THE FLATS — Senior outside hitter Julia Bergmann led No. 10 Georgia Tech volleyball (16-4, 9-2 ACC) to a 3-1 victory over North Carolina (13-9, 5-6 ACC) on Friday night in Carmichael Arena, tallying 21 kills for her eighth 20+ kill match this season. In the process, Bergmann picked up eight digs, adding yet another historic feather to her cap as she surpassed 1,000 career digs to become the fifth Yellow Jacket in program history to join the 1,500 kill/1,000 dig club.
The Yellow Jackets were dominant as a unit on their way to their fifth straight win, earning their fourth over the Tar Heels in as many years. Tech nearly doubled North Carolina in kills (61-34) and assists (59-31) while holding the home squad to almost 0 in hitting percentage (.282-.043) and leading the way in digs (68-45).
Not to be overshadowed by Bergmann, junior right side hitter Tamara Otene put forth her most productive outing of the year as she nearly reached a double double by piling up season highs of 17 kills and six blocks assists along with nine digs. Joining Bergmann and Otene with a stellar night of her own was graduate middle blocker Breland Morrissette, who tied her career high of six blocks while nearly setting marks for the season with nine kills at a gaudy .727 clip. Rounding out Tech’s success on the block was senior middle blocker Erin Moss, who added five blocks of her own to go with eight kills.
Junior setter Bella D’Amico orchestrated the offense as per usual, doing so with high proficiency as she racked up a career-high 49 assists. On the back end, senior libero Paola Pimentel and sophomore outside hitter Bianca Bertolino cleaned up the Tar Heel attacks with 19 digs apiece.
Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina
October 28, 2022 (Tyler Rover)
How it Happened
In a back-and-forth first set, Georgia Tech used a pair of three-point runs to gain a narrow lead, 7-5. The Yellow Jackets continued to keep their distance until another burst of three created more separation, moving the White and Gold ahead, 16-11. North Carolina remained in striking distance, taking nine points in a stretch of 10 to jump in front, 22-19. Tech would bounce back by taking four of the next five points to even things up at 23 all, but after the two sides each traded a point, the Tar Heels took the final two points for a 26-24 win in set one.
In response to the first set, the Yellow Jackets exploded in the second. Beginning with four-point stretch to take a 4-1 lead, Tech soon after rattled off seven straight to increase its lead to double digits at 15-4. The White and Gold piled on from there, claiming eight of the final nine points to thrash North Carolina, 25-8, for a set two triumph and the largest set margin of victory of the season.
The third set was competitive early as Georgia Tech used a three-point burst to slip ahead, 8-4. The Jackets maintained the lead, extending it with a following run of three up to 17-11. The White and Gold went on to claim the final five points of set three, resulting in nearly another double-digit victory, 25-16.
Neither side managed to create separation of more than three points early in the fourth set. Midway through, the Yellow Jackets gained momentum by taking five straight points to speed out to an 18-11 lead. Another run of four proved to put the match out of reach as the White and Gold moved further ahead, 22-14. Tech closed out the set taking the final two points, clinching the match on Bergmann’s 21st kill of the night for a 25-20 set four win and 3-1 match victory.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will conclude its trip to The Triangle at NC State (12-10, 6-5 ACC) on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Raleigh, N.C. The match will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
Multimedia
🏐𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐘🏐
🆚: North Carolina
⏰: 6⃣ p.m.
📍: Chapel Hill, N.C.
🏟️: Carmichael Arena
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfAdZ8N
📈: https://t.co/G2h0UCJKj2#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/cRlobjywIE— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Carmichael Clash 💥
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfzWnKd
📈: https://t.co/G2h0UD1laA#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/FK9E5sK9LJ— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Tam with the yam 🍠
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfzWnKd#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/o9PRHCXRwd— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄♠️
Bella blows a serve by the Heels 💨
🐝1⃣5⃣
🐏1⃣1⃣ pic.twitter.com/nQ6mvj97TR— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿… has a nice ring to it 🤔
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfzWnKd#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/Tv6z2nQyu9— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
So we dropped the first set… pic.twitter.com/RadQBBmtKx
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Whoa 🫢#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/Evgh2yp5BZ
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Running away with the second set 🏃♀️💨
The Jackets went on spurts of 4⃣, 7⃣ and 6⃣ straight points for their largest set margin of victory this season 😳🔥#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/h26KFFluny
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Business as usual 💼
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfzWnKd#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/zdkZWWQoTq— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Just getting warmed up 😤
Tam has a season-high 1⃣5⃣ kills already 🫡
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfzWnKd#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/jxU1wcGG33— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Slickest setter in the game 😏
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfzWnKd#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/59FThAf6nP— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Got 'em on their Heels now 😉#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/aUTMrmgOsf
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Heads up 😬
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfzWnKd#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/RiFI18AHWA— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
If at first you don't succeed… maybe try something else 😅
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/4swyfzWnKd#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/nGmSqKbymL— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
🖐️ straight for the ⚪️🟡
🐝1⃣8⃣
🐏1⃣1⃣Tech leads the match 2⃣-1⃣ pic.twitter.com/rLt28RiKgy
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 28, 2022
Heel of a bounce back 😤#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/coZEkmKO33
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 29, 2022
Sealed with the 𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁 kill by guess who 😉#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/77RX9morG5
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 29, 2022
Carmichael Court Cam 🎥#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/X09ALFjHG0
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 29, 2022
𝐕𝐈𝐏 😎
🅷🆄🅶🅴 shoutout to Julia for surpassing 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 digs tonight to become the 𝟱𝘁𝗵 Yellow Jacket ever to join the exclusive club 🌟#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/CkUWJ8Hpvr
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) October 29, 2022
🐝🏐💪 #TogetherWeSwarm https://t.co/13KppKmBCn
— Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (@GTAthletics) October 29, 2022
Competitive Drive Initiative
In a unified endeavor, Georgia Tech, the Georgia Tech Foundation, Georgia Tech athletics and the Alexander-Tharpe Fund have come together to accelerate funding for student-athlete scholarships with the launch of the Competitive Drive Initiative. The initiative kicks off with the Accelerate GT Match Program, where any new gift to the A-T Fund’s Athletic Scholarship Fund made through Dec. 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Georgia Tech Foundation, up to $2.5 million. Should Accelerate GT reach its $2.5 million fundraising goal, the matching gift would result in a $5 million impact for Georgia Tech athletics. To learn more and to contribute online, visit atfund.org/accelerate.