MOREHEAD, KY. — The Royals rallied their way to a win over Stonehill to cap off the 2023 Eagle Challenge, defeating the Skyhawks by scores of 25-15, 25-23, 19-25, and 25-19 on Saturday afternoon.
The Royals (1-2, 0-0 ASUN) held the Skyhawks (0-3, 0-0 NEC) off-balance offensively for most of the match, with an early one-set lead at the hands of Anna Law and Alleigh Johnson going into the second. Notably, the Royals had put up an impressive .483 hitting percentage at the completion of the first set.
Stonehill mustered up some strength in the second frame, amounting to nine ties and three lead changes with the help of heavy-hitters Lauren MacKellar and Amaya Parnell to keep their squad afloat. The Skyhawks had rallied their way back to get within a point (23-22) before Queens' Jordyn Johnson slammed down a kill and rocked the Stonehill defense — forcing a Skyhawk misstep and swiping the 25-23 Royals win.
Stonehill made waves in the third frame. The Skyhawks had pushed their way to an early 7-1 lead including two service aces to set the tone. The Royals were held to a .032 hitting percentage with only five kills — giving the Skyhawks some leeway to keep the match alive. Stonehill finished the set on a four-point scoring run to take a 25-19 triumph.
Queens kept the fight up in the fourth, despite falling to a 10-6 deficit early in the set. Stonehill suffered seven attack errors later on in the frame, and A. Johnson took control on the Royals side of the net — smashing half of the Royals total kills in the fourth set. The Skyhawks stayed within reach, but a five-point unanswered run sealed the deal for the Royals and stamped a 25-19 victory.
Kendall Buish put up 31 assists in the win, tallying her second 30-plus assist game this season. On the defensive side of the match, J. Johnson led the Queens floor defense with a team-high 18 digs with A. Johnson's 16 digs marking the next highest Royal total. Also aiding the Royals was Kayla McDuffie, posting up five total blocks en route to the triumph.
Up next, the Royals head to the Davidson Tournament to face the Wildcats on the road in a 7:00 PM start on Friday, Sep. 1. Fans can keep up with the action through live stats and on ESPN Plus.
Be sure to follow the Queens Women's Volleyball team on Twitter and Instagram to get the latest news and updates. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to keep up with all the Royals in action.
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