CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – With all five starting hitters in double-figure kills, Georgia Tech volleyball (15-7, 8-3 ACC) pushed its Atlantic Coast Conference winning streak to seven with a thrilling 3-2 win over North Carolina (10-11, 7-4 ACC) on Friday night. Four Yellow Jackets recorded double-doubles.
Photos: Tech Extends ACC Win Streak to Seven Against North Carolina
Anthony McClellan
How it happened:
The first set was a close start; the Jackets took the first real lead at 13-10 on three-straight Tar Heel errors. North Carolina tied it back up at 14-14 but the Jackets went ahead by one on a service error to lead 15-14 and force the media timeout. The Tar Heels took three in a row coming out of the timeout to overtake Tech and the Jackets called for a timeout trailing 17-15. The White and Gold tied the set back up at 17-17 on a kill from freshman Julia Bergmann but the Tar Heels snuck back out and stayed ahead this time. After winning 18-straight sets, the Jackets dropped the first set 25-23.
The second set was another close one, the teams traded points to a tie at 14-14. The Tar Heels took a one-point edge at 15-14 to incite the media timeout. Tech retook the lead at 18-17 on back-to-back kills from sophomore Mariana Brambilla. Sophomore Kayla Kaiser threw up a solo block to move the score to 19-17 and the Tar Heels called a timeout. The Jackets pushed their lead to four at 22-18 on an attack error but UNC took two in a row and Tech called timeout with the 22-20 lead. The Jackets only allowed one more point, taking the set at 25-21 on a kill from sophomore Mikaila Dowd to tie the match at 1-1.
Tech carried the momentum into the second set, cruising to a 7-2 lead on a kill from Dowd and UNC called the first timeout of the set. The Jackets kept rolling, moving their lead to nine on a kill from Brambilla to make it 17-8. The Tar Heels came back within three, using a 7-0 run but a block from Kaiser and Bergmann stopped the run. North Carolina kept at it, tying the set at 22-22. The Tar Heels took set point at 24-22 and Kaiser landed another kill for the Jackets but UNC took the set at 25-23 for the 2-1 lead.
The Jackets fell behind by three early in the fourth, trailing 9-6. A kill from sophomore Matti McKissock sparked a 6-0 run for Tech to take the lead at 13-10 on back-to-back kills from Bergmann. The Tar Heels knotted it back up at 17-17 and the Jackets used a timeout. The Yellow Jackets went on a 5-0 run to grab the lead at 23-18 on a kill from Kaiser and this time UNC signaled for a timeout. The Tar Heels brought the score to 23-20 and Tech used a timeout. With back-to-back kills from Bergmann, the Jackets forced the fifth set with a 25-20 win in the fourth.
The fifth set was another tight one but the Jackets edged ahead at 8-7 for the switch on a kill from senior Kodie Comby. Tech went ahead by four at 12-8 on an attack error. This time the White and Gold held onto their lead, closing out the match at 15-10 on a kill from Bergmann.
Up next:
The Jackets make their way to Raleigh, N.C. to close out the weekend against NC State on Sunday, Nov. 3 with a 1 p.m. first serve on ACCNX.
Tech Tidbits:
- Dowd recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 19 kills and 18 digs.
- Dowd’s 19 kills were a season high.
- Brambilla tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 13 kills and 11 digs.
- Bergmann recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 15 kills and 10 digs.
- McKissock notched her fourth double-double with 52 assists and 11 digs
- Kaiser’s five blocks were a career high for the sophomore.
- The Jackets had all five starting hitters in double-digit kills: Dowd (19), Bergmann (15), Brambilla (13), Comby (10) and Kaiser (10).
ACC Network has launched!
The ACC Network is a linear and digital platform dedicated to 24/7 coverage of ACC sports that launched on Aug. 22, 2019. It will exclusively televise approximately 450 live events each year, including 40 football games as well as 150 men’s and women’s basketball contests.
Don’t get shut out! For more information and to learn if your cable/satellite/digital provider is carrying the ACC Network, visit GetACCN.com. Georgia Tech fans whose cable/satellite/digital providers aren’t carrying the ACC Network are urged to contact their providers and ask for the ACC Network to be a part of their subscription.
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