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No. 13 Jackets Edged by No. 5 Cardinals in Heartbreaker

THE FLATSย โ€” No. 13 Georgia Tech volleyball raced out to a 2-0 lead over No. 5 Louisville before ultimately falling 3-2 (17-25, 17-25, 25-14, 25-19, 15-11) on Senior Night on Friday in Oโ€™Keefe Gymnasium. The Yellow Jackets dominated the first pair of sets, but were unable rekindle the flame in the final three sets of their second consecutive five setter this season.

Senior outside hitter Julia Bergmann led the way for the White and Gold as per usual, amassing 25 kills along with seven digs and five blocks, resulting in her fifth match of 25 or more kills on the year. Junior setter Bella Dโ€™Amico set up the attack, narrowly missing a double double and a career high with 46 assists and nine digs. Others on the receiving end included junior right-side hitter Tamara Otene with 10 kills and seven digs as well as graduate middle blocker Breland Morrissette with eight kills at a .375 clip on top of four blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Bianca Bertolino anchored the defense with a career-high 24 digs.

How it Happened

Riding high following Senior Night celebrations, Georgia Tech (18-6, 11-4 ACC) burst out of the gates, taking four points in five chances to work up to a 10-6 lead. Louisville (23-2, 14-1 ACC) clawed back within a pair trailing 13-11, but the White and Gold answered by snatching five of the next six points to pull further ahead, 18-12. The Yellow Jackets maintained control from there, closing the set by claiming five of the final six points to secure a 25-17 victory in set one.

Tech once again steadily moved ahead early in the second set out to a 10-6 lead, and shortly after used a four-point burst courtesy of Bergmann and senior middle blocker Erin Moss to extend the lead to 15-8. The Cardinals would battle back within three to trail 20-17, but the Jackets slammed the door by winning the final five points as Otene put an exclamation point on the 25-17 triumph in set two with a kill.

As the White and Gold needed one more set victory for a sweep, the match was delayed early in the third set due to a court issue. From there, Louisville bounced back using a five-point run to slip ahead, 11-5. Georgia Tech would draw back within three to trail 12-9 after taking four points in a five-chance span, but the Cardinals pulled back away. Louisville would go on to take seven of the last eight points for a 25-14 win in set three.

The fourth set went back and forth early as neither side created separation up to a 9 all draw, but the Cardinals pulled off eight of the following nine points to create an advantage, 15-10. The Yellow Jackets still hung around, drawing within two after earning five points in six chances to trail 18-16, but Louisville closed out the set with three consecutive points for a 25-19 win in set four.

In the paramount fifth set, the two sides traded near even blows early. Three straight in favor of the White and Gold early put Tech ahead 3-2, followed by another two to move the Jackets back ahead 5-4 after falling behind. The squads alternated the next six points as Bergmann sent Georgia Tech into midway break on top 8-7 with a kill. The Cardinals strung together four consecutive points coming out of the break that proved critical as they took over the lead, 11-8. The Yellow Jackets would get as close as within two trailing 12-10, but Louisville finished things off for a 15-11 win in set five and 3-2 match victory.

Up Next

Georgia Tech will hit the road again for its second contest of the season against Clemson (12-15, 3-12 ACC) on Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. in Clemson, S.C. The match will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

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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 Fundโ€™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, visitย atfund.org/accelerate.

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