CHARLOTTE, N.C. - After a thrilling five-set victory in the IVA Championship semifinal, the Royals were tasked with taking on a familiar foe, Lincoln Memorial. Queens displayed strong attacking and defense for the entirety of the match but were unable to come out on top, as the Railsplitters would emerge IVA champions, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-15).
MATCH SUMMARY
A pair of kills by
Daniel Leitao early helped build a 4-2 lead, but Lincoln Memorial would respond well and take eight of the next nine points which helped them claim the lead, 11-6. Queens would chip away at the lead throughout, as an ace by
Jack Brinkman followed by a kill by
Matthew Pilch cut the deficit to three, 18-15. The Railsplitters settled in and were able to keep Queens at bay, holding on to take the first set 25-20.
Much like the first set, LMU built an 11-6 lead early on. The lead would continue to grow, as a strong run grew the lead to seven points with the Railsplitters now leading 16-9. The Royals refused to give up as they had all tournament, as a pair of kills by Pilch, along with a solo block from
Brian Schwob and an ace by
Daniel Leitao helped Queens take eight of the next 12 points and bring them within three. They'd continue to claw their way back into the set, but Lincoln Memorial would manage to hold on 'til the end, taking the second set 25-21.
Queens and LMU were neck and neck early in the third set until a four-point run by the Railsplitters helped them grab a 12-7 lead. Pilch continued to play at a high level as a kill combined with a triple block alongside
Riley Mulkey and Schwob sparked a nice comeback that brought the Royals within two. Lincoln Memorial would put it into another gear as they'd rattle off 10 of the final 12 points, which propelled them to take the set and clinch the championship victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Matthew Pilch ended the season with the same efficiency that helped carry his tea into the postseason, as he tied a match-high 11 kills and swung an astounding .526.
- Daniel Leitao made nice offensive contributions as well, tallying six kills while adding a service ace.
- In his final collegiate match, Brian Schwob dished out 23 assist, adding a kill and five digs in the process.
- Jack Brinkman concluded the evening with team-high six digs and added four kills.
NEXT UP
Queens will regroup in the offseason and will look to build off a strong 2023 season as they prepare to compete in the MIVA conference beginning in 2024.
