Salem Volleyball closed out an impressive season in the USA South Conference Tournament Semi-Final, where they were defeated by Southern Virginia 3-0.

SVU came out swinging, winning 10 of the first 14 points, but the Spirits bounced back quickly. A kill from Bella Mann spurred on an impressive comeback, tying it up at 13-13. Sadie Rich, Aspen Bradley, and Ellie Scherer all contributed to this solid run, while also capitalizing on some Knight errors. SVU had an answer soon after, but the Spirits were not far behind. Mann, Scherer, and Leah Rymer all found some offense near the end of the set, four straight points from the Knights gave them the 25-19 set one win. 

Salem, wanting to bounce back, got off to a hot start in set two, winning six of the first seven points, five of them being kills. SVU fired back with six straight points of their own before Salem was able to regain the lead. The set would go on to be tied six times, making for very competitive volleyball. After the Knights secured a 17-13 lead, the Spirits rattled off five straight with a service ace from Polly Lennie and a kill apiece from Mann, Bradley, and Rymer to make the score 18-17. Ultimately, the SVU regained their footing, and only allowed Salem to secure four more points before the conclusion of the set.

Set three started out tight, with neither team able to string together more than a point or two at a time. Salem finally found some momentum after going down 5-7, with three straight kills from Rich. SVU then strung together their most dominant stretch of the matchup, going on a seven point run to take a 14-8 lead that they held on to for the remainder of the set. Ariana Noplos, freshman Tenley McDonald, Bradley, and Rich were able to secure a kill apiece before the end of the set, but were ultimately only able to save one set point. 

The Spirits ended their impressive season with a 27-7 record overall and a 14-4 record in the USA South. Most impressively, they secured a 15-1 record at home. The 2025 season brought multiple milestones and broken records from both players and Coach Barry Rymer. Salem Volleyball will be graduating six seniors, all who have made an impact on the program. 

Salem Athletics congratulates the Volleyball team on their successful season and looks forward to their next campaign.