CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Queens men's volleyball team battled hard inside the Levine Center, ultimately falling to No. 6 Loyola Chicago in straight sets, 23–25, 20–25, 13–25.
SET ONE
In a fiercely contested opener, Queens and Loyola exchanged rapid-fire rallies that kept the set neck-and-neck. Queens started tough with Wilson Buchanan, who finished with 22 set assists, orchestrating the offense early on. Matthew Pilch and Nathan Vaupel led the offensive effort early on, but attack errors and missed opportunities allowed Loyola Chicago to gain a slight edge in the closing minutes, capturing the set 25–23 after multiple tight exchanges.
SET TWO
The second set featured an intense battle as Queens looked to level the match. Queens' offensive rhythm was driven by Carson Strawbridge and Pilch's continued scoring and Vaupel's persistent blocking. However, service errors and a few miscommunications at the net disrupted Queens' flow. Loyola capitalized on these lapses, gradually building a comfortable lead. In the end, the Ramblers ran off with a seven-point unanswered run, with Loyola taking it 25–20.
SET THREE
In the decisive third set, the Ramblers took control early despite strong efforts from Casey Maas and Pilch. Loyola Chicago had put the score at 20-10 before back-to-back errors from the Ramblers gave Queens an edge. A late kill from Sev Allton pushed Queens on, but a final service ace from the Ramblers finished off the 25-13 win.
ROYAL RUNDOWN
• Wilson Buchanan finished with a season-high 22 set assists.
• Matthew Pilch and Carson Strawbridge each added eight kills.
• Nathan Vaupel contributed 3 kills and 3 crucial blocks in the match.
• Overall, Queens recorded 25 kills, 21 digs, and 24 assists across the match.
POSTGAME COMMENTS
"I thought we played okay for about a set and three quarters," said head coach Jeremy Price "I thought our serve-receive was solid and kept us in it for about sixty-percent of the match, and then it wasn't the last forty [percent]… and I think it is reflective in the statistics."
UP NEXT
Next, the Royals are back in action for Senior Day as we honor Sev Allton, Brian Camacho, Matteo Falleri, Matthew Pilch, and Jackson Maples on Saturday, April 5 for a 1 PM start.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow the Royals men's volleyball team on Instagram and Twitter/X stay up to date on all the latest news surrounding the team. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics to stay updated on all the Royals sports teams in action by searching @QueensAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
