CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In the team's final game before Winter Break, the Queens University of Charlotte women's basketball team fell to regionally-ranked Tusculum University 71-55 on Saturday afternoon inside Curry Arena.
 
Freshman Kelsey Leedle made 5-of-6 attempts from 3-point range and finished with a career-high 17 points for the Royals (3-8, 2-3 SAC), but Tusculum's (9-2, 4-1 SAC) suffocating defense forced 32 Queens' turnovers that lead to 29 points, including an 18-0 advantage in fastbreak points.
 
The Royals held an early 9-6 lead with 6:15 to play in the opening quarter before the Pioneers reeled off 11 unanswered points to claim a 17-9 edge with just over three minutes left. Tusculum's lead grew to double-digits, 23-11, following four straight points to open the second period as the Pioneers held a 13-point advantage at intermission.
 
Queens began the second half with an 11-2 run, including two Leedle 3-pointers, to cut the deficit to four with just under six minutes remaining in the third quarter. However, Tusculum responded with an 8-0 to stretch the lead back to double figures and remained in front for the entirety of the second half.
 
Despite playing without leading scorer Kristian Eanes who missed the game due to illness, the Queens offense shot 42.2 percent from the field and made 8-of-19 attempts from long range.
 
Redshirt-freshman Taylor Stevens finished with 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds for her second straight double-double, while junior Julia Raflund and sophomore Jaymi Golden chipped in eight points apiece. Golden also finished with a game-high six assists.
 
The Royals return to action on New Year's Day when the team travels to Nashville, Tennessee for an exhibition matchup with NCAA Division I Lipscomb University at 1:30 p.m.