AIKEN, S.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's volleyball team went winless in the USC Aiken Invitational on Saturday, falling by identical 3-0 scores to tournament host USC Aiken and Lander University inside the USC Aiken Convocation Center.
 
USC Aiken 3, Queens 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-12)
 
The Royals started slowly in the day's first contest, falling behind 16-4 midway through the first set of action against USC Aiken (7-2). Queens was able to put together a run and score 12 of the next 19 points in the frame, but the Pacer lead was too much to overcome.
 
Redshirt-freshman Gabbi Montgomery and sophomore Casey Tarvin began the second set with consecutive kills to give Queens an early lead. After trading points, the Royals held an 8-7 edge thanks to a double block from sophomore Logan Witt and redshirt-freshman Alexandria Becerra.
 
The set saw 10 total ties on the scoreboard with the final coming at 17-17 following a kill from Queens' sophomore Jordan Proszenyak. USC Aiken closed the set on an 8-2 run to take a 2-0 match lead.
 
In the third and final set, Queens once again held an early lead at 7-6, but a 14-3 run by the Pacers gave the home team a lead it never relinquished in sealing the sweep.
 
Tarvin was the only Royal to register double-digit kills, finishing with 10 to go along with nine digs. Becerra turned in a double-double with 19 assists and 10 digs, while sophomore JayCee Jones led the team with 15 digs on defense.
 
Lander 3, Queens 0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-22)
 
Queens (5-4) and Lander (10-2) kept the first set close as the Royals built an 8-6 lead on a service ace from Becerra. A kill from sophomore Logan Witt late gave Queens a 15-14 edge, but an 11-3 run by the Bearcats helped them clinch the come from behind win.
 
The Royals opened the set period with four unanswered points, including kills from Proszenyak and Tarvin, before Lander responded with five consecutive points to gain a one-point edge.
 
Tarvin quickly tied the set at 6-all with another kill, however, Lander used its second 11-3 run of the match to build a 17-9 edge that the team never gave up.
 
Momentum carried into the third set of play for the Bearcats as they began the frame on a 9-2 tear. Queens was able to close the gap to a one-point deficit at 10-9, but Lander kept its foot on the gas and built a lead of six points following a 5-0 run.
 
Queens was able to continue to keep it close and eventually tied the score at 19-19 on a Proszenyak kill. A Lander attack error gave the Royals their first lead of the set at 20-19, but the Bearcats pulled away down the stretch scoring six of the set's next eight points.
 
Tarvin had a match-high 14 kills as well as nine digs, while Proszenyak finished with nine kills and 11 digs. Witt tallied seven kills and hit .316 from the front row.
 
Becerra registered her fourth straight double-double with 23 assists and 12 digs to go along with two service aces. Montgomery also had two service aces in the match, while Jones again finished with 15 digs from her libero position.
 
The Royals will have a week away from competition before returning to action next weekend on the team's annual road trip to Tennessee for two South Atlantic Conference matches. Queens takes on Lincoln Memorial University on Friday night in Harrogate, followed by a trip to Tusculum University on Saturday afternoon in Greeneville.