CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The University of Charleston men's volleyball team came up short in back-to-back matches against Queens University of Charlotte this weekend, falling 3-1 on Saturday and 3-2 on Sunday at Curry Arena.

The Basics:
Location: Curry Arena
Score: L, 3-1 (25-19, 25-19, 25-14, 25-22); L, 3-2 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22, 25-23, 15-12)
Records: UC 1-2; Queens (2-0)

How it Happened:
On Saturday, the Golden Eagles (1-2) struggled to find consistency in the opening sets, losing 25-19 in both the first and second frames. Charleston rallied in the third set with a commanding 25-14 win, fueled by efficient attacking from Xander Bomert and Kai Cousins. However, the Royals (1-0) edged out a close 25-22 victory in the fourth set to seal the match. Bomert led Charleston with 16 kills, while Cousins added eight. Libero Curtis Raines anchored the defense with seven digs.

Sunday's rematch was a five-set thriller, with Charleston taking the first set 25-22 behind a balanced offensive effort. Queens responded with a 25-19 win in the second set, but Charleston regained momentum in the third with a narrow 25-22 victory. Despite strong play from Cousins, who notched 20 kills, and setter Paul Stommel's 49 assists, the Golden Eagles dropped the fourth set 25-23 and the decisive fifth set 15-12. Joonatan Salpakari contributed 13 kills, and Braxton Francis was a force at the net with four blocks.

Up Next:
The Golden Eagles will host Lincoln Memorial University on Friday, Jan. 17 in the Wehrle Innovation Center. The game is set to start at 7pm.