The biggest conference win in program history needed one of the biggest fifth-game comebacks this season in college men’s volleyball.
Queens rallied from a 11-6 deficit in the decisive fifth game to win in overtime and upset No. 11 Ohio State 22-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-20, 18-16 on Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Royals trailing by five points tied the final game with a 6-1 run that featured middle attacker Reed Shuey and outside attacker Chance Shampine each having two kills and the two teaming up for a block. In addition, Queens fought off an Ohio State match-point to force overtime and then another match-point in overtime before eventually winning on an Ohio State attack error.
This was the highest nationally ranked opponent Queens has defeated in its program history. It is also the second time the Royals have defeated a nationally ranked team since joining the MIVA in 2024.
Queens out-hit Ohio State .276 to .252 and had a team-best .467 attack percentage in the fifth game.
The Buckeyes opened the match with a .500 attack percentage in the first game en route to taking a two-game lead. However, Ohio State hit less than .175 in each of the final three games.
Outside attacker Casey Maas in the victory had a match-high 22 kills on a .405 attack percentage, including a kill in the fifth-game overtime to set up the match-winning point. Middle attacker Nathan Vaupel added eight kills on a .636 attack percentage and had a kill on a Buckeyes match-point opportunity in overtime to extend the match.
Shampine finished with nine kills, while Shuey had five kills and hit .444.
Shuey also led the Royals with six blocks to help the Royals win their first conference match of the season.
Ohio State middle attacker Eliel Salva-Torres had a match-high eight blocks. Salva-Torres was one of four Buckeyes with at least four blocks as the team had 15 blocks – 2.5 more blocks than the Royals.
Outside attacker Daniel Hurley in the loss led Ohio State with 21 kills.
This was the first time this season that the Buckeyes lost to an unranked team. The Buckeyes entered on a three-match winning streak, and defeated the Royals in four games on Friday to open the two-match series.