THE FLATS – Georgia Tech volleyball (15-10, 10-6 ACC) continued its winning ways back at home in O’Keefe Gymnasium with a 3-0 victory over Clemson (16-12, 4-12 ACC) on Friday night.
QUICK HITS
- Tech’s most recent sweep marked a decade-long win streak against Clemson, with the last loss for the Jackets being in the 2015 season.
- Friday’s sweep was Tech’s eighth sweep of the season and it’s seventh sweep of an ACC opponent.
- Mimi Mambu saw 14 kills in back-to-back performances as well as solo blocks in back-to-back matches after posting similar numbers on Wednesday.
- The freshman’s 14 kills on Friday gave her four of the top six three-set kill performances this season as well as the third most attempts in a three-set match this season by a Yellow Jacket (34).
- Mambu was accompanied in her offensive efforts by fellow freshman Anna Fiedorowicz who recorded 12 kills. The pair have seen double-digit kills in 13 matches respectively.
- Bianca Garibaldi showed accuracy on offense as well, leading the group with a .583 hitting percentage. The precise swings gave the sophomore her ninth match of the season with above a .500 hitting percentage.
- Heloise Soares neared her season high assist percentage set earlier this week against Clemson (.540) with a .535 assist percentage on Friday.
- Soares’ 38 assists were the fourth most in a three-set match this season.
- The Jackets advance their overall record against the Tigers to 46-35.
- With the sweep on Friday, Tech has claimed victory in three sets in 13 of the last 17 meetings with Clemson.
Photos vs. Clemson
Photos by Danny Karnik
SET BY SET
Set 1 (GT 25 – CLEM 19)
- Clemson took the opening point of the match, but it would be the last time the Tigers held the lead in the first set as the Jackets quickly established a five-point lead (7-2). Despite Clemson’s efforts to keep the set close, Tech would go on to keep a minimum two-point, maximum seven-point, distance through to set one victory. Tech outperformed Clemson on offense in set one with a .393 attack percentage and 15 kills compared to Clemson’s .276 attack percentage and 10 kills. Mambu led the group through set one with four kills while Garibaldi and Noemi Despiagne were just behind her with three respectively. Soares led both teams in assists with 12 on 20 attempts, good for a .600 assist percentage. She shared the work defensively with Laura Bieleski as they both recorded a team high three digs each.
Set 2 (GT 25 – CLEM 21)
- Set two saw both teams struggle offensively while also having a high number of errors across the board. As a result, set two contained four lead changes and a tied score eight times. It looked as though Clemson may take set two as the Tigers outscored the Jackets 6-2 early on for the lead (9-5). Tech was able to work its way back and even take a two-point lead at the media timeout (15-13). Both teams continued to battle and were tied 20-20 before a late Tech timeout was enough to push the home offense to outscore the visitors 5-1 for the set two win. Fiedorowicz and Garibaldi shared the work offensively with Fiedorowicz recording four kills on six swings with one error and Garibaldi sporting a spotless 1.000 attack percentage with four kills. Soares once again led both teams in assists with 10 while also recording three digs. Sofia Velez contributed three digs as well while Fiedorowicz led with five.
Set 3 (GT 26 – CLEM 24)
- Regardless of the Tigers being able to piece together three blocks, 11 digs, 17 kills and a .406 attack percentage, the Jackets were right there with them in set three with two blocks, 11 digs, a .389 attack percentage, and a match high 19 kills which ultimately led to the match win. The final set began with a game of catch up for Tech as Clemson took an early lead and held onto that lead to nearly the very end. A late set error from the Tigers gave the Jackets their first lead of the set (23-22) and put Clemson on its heels. With the pressure on, one final kill from Mambu and two final kills from Fiedorowicz were enough to take the match in three sets. The freshman duo of Mambu and Fiedorowicz came alive in set three with Mambu recording seven final kills and Fiedorowicz recording six. Soares finished the day with a match high 16 assists on 30 attempts. Despaigne capped her Friday performance with three set-three digs while Velez, Garibaldi, Soares, and Bieleski all had two respectively.
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets will remain at home to host two of their final three home matches of the season against No. 7 Louisville on Friday and Notre Dame Sunday. Friday’s match will be a White Out so be sure to wear white. Sunday’s match will begin with a senior ceremony and be followed post-match by an autograph session.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
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