MACON, Ga. – Charleston Southern volleyball overcame a two-set deficit to turn back Queens (N.C.) in neutral-site action Friday evening, rallying for the 3-2 triumph at the Mercer Bears Classic in Macon, Georgia. The Buccaneers picked up the win by scores of 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-9 in their first five-set decision of the campaign.

MOMENTUM CHANGE IN THE THIRD
CSU trailed 2-0 before shutting down Queens (N.C.) (2-2) in the third set, holding the Division I newcomers to its lowest hitting percentage of the match to turn the tide. The Royals hit a collective .067 in the middle set with the Bucs on the receiving end of 22 digs and tallying three team blocks. It was a close battle throughout with Charleston Southern (3-2) taking the first sizeable lead at 16-9 after rattling off a 6-0 run starting with a kill by Giada Pais-Marden. She added another, while Indigo Young had one of her own plus a solo block to contribute to the spurt.

The Royals, however, did not quit and found their way back to draw even at 17-17. It remained close through 19-19 but then a 4-0 run, keyed by a trio of Queens (N.C.) attack errors and a kill from Emily Struckmeyer gave the Buccaneers the cushion they needed to clinch the set a few points later.

SIMILAR STORY IN THE FOURTH
The next set was played very similarly but the first larger lead for Charleston Southern came earlier, as it took a 7-4 advantage and grew it into 12-6 following back-to-back Skylar Yates kills. Again, the Royals rallied to draw even at 13-13 and it stayed within a two-point difference the rest of the way, only with Preseason All-Big South honoree Peyton Thompson locking up the set with a kill for the final point.

SEALING IT IN THE FIFTH
Another tight see-saw battle opened the decisive fifth set but it was Queens (N.C.) who staked the first advantage, forcing CSU into a timeout down 6-4 after three-straight points surrendered. The timeout played into the Bucs' favor, as they scored the next seven-in-a-row, including consecutive service aces from Pais-Marden early in the run, and back-to-back kills from Young and Jyriah Morgan to stretch the lead to 11-6. The closest the Royals closed the gap down the stretch would be three, 12-9, but two Yates kills and another from Thompson locked up the come-from-behind victory.

CLOSE BUT NOT QUITE THERE
The first-two sets went to Queens (N.C.) by a combined seven points as neither team was able to pull away in the first set. Charleston Southern held an 8-4 lead but four-straight points given up leveled the score, only to have Young halt the surge with a kill. The Royals jumped in front 13-11 but by 14-14, on a Pais-Marden kill, the scoreboard was level once again. The Bucs continued to lead late in the set, 22-21, but were unable to close it out.

In the second, the Buccaneers again held the upper hand with a 10-6 lead on a Thompson kill but Queens (N.C.) clawed its way back to force a deadlock at 11-11 and the two sides continued to trade points until a 5-0 Royals spurt gave it the margin CSU was unable to overtake. The Bucs made it a four-point contest several times down the stretch but could not get out in front.

STANDOUTS
Yates led all players with her best overall collegiate performance to-date with 20 kills on 48 total attacks for a .375 hitting percentage. Thompson added 16 kills, while Pais-Marden chipped in 17 to give Charleston Southern a balanced offensive front.

Emilee Karelse added 41 assists, while Angelika Rusin paced the squad with 41 digs.

UP NEXT
The Buccaneers will remain in Macon for the tournament Saturday for a pair of matches. Action starts at 1 p.m. with another neutral-site contest against Southern Miss before rounding out the event at 6 p.m. against host Mercer on ESPN+.