DELAND, FLA. — Queens volleyball pulled off a dramatic comeback in DeLand, Fla., on Friday night, rallying from two sets down to defeat Stetson 3–2 (26–28, 22–25, 27–25, 25–11, 17–15) inside the Edmunds Center. With the victory, the Royals improved to 11–5 on the year and 2–1 in ASUN play, while Stetson dropped to 5–10 overall and 1–2 in the league.
The opening frame set the tone for a night filled with tight rallies. Queens hung tough behind early production from Mia McMillen and Callie DeSchryver, but the Hatters found late answers. Zuzanna Bury delivered the set-clinching kill at 28–26 to give Stetson the first advantage. The second set mirrored the first, with Queens staying within striking distance until the final stretch. Stetson's block proved pivotal, slowing down the Royals' rhythm as Queens committed eight attack errors. Despite strong swings from DeSchryver and Emma Norris, the Hatters secured the frame 25–22 to take a commanding two-set lead.
Needing a response, Queens delivered in the third. The Royals turned to DeSchryver, who swung with authority late in the frame, while Camryn Teasley came up with crucial stops at the net. Stetson made a late push and forced extra points, but the Royals refused to fold, sealing the set 27–25 on a kill from Teasley to extend the match. That momentum carried into the fourth, where Queens completely controlled the action. Behind the serving of Tilley Collins and a dominant front row anchored by Norris and DeSchryver, the Royals jumped ahead 10–2 and never looked back. McMillen added timely kills and Collins' defensive coverage steadied the back row, allowing Queens to roll to a 25–11 victory and set up a decisive fifth set.
The final frame was a nail-biter from start to finish. Neither team led by more than two, with the Royals leaning on McMillen and DeSchryver to keep pace while Norris continued to produce at the net. Stetson fought off multiple match points and earned two opportunities to close the night themselves, but Queens' defense held strong with Collins anchoring the back row and setters Tyler Peluso and Megan Kelly distributing effectively to spread the attack. After 2 hours and 41 minutes of play, Queens capitalized on its chance, closing the match 17–15 to complete the reverse sweep.
McMillen finished with 14 kills and 17 digs to pair with a .250 hitting percentage, while DeSchryver turned in one of her most complete outings of the season with 17 kills, 11 digs, and 19.5 points. Norris provided a huge boost in the middle, tallying 11 kills on a .375 hitting clip and adding seven blocks. Collins was everywhere defensively, finishing with 32 digs, eight assists, and two service aces, while Peluso added 33 assists and 21 digs and Kelly chipped in 24 assists and 15 digs of her own. Queens collectively racked up 70 kills and 69 assists while posting 113 digs and 14 total team blocks.
"Our defensive composure was the difference tonight," said Head Coach Matt Stolz. "We dug a lot of balls, our serve pressure really took Stetson out of system, and our block did an incredible job. A lot of credit goes to our defensive game plan and execution. I'm really proud of how our girls battled through adversity. You don't see reverse sweeps very often, but our mindset was that we weren't going to quit and we were going to fight through everything. Coming back from an 0–2 deficit is never easy, but it shows the culture, determination, and grit of this program that in the face of adversity, we're still going for it. I'm super proud of this team, and now our focus shifts to an ASUN-undefeated Florida Gulf Coast squad."
UP NEXT
Next, the Royals will head to FGCU to face the Eagles for a Sunday first-serve set at 1 PM.
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