CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The 2021 Queens Fall Classic opened on Friday with mixed results for the women's volleyball team as the Royals split a pair of games on day one of the weekend. Queens (1-1) was spectacular in the opening match collecting a 3-0 victory over Chowan University (0-2) before falling in the nightcap 3-2 to Lander University (2-0).
 
Queens 3, Chowan 0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-13)
 
The Royals opened the 2021 season in dominant fashion, hitting .311 as a team in a straight set victory over the Hawks. On defense, Queens limited the Chowan attack by halting them to a .010 attacking percentage and serving six aces. Queens used a pair of five-point rallies to find their rhythm before sweeping the Hawks in the final two frames.
 
Grace Giunta (Palm City, Fla.) led the Royals attack by erupting for 13 kills and a .355 attacking percentage. The sophomore showed her presence early with a block assist and kill to give the Royals an early advantage in set one. Lindsay Elmore (Salisbury, N.C.) and Victoria Wood (Jacksonville, Fla.) rounded out the attack as Elmore finished with seven kills and five digs while Wood earned nine kills. Freshman Kaylin Dowling (Woodleaf, N.C.) provided a spark off the bench for the Royals acquiring six kills.
 
Senior setter Brooke Farley (Fort Mill, S.C.) notched a game-high 40 assists while adding seven digs. Farley and Elmore both recorded a pair of service aces in the opening match.
 
Lander 3, Queens 2 (18-25, 25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 15-9)
 
In the nightcap, Queens opened the match sharp taking the first set 25-18. Victoria Wood (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Grace Giunta (Palm City, Fla.) combined for six kills in the opening frame and the Royals defense limited the Bearcats to a .060 attacking percentage.
 
In the second and third sets, the Royals fell behind early but used a timeout and a pair of rallies to work themselves back into the match. After trailing 13-7, head coach Hannah Long utilized another timeout to regroup her young squad and they responded with a five-point rally before dropping the match. In the third set, the Royals fell behind 15-10 and rallied to even the score before Lander took a timeout. The timeout would prove worthy as the Bearcats regained the momentum and finished the set victorious. Queens would not go out easily as the Royals were electric in the fourth set and upended the Bearcats 25-18.
 
On the attack, Victoria Wood and Kayla McDuffie (Winterville, N.C.) each contributed eight kills, while McDuffie posted a .263 attacking percentage. On the defense, Kate Majewski led the team with 26 digs and Kayla McDuffie added five block assists. Six Royals tallied a block assist on the evening.
 
Be sure to follow the Royals on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on all game updates and news.