The Salem University women's soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw against Virginia State University on Saturday morning at Multi-Sport Performance Stadium. A second-half goal from Dayana Martinez and an outstanding performance in goal from Janiya Brooks-Crews helped the Tigers secure the draw.
The Tigers came out strong defensively in the first half, holding Virginia State scoreless despite facing 10 shots. Brooks-Crews recorded eight saves in the opening 45 minutes, keeping the match tied 0-0 heading into halftime.
Virginia State opened the scoring early in the second half when Loryn Sturgis found the back of the net in the 47th minute, assisted by Carra Fitzgerald, giving the Trojans a 1-0 advantage.
Salem responded in the 60th minute when Dayana Martinez netted her sixth goal of the season, tying the match at 1-1. Martinez made the most of Salem's offensive opportunity, scoring on the Tigers' only shot on goal of the afternoon.
Brooks-Crews continued her impressive performance throughout the second half, recording 10 additional saves to finish with a season-high 18 saves in 90 minutes of action. Her efforts helped Salem withstand Virginia State's offensive pressure, as the Trojans finished with 26 shots, including 19 on goal.
Defensively, Salem showed determination throughout the match, with Ashley Gonzalez, Britney Riley, Emma Rohrer, and the rest of the Tigers' back line working to limit Virginia State's scoring opportunities.
Despite being outshot 26-2, Salem remained composed and capitalized on its opportunity to earn the draw.
With the result, Salem moves to 5-5-5 overall, while Virginia State stands at 8-3-2 on the season.
