CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's volleyball team secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Saint Francis (PA) on Tuesday night inside Curry Arena. With the win, the Royals improve to 10-9 overall.
SET ONE
The match opened with a competitive first set, as both teams exchanged points early, resulting in two ties and two lead changes. Despite a strong showing from Matthew Pilch, who recorded key kills to keep the Royals rolling, Queens struggled to contain Saint Francis' Michael Mosbacher, who tallied 19 kills on the night. A late surge by Saint Francis secured the set, as the Royals fell 21-25.
SET TWO
Trailing 6-3 early on, Queens ignited a run fueled by a service ace from Carson Strawbridge. The Royals' defense stepped up as well, with Reed Shuey and Chance Shampine combining for a crucial block that halted Saint Francis' momentum. Solid setting from Cayden Marin kept the offense flowing, allowing Pilch to notch crucial points down the stretch. Queens edged out Saint Francis 25-23, leveling the match at 1-1.
SET THREE
Momentum swung heavily in favor of Queens in the third set. An early 9-4 lead set the tone as the Royals' attack came alive. Chance Shampine and Reed Shuey combined for a series of kills, while Matthew Pilch added a service ace that extended the Royals' advantage. A dominant blocking effort, led by Shuey and Carson Strawbridge, stifled Saint Francis' offense, and Queens cruised to a 25-15 victory.
SET FOUR
The fourth set was a thrilling back-and-forth battle, featuring 17 ties and six lead changes. Saint Francis kept pace behind strong play from Andrew Deardorff, but Queens' defense rose to the occasion. With the score at 24-23, a match-clinching kill from Pilch sealed the 25-23 win for the Royals.
ROYAL RUNDOWN
- Royals were powered by Chance Shampine's 15 kills.
- Matthew Pilch delivered 13 kills and a team-high 11 digs.
- Cayden Marin added 42 assists on the night.
- Carson Strawbridge contributed 13 kills and two service aces.
- The Royals posted a .293 hitting percentage on the night and tallied six service aces.
POSTGAME COMMENTS
" I think we were very balanced offensively, and it was reflected with all three of our pins in double-figure kills," Head Coach Jeremy Price said. "I thought we passed extremely well after the first set. If you look at our sideout numbers, we were over 70-percent in the last three sets and just really, really efficient. This was a good team win going into spring break."
UP NEXT
The Royals will take a slight break before heading to Ohio to face the Buckeyes on Thursday, March 13.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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