THE FLATS – Freshman Mikaila Dowd joined the 20-20 club and Georgia Tech volleyball (16-11, 5-9 ACC) topped Virginia (7-17, 3-11) 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in O’Keefe Gymnasium. With the win, the Jackets are guaranteed to finish the regular season above .500 for the third time under head coach Michelle Collier.
Georgia Tech 3, Virginia 1
The first set was close the whole way. Tech took a short lead at 7-5 on an attack error. The teams kept battling and Virginia came within one at 10-9 but a 3-0 run sparked by a kill from senior Lauren Frerking put the Jackets ahead 13-9 and Virginia called the first timeout of the match. The Cavaliers fought back to tie the set at 14-14 and Tech called a timeout to try to regain control of the set. The Jackets took another short lead at 20-18 on an ace from freshman Maddie Tippett and Virginia called its second timeout. The Cavaliers tied the set again at 20-20 and the teams traded points to a tie at 24-24. Virginia reached set point at 25-24 and the Jackets called their second timeout. Junior Kodie Comby and Dowd combined for a block to keep the Jackets alive. The teams battled back and forth until Virginia took two in a row to pocket the first set at 31-29.
The second set was another close one. Tech tallied two in a row to lead 11-9 on a kill from Dowd but the Cavaliers kept it close. The Jackets moved its lead to five on a 3-0 run at 18-13 and Virginia called timeout. The Cavaliers brought it back within three but Tech pushed back out to five at 21-16 on an attack error and Virginia called its second timeout. The Jackets would only allow one more point for Virginia, taking set point at 24-17 on a kill from Dowd before Comby sealed the set at 25-17 with a kill to tie the match.
Trading points to a tie at 11-11 in the third, Tech snuck ahead by two a solo block from freshman Matti McKissock followed by a kill from freshman Mariana Brambilla and Virginia called timeout trailing 13-11. The Cavaliers fought to bring the score within one at 21-20 and the Jackets called timeout. Virginia took the next point coming out of the timeout to tie the set but an attack error put Tech back on top. A kill from sophomore Grace Rigsbee made it 23-21 and Virginia used its second timeout. The Cavaliers once again tied the set and with the score knotted at 23-23, Tech called its second timeout. Fighting to a tie at 26-26, Tech took its last two points off errors by the Cavaliers to take the 2-1 lead at 28-26.
Tech used a 5-0 run, early in the fourth to take the lead at 11-5 on a block from Comby and McKissock. Virginia came back within three at 14-11 but Tech moved its lead back to five on a kill from sophomore Dominique Washington to lead 16-11 and Virginia used its second timeout of the set. Tech stayed ahead, taking set point at 24-20 before Washington finished it out with a kill at 25-20 for the 3-1 victory.
Up next:
The Jackets host Syracuse in their final home match of the season on Sunday, Nov. 11. First serve is set for 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Tech tidbits:
- Mikaila Dowd recorded a career-high 21 digs.
- Dowd also turned in her 10th double-double of the season with 20 kills and 21 digs.
- Dowd entered the 20-20 club with her 21 digs and 20 kills.
- Mariana Brambilla recorded her 17th double-double with 12 kills and 16 digs.
- Lauren Frerking matched her career high with 10 kills for the third time this season.
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