February kicked off with multiple great games from our girls’ basketball team. The week of Feb. 2nd, your Salem Spirits played tough opponents like Mary Baldwin University (MBU), Brevard College (BC), and Greensboro College (GC). I was able to attend all three games, and our team did not disappoint. The game on Tuesday, Feb. 3rd, versus MBU was intense from the start. They had a strong offense that could shoot from anywhere on the court. Cristina Battisti and Nicole Hester led the game with 11 rebounds, and Lauren Ringwood and Catherine Jordan Cano led the team in scoring. Your lady spirits rose to the challenge to face MBU head-on, winning 70-59.
The following two games against Brevard on Feb. 5th and Greensboro on Feb. 7th were hard losses. The #2-ranked Brevard team seemed like an easy win until the last few minutes in the 1st quarter. While Catherine Jordan Cano and Lauren Ringwood had key plays at the start of the match, the Brevard Tornados took the game out from under them in the 2nd quarter. From there on, Brevard held onto the lead, securing a 75-46 dub. Ringwood led the game in scoring with 11 points, Keniya Warring with two steals, and Battisti with 8 rebounds.
I had the opportunity to interview Cristina “Cris” Battisti after the Brevard game. As a fellow athlete myself, I wanted to know more about her athletic journey and why she came to Salem. Battisti is a senior dual-sport athlete majoring in interior design. When I asked her how long she had been playing basketball, her reply of “15 years” was seriously impressive. Battisti said she started playing basketball to stay in shape, but pretty soon, it became her sport. Battisti was originally recruited to be on the soccer team and for Salem’s thriving design program. Lastly, I asked Battisti what she loved most about her team. Her answer was: “How are we so connected and the chemistry we have. I love that I can rely on them.”
Greensboro College was ranked much lower than Brevard at #7 in the USA South Conference, yet they came shooting out of the gate. Hester was a force to be reckoned with defensively, allowing for Cristina Battisti and Anayah Noell to hold the lead into the last remaining minutes of the first period. The game was competitive and extremely hard fought, with Greensboro coming into the 2nd period 3 points up. The Pride continued to score consecutively, earning themselves a 13-point lead. The third quarter was all defense, with the Spirits having seven steals and Ringwood nailing a 3 with little left in the period. Even though it was a great game all around, GC came out on top with the 76-68 dub. The girls’ basketball team played its last seasonal game on Feb. 21st in Greensboro, losing by a close 60-69. As always, GO SPIRITS!
