Box Score Due West, SC - Queens University downed Erskine 3-1 for their first loss in conference play in women’s volleyball action at Belk Arena.
The loss drops the Flying Fleet to 2-6 overall and 2-1 in conference while the Royals climb to 7-4 overall and 3-0 in conference.
In the middle of the first set, Queens used a 6-0 run to grab control of the first set. Keri Kemp led the Royals' charge with three kills and had six kills in the set. Erskine crept to within two points late but could not draw closer losing 25-22. Sophomore
Caitlin Bullock (Lexington, SC, White Knoll High School) had 8 of the Fleet’s 15 kills in the set.
The lead swayed back and forth through the first half of the second half with neither team commanding more than a two point lead. Erskine extended their lead to three points (17-14) on a quick hit by
Larz Chabra (Mt. Pleasant, SC, Wando High School) from her setter position. After exchanging the next six points, Erskine closed out the set winning the final three points on two aces by senior
Lauren Stewart (Hartwell, GA, Hart County High School) and a hard spike by freshman
Kelly Sullivan (Wellington, FL, Wellington Community High School) for the game-winning point.
The third set remained in doubt until the end as the Royals scored the set’s last five points, including two kills by Tori Hernandez, to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Flying Fleet took an early five point lead in the fourth and final set but the Royals slowly crawled back until finally taking a 17-16 lead on a block by Lindsey Everhart and McKenzie Martin. The Royals won the set 25-20 to win the match 3-1.
Bullock had a career night for the Flying Fleet recording her first collegiate “double-double” with a career-high 20 kills and 11 digs. Chabra recorded her second consecutive “double-double” and her third of the season with 44 assists and 12 digs, along with 6 kills. Senior libero
Brooke Dodge (Duncan, SC, Byrnes High School) had a season-high 23 digs to lead the Fleet’s defensive efforts.
For the Royals, Kemp had a team-high 14 kills while McKenzie Martin had 49 assists.
Erskine goes on the road this weekend for two games. On Friday, the Fleet travel to Gaffney, South Carolina, to play the Saints of Limestone College and on Saturday, the Fleet travel up the mountain to take on the Bobcats of Lees-McRae College.
