No. 18 Tech Battles No. 3 LouisvilleNo. 18 Tech Battles No. 3 Louisville
Volleyball

No. 18 Tech Battles No. 3 Louisville

The Jackets pushed the Cardinals to the brink in the final two sets

THE FLATS – No. 18 Georgia Tech volleyball found itself on the losing end of a sweep for the first time this season at the hands of No. 3 Louisville on Sunday afternoon in O’Keefe Gymnasium, falling by just a combined five points in the final two sets (25-15, 36-34, 25-22). In a second set that required 70 total points to declare a winner, the Jackets (11-3, 2-2 ACC) positioned themselves with six set-point opportunities before the Cardinals (14-0, 4-0 ACC) ultimately came out on top.

Junior outside hitter Julia Bergmann once again led the Jacket attack in kills on the day, coming away with 12 as well as nine digs and an ace. The remaining two “Killer B’s” trailed just behind Bergmann as freshman outside hitter Bianca Bertolino tallied her sixth double double on the season behind 11 kills and 10 digs while senior right-side hitter Mariana Brambilla totaled 10 kills, four digs and three total blocks.

Both middle blockers pitched in through the day as senior Breland Morrissette picked up nine kills and a pair of total blocks while junior Erin Moss anchored the defense with a team-high four total blocks. Senior setter Matti McKissock maintained her role orchestrating the offense with 40 assists.

Volleyball vs. No. 3 Louisville

October 3, 2021 (Clyde Click)

How it Happened

Louisville took control early in set one, jumping ahead 8-4 before going on a stretch taking nine of 10 points up to a 19-8 lead. Georgia Tech didn’t concede, managing to take seven more points before the Cardinals finished off the set for a 25-15 win.

In a second set that could go down as arguably the set of the year, neither side was able to create an advantage of more than three points throughout the set. The Jackets gained momentum after trailing early, taking six of seven points to move ahead 11-8. The two sides traded blows from there until Tech went on a four-point run to move ahead 22-19, reaching set point soon after with a 24-21 lead. Louisville knotted things up at 24, setting up extra points that would see 10 deadlocks. Georgia Tech reached set point three more times until the Cardinals outlasted the Yellow Jackets to take the second set, 36-34.

Georgia Tech jumped on top 4-1 at the start of the third set, but Louisville responded with six straight points and a three-point run shortly after to lead 10-5. The Jackets would cut the lead to just one at a 15-14 Cardinal advantage after taking seven of 10 following points, but Louisville never surrendered its lead. Despite claiming four of five points down the stretch to cut the Cardinal lead to 23-21, Louisville took care of the last two points for a 25-22 set win and match sweep.

Up Next

Georgia Tech will get back on the road for its next pivotal ACC weekend, traveling to Virginia and No. 2 Pitt. The Yellow Jackets will first head to Virginia (8-6, 1-3 ACC) to take on the Cavaliers on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. in Charlottesville, Va. before yet another clash with a top-three team in No. 2 Pitt (14-0, 4-0 ACC), squaring off against the Panthers on Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pa.

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