CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Queens University of Charlotte men's volleyball team capped off their opening weekend with a hard-fought, 3-2 victory over Charleston (WV) on Sunday night. The win marks Queens first 2-0 start in program history.
"Cayden Marin gets a lot of credit from running our offense," Head Coach Jeremy Price said after the match. "Matthew Pilch...back-to-back nights had massive numbers. We hit .350; that's going to win you a lot of matches, but it still shows you the margin of error is still so small - we still battled to a fifth set. Overall, lots of great contributions especially from our pin attackers today."
SET ONE
The opening set was tightly contested, with both squads trading points early. Queens relied on Carson Strawbridge and Matthew Pilch's offense to keep pace, as each recorded timely kills in the frame. Service errors soon halted the Royals, with five in the first set, allowing Charleston to build momentum. Charleston's Kai Cousins led the attack, finding openings in Queens' defense to secure a boost for the Golden Eagles. Although the Royals made a late push, Charleston managed to close out the set.
SET TWO
Queens bounced back in the second set, and Pilch and Strawbridge continued to dominate at the net. On defense, Strawbridge and Shuey added solid blocks that disrupted Charleston's rhythm. A final attack error from Charleston gave the Royals the second-set win.
SET THREE
In the third set, Charleston regained their footing. Strawbridge and Pilch led the offensive charge for the Royals, but Charleston's defense, anchored by Xander Bomert, held strong. Miscommunications and attack errors hurt Queens, allowing Charleston to create separation later on in the set. A few standout plays from Shampine kept Queens in the hunt, but Charleston secured the set by a 25-22 score.
SET FOUR
The fourth set was a battle, with Queens ultimately forcing the fifth set. The Royals started strong, with Strawbridge delivering impactful kills and Shampine making big plays defensively. Charleston battled back to tie the set at 22, but a pivotal block by Vaupel and Strawbridge swung the momentum back in Queens' favor. Shampine then sealed the set with a clutch kill.
SET FIVE
The decisive fifth set saw Queens finish the deal. Strawbridge and Pilch once again led the offense, while Marin orchestrated the attack. Defensively, the Royals stepped up, with Shuey and Vaupel delivering critical blocks to push the Royals along. Although Cousins and Joonathan Salpakari kept Charleston within reach, Queens held firm in the closing moments. A crucial kill by Strawbridge sealed the set and gave Queens the victory.
ROYAL RUNDOWN
- Carson Strawbridge was instrumental for the Royals, leading the team with 20 kills (new career-high), six digs, and five blocks.
- Matthew Pilch contributed heavily with 22 kills and five digs.
- Cayden Marin recorded a career- high 50 assists and five digs.
- The win marks Queens first 2-0 start in program history.
UP NEXT
Next, the Royals head on the road to face Belmont Abbey on Jan. 16 for a 6:00 PM start.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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