LONG BEACH, Calif. – No. 16 Georgia Tech volleyball (4-1) suffered its first defeat of the season at the hands of No. 18 UCLA (4-0) on Saturday, falling 3-1 (25-11, 25-22, 25-27, 25-11) to wrap up its Long Beach State Tournament play at Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif. The Jackets responded to adversity by taking the third set with extra points after dropping the first two, but were unable to force the Bruins into a fifth set.
Senior right-side hitter Mariana Brambilla led the way for the Jackets, hammering down 17 kills to go with 12 digs for her second double double of the season, also adding an ace and a block assist. Junior outside hitter Julia Bergmann trailed just behind Brambilla with her fourth straight doube double through 13 kills, 12 digs and a block of her own. The third of the “Killer B’s,” freshman outside hitter Bianca Bertolino, also pitched in with nine kills and seven digs of her own. Sophomore setter Isabella D’Amico stepped up to lead the team in assists on the night, coming away with 21.
How it Happened
The Bruins delivered a haymaker early, going on a nine-point run. The Jackets were unable to close the gap as UCLA went on to take the first set 25-11.
UCLA once again took the upper hand early in set two up to an 11-5 lead. Shortly after, the two squads traded four-point runs up to a 17-13 tally in favor of the Bruins. The Jackets steadily chipped away at the UCLA lead with a three-point run to trail 19-16 and four straight points soon after to draw within a point at 22-21. The Bruins mustered up the strength to close out the set from there though, going on to take a 25-22 second set win.
Georgia Tech swarmed back in the third set, jumping ahead 4-0 early. The Bruins responded by evening the match at five all, but Tech managed to inch back ahead later with a three-point run up to a 13-9 lead. The two sides went back and forth up to a 23-19 Jacket lead, but UCLA rattled off four straight points to knot the match at 23. From there, the tally was even at 24 apiece and 25 apiece until back-to-back kills by Brambilla and Bergmann gave Tech a 27-25 third set win.
The Bruins regained control in the fourth set, taking seven points on an eight-point stretch to lead 10-4 early. A six-point run to follow proved to put the match out of reach for Tech as UCLA went on to take the fourth set, 25-11, and the match, 3-1.
Up Next
The Jackets will come home to host the Georgia Tech Classic welcoming Mississippi State, Indiana and Oklahoma Sep. 9-12, beginning with Mississippi State at 7 p.m. Sep. 9 in O’Keefe Gymnasium.
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🏐𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐘🏐
🆚: #⃣1⃣8⃣ UCLA
⏰: 6⃣ p.m. ET
📍: Long Beach, Calif.
📈: https://t.co/5evGbXlc8K#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/HPTCpQQ0AC— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴛɪᴍᴇ 😤
#⃣1⃣6⃣ Jackets 🆚#⃣1⃣8⃣ Bruins coming up at the top of the hour❕#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/GYIXecqrD5
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
UCLA takes the advantage early.#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/R4YzSoYukc
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
S2 | A 4⃣-point run capped by a Paola Pimentel ♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄♠️ forces a Bruin timeout❕
🐝1⃣3⃣
🐻1⃣7⃣UCLA leads the match 1⃣-0⃣#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/cuEMCcJ8el
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
S2 | Another 3⃣ straight points for the Jackets including a kill and an ♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄♠️ by Mariana Brambilla❕🎯
🐝1⃣6⃣
🐻1⃣9⃣UCLA leads the match 1⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/M9wGyzs4Ca
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
S2 | ✌️ straight Bergmann kills and a block by Kali Engeman and Matti McKissock have the Jackets knocking on the door👀 Timeout UCLA❕
🐝2⃣0⃣
🐻2⃣2⃣UCLA leads the match 1⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/yRkFyczY1P
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
Down, but not out. Keep fightin'#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/cpkRcnO96F
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
S3 | The Jackets take the first 4⃣ points of the third set 🔥🔥 The "𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘉'𝘴" do the damage with kills from Bergmann and Brambilla along with an ♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄♠️ from freshman Bianca Bertolino❕🎯
🐝4⃣
🐻0⃣UCLA leads the match 2⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/7VXvYlQvTs
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
S3 | Bianca with her 7⃣th kill of the match to put the Jackets back on 🔝❕
🐝9⃣
🐻8⃣UCLA leads the match 2⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/2xWdjEkj87
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
S3 | Julia's kill brings on a UCLA timeout as Tech nears potentially forcing a fourth set 👀
🐝2⃣2⃣
🐻1⃣8⃣UCLA leads the match 2⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/0fRkHzs1lD
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
S3 | Mari with the kill to set up set point for the second time❕
🐝2⃣6⃣
🐻2⃣5⃣UCLA leads the match 2⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/WeZO4XYuzZ
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
Got one back💪Let's keep rolling.#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/1m74DTlHEk
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
S4 | We've got a fight on our hands early as @mk_dowd comes in for the kill 💪
🐝4⃣
🐻6⃣UCLA leads the match 2⃣-1⃣ pic.twitter.com/6CvFx9gipq
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 4, 2021
#⃣1⃣6⃣ Tech battles #⃣1⃣8⃣ UCLA to take a hard-earned third set, but the Bruins come out on top. The Jackets will return to host the Georgia Tech Classic for their first regular season matches in O'Keefe beginning Sep. 9⃣ with Mississippi State.#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/vDm19Z3jqw
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 5, 2021
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