Sept. 13, 2013
THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech volleyball team (3-4) fell to St. John’s (6-3) by a score of 3-1 (19-25, 18-25, 25-16, 11-25), Friday night as part of the Georgia Tech Courtyard Classic at O’Keefe Gym. The Jackets are back in action Saturday at 10 a.m. against Troy.
Freshman setter Rebecca Martin recorded her first collegiate double-double in the loss with 29 assists and 10 digs. Senior outside hitter Jennifer Percy led Tech’s offense with 10 kills and freshman Annika Van Gunst chipped in eight of her own. In addition to Martin, freshman London Ackermann had double-digit digs (12) to lead the back row.
The Red Storm set the tempo from the beginning of set one, taking the lead at 4-3 and never looking back. A series of four-point streaks later in the game opened the gap to 18-14 and ended the game 25-19. The two teams were equals in kills and digs, but the Red Storm out-blocked Tech 8-0 in the opening frame.
The Jackets stayed with the Red Storm throughout the second set, never trailing by more than three until St. John’s put up a four-point lead, 22-17, on a Georgia Tech attacking error. A kill by Annika Van Gunst put Tech back within three, but St. John’s laced together four points to win the second game, 25-18.
Georgia Tech came out of the break and poured it on in the third game. The Jackets hit .423 in the set and calmed the Red Storm to a .133 hitting clip. The Jackets were firing on all cylinders, going on a five-point spree to take the lead 5-3 and never letting up. Georgia Tech extended its lead by nine points, 23-14, eventually putting the set away, 25-16.
The Red Storm erupted in the fourth game. The Jackets trailed by seven, 6-13, when Shawna-Lei Santos stepped to the serving line. Santos stayed there for the next eight points for St. John’s thanks in part to three service aces, widening the Red Storm’s lead, 21-7. St. John’s captured the victory with a 25-11, fourth-set win.
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