best start by a Salem volleyball team (6-1) in program history.
-Salem has a combined .264 attack percentage in its first seven matches, hitting better than .250 in five of those matches.
-The .303 attack percentage is the third-best in a single-match this season.
-The best hitting percentage in a single match in program history (min. 10 attacks) belongs to Kylie Taffer, who finished with 12 kills in 13 attacks (.923) against Wesleyan on Oct. 16, 2016.