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

>Results: 
Salem 3, Brevard 1 (25-21, 16-25, 25-20, 25-12)

>Records: 
Salem (14-4, 6-2 USA South)
Brevard (11-6, 3-4 USA South)

>Next Matches
Salem vs. N.C. Wesleyan | October 12 | 12 p.m. | Varsity Gym
Salem vs. Carolina U. | October 12 | 4 p.m. | Varsity Gym

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – While the tandem of Aspen Bradley and Maia Johnson combined for 30 kills on the front row, the back row of Anna Rymer, Makailey Albright and McKenzie Tullock collectively amassed 41 digs, to help Salem earn a 25-21, 16-25, 25-20, 25-12 victory over Brevard in USA South Conference volleyball action on Tuesday evening. 

Bradley drove home a match-high 16 kills, finishing with a .429 attack percentage in the process, while Johnson tallied 14 strikes and a .375 attack percentage, to lead the way for a Salem offensive attack that finished with 49 kills. The Spirits also took advantage of nine kills from Anna Rymer and five off the hand of Abrielle Eckenroth, while Leah Rymer dished out 41 assists. 

The Spirits defense forced Brevard into committing 19 errors in the match, with Anna Rymer leading the unit in digs with 17. Tullock contributed 14 digs for Salem and Albright, who was also effective in the service game, added 10 digs in an all-around performance. 

FIRST SET: The Spirits took advantage of five kills from Bradley and four from Johnson to finish with 13 kills and a .286 attack percentage in the opening frame. After battling to a five-all deadlock, Salem scored seven of the next eight points, including slams by Ella Brameus and Johnson, to move in front by six. Brevard chipped away at the lead, trimming the deficit to four on three occasions, before back-to-back kills from Brameus and Bradley resulted in a 19-12 advantage. Johnson drove two kills past the Tornados' defense, moving Salem within three points of the win, before a series of service aces from Izzy Boulay allowed Brevard to trim the margin to 23-21. A service error coupled with a block from Bradley and Anna Rymer completed the victory for Salem. 

SECOND SET: Brevard enjoyed its best hitting performance of the match in the second game, driving home 17 kills and committing just one error in a .346 attack percentage. The Tornados received five kills from Emma Fontana and four from Makenna Parkins as they evened the match at one game apiece. Brevard broke a four-all tie with a slam from Casey Wampler and grabbed a lead it would not relinquish. The Tornados put together a 10-4 run, capped off by kills from Jaxson Turnicki to establish a 14-8 advantage. That lead grew to 20-12, following a Wampler kill, as Brevard allowed just four points down the stretch to claim the nine-point win. 

THIRD SET: Brevard's offense continued its solid play in the third set, driving home 18 kills, but it was the nine unforced errors that proved to be the difference. With Salem leading 11-10, following an error by Hoxit in serve, kills from the quartet of Bradley, Eckenroth, Johnson and Anna Rymer helped extend the lead to 17-12. Johnson followed that with a pair of strikes of her own, resulting in the 20th point. A rally by Brevard closed the margin to 20-19, but it was timely kills from Bradley and Anna Rymer that closed the door on the five-point win. 

FOURTH SET: The Spirits closed out their 11th consecutive home win with an emphatic 16-kill fourth set as they posted a .536 attack percentage. Johnson led the frame with five kills, while Bradley added four of her own for Salem. After an early 3-3 deadlock, the Spirits came through with four kills with Anna Rymer in serve to stretch the lead to 11-3. Brevard managed to slice that deficit to six, 15-9, but it was a service ace from Leah Rymer and kills from Bradley and Eckenroth that put the lead at 20-11. Johnson and first year classmate Ellie Scherer drove home two kills each, while Bradley converted a service ace, to clinch the sixth league win of the season.