Sept. 12, 2007
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech hits the road for its final Atlantic Coast Conference tune-up of the season this weekend when it travels to the University of Michigan for the Michigan/Nike Invitational at Cliff Keen Arena. Tournament action begins Friday, with the Jackets (4-3) playing a pair of matches against Temple (1 p.m.) and Utah Valley (5 p.m.) and wraps up Saturday night with Tech squaring off against 10th-ranked Michigan (9-0) in the finale at 7:30 p.m.
MATCH COVERAGE:
Live radio coverage (MGoBlue.com) and live stats (MGoBlue.com) available for all six tournament matches.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:Friday -Michigan vs. Utah Valley (5-2), 11 a.m.Georgia Tech vs. Temple (3-8), 1 p.m.Georgia Tech vs. Utah Valley, 5 p.m.Michigan vs. Temple, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday – Temple vs. Utah Valley, 5 p.m.; Michigan vs. Georgia Tech, 7:30 p.m.
TEAM-by-TEAM CAPSULE
Georgia Tech – After closing out the 2006 season with a 20-12 record, the Yellow Jackets jumped into the challenging 2007 schedule in fine form, posting a 2-1 record and finishing second at the Arkansas Clarion Inn Invitational, which was held on the campus of the University of Arkansas Aug. 24-25. Tech went 2-2 last weekend in its home tournament, the Regency Suites/Georgia Tech Classic, posting wins over Western Carolina and Georgia before falling to Arizona and Kentucky on the final day of competition.
#10 Michigan – The Wolverines are off to a blistering start to the 2007 season, resulting in a top-10 national ranking headed into this weekend’s competition. Like Georgia Tech, Michigan has tested itself early-on this season, winning the Asics Rainbow Wahine Invitational in Hawai’i to open the 2007 campaign before taking home the Miami (Ohio) University Invitational trophy two weeks ago. The Wolverines remained undefeated on the season by winning their first home tournament of the year, the Michigan Pepsi Challenge, with victories over Eastern Michigan and Xavier a week ago.
Temple – The Owls are looking to turn around a tough start to the season and enter this weekend’s tournament on a five-match losing skid. Temple opened the year by splitting four matches at the Temple Invitational, while its only other win came against Norfolk State in the Owls’ opening match of the Virginia Tournament in late August.
Utah Valley – After dropping its first match of the season, 3-2, against Wyoming, Utah Valley went on a roll, winning its next five matches, including the Butler Invitational title in early September. The Wolverines lost a tight match, 3-2, against Arizona State in the Utah Valley/LaQuinta Inn & Suites Invitational finale a week ago, but look to return to the win column in Ann Arbor this weekend.
TECH vs. the TOURNAMENT FIELD
Georgia Tech is 1-1 all-time against this year’s Michigan/Nike Invitational field, with both matches being played since the arrival of head coach Bond Shymansky. Tech and Michigan have squared off just once in history, resulting in a 3-0 victory for the Wolverines at the University of Georgia Tournament in 2005.
The Jackets defeated Temple, 3-0, in the 2003 Buckeye Classic in the only meeting between the two schools.
Tech and Utah Valley have never met on the volleyball court. As a matter of fact, the Jackets and Wolverines have never met on ANY court or playing field in the history of the two schools.
KELLOGG WITH A “K”
Talisa Kellogg reached the 1,000 plateau for kills in a career in the final match of the Regency Suites/Georgia Tech Classic, posting 20 kills against the Kentucky Wildcats. She has recorded 1,004 kills in her 2+ years on the Flats.
KELLOGG REPEATS ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Two weeks after earning all-tournament honors at the Arkansas Clarion Inn Invitational, Talisa Kellogg earned her second all-tournament nod with an outstanding Regency Suites/Georgia Tech Classic showing. The junior averaged 4.71 kills and 1.64 digs per game against Western Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Kentucky.
Complete Release in PDF Format
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Also in the full copy of notes, you'll find* How the Teams Match Up* Challenging Schedule* Jackets in Career Rankings* Milestone Watch* Jackets Tough at Home* Arkansas All-Tournament* Jackets Picked 2nd in ACC* No ACC Tournament* Media Update
UP NEXT:
The Jackets will open ACC play next weekend when they hit Tobacco Road to face North Carolina and NC State. The Jackets will square off against the Tar Heels Friday at 7 p.m. at Carmichael Auditorium before traveling to Raleigh to meet the Wolfpack Sunday at 2 p.m. A live video broadcast will be available online for both matches via ACC Select, the conference’s premier online live and on-demand video service, while live stats can be found at both TarHeelBlue.com and GoPack.com.
