CLEMSON, S.C. — No. 13 Georgia Tech volleyball overwhelmed Clemson (25-15, 25-9, 25-19) on the way to its 13th sweep of the season and eighth of ACC play on Friday evening in Jervey Gym. The Yellow Jackets (19-6, 12-4 ACC) outmatched the Tigers (13-16, 4-13 ACC) from start to finish as evidenced by a lofty advantage in hitting percentage (.475-.155), holding their opponent to single digits in a set for the second time this season in the process.
The White and Gold handled Clemson across the board on paper, also leading the way in kills (43-21, assists (40-27), aces (6-3), digs (51-30) and blocks (6-2).
With the win, coach Michelle Collier took sole possession of second place in program history in conference wins as she’s up to 97 ACC victories on The Flats.
Senior outside hitter Julia Bergmann assumed her usual role as Tech’s top attacker, leading the way with 13 kills at a gaudy .500 clip on top of eight digs. Not far behind was junior right-side hitter Tamara Otene, also totaling double-digit kills with 10 while hitting .471 and matching Bergmann’s eight digs.
Junior setter Bella D’Amico ran the point for her fifth double double of the season with 33 assists and 10 digs, while senior libero Paola Pimentel led the match with 12 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Bianca Bertolino put forth a well-rounded performance of her own, picking up eight kills, six digs and a team-high tying three blocks.
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson
November 18. 2022 (Tyler Rover/Clemson Athletics)
How it Happened
Georgia Tech did its damage in spurts early in the first set, starting with a streak of four up to a 6-3 lead. Taking four points in five chances soon after, a run of three more boosted the Yellow Jackets up to a 13-6 advantage. As Tech continued to press on, Clemson never managed to draw any closer than within six. A final burst of four thanks to Morrissette, Bergmann and Bertolino closed out the set, resulting in a double-digit victory for the Jackets in set one, 25-15.
The White and Gold displayed sheer dominance in the second set as three consecutive early points, followed shortly after by another four straight, propelled Georgia Tech up to an 11-4 lead. Soon after, the Yellow Jackets rattled off 10 straight points to put the set well out of reach, leading 22-7. Tech closed out the set by nabbing the final three points, resulting in a commanding, 25-9 win in set two.
The third set was tightly contested early as the Jackets needed five points in a six-chance stretch to take their first lead of the set, 7-6. The two sides continued to battle as neither side managed to separate by more than two until a four-point Tech run put the White and Gold on top, 17-14. Georgia Tech would maintain the lead from there, using a three-point streak to move further ahead, 20-16, before closing out the set by taking four of the final five points. Otene sealed the match with a kill, handing the Yellow Jackets a 25-19 triumph in set four to clinch the sweep.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will hit the road one final time for the regular season, trekking to No. 7 Pitt (25-3, 15-1 ACC) for a rematch on Nov. 23 at 5 p.m. in Pittsburgh. The match will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
Multimedia
🏐𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐘🏐
🆚: Clemson
⏰: 4⃣ p.m.
📍: Clemson, S.C.
🏟️: Jervey Gym
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/LcKhnZkAuW
📈: https://t.co/HUAkydVeHt#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/3mOqo7H6zf— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
First serve in Jervey 🏐
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/LcKhnZkAuW
📈: https://t.co/HUAkydVeHt#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/kR3Kb4d9Yg— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
𝘙𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 📨
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/LcKhnZCbmu#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/baVBhyQS1D— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
Sneaky setters >>>
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/LcKhnZCbmu#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/DSAhEm8Oo4— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
🐇🐇🐇
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/LcKhnZCbmu#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/lLb0RS5kWK— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
Grrrrreat first set❕#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/idtk4Yuhmz
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
Just kickin' it 🤙
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/LcKhnZCbmu#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/CS8SFiYJ5n— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚌𝚑𝚘 😳
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/LcKhnZCbmu#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/toolxiQ7i1— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
Could be approaching the tail end of this one 🥵#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/L2gqaURMvE
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
Did we mention we had 𝟭𝟬 straight points in that last set❔😅#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/W5u3UCmlvt
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
🅿️❕
Paola comes through with a ♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄♠️
🐝6⃣
🐯6⃣Tech leads the match 2⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/tqPHHL6gsA
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
✌️ 𝗘𝗭
📺: ACC Network Extra
💻: https://t.co/LcKhnZCbmu#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/B6KBUCSMAg— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
Rally Jackets heatin' up 🔥
🐝2⃣0⃣
🐯1⃣6⃣Tech leads the match 2⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/ezbC6hdwV4
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙥 😌🧹#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/2CC8C95NVo
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
Look ma, one hand 👋#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/lwDg7zPNsM
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) November 18, 2022
That set tho 👩🍳💋#NCAAWVB x 🎥 @GTVolleyball pic.twitter.com/hOH2Qb2Cqr
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) November 18, 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.