The Salem High volleyball team opened the season with a tough loss to Liberty Christian Academy Tuesday at Salem High. The Spartans lost in five sets to the Bulldogs, 27-25, 25-23, 13-25, 20-25 and 15-10.

Salem led 24-21 in the first game but let it get away. Coach Russ Danstrom called that the turning point of the match.

“We had all the momentum and they took it away,” he said. “We were one point from winning and they scored the next five. That was a bit of a backbreaker.”

LCA then won the second set, but Salem didn’t quit. They fired back to win the third, 25-13, then tied the game with a 25-20 win in the fourth set. However, the ‘dogs bounced back to win the fifth and deciding set to 15 to get out of town with a win.

“We couldn’t have laid down after the second set but we didn’t,” said Danstrom. “We came back and hammered them. I was pleased with that.”

Telia Harris led Salem with 15 kills on 25 attempts and eight digs. Janae Blakeney had 14 kills and 20 digs while Maddie Bowman had 26 assists and 11 digs.

Tori Clinevell led Salem in digs with 27. Caroline Hagy had 10 assists and 15 digs and Grace Hedge and Alex Abbott had three blocks each.

Salem will be back in action tonight with a match at Lord Boteourt, and Monday the Spartans are at William Byrd.