FORT WAYNE, IND. — The Queens University of Charlotte men's volleyball team secured a crucial 3-1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-22, 27-25) victory over MIVA foe Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday night at Gates Sports Center. Despite dropping the second set, Queens closed out the match with an extra-point victory in the fourth set.

SET ONE
Queens came out firing in the opening set, hitting an impressive .455 while limiting their errors. The Royals established an early lead and never looked back, with Chance Shampine and Reed Shuey delivering key kills. Purdue Fort Wayne struggled with attack errors, allowing Queens to comfortably close the set at 25-19.

SET TWO
The Mastodons responded in the second set, tightening their defense. Logan Muir led the charge for Purdue Fort Wayne, registering crucial kills as the home squad took control. Queens kept it close but couldn't overcome a late run by the Mastodons, who evened the match with a 25-20 win.

SET THREE
The third set was a back-and-forth battle, featuring 10 ties and six lead changes. Queens relied on the attack from Matthew Pilch and Shampine to edge out the Mastodons late. A well-timed service ace and a strong defense helped the Royals regain the match lead with a 25-22 set victory.

SET FOUR
The final set was a thriller, with 17 ties and multiple lead changes. Neither team budged as they traded points deep into extra play. Queens' defensive efforts at the net, combined with clutch swings from Pilch and Carson Strawbridge, sealed the 27-25 win, handing the Royals a statement conference victory.

"Anytime we are able to pick up a conference win, especially in our first conference road matchup of the year, it's a pretty big deal for us," Head Coach Jeremy Price said. "I thought tonight was a really nice solid team effort. Chance Shampine really stood out with 12 kills… I thought our middles did a great job combining 13 kills on 21 swings without making an attacking error. When we get our middles involved, we can be pretty efficient offensively."

ROYAL RUNDOWN

• Queens hit .321 as a team, with Chance Shampine (12 kills) and Matthew Pilch (10 kills) leading the offense.
• The Royals out-blocked Purdue Fort Wayne 9-5, with Reed Shuey and Carson Strawbridge combining for seven block assists.
• Queens recorded seven service aces, including three from Strawbridge.
• The Royals have matched their win column from the 2024 season (nine wins).

UP NEXT
The Royals face Purdue Fort Wayne tomorrow for the series finale starting at 7 PM ET.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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