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

>Result: 
Salem 3, Greensboro 2 (17-25, 25-23, 25-19, 12-25, 15-10)

>Records: 
Salem (7-3, 1-1 USA South)
Greensboro (7-4, 0-1 USA South)

>Next Matches
Salem vs. Pfeiffer | September 20 | 4 p.m. / 6 p.m. 

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The junior trio of Aspen Bradley, Bella Mann and McKenzie Tullock helped the Salem volleyball team snap a seven-match losing streak to USA South Conference foe Greensboro College on Thursday evening as the Spirits emerged in a five-set thriller at Varsity Gym by scores of 17-25, 25-23, 25-19, 12-25, 15-10.

The five-set triumph moves the Spirits to 7-1 in five-set affairs since November 1, 2022. The only setback came in the first match this season against Lynchburg. The last time that Salem dropped a five-set match at Varsity Gym was on October 22, 2022 against William Peace. 

Salem took down The Pride for the first time since October 26, 2019 and the first time at home since October 5, 2019. The Spirits were sparked offensively by the trio of Bradley and Mann, who finished with 16 and 15 kills, respectively, along with the contributions of first-year Maia Johnson, who tallied 10 kills. Leah Rymer quarterbacked the offense attack, which tallied 61 kills and a .246 attack percentage, with 31 assists. 

Bradley was one of three players on offense to finish with at least a .300 attack percentage and making 15 attacks. The junior right side hitter finished with a .455 attack percentage, while Anna Rymer closed at .421, Mann with a .375 attack percentage and Johnson at .308.

Rymer was also active on defense with 14 digs, notching her third double-double of the slate. Tullock was tops among back row defenders with 21 digs of her own, establishing a career-high in the process. Oliva Torres also made her impact felt on the back row with 10 assists. The Spirits also took advantage of six assisted blocks, including three from senior Anna Rymer. 

FIRST SET: Greensboro put together a solid opening set, closing with 15 kills and a .351 attack percentage as The Pride posted the eight-point victory. A kill off the hand of Taylor Cotie coupled with a Salem error allowed Greensboro to assume the 10-6 lead. However, Salem bounced back with kills from Abby Eckenroth and Bradley to trim the margin to one before a 7-3 run by The Pride put the margin at 17-12. Greensboro would eventually stretch that margin to 21-13 and despite kills down the stretch from Eckenroth and Anna Rymer, closed the door on the opening set win. 

SECOND SET: Salem overcame a hard-charging Greensboro squad to post 17 kills in the second set, evening the match at one-all. Mann provided the offensive spark in the opening stage of the second set, driving home four kills as Salem assumed a 9-6 lead. Greensboro fought back to tie the score at 11, but it was three kills each from Bradley and Mann, along with a pair from Johnson that helped distance the Spirits, 19-12. The Pride answered by scoring nine of the next 11 points, evening the score at 21, before kills by Eckenroth and Ellie Scherer along with a service ace by Leah Rymer helped Salem even the match with the victory. 

THIRD SET: The Spirits assumed the 2-1 advantage behind 16 kills in the third, limiting Greensboro to 14 kills and a .214 attack percentage. Anna Rymer brought the game to a 4-4 deadlock before Bradley and Johnson added kills of their own that resulted in a three-point lead. Scherer came through with a kill and Leah Rymer delivered another service ace, allowing Salem to assume a 15-9 lead. Mann drove three more kills past the Greensboro defense, while Tullock stepped in with a critical service ace, to help the Spirits forge ahead 22-15. Scherer drove home a critical kill and Torres hit the game-winning point past The Pride to give Salem a 2-1 advantage. 

FOURTH SET: Greensboro responded with a dominating performance in the fourth frame, driving home 14 kills in 22 attacks, and finishing with a .636 attack percentage without committing a miscue. The two teams battled to a four-all deadlock before Payton Wright drove home a kill for The Pride to give them a lead they would not relinquish. Johnson and Anna Rymer drove home a pair of kills, slicing the margin to 9-7, but Greensboro responded by recording nine of the next 11 points, to move in front 18-9 on a Kelci Brooks service ace. The Pride allowed just three points down the stretch to close out the 13-point win. 

FIFTH SET: With the match heading to five sets for just the seventh time in the head-to-head series, Salem used the service game of Jolina Bun and a series of kills from Bradley and Anna Rymer, to establish an early 5-0 lead. Greensboro trimmed the lead to one, 7-6, but it was slams by Johnson and Scherer that allowed the Spirits to stay in front 9-7. Anna Rymer drove home two emphatic kills while Bradley added two of her own, to give Salem a 14-9 advantage. After Greensboro reached double figures on a kill by Brooks, Bradley slammed the door with a kill on a pass from Leah Rymer to snap the skid to The Pride.