THE FLATS – No. 8 seed Georgia Tech volleyball swept WKU (25-21, 25-18, 25-23) in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday night in O’Keefe Gymnasium, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2004 and third time in program history. The sweep marked Tech’s 15th of the season and second straight in as many matches in this season’s NCAA tournament, also snapping a 21-match win streak for the Hilltoppers. The Yellow Jackets are now 12-10 all-time in NCAA tournament matches.
Tech (25-5, 14-4 ACC) outmatched WKU (28-2, 12-0 C-USA) in every facet on paper, leading the Toppers in kills (50-38), hitting percentage (.353-.380), assists (48-34), aces (5-2), digs (40-34) and total blocks (9-5).
Senior setter Matti McKissock highlighted the night with yet another milestone in her decorated career by surpassing 4,000 career assists as she’s up to 4,019 to date. The lauded Jacket orchestrated Tech’s attack with 36 assists on the night, also earning a double double with a team best 10 digs, three kills, an ace and a block assist.
Junior outside hitter Julia Bergmann led the Yellow Jackets’ vaunted attack with a match-high 17 kills. The ACC Player of the Year also set a career high with five block assists to go with four digs. Nearly keeping pace with Bergmann was senior right-side hitter Mariana Brambilla, who turned in an all-around effort as she tallied 13 kills, four block assists and eight digs.
Senior middle blocker Breland Morrissette was Tech’s most productive defender, piling up a team-high five block assists while pitching in offensively with five kills. Junior middle blocker Erin Moss was the Jackets’ most efficient attacker, coming away with a .600 attacking percentage with six kills, also doing her part defensively with four block assists.
Georgia Tech moves on to the Sweet 16 having won 57 of its last 68 matches dating back to 2019. The Jackets have also won 35 of their last 40 matches on The Flats in O’Keefe Gymnasium.