SALISBURY, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's volleyball team wrapped up a nine-match road stand at Catawba College on Wednesday evening. The 26^th meeting between the two programs favored the Indians as the Royals dropped an intense five set battle 3-2. With the loss, Queens fell to 7-6 overall and 3-2 in South Atlantic Conference action while the Indians improved to 7-5 overall and 4-2 in league play.
 
Fans were treated to one of the most intense battles this season at Goodman Gymnasium. Through five sets, the conference foes managed to even the score 39 times, including nine ties during the fifth set. The match opened with Catawba jolting out to a 6-0 lead forcing Royals head coach Hannah Long into a timeout to settle her team down. The young Royals squad responded with a 7-1 run to even the score before erupting for a 6-1 run which propelled them ahead to take the opener. Lindsay Elmore (Salisbury, N.C.) found rookie Kayla McDuffie (Winterville, N.C.) for the kill to seal the set. Queens forced Catawba into committing 10 attacking errors while hitting -.054 percent in the opener.
 
The second set saw both squads go point-for-point as the largest lead did not come until Catawba extended to 16-12. The frame saw 12 total ties and four lead changes. The Royals would attempt to mount a rally, but the Indians countered with their own and secured the set. Queens suffered a setback during the second set by committing 10 attacking errors and hitting .020.
 
Queens would find their rhythm quickly in the third set as the Royals executed better on the attack. While the Indians performed well and kept the set close, the Royals managed to close the set on a 10-4 run by hitting .212 as a team. Lindsay Elmore would lead the Royals attack in the set with five kills while Kaylin Dowling (Woodleaf, N.C.) added four kills during the closing 10-4 run.
 
The final two sets saw 15 ties between the two squads. In the fourth set, the Indians utilized an early 7-0 run to jolt ahead 11-8. While the Royals kept it close, the Indians were able to keep Queens from mounting a comeback in the set and securing the victory. The fifth set was a back-and-forth battle all the way until the very end. Catawba generated one more attacking opportunity in the final frame, but the Indians hit .360 as a team compared to the Royals .167.
 
Three Royals finished with a double-double. Brooke Farley (Fort Mill, S.C.) tallied 41 assists and 15 digs, Jordan Johnson (Jamestown, N.C.) recorded 13 kills and 13 digs, and Kaylin Dowling added 12 kills and 13 digs. Lindsay Elmore led the attack with 19 kills while posting a .326 attacking percentage. Rookie Loren Johnson (Huntersville, N.C.) garnered a game-high 32 digs which ties her for fifth in program history for digs in a five set match.
 
The Royals will get an extended break before returning home to battle Georgia College on Tuesday, October 5 at 4:30 p.m. Be sure to follow the Royals on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on all game updates and news.