Sept. 19, 2002
Led by the National Player of the Week Lynnette Moster (Liberty, Ind.), the Georgia Tech (11-2) volleyball team hosts the Georgia Tech Invitational this weekend in O’Keefe Gymnasium. The Yellow Jackets will open the tournament against Alabama Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tech will face Florida International Saturday at 12 p.m., followed by a 7:30 p.m. contest with Cornell.
“This is another good home tournament for us and it is a great opportunity for us to make sure that we have our team operating and functioning in the best way possible as this is the last weekend before we start conference play,” said head coach Bond Shymansky, who has led the Yellow Jackets to three victories over nationally ranked teams. “Alabama, Florida International, and Cornell are all solid teams and we’re working hard to prepare to make sure we are playing our best.”
Tech opens the tournament against Alabama (7-4). The two teams have faced each other three times, with the Yellow Jackets winning each of those contests, including a 3-1 victory in 1999. The match will be aired live on WREK radio (91.1 FM), and will also be televised regionally on a tape delay basis on Fox Sports Net South on Sept. 28th at 1 p.m. In addition, live stats will be available on www.ramblinwreck.com and audio internet streaming at www.wrek.org.
Tech returns to action to face Florida International (4-7), an NCAA Tournament participant in 2001. The two teams will be meeting for the first time.
The Jackets’ final match of the tournament will be against Cornell (3-1) Saturday night in the first meeting between the two teams.
In Friday’s other action, Alabama face Cornell at 1 p.m., and Cornell meets Florida International at 5 p.m. Florida International and Alabama will square off Saturday at 3 p.m.
Moster, this week’s AVCA National Player of the Week, leads Tech in virtually every statistical category. Through 13 matches, she is averaging 5.49 kills per game, 3.36 digs per game and .38 service aces per game. Alexandra Preiss (Berlin, Germany), a three-time all-tournament honoree this season, leads the team in hitting percentage (.370) and blocks per game (1.34). In addition, Kele Eveland (Grand Rapids, Mich.), who ranks sixth in the nation in assists per game (13.91) runs an offense which is nationally ranked 11th in kills per game (16.98) and 27th in hitting percentage (.281).
“I think we are in a good mental and emotional position right now,” said Shymansky. “Our focus has been on how to make our team better technically and systematically, but our team is fired up and ready to play in front of our home fans a be a part of a big athletic weekend at Georgia Tech.”
Georgia Tech Invitational Friday, September 20 Alabama vs. Cornell 1 p.m. Cornell vs. Florida International 5 p.m. Alabama at Georgia Tech 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 21 Florida International vs. Georgia Tech 12 p.m. Florida International vs. Alabama 3 p.m. Cornell at Georgia Tech 7:30 p.m.