The Salem High girls have only given up one goal in the past eight games, but the game in which they gave up the goal was their best one yet. Go figure.

Salem visited James Robinson High School in Fairfax last Friday and battled the Rams to a 1-1 tie. Robinson is a Group 6A state soccer power and that 1-1 tie was a moral victory for the Spartans, if you believe in such things.

“It was our best game of the year,” said Salem coach Josh Jones. “It was great practice for our team  defense.”

Robinson outshot the Spartans 21-2. Katie Evans made six saves in the goal as Robinson scored one in the first half and Salem matched it in the second half on a goal by Lily Barnes with an assist from Morgan Brooks.

“They were the best team we played last season when they beat us 3-0,” said Jones, who saw his Spartans go on to become state runnersup in Group 4A. “I hope they’re the best team we play this year.”

With the tie Salem is now 8-1-1 on the season. The tie was sandwiched around two wins over Christiansburg. Last Wednesday in Christiansburg the Spartans took a 4-0 win as Ellie Laub scored twice and Banes and Abby Mason had one goal each.

Tuesday the Demons returned the trip to Salem and they were shut out again, this time 3-0. Laub had a first half goal off a Mallory Edwards assist and Evyn Magenbauer and Jessica Graham scored in the first seven minutes of the second half to put it away. Shelby Marlman assisted on Graham’s goal and Evans and Abbi Mowbray split time in the goal for the shutout.

The Spartans return to action Friday with a 6 pm game in Blacksburg, followed by a trip to Cave Spring Tuesday and a home game with Blacksburg a week from tonight, on May 11.