Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The men's soccer team put in a workmanlike performance this afternoon at Dickson Field against the Mars Hill Lions, winning 2-0. The game sets up a conference heavyweight showdown against Wingate next Wednesday. The No. 19 Royals move to 8-0 in the South Atlantic Conference and 11-1 overall, sporting an 11 game win streak. Mars Hill falls to 4-4 in the conference and 4-8 overall.
 
The game started out with both teams doing their best to figure out how to attack the other. It took 14 minutes for either team to record a shot, with the Lions' Tom Allison heading the ball wide off of a corner.
 
Using his talented depth off of the bench, Queens head coach Oliver Carias continued to encourage his players throughout the first half, even when they seemed to be playing slower than normal at times. The team, and especially the defenders, continued to work hard, battling for every header and every 50/50 ball.
 
After 35 minutes, the Royals had taken only four shots. An encouraging sign was freshman defender Ryan Kawczynski, as he continued to make run after run on the right side of the field, exploiting space the Mars Hill defense left open.
 
It was that pressure from Kawczynski that would finally unlock the game five minutes later. Receiving a beautiful pass from Eric Liebl, Kawczynski, with plenty of time, put in a low cross towards Erick Suarez. Suarez, knowing he wouldn't be able to angle his body in a way he could get a shot on goal, professionally laid it off for an incoming Yannick Fischbach at the top of the 18. Fischbach, using expert technique, side volleyed the ball from three yards in the air right into the top left corner. Mars Hill keeper Chris Mitchell had no chance as he sprawled to his right.
 
That wonder strike from Fischbach was all the Queens University of Charlotte men would need in order to get the three points, but that wasn't known at the time.
 
Neither team would threaten again in the half, and both sides would come out in the second half knowing that one shot could again change the complexion of the game.
 
The beginning of the second half was similar to the first, taking eight minutes for Christian McArthur to fire another header wide for the Lions.
 
It took until the 60th minute for Queens to start playing the way they felt they are capable of. Trying to capitalize on their offensive pressure, the Royals earned two corners in a row. Although they failed to capitalize on those free kick opportunities, it only took nine minutes for senior Thiago Andrade to cut inside on a Mars Hill defender on the edge of the 18 and force a low line drive across the keeper's body and into the goal's side netting. Using his favored left foot, Andrade had scored yet another important goal and yet another first class strike.
 
Andrade's senior leadership and quick feet had provided Queens with a cushion, but not a cushion that the proud Queens defense would need. The backline of Austin Huddy, Gregorio Pestana, Jonathan Onyeaka, and Kawczynski was solid all game long, never letting a true goal scoring opportunity present itself. Keeper Montrell Morgan and his backline earned their sixth clean sheet of the season, and their second in a row.
 
The Royals, on an 11 game winning streak, will hit the road and travel to Wingate next Wednesday night. Wingate is second in the conference with a 6-2 record. A victory would make the Royals the South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Champions. Game time is set for 7 p.m.