SYRACUSE, NY – No. 11 Georgia Tech volleyball (19-3, 10-2 ACC) captured its 10th conference victory of the season on Sunday afternoon, sweeping Syracuse (2-20, 0-12 ACC) inside the Women’s Building. Nine different Jackets recorded kills to lead Tech to a three-set win (25-16, 25-17, 25-14).
QUICK HITS
- This is Georgia Tech’s fifth win in a row over Syracuse, dating back to 2018.
- The Jackets have earned their 10th ACC victory of the season, securing double-digit conference wins for the fifth season in a row.
- Tech improves to 10-1 on the road this season, tied for the most away wins in a single season in the Michelle Collier era and tied for the fourth most in program history.
- The White and Gold hit .375 as a team, their highest percentage in an ACC match this year.
- Junior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino led the team with 14 kills, her highest output in a three-set match since the season opener (15 at USF, 8/25).
- Junior outside hitter Leia Harper secured 10 kills on .643 hitting, both career bests.
- Her .643 hitting is the second highest percentage by a Jacket this season when making at least 10 kills (Liv Mogridge – 10 kills, .692 hitting vs. NC State – 9/24).
- Graduate senior Afedo Manyang delivered her best offensive match as a Jacket, posting 10 kills on .588 hitting.
- Bertolino recorded one ace, bringing her season total to 49.
- Senior libero Paola Pimentel secured a team-best 19 digs. She has made at least 10 digs in 21 of her 22 matches this year.
- Her 6.33 digs/set average today is her second-highest average of the season (6.67 vs. South Alabama) and ties her career-best average in an ACC match (also at Notre Dame, 9/30/22)
- Freshman setter Heloise Soares led the team with 27 assists with senior setter Bella D’Amico adding 15 of her own.
- Sophomore middle blocker Anna Boezi has now made a solo block in back-to-back matches for the first time in her career. She improves her average to 1.20 blocks/set over her nine career starts since taking over at middle blocker.
- Freshman defensive specialist Zoe Winford recorded her first-career multi-dig match, posting two digs in two sets of action.
Set By Set
Set 1 (GT, 25-16): The Jackets used an early 5-0 scoring run to go in front, 9-6, thanks to some strong serving from D’Amico. Tech would only add to the lead from there, only allowing Syracuse to score once while they were serving for the remainder of the set. The right side of the net was open throughout the first as Larissa Mendes and Manyang feasted to the tune of six combined kills on .550 hitting. Pimentel wasn’t allowing the Orange to gather any momentum, making nine digs to frustrate the Syracuse attack. Boezi made two kills and a pair of blocks in her only set of action, while Bertolino led the attack with six kills.
Set 2 (GT, 25-17): Soares brought her A game to the service line in the second set, leading the Jackets to sustained scoring runs twice and finishing the set with nine total serves, seven of which resulted in Tech points. Harper entered the match and immediately contributed, making five kills on seven swings to boost the Jackets to another comfortable set victory. Pimentel was up to her usual shenanigans in the back row, making five digs, as the Jackets controlled play from start to finish, ending in an eight-point set win.
Set 3 (GT, 25-14): The Jackets left no room for doubt in the third, showcasing their depth while taking a commanding 12-4 lead. Syracuse never got closer than seven points away for the remainder of play and Tech collected its 10th ACC victory as a result. Tech hit .516 as a team in the third, with Soares distributing the ball well throughout the lineup. Harper and Manyang led the offense with five kills each. Kali Engeman made her presence felt, posting three kills and a block, including Tech’s final kill of the match to make it, 24-14. Winford showed her potential at the service line, serving throughout a 4-0 scoring run late in the set as the Jackets comfortably ended the weekend road trip.
UP NEXT
Georgia Tech returns to The Flats for a weekend of home matches against No. 4 Louisville (Friday, Nov. 3) and Notre Dame (Sunday, Nov. 5). Both matches will be inside O’Keefe Gymnasium and will be live streamed on ACC Network Extra.
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