OXFORD, Miss. – No. 9 Georgia Tech volleyball (2-0) outmatched No. 17 Illinois (0-1) in a sweep of its first ranked foe of the year in a neutral match at the Ole Miss Invitational on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets concluded the tournament as the lone undefeated squad after topping host Ole Miss, 3-1, on Friday.
The White and Gold’s dominant performance was reflected on paper as the Jackets maintained the advantage in kills (38-36), hitting percentage (.287-.179), aces (5-0), digs (32-27) and blocks (8-4).
Senior outside hitter Julia Bergmann once more led the Jackets overall, notching her first double double of the season behind team highs of 12 kills and 11 digs along with a pair of blocks. The decorated Yellow Jacket continues to rewrite the Tech record books as she moved up to seventh in program history in career aces with 133 to date.
Senior middle blocker Erin Moss was also a key cog in Tech’s explosive offense on the day with 10 kills at a blistering .533 clip. Defensively, graduate middle blocker Breland Morrissette anchored the White and Gold with a career-high tying six blocks while pitching in on the offensive side with eight kills of her own. Junior setter Bella D’Amico ran the point for Tech’s offense, coming away with 29 assists.
No. 9 Georgia Tech vs. No. 17 Illinois
August 27, 2022 (Tyler Rover)
How it Happened
Georgia Tech got going early against Illinois, using a five-point run to speed ahead, 8-4. The Fighting Illini would bounce back to even things up, but the Yellow Jackets responded by taking five of the next six points to separate once more, leading 13-9. One final Tech run of three put the set of reach, 18-13, as the White and Gold rolled onto a 25-21 first-set win capped by a Bergmann kill.
The second set was much of the same for the Jackets as they jumped out to a 6-2 lead. Georgia Tech pressed forward as a three-point run, including a kill and ace by Bergmann, propelled the White and Gold to a 19-10 lead. The Yellow Jackets finished off the dominant second set with a double-digit victory, 25-15.
Illinois battled back in the third set, keeping the match neck-and-neck as neither side managed to separate by more than a point up to a 15 all score line. Georgia Tech’s offense erupted from there, overwhelming the Illini with a 10-2 run to secure a 25-17 set three win and match sweep.
Up Next
The Jackets will make their official return to O’Keefe Gymnasium hosting the GT Invitational, beginning with Dayton (Sept. 2).
Multimedia
🏐𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐘🏐
🆚: #⃣1⃣7⃣ Illinois
⏰: 4⃣ p.m. ET
📍: Oxford, Miss.
🏟️: Gillom Athletics Performance Center
📈: https://t.co/S09cQLGpUB#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/V390OWM1Ol— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
Is this good❔
🐝Career-high 𝟯𝟯 kills
🐝Tied 𝟴𝘁𝗵 in program history with 𝟭𝟯𝟭 career aces
🐝Eclipsed 𝟭,𝟮𝟬𝟬 career kills#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/7II6VM7hci— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
Heads Up 🙇♀️
We take on #17 Illinois at 4 p.m. ET ❕#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/eisCUeoXBd
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
✨𝓖𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓗𝓸𝓾𝓻✨#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/RT18sfxSbO
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
🔙✌️💼
📈: https://t.co/S09cQLGpUB#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/PL4FVVOOUM
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
A 🖐️ point run with @brelandtm11's hands all over it forces an Illinois timeout 💪
🔶4⃣
🐝8⃣ pic.twitter.com/luM9yckEiP— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
Opposing teams when Julia loads one up ➡️😶🌫️😶🌫️😶🌫️
🔶9⃣
🐝1⃣3⃣ pic.twitter.com/D4kIbyesBx— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
Tech takes 5⃣ of the last 6⃣ points❕
🔶1⃣4⃣
🐝2⃣0⃣ pic.twitter.com/kK6hZShtPH— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
Came out swinging 💥#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/vBm71AuoPK
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
Status update: @brelandtm11 is still everywhere 🫣
🔶2⃣
🐝6⃣Tech leads the match 1⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/uJOO88ZpKw
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
S2: ♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄♠️ for @paola_cascardo 🎯
That gives the Jackets 6⃣ of the last 9⃣ points❕
🔶8⃣
🐝1⃣5⃣Tech leads the match 1⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/TOuUQ8DN1Z
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
⭐️𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘⭐️
Julia adds another ♠️𝐀𝐂𝐄♠️ for career #𝟭𝟯𝟮 to tie 𝟳𝘁𝗵 in program history 🏅#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/FJaaU6228Y
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
Rollin'😤
Tech cruises to a 2⃣5⃣-1⃣5⃣ win in set ✌️#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/pGYwnhRkfw
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 🔨
We're neck-and-neck in the third set as @erinmoss0428 drives one from the middle through the Fighting Illini 💪
🔶1⃣5⃣
🐝1⃣6⃣Tech leads the match 2⃣-0⃣ pic.twitter.com/HY8muIs10N
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
Back to our old ways 😉
Tech earns its first sweep of the season over #⃣1⃣7⃣ Illinois 🧹🧹🧹#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/eGirencMJu
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
🗣: @collmich on the 🎙 after Tech’s sweep of #️⃣1️⃣7️⃣ Illinois 🧹#TogetherWeSwarm x #PointTech pic.twitter.com/9grCiKZNoG
— Georgia Tech Volleyball (@GTVolleyball) August 27, 2022
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