FLUSHING, N.Y. – In their lone home match of the week Thursday evening, the Queens College women's volleyball team hosted the Chestnut Hill College Griffins inside Fitzgerald Gymnasium for a non-conference showdown.
Throughout a thrilling four-set match that featured 38 ties and 22 lead changes, the Knights leaned on the offensive efforts of senior outside hitter
Kendall Conrad (Carrolltown, PA) and rookie setter
Kylynn White (Chicago, IL), who combined for 27 kills. Queens outhit Chestnut Hill .235 to .119 to earn a 3–1 victory.
Match Recap – Queens 3, Chestnut Hill 1 (Set Scores: 25-16, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21)
There were 11 ties and eight lead changes in the opening 28 points of the first set before the Knights seized momentum. After a kill from senior middle blocker
Lindsay Osterhoudt (Orlando, Fla) tied the set at 14–14, the tandem of White and senior middle blocker
Maya Angelova (Kyustendil, Bulgaria) sparked a dominant run. The duo combined for two blocks and two kills as Queens closed the set on an 11–2 surge to take a 1–0 lead with a 25–16 victory.
The second set opened with the same intensity as the first, featuring six ties and three lead changes in the early going. With the score knotted at 7–7, Chestnut Hill used a 4–2 spurt to take an 11–9 lead. Although a series of Griffin's errors allowed Queens to close the gap to 11–10, the visitors responded with an 8–5 run to extend their lead to 19–15, prompting a Knights timeout.
Out of the break, the Knights leaned once again on the play of White and Osterhoudt, who helped pull Queens within one on four separate occasions. A kill by White made it 24–23, forcing a Griffins' timeout. The break proved effective, as Chestnut Hill capitalized on a Queens service error to clinch the set 25–23 and tie the match at 1–1.
Continuing the back-and-forth theme of the match, both teams traded points early in the third set, which featured eight ties and seven lead changes. Momentum swung in Queens' favor after back-to-back kills from senior outside hitter
Elena Leung (Bellerose, N.Y.
), giving the Knights a much-needed spark.
Although the Griffins stayed within striking distance, a kill from Osterhoudt gave the Knights a 19–16 lead and forced a timeout by the visitors. The break did little to slow Queens, as senior
Jayna Marie Lorenzo (Rodeo, CA) delivered consecutive service aces to push the lead to 22-16. From there, the trio of Osterhoudt, White, and Conrad closed out the set with three straight kills, including a set-best sixth kill from Conrad to secure a 25-17 win and a 2–1 lead in the match.
The fourth set saw 13 ties as the Griffins looked to force a decisive fifth frame, out-hitting the Knights .118 to .062. But with the score knotted at 18–18, it was the senior duo of
Lindsay Osterhoudt and Abby Conrad who took matters into their own hands. The pair combined for a pivotal 3–0 run, with Osterhoudt delivering two clutch service aces and Conrad hammering down her 16th kill of the match to give Queens a 21–18 lead.
Chestnut Hill stayed within striking distance, narrowing the gap to two points on two separate occasions. But as a Griffins' attacking error handed the Knights match point, sophomore defensive specialist
Olivia Hyman (Forest Hills, N.Y.) delivered with a match-clinching ace to seal the set 25–21 and the match 3–1 for the Knights' third win of the year.
BY THE NUMBERS
- For the sixth straight match, Conrad recorded double-digit kills, recording a season-tying 16 kills to go with two digs and two blocks.
- White recorded her second straight double-double with 11 kills and 15 assists to go with seven digs, two service aces, and tied a career-best three blocks.
- Osterhoudt recorded eight kills with four digs, two blocks, two service aces, and one assist.
- Leung tied a career-best seven kills on a hitting % of .462.
- Marie Lorenzo recorded 22 assists, eight digs, two service aces, and three kills.
- Angelova recorded a match-high six blocks to go with two kills.
- The duo of senior libero Alexis Stoehrer (Medford, N.Y.) and sophomore outside hitter Sophie Schonauer (Bakersfield, CA) combined for 24 digs and two service aces.
- Hyman recorded four digs and two service aces in the victory.
Next Match
The Knights open a six-match road stand beginning on Saturday, September 13 as they travel to New Haven, CT, to compete in the SCSU Tri-Match. Queens will open the day against host Southern Connecticut State University Owls at 10 a.m., before concluding the tri-match against Holy Family University Tigers at noon.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), X (Formerly Twitter) (@QCKnights), and Instagram (qcknightsny), women's volleyball (qcknightsvb).
