> Site: 
Varsity Gym | Winston-Salem, N.C.

>Results: 
Salem 3, Southern Virginia 2 (18-25, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 15-12)

>Records: 
Salem (24-4, 13-2 USA South)
Southern Virginia (15-11, 11-3 USA South)

>Next Matches
Salem at William Peace | Nov. 2 | 12 p.m.| Hermann Athletic Center
Salem at Eastern Mennonite | Nov. 2 | 2 p.m.| Hermann Athletic Center

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Salem tandem of Ellie Scherer and Aspen Bradley combined for 28 kills, including four each in the decisive fifth set as Salem earned its 16th straight home win (18-25, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 15-12) by knocking off Southern Virginia in a clash for first place in the USA South Conference standings at Varsity Gym on Wednesday evening. 

In the decisive fifth set, with McKenzie Tullock in serve, two kills from Bradley and a slam off the hand of Leah Rymer helped provide Salem with a 5-0 lead. Timely strikes by Bradley, Abrielle Eckenroth and Scherer kept the Spirits in front, 9-5. Scherer delivered a trio of kills, driving home assists from Leah Rymer, as Salem forged in front 12-6. However, Southern Virginia retaliated to trim the margin to two, 13-11, before a kill by Anna Rymer followed by an attack error by Sydney Bassett resulted in the decisive Salem points. 

Salem, which picked up its program-record 24th victory, remains first place in the league standings with a 13-2 mark. Scherer led all Salem hitters with 15 kills (.225 attack pct.), while Bradley added 13 slam in 45 attacks. Maia Johnson narrowly missed the double-digit mark in kills, adding eight, while Eckenroth and Anna Rymer contributed eight apiece. 

Leah Rymer was also a key component to the Salem victory with 46 assists, one shy of her single-match season-high, to go along with 14 digs. Tullock anchored the Spirits' back row with 18 digs, while Anna Rymer added 11. Makailey Albright was also solid defensively with nine digs and played a key part in the Salem service game. 

FIRST SET: The two teams battled to eight ties in the first 18 points, reaching a nine-all deadlock, before a kill from Summer Hahn and a service ace by Ruby Blamires provided the Knights with the two-point advantage. Separated by two with the score at 13-11, Southern Virginia stretched its lead to seven behind a series of service aces by Baylee Savage. Kills from Anna Rymer, Bradley and Scherer helped trim that margin to three, 19-16, but the Knights surrendered just two points down the stretch to assume the 1-0 lead. 

SECOND SET: Salem came out swinging in the second set, opening up a 6-2 lead after back-to-back kills from Eckenroth. That margin grew to 10-5 as Eckenroth and Johnson added kills and Johnson paired with Leah Rymer for a block. Separated by five points, Bradley drove home back-to-back kills for the Spirits to make for a 17-10 advantage. Johnson and Anna Rymer followed by penetrating the Knights' defense, pushing the lead to 21-15. Bradley and Scherer added kills down the stretch, while Leah Rymer converted a service ace, to even the match at one-all as Salem posted 15 kills and a .371 attack percentage. 

THIRD SET: The back-and-forth battle continued into the third set with Salem establishing a 9-6 lead following two attack miscues and a Scherer slam. Johnson and Bradley added kills of their own, giving Salem a 12-9 lead, but the Knights responded by evening the score at 12 by capitalizing on their front row defensive efforts. Five miscues by Southern Virginia, along with a slam from Johnson, allowed Salem to grab the 21-17 lead. Eckenroth added two kills of her own down the stretch to help push the Spirits to the 25-21 win. 

FOURTH SET: Facing the pressure of a must-win set, Southern Virginia responded by opening a 6-1 lead in the early stages of the fourth. The Knights eventually moved in front 11-4, with Jessica Stone in serve. However, Salem chipped away at the lead and used three kills from Bradley and four from Scherer to pull even at 18-all. Five ties later, with the score knotted at 23, Brookelyn Madland provided the Knights with a one-point lead with a kill. Breanna Clyde and Hahn followed that with a block, evening the match at 2-2, as Southern Virginia posted the two-point victory.