Sept. 18, 2010
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CLEMSON, S.C. – Sophomore Monique Mead had 18 kills, nine digs, four blocks and three assists to lead the Georgia Tech Volleyball team (7-5) past Georgia State (6-7), 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-21) Saturday afternoon in the final match of the Clemson Classic. The Yellow Jackets hit .396 for the match and had eight blocks.
Mead hit .516 for the match and was named to the All-Tournament team along with freshman Jennifer Percy. Percy added 11 kills today on .500 hitting. Junior Bailey Hunter also had 10 kills for Tech on .421 hitting while adding six digs. Senior Mary Ashley Tippins controlled the offense handing out 39 assists while classmate Jordan McCullers had a match-high 13 digs.
“I loved our competitive spirit today,” said head coach Tonya Johnson. “We did a great job of stringing together two matches and doing what we needed to do. We will continue to work hard this week and get ready for two tough ACC matches in Duke and Wake Forest next weekend.”
Georgia State led for the first half of the opening set but a 7-1 run by Georgia Tech gave the Jackets the lead for good. It was 13-10 GSU when Tech’s spurt gave it a 17-14 lead. The Panthers could not get any closer than two points the rest of the way and Tech went on to win, 25-19. The Jackets hit .485 in the set and were led by four kills apiece from Mead and Hunter.
Georgia Tech used a 13-4 run to take control of the second set and win going away, 25-16. After Georgia State scored four consecutive points to tie the set at eight apiece, the Jackets scored 13 of the next 17 points to go up 21-12 and soon took a 2-0 lead in the match. Georgia Tech hit .429 in the second set and was led by Mead who had nine kills. She hit .643 in the set and did not commit an error in 14 swings. The Jackets also had five blocks in the set.
Tech trailed the third set early but scored five quick points to go up 7-3 and never trailed again. Georgia State hung in as it cut Tech’s lead to two or three points several times, but could not get any closer as Tech went on to win 25-20 and sweep its second match of the day.
After nearly a month away from home, Georgia Tech will finally return to O’Keefe Gym next weekend as ACC play picks up inn earnest. The Yellow Jackets host Duke on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. and then Wake Forest on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m.
