NEWARK, DEL. – Competing in the 2026 Wildcats Regional Invitational, the Queens College women's volleyball team opened day one Friday, matching up against Adelphi University Panthers and Holy Family University Tigers inside the WU Athletics Complex.
Adelphi University Recap
In a tightly contested three-set match that featured 16 ties and eight lead changes, the rookie outside hitter duo of
Zoe Sercu and
Lucia Bennett combined for 22 kills, while rookie
Kaiya Banks tied a career best with 23 assists as Queens battled the Panthers throughout the match.
In the opening set, the Knights stayed within striking distance through the first 26 points. With Queens trailing 14-12, Adelphi created separation late to take the opening set, 25-20.
Queens came out strong in the second set as junior
Olivia Hyman tallied three service aces. The Knights traded points with the Panthers before Adelphi began to pull away, taking a 14-8 lead. A Panthers service error, along with five combined kills from rookie
Garnette Webb and Bennett, helped spark a Queens rally.
Hyman's fourth service ace and Bennett's fourth kill of the set brought the Knights within three at 19-16, forcing Adelphi to call timeout. Out of the break, Sercu recorded back-to-back kills to help Queens even the set at 19-19.
The second set featured six ties and four lead changes. After Adelphi regained a 22-20 advantage, back-to-back Panthers errors and Webb's third kill of the set gave Queens a 23-22 lead. Adelphi responded with the final three points, taking the set, 25-23, and a 2-0 match lead.
Queens opened the third set with a 4-1 advantage before Adelphi answered with an 8-1 run to take a 9-5 lead.
The Knights responded with a 10-4 run, highlighted by six kills, to regain the lead at 15-13 and force an Adelphi timeout. Queens continued to apply pressure coming out of the break, extending its advantage to 19-15.
Adelphi responded with a 6-1 run to take a 21-20 lead, with Queens unable to regain the advantage. The third set featured eight ties and four lead changes before the Panthers closed out the match with a 25-23 victory.
Holy Family Recap
Queens fell behind 11-5 in the opening set and was unable to close the gap as Holy Family took the first set, 25-17.
The Knights responded in the second set, jumping out to a 14-5 lead behind Hyman and rookie
Mikayla Haskell, who combined for five kills and two service aces as the Tigers used both of their timeouts.
Queens continued to maintain its advantage following the break, building a 19-9 lead. Holy Family attempted to mount a comeback, but Haskell led the Knights with a set-high six kills while hitting .455. Queens held on to even the match at 1-1 with a 25-19 second-set victory.
In the third set, errors proved costly for the Knights as Holy Family took a 2-1 match lead with a 25-20 victory.
Queens battled throughout the fourth set, which featured nine ties and five lead changes. The two teams traded points through the opening 26 points as the Knights looked to force a deciding fifth set.
With the set tied at 13-13, however, Holy Family used a 12-5 run to close out the set, 25-18, and secure the four-set victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Sercu combined for 15 kills, five service aces and five digs, including a career-best five service aces against Holy Family.
- Bennett combined for 14 kills, four digs, two blocks and two service aces, including 11 kills against Adelphi.
- Haskell combined for 12 kills, three blocks and two service aces, including a team-best 11 kills while hitting .212 against Holy Family.
- Webb combined for 12 kills while hitting .308, along with one block.
- Hyman combined for eight kills, seven service aces and 13 digs, including a career-best five kills against Holy Family.
- Banks combined for 44 assists, 17 digs and one service ace, recording her second career double-double with 21 assists and 11 digs against Holy Family. Against Adelphi, the rookie tied a career best with 23 assists.
- Through two matches, junior Asuka Shibue tallied 27 digs, six assists and one service ace.
NEXT SERVE
Queens concludes the Wildcats Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 12, matching up against Saint Anselm College at 9 a.m. before facing host Wilmington University at 5 p.m. inside the WU Athletics Complex.
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).
