WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A well-balanced offensive attack by Ferrum, which included four players with at least five kills, allowed the Panthers to edge Salem by scores of 25-17, 25-20, 25-22 in the home opener for the Spirits on Tuesday, September 7th at Varsity Gym.
The Panthers, who improved to 1-3 on the slate, were led by the combination of Airiana Beverly (six kills), Sami Kircher (six), Taylor Joyner (five) and M'Kayla McBride (five) on offense. Ferrum's defensive attack was highlighted by Joyner, who finished with 16 digs, and the tandem of Anna Rymer and McBride, who notched three assisted blocks each.
Salem (0-4) was led by the combination of Valeria Rosa Lopez, who emerged with a match-high 17 digs along with eight kills, and Brianna Moore, who handed out 12 assists. Brooklyn Snow was also instrumental for the Spirits with a solid all-around performance that included 10 digs, seven assists, four kills and two assisted blocks.
A tightly-contested match throughout, the teams battled to a 4-4 tie early in the first set before a block by the duo of McBride and Arielle Tritt provided Ferrum with the one-point advantage. With Tritt in serve the Panthers rattled off nine straight points to forge in front 14-5. Nikita Sizemore drove home a series of kills to keep the margin at nine before a series of slams by Laken Edwards and Lopez cut the margin to four, 17-13. The Panthers allowed just four points over the remainder of the set, while taking advantage of five unforced errors to complete the eight-point win.
After regrouping before the start of the second set, Salem grabbed a 4-1 lead with a pair of kills from Lopez in the early stages. Ferrum fought back to tie the score at seven with a kill from McBride. Tritt again played a key role in serve, stretching the margin to 12-8, but Salem received a kill from Taylor Alleyne and a block by Snow to help narrow the margin to 19-14. Lopez and Snow converted a series of kills down the stretch to trim the margin to two, 20-18, before kills by McBride and Beverly provided the Panthers with a two-set lead.
Looking to take the third set, Salem streaked out to a four-point lead in the third, and used kills from Alleyne and Lopez to remain in front 13-9 after a brief rally by the Panthers. Ferrum drew even at 14-all, following a service ace by Savanna Walker, as the two teams endured five ties in the next 14 points. Deadlocked at 21-all, Saryn Pennell came through with a kill and Joyner added a service ace to give the Panthers a two-point cushion. Kills by Beverly and Tritt offset a slam from Snow down the stretch as Ferrum emerged with the decisive victory.
The same two teams return to the court to face each other in nine days in Ferrum, Va. at 7 p.m.
