THE FLATS – No. 9 Georgia Tech volleyball (21-5, 12-4 ACC) suffered its second road loss of the season, falling to Miami (17-9, 10-6 ACC) on Friday night inside Knight Sports Complex on the campus of the University of Miami. Sophomore middle blocker Liv Mogridge returned to action for the first time since September but the Jackets dropped the match in three sets (25-21, 25-17, 25-14).
QUICK HITS
- The Jackets own a 10-2 record in road matches this season, matching the best road record in a single season in the Michelle Collier era (2021).
- Senior OH Tamara Otene led the Jackets with 11 kills on .360 hitting with a pair of aces.
- She has now made at least 10 kills on .300+ hitting in six matches this season.
- Junior OH Bianca Bertolino secured her 300th kill of the season tonight. It’s the first time she has eclipsed 300 kills in a season.
- Senior libero Paola Pimentel led the team with 11 digs. She has made 10+ digs in 24 of Tech’s 26 matches this season.
- Sophomore Anna Boezi registered three blocks tonight. She has posted at least 1.00 block/set in eight of her 13 starts this season.
- Mogridge secured one kill, one dig and one block in her first in-game action since Sept. 29.
Set By Set
Set 1 (MIA, 25-21): Tech struggled to get the Canes out of system throughout the first, allowing Miami’s offense to get off to a fast start, 14-9. The Jackets settled down later in the set, cutting the lead to two points multiple times, but the comeback wasn’t to be and the Canes took the first set by four points. Otene’s offense came alive late in the set as she accounted for three of Tech’s final four points in the set. She finished with six kills on .385 hitting but the Jackets could only manage seven digs, led by four from Pimentel, and the Canes took a one set lead.
Set 2 (MIA, 25-17): The Jackets struggled to terminate in the second set as multiple challenges made it difficult to maintain momentum. A late 5-0 run from Miami turned a back and forth 16-14 score into a 21-14 deficit that proved to be too much for the Jackets to overcome. Otene led the offense again with four kills on .500 hitting, but difficulties passing persisted and the Hurricanes won the set by eight points. Mogridge returned to play in the set, posting her first kill in 49 days.
Set 3 (MIA, 25-14): Miami rode the momentum into the third and ended the match with its most lopsided set of the day. Pimentel fought hard, making five digs, but the Miami attack was too much for Tech.
UP NEXT
Georgia Tech will play in its home finale on Sunday, Nov. 19 at noon against Syracuse (2-24, 0-16 ACC). Doors will open at 11 a.m. at O’Keefe Gymnasium. The Jackets will be honoring their four seniors: Isabella D’Amico Afedo Manyang, Liz Patterson and Paola Pimentel with a ceremony before the match begins. The match will be broadcast on ACC Network.
Competitive Drive Initiative Turn 2
Looking to build on the success of last year’s Competitive Drive Initiative, Georgia Tech, the Georgia Tech Foundation and Georgia Tech athletics are partnering once again to launch Competitive Drive Initiative Turn 2. CDI Turn 2 has a goal of raising $2.5 million in new gifts to the Alexander-Tharpe Fund’s Athletic Scholarship Fund by Dec. 31, and Georgia Tech and the Georgia Tech Foundation will match eligible gifts to accelerate the impact for Tech athletics. Like last year, not only will gifts to CDI Turn 2 be matched, but so will the contributor’s benefits in the way of A-T Fund giving levels and priority points. To learn more and contribute online, visit atfund.org/turn2.
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