Aug. 28, 2009
Video Interview With Freshman Monique Mead
Watch The Final Few Minutes Of Set 5!
Video Interview With Head Coach Tonya Johnson
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech Volleyball team (1-0) defeated Georgia (0-1), 3-2, in a five-set thriller to open up the 2009 season in front of a sell-out crowd of 2,000 fans Friday night at O’Keefe Gym. Freshman Monique Mead led the Jackets with a double-double of 20 kills and 10 digs as Tech Head Coach Tonya Johnson won her first career game.
The Jackets have now won four straight matches over Georgia and 11 of the last 12. Tonight was the third sell-out in Tech history as matches against Georgia in both 2006 and 2007 also saw O’Keefe filled to capacity.
Mead had her 20 kills while hitting .351. In addition to her 10 digs, she also added seven assists. Sophomore Bailey Hunter added 13 kills and six digs, while senior Chrissy DeMichelis added 13 kills and three solo blocks. Sophomore Asia Stawicka hit .692 on the night as she chipped in with nine kills and four total blocks. Junior Jordan McCullers had 12 digs.
Tech hit .316 as a team and held the Bulldogs to a .237 clip.
Tech began to pull away mid-way through set one and used a 7-1 run to finish off Georgia, 25-15. Mead led the Jackets with six kills and four digs as they hit .538 as a team.
In the second set UGA jumped out to en early lead, but Georgia Tech came back and won 25-19. Mead led the Jackets with four more kills, while sophomore Bailey Hunter had a team-high three digs.
In the third set it looked like Tech was going to pull away, but Georgia clawed back from six points down to tie the match at 19. Following a timeout, the Yellow Jackets came back to score the next three points but Georgia responded right to tie the match at 22. Tech later had match point, but Georgia stayed alive by winning the next three points and bring on a fourth set. Senior Chrissy DeMichelis led Tech with four kills in set number three, while junior Jordan McCullers had five of the team’s nine digs.
The Bulldogs jumped out quickly again in the fourth set and forced Tech to use an early timeout down 4-0. The Jackets fought back to tie the set up and after taking a three point lead at 12-9, UGA used a timeout. It worked as the Dogs reeled off the next four points to re-take the lead at 13-12. After the teams traded the next several points, Georgia scored five of the final eight points to win and force a fifth and deciding set.
In the fifth set, Georgia led 8-5 but the Yellow Jackets would not be denied. They came back to tie the match at nine and eventually had match point (14-13) before the Dogs tied it for one final time. Tech scored the final two points to secure the win.
The Georgia Tech Regency Suites Invitational continues tomorrow as the Yellow Jackets will play games against Austin Peay (12:30 p.m.) and Mercer (7 p.m.). At 10:30 a.m., Georgia and Mercer square off, while the Bulldogs then face Austin Peay at 4:30 p.m. Both Tech matches will be broadcast on WREK, 91.1 FM, and online at www.ramblinwreck.com. Live stats for all four matches are available at www.ramblinwreck.com as well through Gametracker.
