CHARLOTTE, N.C.  – The seventh-ranked Royals of Queens University of Charlotte welcomed No. 7 Florida Institute of Technology to Dickson Field this afternoon for the first game ever between the pair in women's lacrosse. The Royals fell 17-8 to the Panthers to move to 1-2 on the year while Florida Tech remains undefeated at 3-0.
 
Hanna Scott led the Royals with five points on two goals and three assists while Taylor Quade added two goals and one assist. Ally Blood, Allison Conn, Kyleigh Masteran, and Katie Wardle each added one goal. Both Sarah Cliff and Jasmin Singh totaled three caused turnovers and four ground balls each on the defensive end.
 
The Royals found themselves trailing 8-4 at the break after getting off to a slow start. Florida Tech opened play putting four straight goals on the board to lead 4-0 with 20:41 on the clock. Taylor Quade would find the back of the net to give Queens its first score of the game at 17:07 on a free position shot. Hanna Scott followed with another free position shot at 15:33 to bring the Royals within two, 4-2, but the Panthers responded with a couple more goals to move in front, 6-2 with 9:44 left to play. With less than five minutes to play, Kyleigh Masteran scored to cut the margin to three, 6-3, but once again Florida Tech responded with a pair to lead 8-3 at 1:52. Quade then scored the Royals' final goal of the half with nine seconds on the clock to make the score 8-4 at the break.
 
The Panthers opened the second half reeling off three goals early to extend their lead to seven, 11-4, with 24:05 on the clock. At 21:30, Scott and Blood would team up to make the score 11-5 before Caroline Dunleavy of the Panthers answered to make it a seven-point game again. Florida Tech then moved ahead by 10, 17-7, on a goal from Sara Grenier at 6:13. Queens' Scott scored the final goal of the day after receiving a pass from Katie Wardle at 4:46.
 
Queens was outshot, 35-28, putting 13 shots on goal to Florida Tech's 29 shots on frame. The Panthers also won the battle at the draw, 19-8, while the Royals won the battle for ground balls, 27-23. Chase Brokaw took the loss in goal after totaling nine saves. Sara Mitrecic also spent time in the net recording three saves.
 
Dunleavy finished with six goals and two assists to lead the Panthers. Sam Schiano recorded a hat trick while Leah Dunn, Lauren Tybor, and Grenier scored two goals apiece. Stephanie Stuart completed play in goal with five saves.
 
Queens will be on the road traveling to Florida for a pair of games against No. 11 Rollins and No. 2 Florida Southern. They will face the Tars on Tuesday, March 6 and the Mocs on Thursday, March 8. Last season, the Royals defeated Rollins, 6-3, while falling, 11-8, to Florida Southern.