ANDERSON, S.C. - With both teams battling for position in next week's Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament, the Anderson volleyball team opened its final three-match homestand of the regular season with a 3-1 (19-25, 23-25, 25-20, 21-25) setback to Queens, Friday night at the Abney Athletic Center.

Anderson (14-13, 13-8 SAC), which was ranked fourth in the Southeast Region earlier this week by the NCAA, has dropped two of its last three, while Queens (15-10, 13-8 SAC) extended its win streak to five matches and earned a split of the season series.

Entering the final day of regular-season action, Anderson sits in a four-way tie for fourth, one match behind Tusculum and Lincoln Memorial, which are tied for second. The Trojans are even with Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill and Queens.

A slow start in the opening set proved costly for the Trojans, as Queens snapped an early 3-3 tie with an 11-3 outburst that gave the visitors a 14-6 lead. Anderson battled back within two, at 14-12 on back-to-back kills from junior Hailey Pittman, but AU could get no closer as the Royals countered with a 5-1 surge to push back ahead by six and maintained the margin the rest of the way.

A Trojan rally in the second frame fell just short after Queens jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage. Anderson trimmed the deficit to just one with five unanswered points, as the Trojans capitalized on a kill by junior Shannon Gillespie and three miscues by the Royals. But the Trojans were unable to overtake Queens until they evened the score at 17 apiece on a block by Gillespie and freshman Jessica Harris as part of an overall 9-1 surge. Pittman sparked the rally with a kill, while Gillespie and freshman Allison Gaminde fueled the rally with three kills and two kills, respectively, giving Anderson a 21-17 lead. However the Royals responded with an 8-2 run of their own to claim the set.

The Trojans scored the first three points of the third set and never trailed, as AU pushed out to its largest lead of the frame, at 19-12, with junior Alix Hooker serving. Queens climbed within 23-20 late, but Gillespie notched a kill and junior Meghan Cautero closed the set with one of her two service aces on the night.

The fourth and deciding set featured 12 ties and six lead changes, with the Trojans pushing out to an 11-6 lead on the strength of redshirt freshman Priscilla Irizarry's serves. Redshirt freshman Tinsley Hallman posted a pair of kills and Irizarry capped the run with an ace. But the Royals stayed within striking distance and reclaimed a 19-18 advantage on a kill from sophomore Elizabeth Bialkowski. Queens edged out to a three-point lead and claimed the match on a kill by senior Keri Kemp.

Gillespie, who leads the SAC in total kills, kills per set, points and total attacks, posted her 20th double-double of the season with a match-high 20 kills and added 17 digs. Pittman added 13 kills, while junior Meghan Cautero, who has notched 10 double-doubles on the season, tallied 41 assists. Hooker recorded a match-high 31 digs, with Irizarry adding 10. Harris finished with four total blocks on the night.

The Trojans, who have already earned the most wins in a season since the 2010 squad posted an 18-15 record, close out the regular season by playing host to Catawba and Peach Belt opponent GRU Augusta Saturday afternoon. First-serve versus the Indians is scheduled for 2 p.m.