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

>Results: 
Salem 3, William Peace 1 (29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 25-12)
Salem 3, Carolina University 0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-17)

>Records: 
Salem (13-4, 5-2 USA South)
William Peace (11-7, 4-2 USA South)
Carolina University (8-5)

>Next Match
Salem vs. Brevard | October 8 | 6 p.m. | Varsity Gym

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A pair of victories against William Peace (29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 25-12) and Carolina University (26-24, 25-19, 25-17) allowed Salem College volleyball to move its record to 13-4 overall and remain perfect at Varsity Gym in 2024 when the three teams collided in a tri-match on Saturday afternoon. 

The Spirits were led offensively by Aspen Bradley and Anna Rymer, who combined for 35 and 22 kills, respectively. That tandem was able to provide the offensive punch mainly due to first year setter, Leah Rymer, who came through with 81 assists and a pair of double-doubles, which came by virtue 31 digs by the close of the afternoon. 

Bradley drove home a single-match career-high 20 kills, posting a .306 attack percentage along the way, while Anna Rymer added 12 kills to lead the Spirits to a four-set victory (29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 25-12) in the first match of the afternoon against William Peace. 

Bradley was also active on defense with two assisted blocks and one solo block. Bradley and Bella Mann, who delivered two assisted blocks, helped Salem close with four solo blocks and eight assisted blocks as a unit. First year Leah Rymer was the catalyst to the Spirits' offense, with her single-season high 47 assists, as the team posted 61 kills and a .316 attack percentage. The 61 kills mark the second-most in program history in a four-set affair alongside clashes with Methodist and Pfeiffer in 2022 and another match with Pfeiffer in 2023. 

Leah Rymer completed her double-double performance by adding 20 digs, while McKenzie Tullock was responsible for 13. 

FIRST SET: Salem moved into double figures following a series of kills by Bradley and Ellie Scherer, the Spirits owned a three-point advantage. Slams past the Pacer defense from Maia Johnson and Scherer extended the lead to four, before the tandem of Bradley and Anna Rymer stretched the Salem lead to 18-12. Bradley's kill, following a pass from Leah Rymer, put the Spirits in the driver's seat 20-14, but a five-point rally by the Pacers resulted in a 20-19 contest. The Pacers eventually evened the game at 23, following a kill from Jordan Juanes, forcing the first of four ties, before reaching a 27-all deadlock. Bella Mann slammed home a kill and paired with Bradley on a block to provide the decisive points in the first set victory. 

SECOND SET: The two teams continued their close play in the second set, but Salem grabbed an 8-4 lead on a kill from Anna Rymer. The Spirits maintained their advantage before two Pacer kills, coupled with back-to-back service aces from Savannah Hairr, provided William Peace a 16-14 lead. Salem fought back to force the first of six ties, which resulted in a 23-all score, before Chassie Jacops and Georgia Grace Anderson evened the match at one set each with a series of kills. 

THIRD SET: Salem fought back from a 6-1 deficit early in the third set with a 9-4 run, capped off by a pair of Anna Rymer kills, to even the score at 10-10. Leah Rymer followed with a service ace and a kill of her own as the Spirits grabbed the 13-11 lead, their first of the set. The two teams would endure five ties, reaching a 19-19 deadlock, before kills by Anna Rymer, Bradley and Eckenroth resulted in a three-point Salem lead. Two kills from William Peace sliced the margin to one, 22-21, but it was Anna Rymer and Eckenroth with kills down the stretch that provided the Spirits with the decisive 25-21 win. 

FOURTH SET: Looking to remain perfect at Varsity Gym this season, the Spirits used two kills from Eckenroth and one off the hand of Ella Brameus to establish a 9-5 lead in the early stages of the fourth set. Separated by three points, after a Meagan Brylski kill for the Pacers, Salem retaliated with a kill from Anna Rymer and two service aces by Tullock to move in front by seven, 18-11. The Pacers managed just one point, before Leah Rymer moved in serve where the first year took advantage of four Bradley kills and added a service ace of her own to deliver the Spirits their fifth USA South Conference win of the season. 

SALEM 3, CAROLINA U. 0
 

Bradley continued her solid play in the three-set victory over Carolina, where she singlehandedly delivered 15 kills and a .464 attack percentage while converting five digs. Anna Rymer joined Bradley in double figure kills, coming through with 10, while Abrielle Eckenroth drove home six. 

Leah Rymer led the way for the offense with 34 assists, resulting in 47 total kills for Salem and a .248 attack percentage. Rymer teamed with McKenzie Tullock to lead the back row defense with 11 digs, while Tullock was responsible for 10. Sophomores Jolina Bun and Makailey Albright had six digs apiece and were integral parts of the Spirits' service game. 

FIRST SET: After witnessing Carolina complete a five-set victory over William Peace in the second match of the afternoon, Salem drove home 14 kills in a two-point triumph in the opening set. Ella Brameus and Bradley drove home a series of kills, while Anna Rymer added a service ace, to help Salem grab a 7-3 advantage. The lead was short lived as Carolina rallied to even the contest at seven before assuming an 11-9 lead on a Spirits miscue. With Bun in serve, the Spirits fought back to move in front 14-11. However, the set of runs continued as the Bruins eventually evened the frame at 20. Eight points later, knotted at 24 with Tullock in serve, Salem converted a Bruins miscue and a Bradley kill to claim the 26-24 win. 

SECOND SET: Carrying over the momentum into the early portion of the second set, Anna Rymer, Bradley and Eckenroth drove consecutive kills past the Bruins defense to establish a 5-3 lead. Carolina rallied, evening the game at 10, before assuming an 11-10 lead on an attack error by the Spirits. Separated by two points, 13-11, Bradley, Anna Rymer and Eckenroth again provided the offensive punch as Salem grabbed an 18-13 lead with Leah Rymer in serve. Despite a late surge by the Bruins, which trimmed the margin to 22-19, it was two Johnson kills and an emphatic slam from Leah Rymer that proved to be the difference. 

THIRD SET: Seeking to close out the third home sweep of the slate, Salem came through with 16 kills and a .342 attack percentage in the decisive third set. The Bruins were not going down easily, grabbing a 6-5 lead, before a Bun service ace coupled with clams from Johnson helped Salem assume the 10-5 lead. The margin grew to 14-7, following a series of slams from Bradley. Separated by five points, 14-9, Anna Rymer and Bradley added kills to help Salem assume the 18-9 lead. A Carolina rally cut the deficit to six, 21-15, but Bradley delivered two kills down the stretch and Johnson added one of her own, to keep Salem perfect at home with the three-set victory.