WALTHAM, MASS. - The Queens College women's basketball team defeated Holy Family 76-64 in the opening round of the 2016 NCAA Division II East Regional Friday evening at the Dana Athletic Center.  In the program's third appearance, the Knights claim their first NCAA Championship win in history.

Junior Madison Rowland (Albany, N.Y.) led the way with a game high 31 points, including 20 in the first half.  Rowland also added six rebounds, four steals and three blocks.  Red-shirt senior MacKenzie Rowland (Albany, N.Y.) tallied 17 points and seven rebounds.  Despite early foul trouble, senior Kristen Korzevinski (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) came through with 16 points and three steals.

In the opening quarter, Knights started 0-for-4 from the field before a jumper by Mac. Rowland with 8:01 remaining broke the ice and tied the game at two.  From there, the Tigers responded with a 7-2 run, grabbing a 9-4 advantage with 6:01 left in the frame.  A 7-0 run by the Knights gave Queens their first lead of the game, 11-9, with 4:27 remaining.  Holy Family answered by closing out the first with a 6-2 surge, taking a four point lead into the second quarter.

Queens opened the second half with the ball, and scored immediately off a layup by Mac. Rowland.  The layup was the start of a 13-0 run by the Knights who grabbed a 26-17 advantage with 5:49 left before intermission.  Four straight by the Tigers cut the margin to five, 26-21, with 4:20 remaining in the period. Queens ended the half with an 18-6 charge, sparked by 13 of Mad. Rowland's 20 first half points.

In the lowest scoring frame of the game, the Knights were outscored 11-10 in the third quarter, but held a 54-38 advantage.  The Tigers were unable to get within 15 in the stanza, while the Knights led by as many as 19 in the third.

A layup by Korzevinski with 6:39 remaining in the fourth pushed QC ahead 60-42.  Holy Family went on an 11-0 run in just over two minutes, cutting the deficit to seven with 4:10 left.  A three by the Tiger's Erin Fenningham then cut the deficit to five, 61-56, with 3:49 left.  Backs against the wall, the Knights responded with a 13-4 run, regaining a 14 point advantage with 1:21 on the clock.

The Knights will take on top-seeded Bentley Saturday evening at 7:30 pm at the Dana Center.