BLACKSBURG, Va. — No. 11 Georgia Tech volleyball blew by Virginia Tech for its seventh sweep of the season and first of conference play on Friday in Cassell Coliseum, resulting in coach Michelle Collier‘s 101st ACC win to become the program leader on The Flats. The Yellow Jackets (12-1, 3-0 ACC) outscored the Hokies (10-4, 0-3 ACC) by 20 in the first two sets combined on the way to the 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-21) triumph.
The White and Gold were dominant in all phases, leading the way with ease in kills (48-28), hitting percentage (.353-.198), assists (42-28) and aces (11-2).
Senior outside hitter Tamara Otene turned in the most well-rounded performance on the day with eight kills and a team-leading 12 digs. Freshman right side hitter Larissa Mendes fronted the attack, tallying 12 kills at a .440 clip. Sophomore middle blocker Liv Mogridge followed close behind with eight kills at a .467 rate, and junior middle blocker DeAndra Pierce picked up six kills of her own on a .417 hitting percentage. Senior setter Bella D’Amico led the squad with 21 assists, and freshman setter Heloise Soares came away with a career-high 13 assists.
No. 11 Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech
September 29. 2023 (Tyler Rover)
How it Happened
Tech used a pair of five-point runs to take control in the first set, speeding ahead 11-6 early thanks in large part to back-to-back aces by senior libero Paola Pimentel and widening the gap soon after for a 16-9 advantage. The Jackets closed out the set by claiming the final four points as graduate middle blocker Afedo Manyang slammed the door with a kill for the 25-16 set one win.
The White and Gold rolled on into the second set, winning the first five points as junior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino strung together four during the stretch with three aces and a kill. Virginia Tech maintained within striking distance until yet another burst of five, including a pair of Mogridge aces, propelled the Yellow Jackets to a 19-9 lead. Once again, Georgia Tech cruised onto a set victory on a final swing of Manyang, closing out set two, 25-14.
The third set was neck-and-neck nearly throughout as neither side could separate by more than two early. The Yellow Jackets began to pull away by picking up three straight, moving ahead, 18-14. Another flurry of three gave Tech some breathing room, pushing further in front, 23-17. The Hokies would make a last-ditch effort, but the White and Gold held on to close out the set, 25-21, securing the match sweep.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will wrap up the weekend at Wake Forest (11-3, 2-1 ACC) on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Multimedia
🏐𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐘🏐
🆚 Virginia Tech
⏰ 4⃣ p.m.
📍 Blacksburg, Va.
🏟️ Cassell Coliseum
📺 ACC Network Extra
💻 https://t.co/304HGdly4C
📈 https://t.co/4sQFXXzBoP
🗒️ https://t.co/yqq3FoZUPp#StingEm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/iGePoRhND7— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
Gettin' busy in Blacksburg 🔜
📺 ACC Network Extra
💻 https://t.co/304HGdly4C
📈 https://t.co/4sQFXXzBoP#StingEm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/m8SLHVjvpz— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
Pierced the D ☄️
📺 ACC Network Extra
💻 https://t.co/304HGdly4C pic.twitter.com/vzdC5knSDH— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
That's 🖐️ straight thanks to a pair of aces from P ♣️♠️
S1
🐝1⃣1⃣
🦃6⃣ pic.twitter.com/eCoGy4RTzt— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
🖐️ piece combo 🍽️
S1
🐝1⃣6⃣
🦃9⃣ pic.twitter.com/iWF5Bdscfj— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
Tech it up a notch 🎚️#StingEm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/mav2mR1Plx
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
That's 🖐️ to open the set after 𝟯 aces and a kill from Bianquis 🥵
S2
🐝5⃣
🦃0⃣Tech leads the match 1-0 pic.twitter.com/bB1A3BoBlv
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
𝗟𝗶𝘃ing for these runs of 🖐️ and back ✌️ back aces
📺 ACC Network Extra
💻 https://t.co/304HGdly4C pic.twitter.com/gEY59ipNYn— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵ing the fight to them 💪#StingEm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/dZWIwqeTRb
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
Social squad trying to keep up rn 😅 pic.twitter.com/Io1EWlCROB
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
Bench mob STAYS gassed ⛽️
📺 ACC Network Extra
💻 https://t.co/304HGdly4C pic.twitter.com/YAFAXceIFR— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
Feasted 🍽️#StingEm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/YSaDj6jllf
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
The best to ever do it in conference play 🫡#StingEm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/lqobE5Pylv
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 29, 2023
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