Oct. 30, 2011
ATLANTA – Despite a 27 kill, 15 dig double-double by Monique Mead, the Georgia Tech volleyball team (13-11, 6-7 ACC) dropped a four set thriller to Duke (15-7, 9-4) in front of 852 people and the ESPN3.com community, Sunday, at O’Keefe Gymnasium.
The double-double marked the ninth time this season Mead has accomplished the feat and her 27 kills were the 11th time she has tabbed 20-kills. Aided by Mead’s kills, Colson put up 46 assists, the fourth time in five games she has notched at least 40 assists. Colson also had a double-double on the day earning 17 digs.
“Today was a hard fought match by our team,” said Head Coach Tonya Johnson. “We did a lot of good things offensively but we have to learn how to finish. We are out the next two weeks on the road in a very important stretch for this team and we have to be prepared to play.”
Set one was a back-and-forth affair between the two teams with Duke earning the close, 25-22 victory. Momentum swung in favor of the Jackets when a great defensive play by Nicki Meyer and Jennifer Percy helped Tech to bring things within one. However, Duke rallied and was able to eke out the 25-22 victory. Monique Mead led the Jackets with seven kills as both outside hitters Ivona Kolak and Jennifer Percy each notched three.
Set two was a game of streaks and Duke came out on top 25-21. Though the Jackets jumped out to a two point lead, Duke rallied back and took a two-point lead of their own. Play was back and forth until Duke managed to put a few serves together taking a lead that the Jackets couldn’t get rid of. Mead tallied another five kills in the second set with five other Jackets notching a kill.
The Jackets came out with a purpose in set three and jumped out to a 9-3 lead never looking back and finishing with a 25-15 thrashing of Duke. Six different Jackets had multiple kills in the set including Mead who tacked on seven more to her total.
In set four, a milestone was hit as Duke’s setter Kellie Catanach notched the 5,000th assist in her career during the fourth set on a kill by Amanda Robertson to bring the Duke lead to 9-5. But the Jackets were unaware and went on a streak of their own, evening things up at 13-all on a rally that was started off by an outstanding play involving Nicki Meyer and Susan Carlson. Meyer, who tallied 15 digs in the match, got a piece of a Duke kill shooting it up in the air. Carlson tracked it down and Meyer, from behind the service line sent the ball over the net where Duke made an attacking error giving the Jackets the point and the momentum. After some close play, Duke rallied off seven-straight points at the 18-20 mark to take the lead and the victory.
The Jackets will be back in action next weekend with a road trip that will take them to Boston and Maryland. The Jackets will faceoff with Boston College in a Friday night meeting at 7 p.m. followed by a Sunday afternoon match up in College Park against the Terrapins. The game will begin at 2 p.m.
