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Tech Topples Toppers, Advances to Sweet 16

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Box Score Season Stats NCAA Tournament Bracket

THE FLATS – No. 8 seed Georgia Tech volleyball swept WKU (25-21, 25-18, 25-23) in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday night in O’Keefe Gymnasium, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2004 and third time in program history. The sweep marked Tech’s 15th of the season and second straight in as many matches in this season’s NCAA tournament, also snapping a 21-match win streak for the Hilltoppers. The Yellow Jackets are now 12-10 all-time in NCAA tournament matches.

Tech (25-5, 14-4 ACC) outmatched WKU (28-2, 12-0 C-USA) in every facet on paper, leading the Toppers in kills (50-38), hitting percentage (.353-.380), assists (48-34), aces (5-2), digs (40-34) and total blocks (9-5).

Senior setter Matti McKissock highlighted the night with yet another milestone in her decorated career by surpassing 4,000 career assists as she’s up to 4,019 to date. The lauded Jacket orchestrated Tech’s attack with 36 assists on the night, also earning a double double with a team best 10 digs, three kills, an ace and a block assist.

Junior outside hitter Julia Bergmann led the Yellow Jackets’ vaunted attack with a match-high 17 kills. The ACC Player of the Year also set a career high with five block assists to go with four digs. Nearly keeping pace with Bergmann was senior right-side hitter Mariana Brambilla, who turned in an all-around effort as she tallied 13 kills, four block assists and eight digs.

Senior middle blocker Breland Morrissette was Tech’s most productive defender, piling up a team-high five block assists while pitching in offensively with five kills. Junior middle blocker Erin Moss was the Jackets’ most efficient attacker, coming away with a .600 attacking percentage with six kills, also doing her part defensively with four block assists.

Georgia Tech moves on to the Sweet 16 having won 57 of its last 68 matches dating back to 2019. The Jackets have also won 35 of their last 40 matches on The Flats in O’Keefe Gymnasium.

NCAA Tournament Round Two vs. WKU

December 4, 2021 (Danny Karnik)

How it Happened

WKU came out of the gates firing in the first set, initially jumping on top, 5-1. Tech incrementally climbed back until a five-point run vaulted the Jackets into the lead, 12-10. The White and Gold would stave off the Hilltoppers from there to avoid trailing throughout the remainder of the set. Despite WKU knotting things up at 21 all, Georgia Tech closed out the set taking the final four points as a block by Morrissette and Brambilla cemented the 25-21 first set win for the Yellow Jackets.

The second set was tight throughout the majority of its duration as Tech gradually built up a 15-11 lead. The Jackets would keep their distance the rest of the way, getting hot toward the end of the set once again. The White and Gold took six of the final seven points as a team block gave the Jackets a 25-18 second set victory and two-set advantage.

Georgia Tech took control early in the third set, claiming nine of 11 points to leap in front, 12-5. The Hilltoppers would creep back as close as within a point trailing just 22-21, but Tech would again avoid surrendering the lead. The Yellow Jackets earned their final three points as none other than Bergmann capped off the 25-23 set win, resulting in another match sweep.

Up Next

Georgia Tech is slated to take on No. 9 seed Ohio State in the Sweet 16 next. Match date, time and location are yet to be officially determined.

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The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.   

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