CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's basketball team moved to 3-3 in South Atlantic Conference play after defeating Mars Hill University 67-56 at home today. The Royals move to 3-8 on the year as well, while the Lions fall to 0-5 in league play and 2-9 on the season.
 
Mendy McNeese hit the court hot today scoring 15 points in the first quarter as the Royals took a two-point deficit, 23-21, into the second. After the Lions got off to a 9-3 start, McNeese knocked down back-to-back threes to knot the game at 9-9 with 6:22 to play. Mars Hill responded with a 7-2 push to move ahead 16-11, but Queens closed with a 10-7 run to shrink the margin to two before the quarter ended.
 
After a layup from McKell Oliverio at the start of period two tied the game for the fifth time, two more ties and a lead change quickly followed. Cheyenne Logan gave the Royals their first lead of the second in her debut on the court this season, and she would go on to put Queens ahead 30-27 with 5:10 to play after connecting on three shots in a row. However, the Lions answered with eight consecutive points to take a 35-30 advantage at 2:24. A layup from Queens' Maggie Stewart would be the final bucket of the half, bringing the Royals to within three, 35-32, of Mars Hill heading into the locker room.
 
Out of the break, the Lions had the hot hand increasing their lead to 11 points, 43-32, with 7:45 to play. A jumper from Oliverio and a pair of triples from McNeese cut Mars Hills' lead to three, 43-40, by 5:17, but that's as close as the Royals would get to the Lions as the quarter ended with a 47-44 score.
 
The final quarter opened with three ties before the Royals were able to take control for good. With the game knotted at 51-51, Queens' Oliverio sparked a 9-0 run with a three-pointer to give the home team a 60-51 lead. The Lions' Madison Ervin tried to get her team back in the game with a three of her own that cut Queens' lead to six, 60-54, with 3:22 to play, but a jumper from Oliverio extended the gap back to eight. The Royals then sealed their victory at the foul line in the closing minutes as they went on to win by 11, 67-56.
 
McNeese led the Royals today after finished with 24 points. She shot 6-of-11 from the three. Oliverio followed with 16 points after connecting on 6-of-10 shots from the floor, and Logan added 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Logan also led under the glass after pulling down five boards. McNeese and Oliverio each totaled four rebounds.
 
Sydney Comer led the Lions with 17 points, while Madison Ervin totaled 15 points. Aliyah Farmer chipped in with 12 points.
 
The Royals will be on winter break until January 4 when they return to the court to take on Catawba College on the road. The Royals split the home-and-home series with the Indians last season winning 85-51 at home, and falling 73-58 on the road. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.