SOUTH BEND, Ind. – With three Jackets with double-digit kills, Georgia Tech volleyball (8-7, 1-3 ACC) fell to Notre Dame (11-3, 4-0) 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in Purcell Pavilion.
Photos: Jackets Falter in South Bend
Alex Keator
How it happened:
The two squads came out of the gate trading points until the Fighting Irish made a 4-0 run to lead 11-5 and the Jackets called a timeout. Tech fought back to come within three at 11-8 on a kill from freshman Julia Bergmann. Another 4-0 run but the Irish put Notre Dame ahead 15-8 and from there the set was out of reach. The Jackets were only able to stay within five at 18-13 on a kill from sophomore Mikaila Dowd before the Irish closed out the set with a 7-1 run for the 1-0 lead at 25-14.
Tech bounced back in the second set, taking the first lead at 6-4 on a kill from Bergmann. The Jackets kept rolling, moving the score to 11-6 as sophomore Mariana Brambilla landed a kill for the Yellow Jackets. Notre Dame clawed its way back into the set, coming within one at 13-12 and the Jackets signaled for a timeout. The Irish tied it at 13-13 and 14-14 but a 4-0 run brought on by three kills from Dowd put Tech ahead 18-14. The Jackets held onto the lead this time and evened the score at 25-18 in the second on a kill from Brambilla.
The Fighting Irish stole back the momentum in the third, leading 15-10 at the media timeout. Notre Dame stayed ahead, keeping its lead and the Jackets called its first timeout trailing 20-15. The Irish took two more coming out of that timeout and Tech used its second of the set with the score at 22-15. The Jackets weren’t able to get anything to swing their way and Notre Dame took back the lead at 2-1 at 25-15 in the third.
Notre Dame kept at it in the fourth, taking an 8-4 lead and the Jackets used their first timeout early to try to slow the Irish’s momentum. The Jackets managed to turn the tide with a block from sophomore Kayla Kaiser and freshman Erin Moss to spark a 7-1 run to overtake the Fighting Irish at 14-13 on a block from senior Kodie Comby and sophomore Matti McKissock. The teams traded points to a tie at 21-21 on a kill by Dowd. The Fighting Irish snuck ahead to take match point at 24-21 but Tech took two in a row to come within one at 24-23 as Comby muscled a kill off the block. Comby notched another kill to knot the set at 24-24 but the Irish took the next two for the win at 26-24.
Up next:
The Jackets have a quick turnaround, heading to Clemson, S.C. for a midweek showdown with the Tigers on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. on ACC Network.
Tech Tidbits:
- Dowd led all players with 18 kills.
- Dowd’s 18 kills were a season high for the sophomore.
- Bergmann tallied her sixth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 12 digs.
- Three Jackets recorded double-digit kills with Dowd, (18), Comby (12) and Bergmann (10).
ACC Network has launched!
The ACC Network is a linear and digital platform dedicated to 24/7 coverage of ACC sports that launched on Aug. 22, 2019. It will exclusively televise approximately 450 live events each year, including 40 football games as well as 150 men’s and women’s basketball contests.
Don’t get shut out! For more information and to learn if your cable/satellite/digital provider is carrying the ACC Network, visit GetACCN.com. Georgia Tech fans whose cable/satellite/digital providers aren’t carrying the ACC Network are urged to contact their providers and ask for the ACC Network to be a part of their subscription.
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