CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Queens men's volleyball kicked off the season inside Curry Arena Wednesday evening, hosting Long Island University. The Royals got off to a hot start and took the first set but would drop the next three and fall in four (20-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-16).

With the loss, Queens falls to 0-1 while Long Island improves to 2-0. 

GAME SUMMARY
A kill by Jack Brinkman and a solo block by Brian Schwob helped spark a pair of early runs that put Queens up 8-5 in the first set. LIU would respond and eventually knot the set at 10, until another strong push by Queens would regain the lead, capped off with a kill by Daniel Leitao to give the team a 16-12 lead. Up 23-18, Fletcher Murphy and Ananias Hayes combined for a block to give the Royals set point before a service error would help them take the first set.

Both teams were evenly matched early in the second set but a strong offensive attack helped LIU pull ahead and maintain a lead throughout the set. Hayes and Leitao would each put away three kills, however their efforts fell just short as LIU would knot the match at 1 a piece. 

The Royals found themselves down 21-14 late in the second set but would not give up without a fight. Another pair of kills by Hayes and Leitao along with an ace by Jack Brinkman would help Queens take five of the next seven points, cutting the deficit to four, 23-19. The Sharks would rattle off a couple late and take the third set, 25-20. 

In the fourth, the lead changed back-and-forth within the first 10 points. Murphy helped Queens to an early lead thanks to three kills of his own. LIU responded in a big way, regaining the lead and would hold onto it for the remainder of the set and ultimately take the match.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Daniel Leitao led the way for the Royals offensively with 10 kills, also adding eight digs. 
• In his first game as a Royal, Brian Schwob dished out 32 assists, good for 8.0 per set. He also led the team in digs with 10.
• Ananias Hayes had a strong night at the net, putting away nine kills to just two errors, also earning two aces. 
• Efficiency was the name of Fletcher Murphy's game, totaling seven kills on no errors, swinging at a .778 clip on the evening. 

COACH'S WORDS
"We came out with a lot of energy and played a really good first set" said head coach Jeremy Price. "I was proud to see us execute what we saw on film. After the first set, we tightened up a bit which was a bit surprising, but we continued to compete. Opening night jitters always makes the first night tough but I think there were some positives; Fletcher Murphy and Ananias Hayes were both really good, and it was good to get Chris Peters some rotations across the back row, but we didn't quite fire on all cylinders those last three sets. We'll watch some film and make some adjustments in preparation for Saturday".

NEXT UP
The Royals will head down to South Carolina for a matchup with North Greenville on Saturday, January 14 at 3PM. 

Be sure to follow the Royals men's volleyball program on Instagram to stay up to date on all the latest news and updates surrounding the team. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on social media @QueensAthletics to follow all of the Royals sports in action.