Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte volleyball team hosted South Atlantic Conference opponent Mars Hill on Tuesday in the Curry Arena in a critical match.  The Royals started the match white hot and picked up the win with relative ease in three sets. Following the victory the Royals are now 9-7 in conference and 9-9 overall.
 
Quickly taking an early lead 8-0 highlighted by multiple aces, the Royals were able to stay on top of the in the first set. The Royals were able to keep a strong lead with a dominant performance by their all-time kills leader senior Keri Kemp who dominated the first set.
 
Mars Hill was able to rally back 23-18 in the set but the Royals were able to stay ahead and picked up the win on a beautiful assist by senior Taylor Riley to fellow senior Brittany Barren who finished the match with a thunderous kill.
 
In a thrilling second set Queens and Mars Hill battled back-and-forth throughout the set. The Royals started off with an early lead 3-1, but Mars Hill quickly rallied back taking a 5-3 lead. In a critical play Kemp went in for the kill tying the Royals 5-5 with Mars Hill. The set quickly built excitement as the Royals battled Mars Hill to stay on top.
 
Two great blocks from Barren and Ashlyn Dibrell set up fellow senior Anna Gibbs for the kill, allowing the Royals to finally get ahead 16-15. The Royals finished the match strong with back-to-back blocks from sophomore Elizabeth Bialkowski, winning the second set 25-21.
 
Keeping the momentum going in the third set the Royals started off with a quick lead of 14-8. Gibbs and Kemp continued to pace the Royals offensively and kept the game tight when the Lions made a run. Eventually the Royals recovered and finished the match 25-21.
 
Kemp and Gibbs led the Royals in kills with 16 and 15 respectively, while Riley continued her strong play as a setter with 45 assists. Defensively Jocelyn Kellinger, Riley, Alexa Sparrell, and Kemp all had double digit digs, and Kemp had four total blocks.
 
The Royals play next when they host Winston-Salem State this Friday at 5:00 p.m. Following the match will be a major announcement from the Queens Athletic department.