OPENING SERVE
Score: Northern Kentucky 3, Queens 2 (22-25, 25-21, 26-28, 25-21, 15-11)
Records: Queens (6-16, 1-12 MIVA) | Northern Kentucky (4-14, 1-10 MIVA)
Location: Regents Hall (Highland Heights, Ky.)
THE SHORT STORY
The Queens University of Charlotte men's volleyball team pushed Northern Kentucky to five sets on the road, but ultimately came up short in a tightly contested MIVA matchup on Thursday night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Queens opened the match with a strong offensive performance, hitting .303 to take the first set, 25-22. Northern Kentucky responded in the second, evening the match with a 25-21 win behind solid efficiency.
The third set proved to be the most competitive of the night, featuring 20 tied scores. Queens battled through the back-and-forth frame and secured a 28-26 victory to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Northern Kentucky answered in the fourth set with its most efficient stretch of the match, hitting .464 to claim a 25-21 win and force a decisive fifth set.
In the final frame, both teams traded points early, but the Norse used a late push to pull away and secure the 15-11 win.
BY THE NUMBERS
Queens finished the match hitting .236 with 52 kills, led by Casey Maas with 17 kills. Chance Shampine added 12 kills, while Rylan Colman chipped in nine on a .400 hitting percentage.
Charlie Podgorny orchestrated the offense with 48 assists, and the Royals totaled 40 digs and 10 blocks as a team.
KEY PERFORMANCES
Maas led the Royals with 17 kills and two blocks, while Shampine added 12 kills and a service ace. Colman provided efficiency on the right side, and Reed Shuey contributed six kills in his return to the court on a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage.
INSIDE THE MATCH
Queens showed resilience throughout the match, particularly in the third set where they outlasted Northern Kentucky in an extended battle. Despite holding a 2-1 advantage, the Royals were unable to slow the Norse's offensive momentum in the final two sets, as Northern Kentucky hit over .300 as a team.
UP NEXT
Queens will look to bounce back and face NKU in a crucial MIVA rematch tomorrow, March 27.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow the Royals men's volleyball team on Instagram and Twitter/X to 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.
