ORLANDO, Fla. – Upon No. 24 Georgia Tech volleyball’s 3-0 start to the season on the way to a UCF Challenge tournament crown, junior Julia Bergmann was named tournament MVP while senior Mariana Brambilla and freshman Bianca Bertolino were each selected to the all-tournament team as voted on by the tournament coaches on Sunday.
The Jackets put the volleyball world on notice in their season opener with No. 12 Penn State, dominating the Nittany Lions for a 3-1 statement win on Friday. The win marked the highest ranked victory for Tech since the 2003 NCAA tournament, and the first ranked triumph for the program since 2017. Georgia Tech followed the historic victory with yet another significant win on Friday, defeating 2020 AAC Champions and host UCF 3-1. The Yellow Jackets remained locked in for their UCF Challenge finale, sweeping St. John’s 3-0 on Saturday to complete a flawless run through the season-opening slate.
Leading the way for Georgia Tech throughout the tournament was Bergmann, who garnered tournament MVP honors after piling up 53 kills (4.82 per set) on a .325 hitting percentage, 30 digs, five service aces and four total blocks (three solo). The outside hitter maintained an all-around steady presence through each match, tallying at least 16 kills and nine digs in each contest. She led the team in kills against UCF (21) and St. Johns (16) and was second on the squad in kills against Penn State (16), including three aces. Bergmann posted a pair of double doubles over the weekend as she tallied 11 digs against UCF, 10 digs against St. John’s and was one dig shy of finishing with three straight double doubles with nine digs against Penn State.
Brambilla was another key presence for the Jackets through the weekend, setting the tone early with eight first set kills on the way to upending Penn State. The Brazilian fueled the Tech attack with a team-leading 21 kills (.347 hitting percentage), nine digs and a pair of blocks against the Nittany Lions. She went on to total 37 kills, 33 digs, five aces and five blocks throughout the tournament. The right-side hitter also paced the team with 15 digs and three aces against St. John’s.
Bertolino made a discernible impact in her first weekend of collegiate competition, improving match by match as a key contributor. The freshman compiled 34 kills, 32 digs, seven total blocks and three aces against the stiff competition in the tournament. Beginning with six kills, 10 digs and two total blocks in her collegiate debut, she earned her first double double in the following match with UCF, picking up 13 kills, 14 digs and three total blocks (two solo). Against St. John’s on Saturday, Bertolino’s 15 kills posted behind a team-leading .419 hitting percentage were the second-most kills on the team as she also contributed eight digs and a pair of aces and total blocks.
Up Next
After the impressive tournament title in Orlando, things don’t get any easier for Georgia Tech, as it travels to southern California next weekend to face a pair of traditional national powers at the 2021 Long Beach State Tournament. The Jackets kick off action on Friday against host Long Beach State at 10 p.m. ET, followed by a Saturday matchup versus No. 17-ranked UCLA, which begins at 6 p.m. ET.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Instagram (@GTVolleyball), Twitter (@GTVolleyball), Facebook (Georgia Tech Volleyball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
