Johnson & Wales vs. Salem | Tuesday, September 6th | 4:30 p.m.
Varsity Gym | Winston-Salem, N.C.
LAST TIME OUT
Tuesday's match opens the season for the Spirits, marking the second under head coach Barry Rymer.
SALEM vs. JOHNSON & WALES
The 2022 season opener for Salem marks the third time in program history that the Spirits have faced Johnson & Wales. The all-time series is tied at 1-1 between the two units.
Johnson & Wales won the first-ever meeting between the two on October 17, 2014, emerging with a five-set victory by scores of 25-21,19-25,23-25,25-22,12-15. Salem avenged that setback three years later, on September 16, 2017, by claiming a 25-13,25-20,25-18 win at Varsity Gym.
ANALYZING JOHNSON & WALES
The Wildcats bring a 5-4 overall record into the match on Tuesday evening, claiming victories over Sandhills Community College (3-1), USC-Sumter (3-0), Penn State Fayette (3-0) and Penn State Du Bois (3-0).
Ahmarie Young leads the way with 81 kills (2.45 kills/set), while the combination of Aimee Evans (49), Emily Arends (44), Kaylee Atkins (43) and Shayla Pope (40) all have at least 40 kills each. Young has also made her presence felt on defense with a team-best 135 digs (4.09 digs/set).
The pairing of Pope and Evans, who have 23 and 20 total blocks, respectively, have proved to be a solid front row for Johnson & Wales.
SALEM IN HOME OPENERS
Salem enters Tuesday's match with a 6-6 mark all-time in home openers, claiming its last win in a home opener in 2018. That victory came after a five-set battle against Averett, with the Spirits posting a 26-24,29-27,25-27,21-25,15-10 win over the Cougars.
SALEM IN SEASON OPENERS
The Spirits head into the match against Johnson & Wales looking to earn their sixth win in a season opener in program history. Salem is 6-7 all-time in season openers.
The last time that Salem opened the season with a victory came in 2019 against Wilson. The Spirits won that match in 3-0 fashion (25-15, 25-19, 25-18) at the Route 42 Classic in Harrisonburg, Va., hosted by Eastern Mennonite.
LOTS OF NEW FACES
Salem volleyball fans will definitely need to take a glance at the roster cards at matches on Tuesday evening to familiarize themselves with 11 first year players and one sophomore transfer on the court.
Rymer added out-of-state recruits from Illinois (Ella Brameus), Oregon (Aspen Bradley), Georgia (Ashlee Peek), Florida (Abrielle Eckenroth) and Virginia (Alysa Thombs). Rymer, a native of Charlotte, kept provided the combination of Anna Rymer, Jacie Jarvis, Addie Beck, Ashlyn Wood, McKenzie Tullock, LindaGrace York and Isabella Mann with the opportunity to continue their education at Salem College by playing in their native state of North Carolina.
The 12 newcomers join returnees Valeria Rosa Lopez, Brianna Moore, Nikita Sizemore, Macy Nelson, Taylor Alleyne and even Brooklyn Snow, who will be taking graduate courses at Salem this fall.
SNOW INACTIVE FOR FIRST MATCH
Brooklyn Snow will miss the first week of matches because of celebrating her honeymoon after getting married on Saturday, September 5th. Best wishes from the Salem Department of Athletics to the new couple.
