FORT WAYNE, IND. — The Queens University of Charlotte men's volleyball team battled Purdue Fort Wayne in the series finale, falling 3-1 (25-21, 24-26, 23-25, 21-25) on Friday, Feb. 14.
SET ONE
Queens opened the match with a strong showing, taking the first set 25-21. The Royals hit .321 with 12 kills and just three errors, executing an attack led by setter Cayden Marin. Reed Shuey and Chance Shampine provided key offensive contributions, while the team's blocking efforts helped limit Purdue Fort Wayne's attack. The Mastodons struggled to find consistency, committing several attack errors that allowed Queens to secure the opening frame.
SET TWO
A tightly contested second set saw 13 ties and eight lead changes as both teams battled for momentum. Queens started strong but saw its hitting percentage drop to .033 due to miscues. Purdue Fort Wayne adjusted its approach, with Logan Muir leading the attack. Despite key kills from Matthew Pilch and Nathan Vaupel, the Royals couldn't capitalize late, and the Mastodons pulled out a 26-24 win to even the match at 1-1.
SET THREE
Queens improved offensively in the third set, hitting .229 while continuing to find production from Pilch and Shampine. However, Purdue Fort Wayne's offense remained steady, hitting .333 in the set and capitalizing on key moments. The Royals kept it close, forcing multiple ties throughout the frame, but the Mastodons edged them out 25-23 to take a 2-1 lead.
SET FOUR
Needing a win to force a decisive fifth set, Queens stayed competitive early, trading points with the Mastodons. Strong blocking from Vaupel and Shuey helped slow Purdue Fort Wayne's attack, but the Mastodons proved too strong. They hit .379 in the final set, while Queens posted a .217 clip. Purdue Fort Wayne pulled away, closing out a 25-21 victory to secure the 3-1 match win.
POSTGAME COMMENTS
"Disappointing match for us tonight, but I give Purdue Fort Wayne a lot of credit," Head Coach Jeremy Price said. "They made plays at the end, and we did not—that was the difference. I thought our middles played really well once again. Nathan [Vaupel] and Reed [Shuey] were efficient offensively, and I thought our libero play, led by Chris Peters and Matt Coquillette, was outstanding."
ROYAL RUNDOWN
UP NEXT
The Royals are back in action at home against No. 4 Hawaii on Feb. 21 at 6 PM.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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