CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Queens University of Charlotte opened the 2026 campaign with a 2-2 draw against The Citadel on Wednesday night at the Queens Sports Complex.
SCORING SUMMARY
7:24 – QUEENS – McKayla Budion (Assist: Grace Acevedo)
41:12 – QUEENS – Tamia Ford
56:10 – THE CITADEL – Jasiah Pack (Assist: Samantha Grantham)
65:12 – THE CITADEL – Samantha Grantham
Turning Point
Queens wasted little time finding the back of the net as McKayla Budion, one of the Royals' top scorers from a season ago, opened her 2026 account in the eighth minute. Grace Acevedo delivered a ball toward the far post, setting up Budion for the opening goal. Tamia Ford doubled the advantage in the 42nd minute, firing a shot into the upper corner to send the Royals into halftime with a 2-0 lead. The Citadel responded early in the second half when Jasiah Pack found the back of the net in the 57th minute off an assist from Samantha Grantham. Nine minutes later, Grantham scored the equalizer to bring the Bulldogs level at 2-2. The Royals held off the visitors over the final 24 minutes to secure the draw.
Key Stats & Notes
- Acevedo recorded her first collegiate assist.
- First-years Ava Kreusling, Franny Smith and O'maira Griffin each made their first career starts for Queens, while sophomore Charlie Silva earned her first start as a Royal.
- Kreusling made her collegiate debut in goal and recorded seven saves across 90 minutes.
- Silva, Ford, Budion and Olivia Potter each registered a shot on goal.
- The Bulldogs outshot the Royals 13-6, while the two sides finished even with five corner kicks apiece.
Up next
The Royals will travel to face Gardner-Webb University on Sunday, Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. ET. The matchup will take place at Greene-Harbison Stadium in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.
Social Media
Be sure to follow the Queens Women's Soccer team on Facebook, X, and Instagram throughout the 2026 season to get the latest news and updates. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok by searching @QueensAthletics.
