Open mobile menu

Stavnetchei, Benda Have Career Nights in Win over Orange

Oct. 20, 2017

Box Score |  GT Photo Gallery 

Box Score 

THE FLATS – In a gym full of familiar faces on Alumni Night, Georgia Tech volleyball (9-11, 4-5 ACC) came back from a first set deficit to defeat Syracuse (14-8, 6-3 ACC) 3-1 on Friday night, avenging a loss earlier this season. Seniors Gabriela Stavnetchei and Gabby Benda both had career nights for the Yellow Jackets.

How it happened:
Tech came out slow, allowing Syracuse to take an early 7-2 lead. It took Georgia Tech head coach Michelle Collier using up her second timeout to spark something in the Jackets, coming up strong from the service line to make a run to tie up the match at 17-17. Tech tallied three service aces in the set with no errors. The two teams traded points to a tie at 24-24 but the Orange found the final two points to take the set at 26-24 for the 1-0 advantage.

The Jackets once again came out slow to start the set, letting the Orange jump to an 8-3 advantage before calling a timeout. With the Jackets slowly chipping away at the lead, Syracuse called a timeout as the Jackets came within two using a 4-0 run sparked by a kill from freshman Cori Clifton. Trading points to a 20-20 tie, a kill off the swing of senior Sydney Wilson gave Tech the lead and the Jackets managed to hang on a kill from Stavnetchei sealed the set for the White and Gold at 25-22.

The two teams stayed close to start the third with Tech breaking ahead at 11-10 and using three attack errors from the Orange to take the 14-10 lead. Fighting their way back in, the Orange came back within one at 15-14 but the Jackets took three in a row with kills from Benda and Stavnetchei and a block assist to stay ahead. The Jackets led by as much as five at 20-15 off a service ace from freshman Sam Knapp but the Orange climbed back in it. Coming within one at 23-22, Collier called a timeout and it was just the kick Tech needed and the Jackets took the next two points to take the 2-1 lead at 25-22.

With 22 kills already on her stat line, Stavnetchei came out hungry for more, tallying back-to-back kills to give Tech the lead and put the Jackets up 6-4 in the fourth. The White and Gold would hold onto the lead for the remainder of the set, only allowing the Orange to tally 16 points on its way to a 25-16 victory of the fourth to win the match 3-1 off a service ace from Stavnetchei for the final point of the match. Stavnetchei recorded a career high 28 kills and Benda posted a career best 53 assists.

Up next:
The Jackets are back in O’Keefe on Sunday to take on Boston College at 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra for their Pinkout Match.

Quick hits:
Gabriela Stavnetchei had a career high 28 kills.
– Stavnetchei posted her eighth double-double of the season (28 kills, 14 digs).
– Stavnetchei hit at a season-high clip of .400.
Gabby Benda recorded a career high 53 assists.
– Benda surpassed the 2,000 assist mark in her career.
– Tech remains unbeaten by the Orange in O’Keefe.

For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter ( @GTVolleyball ), Facebook ( Georgia Tech Volleyball ) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com .

RELATED HEADLINES

Volleyball No. 7 Tech Closes the 2024 Season in Second Round of the NCAA Tournament

No. 7 Jackets fall to the No. 2 Badgers in Round Two of the NCAA Tournament

No. 7 Tech Closes the 2024 Season in Second Round of the NCAA Tournament
Volleyball No. 7 Tech Advances to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament

No. 7 Jackets muscle past Vols in five-set match to advance to Round Two of the NCAA Tournament

No. 7 Tech Advances to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament
Volleyball No. 7 Jackets Begin NCAA Tournament in Wisconsin

No. 7 Tech heads to Madison, WI to take on Tennessee in Round One of the NCAA Tournament

No. 7 Jackets Begin NCAA Tournament in Wisconsin
Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Legends Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets