Volleyball Sweeps St. John’s, Wins UCF ChallengeVolleyball Sweeps St. John’s, Wins UCF Challenge
Volleyball

Volleyball Sweeps St. John’s, Wins UCF Challenge

24th-ranked Jackets pound Red Storm to finish off perfect weekend in Orlando

Box Score (.pdf)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Julia Bergmann had a match-high 16 kills and added 10 digs to help lead No. 24 Georgia Tech volleyball to a 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-20) rout over St. John’s on Saturday evening at The Venue at UCF.

Saturday’s victory, combined with Friday’s 3-1 wins over No. 12 Penn State and host UCF, gave Georgia Tech (3-0) the championship at the season-opening UCF Challenge.

In addition to Bergmann’s double-double, the Yellow Jackets were led in Saturday’s triumph by 15 kills, eight digs and two blocks from freshman Bianca Bertolino. Bertolino led the Jackets with a gaudy .419 hitting percentage (two errors in 31 attacks), while Bergmann hit .406 for the match (three errors in 32 attacks). As a team, Tech outhit St. John’s, .321-.147.

Defensively, Kayla Kaiser and Breland Morrissette matched Bertolino for the team high with two blocks apiece, while Mariana Brambilla and Maddie Tippett recorded 15 and 12 digs, respectively. Setter Matti McKissock led all players with 45 assists.

No. 24 Georgia Tech Volleyball 3, St. John's 0

August 28, 2021 - Orlando, Fla. (Conor Kvatek photos)

How it Happened

The Red Storm led off the first set with a quick flurry to slip ahead 6-1, but the Jackets responded shortly after with an 11-point run fueled by seven kills from Bertolino to catapult Tech ahead, 14-8. St. John’s managed to draw back within two, but the Jackets once again caught fire taking seven of the final eight points to claim a 25-17 first set win.

The two squads battled back and forth early in set two as the match had nine tie scores up to a 13 all deadlock. From there, the Jackets once again displayed their dominance with an eight-point run including five Bergmann kills. The Red Storm were unable to recover as Tech cruised to a 25-16 second set win.

With a UCF Challenge championship looming for the Jackets, St. John’s refused to go down without a fight as the Red Storm stayed within striking distance up to a 22-20 Tech lead. The Jackets, though, would not be denied as they took the final three points for a 25-20 third set win and match sweep.

Up Next

After the impressive tournament title in Orlando, things don’t get any easier for Georgia Tech, as it travels to southern California next weekend to face a pair of traditional national powers at the 2021 Long Beach State Tournament. The Jackets kick off action on Friday against host Long Beach State at 10 p.m. ET, followed by a Saturday matchup versus No. 17-ranked UCLA, which begins at 6 p.m. ET.

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