Box Score MARS HILL, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's basketball team (2-8, 0-5 SAC) fell to Mars Hill (3-7, 2-3 SAC) 71-50, in their last game of the calendar year.
McKell Oliverio, who scored 12 points in the game and added in five rebounds, led the Royals offensively.
Maggie Stewart was the team's leading rebounder as she gathered six rebounds to go along with eight points.
Queens shot 41.8 percent from the field in the game, but were only able to make 2-of-10 three-point baskets. The Royals did have 17 assists on 23 made shots in the game and only allowed the Lions to shoot 37.7 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from beyond the arc.
The Royals jumped out to a quick 8-5 lead following an Oliverio layup with 4:51 remaining in the first quarter. Mars Hill would then find their stroke as they went on a 9-2 run through the end of the quarter to give them a 14-10 lead. Queens would continue to battle in the second quarter as the Lions held only a six point lead, 22-16, following a
Melissa Blatnik layup with 5:31 to go in the half. Mars Hill would go into the half with a nine-point lead, 29-20, after Kelsey Espinosa made a layup with 58 seconds left on the clock.
Queens came out strong to start the second half as they cut the Lions lead down to four, 37-33, following a
Victoria Robinson layup with 4:58 remaining in the third quarter. Minutes later, Mars Hill would go on a 9-0 run to take a 13 point, 49-36, lead with 2:46 remaining in the third. Queens cut the lead back down to single digits, 51-42, after Karlesha Thompson made a layup, was fouled, and hit her free throw with 1:14 left in the quarter. Following the Royals score, Mars Hill would go on another run, this time a 10-0, to give them a 61-42 lead with 8:26 to go in the game. The Lions would hold onto their lead for the remainder of the game, as they would end the game with a 71-50 win over the Royals.
Mars Hill had four players score double digit points in the game, led by Ansley Ricker's 14 points. Kelsey Espinosa was the team's leading rebounder as she grabbed 10 in the game.
The Royals will get some time off for winter break, but will return back to the court on Saturday, January 2nd, 2016 when they match up against the Coker College Cobras at 2:00 p.m. in the Levine Center.
