RALEIGH, N.C. – No. 18 Georgia Tech volleyball (8-1) swept Arkansas (8-2) to open the ACC/SEC Challenge on Thursday in Raleigh, N.C., drubbing the Razorbacks in the final two sets after a tight first frame (26-24, 25-18, 25-11).
The Yellow Jackets outmatched the Razorbacks in nearly every facet on the day, holding the advantage in kills (50-30), hitting percentage (.266-.175), assists (43-30) and digs (74-48). The Jackets also benefitted from 12 Arkansas service errors, only owning two themselves.
Senior setter Matti McKissock conducted the potent Tech offense with 28 assists, moving to seventh in program history in career assists with 3,136 to date.
The “Killer B’s” spearheaded the Jacket attack once again as the three each tallied double doubles. Junior outside hitter Julia Bergmann led the way with a 14 kill, 10 dig double double, her seventh on the year. Senior right-side hitter Mariana Brambilla had just as productive of a day, notching her own double double for her fifth of the like this season behind 12 kills and a team-high 19 digs. Freshman outside hitter Bianca Bertolino earned her own double double as well, finishing with 10 kills and 13 digs.
How it Happened
The Jackets and Razorbacks battled out a neck-and-neck first set as neither team managed to create separation of more than three points throughout the set. Following six lead changes, Georgia Tech took the lead at 17-16 and never trailed again in the set, despite facing a 24 all deadlock before taking the final two points as Bergmann clinched the set for a 26-24 Jacket win.
Tech got off to a blazing start in the second set, going on an early stretch claiming seven of eight points for a 9-3 lead. The Jackets maintained that separation through the set, holding a lead of four points or higher to cruise to a 25-18 set two win.
Georgia Tech dealt another strong blow to open the third set, overwhelming Arkansas to leap ahead 7-1. A seven-point run soon after further boosted the Jackets out to a 16-4 lead as Tech went on to take a dominant 25-11 third set win and match sweep.
Multimedia
🏐𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐘🏐
🆚: Arkansas
⏰: 3⃣ p.m.
📍: Raleigh, N.C.
🏟️: Reynolds Coliseum
📈: https://t.co/ntj6KDJb0i#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/cm0y7OVxYk— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
Continue to get better 💪
🐝🆚🐗🔜#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/XNu0SVARwj
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
More of 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 in less than an hour ⏳#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/fONbaWiitv
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
First serve for the ACC/SEC Challenge coming 🔜 pic.twitter.com/TvbJe3stUc
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S1 | @mariibrambilla 𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗦 one past the Razorbacks to keep the Jackets ahead 🔨
🐗6⃣
🐝8⃣#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/qG0QyAZI2X— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S1 | @mattimck_ catches the defense 😴 and sneaks in a kill to put Tech 🆙
🐗1⃣6⃣
🐝1⃣7⃣#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/z8kSJYVPI2— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S1 | Julia 𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘴 one by Arkansas to move Tech up to 2⃣0⃣❕
🐗1⃣8⃣
🐝2⃣0⃣ pic.twitter.com/ES6pDDTAXQ— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S1 | We're into extra points, but ☝️ away from taking the set after a @brelandtm11 kill❕
🐗2⃣4⃣
🐝2⃣5⃣#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/xbWBonI3Zs— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
Tech takes a first-set thriller❕👏👏#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/xp3lP7XXdB
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S2 | Tech starts off hot taking 7⃣ of the last 8⃣ points to jump in front and force an Arkansas timeout 🔥
🐗3⃣
🐝9⃣Tech leads the match 1⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/pPJ4bXZ0RN
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S2 | @kaylaikaiser pinpoints an ♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄♠️ to force a Razorback timeout 🎯
🐗1⃣0⃣
🐝1⃣6⃣Tech leads the match 1⃣-0⃣#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/HQaB3RI0tw
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S2 | The killer 🐝🐝🐝 each come through with a kill of their own for a 3⃣-point run❕
🐗1⃣3⃣
🐝2⃣0⃣Tech leads the match 1⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/D4kSlfv9G6
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
✌️ up for the White and Gold with a potential sweep in play 👀#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/7u6rYQvCT1
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S3 | A pair of ♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒♠️ by @kaylaikaiser and Julia Bergmann aid the Jackets in taking 7⃣ of the first 8⃣ points of the set to force a Razorback timeout 🔥🔥🔥
🐗1⃣
🐝7⃣Tech leads the match 2⃣-0⃣#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/JCWpMezwcS
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
S3 | Update: things are going well😉@mattimck_ slips in another kill to spark a 7⃣-point Tech run as the Jackets are up to a double-digit lead 😳🔥🔥🔥
🐗4⃣
🐝1⃣6⃣Tech leads the match 2⃣-0⃣#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/h8D8YLNgyL
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
𝘽𝙍𝙄𝙉𝙂 '𝙀𝙈 𝙊𝙐𝙏 🧹🧹🧹
Georgia Tech opens the ACC/SEC Challenge with a 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 sweep of Arkansas❕ The Yellow Jackets return home next for Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate with Georgia on Saturday at 7⃣ p.m.#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/1vbVUi5nHY
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
On top of the sweep, 🅷🆄🅶🅴 s/o to @mattimck_ as she continues her climb in Georgia Tech history up to #⃣7⃣ all-time in career assists❕📈#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/tsjrjJ3sxY
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) September 16, 2021
Up Next
Georgia Tech returns home for Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate, hosting rival Georgia on Saturday at 7 p.m. in O’Keefe Gymnasium. The contest will mark the first meeting of the Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs on The Flats since 2018. Live coverage information is available here.
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