TAMPA, Fla. — No. 20 Georgia Tech volleyball corralled South Florida, running away with a 3-0 sweep (25-23, 25-12, 25-13) to open the season on Friday night in Amalie Arena. The Yellow Jackets erupted in the final set, claiming 14 consecutive points and 18 in the final 19 chances as they outmatched the Bulls in every facet.
The White and Gold were dominant on the court and on paper, owning advantages in each major category, including kills (44-27), hitting percentage (.380 -.081), assists (43-27), digs (42-37) and blocks (8-1).
Junior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino fronted the attack for the Jackets with 15 kills at a .448 clip and pitched in defensively with three digs and a pair of blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Liv Mogridge anchored Tech on the defensive side with a career-high seven total blocks (three solo, four assisted) and four digs on top of her eight kills on a .467 hitting percentage offensively. Senior setter Bella D’Amico primarily ran the point with 28 assists, and junior middle blocker DeAndra Pierce swung at a .500 mark with four kills and a pair of digs. Other notable performances for the Yellow Jackets included freshman outside hitter Larissa Mendes with 11 kills and six digs in her first collegiate match as well as senior libero Paola Pimentel leading the squad with 11 digs.