CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's volleyball team fell in straight sets 25-18, 25-23, 25-18 to the visiting Cobras of Coker College on Friday night in the final match of a three-match homestand in the Levine Center.
 
The Royals (1-3) hit .342 as a team and had five total blocks, but the Cobras (3-1) turned in a.356 hitting mark and totaled 10 service aces.
 
Coker began the match on a 7-3 run before Queens rallied to cut the deficit to one point following back-to-back kills from Marco Vecellio and a Cobra attack error. The Cobras stretched their lead to as many as eight points en route to hitting .417 in the set.
 
In the second frame, the scoreboard showed seven ties with the final coming at 23-all after another Vecellio kill. Coker's Stephen Porras ended the set with consecutive kills to put the Cobras ahead 2-0 in the match. The Cobras led from start to finish in the third and final set to claim the match win.
 
Porras led all players with 18 kills to go along with nine digs, while teammate Gabriel Castro followed with 14 kills.
 
Queens sophomore Gregory Esquivel led the Royals with 14 kills and a.444 hitting percentage, as Vecellio registered seven kills and five digs. Freshman Jack Mitchner registered 26 assist and six digs, while fellow freshman Conner Nagaki tied for the team lead with six digs in just two sets of play.
 
The Royals begin a nine-match road trip tomorrow when the team travels to Gaffney, S.C. to take on Limestone College at 4 p.m.