CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In the first of a two-match homestand to end the regular season, the Queens University of Charlotte women's volleyball team fell in straight sets (31-29, 25-22, 25-20) to South Atlantic Conference rival Wingate University on Tuesday night inside Curry Arena.
 
The Royals (5-4, 5-4 SAC) held the Wingate offense to its lowest numbers of the season, forcing the Bulldog (8-1, 8-1 SAC) to hit just .110 in the match while collecting 101 digs and 14 total blocks. However, Queens struggled at the net and hit just .060 on the night, its lowest mark of the season.
 
The first set saw both sides locked in a defensive battle as Wingate and Queens combined for 81 total digs as the frame feature 10 ties and five lead changes.
 
Despite the Bulldogs leading 24-20 with set point on the line, Chanel Turner sparked a comeback bid with a kill and four service points to put her team ahead 25-24. Both sides had chances to end the set in extra points before the Bulldogs closed it out with back-to-back points.
 
Queens held the Wingate offense to a negative hitting performance, -.017, in the second set and had seven total blocks but the Bulldogs fought off another late comeback by the Royals to take a 2-0 match lead.
 
In the third, a 9-5 lead by Wingate forced a Queens timeout, after which the Royals reeled off four unanswered points including consecutive service aces from Brooke Farley, to even the score at 9-all. A 7-1 spurt from Wingate put the Bulldogs ahead 16-10 as Queens was unable to recover from the deficit.
 
Reese Blackley and Sophie Schaff each had 12 kills to lead the Bulldogs, while Wingate libero Courtney Niesen registered a match-high 34 digs in the win.
 
The Queens offense received 10 kills from Casey Tarvin to go along with 19 digs, while Turner and Logan Witt finished with seven kills apiece. Setter Brooke Farley also had a double-double with 25 assists and 15 digs as well as two service aces.
 
Witt also tallied six total blocks and fellow middle Lindsay Elmore had five stops at the net. Defensively, freshman Kate Majewski had 21 digs in a reserve role as Turner and JayCee Jones chipped in 20 digs each.
 
The Royals conclude the unconventional 2020-21 regular season on Saturday when the team hosts Tusculum University at 2 p.m. Before the match, Queens will hold its annual Senior Day ceremony and honor its six person senior class: JayCee Jones, Gabbi Montgomery, Casey Tarvin, Chanel Turner, Olivia Williamson and Logan Witt.