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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For the first time in the program's young history, the Queens University of Charlotte men's volleyball team will compete for a postseason crown. The Royals and Lincoln Memorial University will face off tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Independent Volleyball Association (IVA) Championship match inside Mary Mars Gymnasium.
 
Lincoln Memorial, the defending IVA Champion and tournament host, enters the match with a 17-7 record overall and advanced to the title match with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-13) sweep of first-year program Daemen College in the semifinals.
 
The Railsplitters flex their muscle on defense, ranking among the NCAA's Top 5 in blocks per set (2.6) and opponent hitting percentage (.216) while also being the second-best serving team in the country with 1.9 service aces per set. Junior opposite Evan Cory, the 2019 Off the Block Independent Teams Player of the Year, is one of the nation's top offensive threats. Cory averages 4.03 kills per set and attacks at a .337 clip to go along with 1.60 digs per set, 97 total blocks and 55 service aces.
 
Middle Pedro Carvalho and setter AJ Risavy were also named to the 2019 OTB All-Independent team earlier this week. Carvalho hits at a .398 mark and is among the nation's best at the net with 1.45 blocks per set and 112 total blocks. Risavy guides the LM offense with 10.04 assists and chips in 1.68 digs per set on defense.
 
Queens is 10-18 overall, winning five of its last seven matches including a 3-1 (27-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20) win over Coker College in the semifinals.
 
The Royals are also strong defensively, ranking sixth nationally with 9.59 digs per set. All-Independent Team member Ruben Greenstein leads the way with 2.07 digs per set as four different starters average more than 1.5 digs per set.
 
Sophomore opposite Nic Cavallaro has found his groove of late, averaging 4.56 kills per set and hitting at a .355 clip over his last four matches. Middles JP Payne and Cody Nix combine for 1.74 blocks per set on average, while senior Alexander Schinzing directs the offense with 8.62 assists per set.
 
Lincoln Memorial and Queens have already met five times in the past two seasons with the Railsplitters holding a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series, including winning both matchups this season. In the most recent meeting on February 28, 2019, LMU won 3-1 as the two sides were separated by a total of just 11 points in the four-set thriller.