LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ No. 8 seed Georgia Tech volleyball blitzed No. 9 Seed Ohio State (25-22, 26-24, 25-21) for its third consecutive sweep of NCAA tournament play to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2003 and the second time in program history on Thursday evening in Louisville, Ky. The flawless run through the first three rounds of the NCAA tournament marks the first time the Yellow Jackets have avoided dropping a set on the way to the Elite Eight. Tech now owns 16 sweeps this season and is 13-10 all time in NCAA tournament matches.
Georgia Tech (26-5, 14-4 ACC) outmatched Ohio State (27-6, 15-5 B1G) in most major statistical categories, leading the way in kills (50-36), hitting percentage (.236-.142), assists (46-35) and digs (55-41).
Senior right-side hitter Mariana Brambilla was everywhere the Buckeyes turned as she led the match with both 18 kills at a gaudy .444 clip and 18 digs for her 11th double double this season. Senior setter Matti McKissock pulled the strings behind the Tech attack once again, tallying 42 assists.
As a unit, Georgia Tech moved into ninth in program history in kills within a season, tallying a staggering 1,645 kills this year. The Yellow Jackets move on to the Elite Eight having won 58 of their last 69 matches dating back to 2019.
How it Happened
In an otherwise tightly contested first set, Georgia Tech used a pair of runs to take the advantage. The Jackets first took six consecutive points early out to a 6-2 lead. The Buckeyes battled back incrementally to even things up and later take the lead at 17-15, but Tech responded with a five-point flurry to jump back in front, 20-17. The White and Gold would match each Ohio State blow from there, going on to take the first set, 25-22.
The Buckeyes went on an early run to get in front in the second set, slipping ahead, 10-6. Tech would answer by taking five of the next six points, evening the tally at 11 all. Four tie score lines later, Ohio State would claim three straight points to inch in front, 21-18. Georgia Tech retaliated with three points of its own shortly after to knot things up at 22 apiece, but the Buckeyes took two of the next three points for a set point opportunity at 24-23. The White and Gold refused to let the streak of sweeps go by wayside though, snatching three consecutive points once more to devastate Ohio State for a 26-24 set two win behind senior middle blocker Breland Morrissetteโs solo block.
With momentum on its side, Tech kept rolling into the third set, going on an early, six-point run out to a 9-3 lead. The Buckeyes would hang tough and draw as near as within two points at a 12-10 Jacket advantage, but a final three-point burst from the White and Gold put the match out of reach for a 23-17 Tech lead. Morrissette would finish off the set once again, this time with a kill, to clinch a 25-21 third set win and third consecutive NCAA tournament sweep, punching Georgia Techโs ticket to the Elite Eight.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will advance to the Elite Eight for a third shot at No. 1 Louisville (31-0, 18-0 ACC) on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Regional final round in Louisville, Ky. The match will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Multimedia
๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐
๐: #โฃ9โฃ Ohio State
โฐ: 3โฃ p.m.
๐: Louisville, Ky.
๐๏ธ: Freedom Hall
๐บ: ESPN+
๐ป: https://t.co/AYKyjLFYht
๐: https://t.co/01XvHC63iO#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/86lW49tZJc— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
๐นโ๐๐พโ๐๐ผโ ๐๐๐พโ๐๐, ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ค#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/gTbi0UI0Hh
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
We have your Thursday plans right here โคต๏ธ๐#NCAAVB pic.twitter.com/bAPPjmu4au
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) December 9, 2021
โณ pic.twitter.com/R75ELfhVEH
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
Letโs do it.#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/uxkgqKziae
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
๐๐๐'๐. ๐๐. ๐ค
It's the Sweet 1โฃ6โฃ. We don't need to hype it up any more than that. If you couldn't make it to Freedom Hall, you can't miss this one ๐
Tune in on ESPN+
๐ป: https://t.co/AYKyjLGw71
๐: https://t.co/01XvHC6B8m#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/htEGUjhWQu— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S1 | ๐ฃ๏ธ๐ฆ๐๐ซ. ๐ฆ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ง. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง. ๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ก๐ง๐ฆ. ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ@mariibrambilla, @erinmoss0428 and Julia all get in on the fun ๐ฅต
๐ฐ2โฃ
๐6โฃ pic.twitter.com/nw289fQFsY— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
Here we go!!! #NCAAVB #PointTech#TogetherWeSwarm pic.twitter.com/ps9PqpmJcM
— Todd Stansbury (@GTToddStansbury) December 9, 2021
S1 | It's tooth and nail up to the media timeout. Julia slaps one straight through a Buckeye to send us to the break with the lead ๐ช
๐ฐ1โฃ4โฃ
๐1โฃ5โฃ pic.twitter.com/nwI0ntXnTT— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S1 | ๐๏ธ straight points for the Jackets including an โ ๏ธ๐๐๐โ ๏ธ by Juliaโ๐ฏ๐ฅ Timeout Buckeyes.
๐ฐ1โฃ7โฃ
๐2โฃ0โฃ pic.twitter.com/Ivw5qwwkJS— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
Point Tech ๐คทโโ๏ธ#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/02mB4rR9wd
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
Back (at it) like we never left ๐#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/tUlU8DNOjx
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S2 | Winning the first set and taking the first 3โฃ points of the secondโ Not mad at it ๐
๐ฐ0โฃ
๐3โฃTech leads the match 1โฃ-0โฃ pic.twitter.com/zSAuHQgfvO
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S2 | @mariibrambilla drops a couple of Brambilla ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ฅ as the Jackets take 3โฃ consecutive points to even things upโ๐ฅ
๐ฐ1โฃ1โฃ
๐1โฃ1โฃTech leads the match 1โฃ-0โฃ pic.twitter.com/BdlgQ1xm94
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S2 | @mattimck_ serves one just through the net for an โ ๏ธ๐๐๐โ ๏ธโ Hard to serve a more impossible ball to receive than that ๐คทโโ๏ธ๐ฏ
๐ฐ1โฃ7โฃ
๐1โฃ7โฃTech leads the match 1โฃ-0โฃ pic.twitter.com/grBrKGQh6Q
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S2 | @erinmoss0428 with a key middle killโ Heart rate ๐๐ฌ
๐ฐ2โฃ2โฃ
๐2โฃ2โฃTech leads the match 1โฃ-0โฃ pic.twitter.com/MdnEzlUKHc
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S2 | ๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ผ ๐ฃ๐ฅ
๐ฐ2โฃ3โฃ
๐2โฃ3โฃTech leads the match 1โฃ-0โฃ pic.twitter.com/hv3L0j6793
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S2 | ๐๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ฆ ๐โ๏ธ๐โ Timeout Ohio State and SET POINT ๐ช
๐ฐ2โฃ4โฃ
๐2โฃ5โฃTech leads the match 1โฃ-0โฃ pic.twitter.com/OEQ5EUSruE
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐. ๐๐. ๐๐๐.#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/TEFooyrSym
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
We have โ๏ธ sets. They don't. We like that math ๐#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/OagA9FLLgq
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S3 | You can tell these girls have been listening to some Alicia Keys ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ That's 6โฃ straight for the Jackets as they race in frontโ๐
๐ฐ3โฃ
๐9โฃTech leads the match 2โฃ-0โฃ pic.twitter.com/FUWY45kxhf
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
https://t.co/n3GhytaI3A pic.twitter.com/vkEUV7VUx0
— Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (@GTAthletics) December 9, 2021
BRICK WALL ๐งฑ
๐ป @ESPNPlus#NCAAVB x ๐ฅ @GTVolleyballpic.twitter.com/10bXciReZ2
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) December 9, 2021
S3 | Julia ๐๐๐๐๐ one through the Buckeye defense ๐ฅ๐ช Potentially closing in ๐
๐ฐ1โฃ3โฃ
๐1โฃ8โฃTech leads the match 2โฃ-0โฃ pic.twitter.com/byVpFKRGJW
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ through the ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ just feels right๐ญ๐งน
โ๏ธ
โ๏ธ
โ๏ธ
๐ฒ
๐ฒ
๐ฒ#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/6jUtk2ZkIZ— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
Grabbed a ๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฝ treat on the way to the Elite Eight ๐ฐ๐#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/2jmXiFrwKE
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐ฟ '๐๐ ๐
(8) @GTVolleyball drops (9) Ohio State in straight sets (25-22, 26-24, 25-21) to advance to the Regional Finals to take on Louisville.#NCAAVB pic.twitter.com/38rxaoxgVk
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) December 9, 2021
.@GTVolleyball is headed to the ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/dwerr1qukR
— Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (@GTAthletics) December 9, 2021
Why be Sweet when you can be ELITEโโโ GO JACKETSโโโ https://t.co/auhrlfkP3H
— Andy Demetra ๐ท (@AndyDemetra) December 9, 2021
Going where no @GTVolleyball team has gone since 2003. Can make more history on Saturday in the Elite 8๏ธโฃ. So proud of @collmich and this incredible group of women. Congrats! ๐๐๐ช๐ค#NCAAVB#PointTech#TogetherWeSwarm#JobNotDone#WhyNotUs https://t.co/Ji8skIDT5b
— Todd Stansbury (@GTToddStansbury) December 9, 2021
E L I T E. ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ@GTVolleyball moves on! pic.twitter.com/jFwq3yuYGm
— The ACC (@theACC) December 9, 2021
p.s. @GTVolleyball has yet to lose a set in the NCAA Tournament #TogetherWeSwarm๐ pic.twitter.com/cyn21noltV
— Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (@GTAthletics) December 9, 2021
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐โโโ
For the second time ever, WE'RE HEADED TO THE ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐#TogetherWeSwarm /// #PointTech pic.twitter.com/aSCSw4NaXN
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) December 9, 2021
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