CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Tusculum University men's volleyball took the early momentum by winning the first set over Queens and forced a decisive fifth game, but could not close the deal on Saturday (Feb. 27) afternoon.

The Royals (6-8, 3-0 IVA) downed the Pioneers (0-6, 0-3 IVA) by scores of 23-25, 25-15, 25-21, 22-25, 15-12. This marked the second five-setter this month for TU, while this was Queens' fourth in February alone.

Queens used big nights from Tristan Santoyo, Nic Cavallaro, JP Payne, Stirling Sims, and Daniel Leitao to push past TU. Santoyo landed 16 kills and four service aces. Cavallaro added 14 kills on a .393 hitting percentage and nine digs. Payne tallied six kills on a fiery .714 clip, while Sims is credited with four total blocks (one solo, three assists). Leitao, the setter, recorded 42 assists and a match-high 16 digs for a double-double.

Caleb Slater had his breakthrough game for the Pioneers. The sophomore transfer fired a career-high 14 kills on a .600 average. Shaphar Grant and Hunter Walck collected a dozen kills each, a collegiate-best for both. Lucas Blanco dished out 46 assists, alongside a career-high four kills and eight digs. Walck also led the team with a pair of aces. Dane Loup (collegiate-high 12) and Peter Stewart (11) reached double-figure digs. Grant and Slater excelled at the net as well. The middle blockers recorded five block assists and three solo blocks, career-bests respectively.

Slater's .600 rate (14 kills/2 errors/20 attempts has broken the program hitting percentage record (20 or more attempts). Grant's five total blocks is the new program-best for five set matches.

Tonight's 149 attack attempts has shattered the previous match record set earlier this season (127). The 50 digs also beat the previous high of 45, which was created last year. TU's 58 kills and nine total blocks are tied for second-most in program history as well.

Queens ended the match with a .261 hitting percentage with 54 kills and 19 attack errors in 134 total attempts. Tusculum totaled 58 kills, 24 errors, and 149 swings for a .228 hitting percentage. The Pioneers led the Royals in assists (52-48), digs (50-48), and total blocks (9-6), while the home team collected more aces (7-5).

Tusculum returns home for the first time in a month, hosting a tri-match featuring Bluefield College and Erskine. The first match on March 5 is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.