THE FLATS – In front of a sold-out crowd in O’Keefe Gymnasium, Georgia Tech volleyball (10-2) took down in-state rival Georgia (8-2) 3-2 to keep its perfect home record intact. The Jackets have taken 17 of the last 20 meetings between the two programs.
Georgia Tech 3, Georgia 2
The match began as a back-and-forth battle between the two rivals. Trailing by one at 11-10, the Yellow Jackets tied it with a kill from freshman Mikaila Dowd. Dowd’s kill sparked a 4-0 run for the Yellow Jackets, taking the lead at 14-11 on back-to-back aces from senior Lauren Frerking and the Bulldogs called the first timeout of the set. The Jackets stayed ahead, using a 3-0 run brought on by a kill from sophomore Kendall Wilson to lead 20-15. Tech pushed its lead to six at 22-16 on an attack error. The Bulldogs brought the score back within three at 22-19 and Tech called its first timeout of the set. The Jackets took set point at 24-20 on a block from junior Kodie Comby and Dowd. Another block, this time off the hands of Wilson and Comby sealed the set for the Jackets at 25-20 for the 1-0 advantage.
The Jackets carried their momentum into the second set, taking a four-point edge on a block from Comby and Wilson to lead 7-3. The Bulldogs kept at it, tying the set at 11-11. Georgia took its first lead of the set at 13-11 and Tech called timeout. The Jackets came out of the timeout and tied it at 13-13 on back-to-back kills from Comby. The Jackets used a 3-0 run to take the lead at 17-15 on a kill from freshman Mariana Brambilla and Georgia called a timeout. Tech stayed ahead and Georgia used its second timeout with the Jackets holding the lead at 20-17. The Jackets took a five-point advantage at 22-17 on an attack error but Georgia brought it back within two at 22-20 and Tech called its second timeout. The Jackets responded, and a kill from Dowd took the set at 25-21 for the 2-0 lead.
The Jackets came out to a slow start in the third, using their first timeout early as they trailed 6-2. The White and Gold battled back, tying the set at 7-7 on a blocking error by the Bulldogs. Georgia pushed back ahead on a 8-0 run to lead 15-7. The Jackets kept battling but the set belonged to the Bulldogs and Georgia took the third set 25-18 to take it to a fourth set.
The Bulldogs kept at it in the fourth. Tech called its first timeout trailing by six at 10-4. The Jackets just couldn’t change the momentum in their favor and burned their second timeout trailing 15-6. The Jackets weren’t able to overcome the deficit and the Bulldogs forced a fifth, taking the fourth at 25-13.
The fifth set was a close contest. Trading points to a tie at 6-6, the Jackets went ahead 8-6 on a kill from Wilson. Georgia came back to tie it at 9-9 and Georgia Tech called timeout. Tech went ahead with kills from Frerking and Brambilla and the Bulldogs called a timeout with the score at 11-9. Georgia tied the set at 12-12 but a kill from Comby once again put Tech on top. The Jackets took set point at 14-12 on a block from Comby and Dowd and the Bulldogs used their final timeout. Comby and Dowd threw up yet another block to secure the 3-2 win for the Jackets at 15-12.
Up next:
The Jackets host Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 15 at O’Keefe Gymnasium to close out the Georgia Tech Classic. First serve is set for 4 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Tech tidbits:
- Tech took 18 of their points off service errors.
- Mariana Brambilla recorded her fourth-straight double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs. She now has nine this season.
- Lauren Frerking tallied a career-high four service aces.
- In her first match since returning from injury, Mikaila Dowd led the team in scoring with 13 kills.
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