CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Queens volleyball won an important Conference Carolinas contest tonight over Saint Andrews Presbyterian College 3-2 at Ovens Athletics Center. The win helps put the Royals in position to possibly host a first round game of the conference tournament that starts next week.
Tonight's win gives the Royals a record of 7-13, the best conference performance since the 2004-2005 season when they were 6-12. Overall they hold a record of 7-22.
Queens came out swinging in the first game and won 25-21. The Royals had strong serving from Natalie Weiner (Greensboro, N.C., Page ) and Tanisha Lea (Efland, N.C., Orange Senior ) to help secure the first set win.
The Royals faltered a little in the second set, allowing Saint Andrews (12-18/9-10 CC) to take it 25-13.
In set three Queens jumped out to a 14-7 lead and steadily pushed points for the 25-17 win. During the set Queens recorded its game a match high 12 kills. Overall, the offense racked up 44 kills with just 15 errors.
The fourth set was all tied up at 10 apiece when Queens' Keatin McKenzie (Coral Springs, Fla., Cardinal Gibbons ) held serve for three points, giving the Royals a 14- 10 lead. Saint Andrews' Liz Windham led the Knights on a rally, serving for seven points, erasing the Queens lead. From there the Knights were able to close out the set 25-20.
In the rubber match, Queens played smart offense and defense. Veronica Arenander (Cincinnati, Ohio, Walnut Hill ) tallied one of her three aces of the night to give Queens a 6-3 edge. That would be the closest the Knights would get to the Royals in the fifth set. Queens came away victorious 15-12.
Offensively, McKenzie and Arenander each had 12 kills while Brittany Harvey (Matthews, N.C., Sun Valley )tallied 10. Harvey also played the other side of the net well as she had two solo blocks and two block assists. Lea had one of her best nights defensively with three solo blocks and five block assists.
Queens now must wait for the rest of the league to finish play before finding out what seed they will have in the conference tournament. Play starts Monday, November 10.
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