Salem Volleyball had a statement win tonight, taking down the reigning Conference Champions in a four set nail biter.
Set one came with the largest margin of victory in the matchup at 25-18. The set started out with both teams trading points, until SVU went up by four. The Spirits then found their stride, winning 10 of the next 11 points, going up 15-10. Kills from Aspen Bradley, Ella Brameus, and Ellie Scherer, a well timed ace from Madison Bozarth, and taking good advantage of Knight errors kept Salem rolling to their first set win.
Set two was a battle from the start, both teams staying within a few points. The Spirits then went of a five point run, giving them a 15-8 lead. The Knights were able to bounce back, nipping at Salem's heels and ultimately securing a 21-20 lead. The Spirits had an answer of their own, with a kill from Ariana Noplos turning the tide to rattle off five straight. Another Brameus kill finished off the 25-21 second set win.
The Knights were able to find their stride in set three, quickly going up 11-6. Kills from Leah Rymer, Bradley, and Scherer kept the Spirits close, but a few aces from SVU brought them to 24-18. The Spirits were able to save one set point, but the Knights slammed it home one point later to secure the set three win.
Set four brought some of the best volleyball of the home season thus far. The Spirits took control early, securing a 13-8 lead. The Knights, however, found some offensive momentum bringing the score to a 13-13 tie. The two stats that can best describe the second half of the set are the seven tie scores and the four lead changes. After neither team was able to get more than a one point separation, SVU was able to secure a set point, up 24-22 with solid offensive momentum. But the Spirits proved their poise in a high-pressure situation, saving a set point and rattling off four straight to win the contest. The winning combination of Bozarth on serve and the Rymer-Bradley connection brought home a huge win for Salem Volleyball.
The Spirits look to continue their home winning streak, which is now up to 26, this Saturday in another conference matchup with Methodist at 1pm.
