Nov. 13, 2009
ATLANTA – Junior Mary Ashley Tippins and freshman Monique Mead each had double-doubles but it was not enough as the Miami Volleyball Team (16-10, 9-7 ACC) came back to win the final three sets and shock Georgia Tech (18-8, 12-4), 3-2 (20-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20, 16-14) Friday night at O’Keefe Gym.
Tech won the first two sets by identical scores of 25-20 before the Hurricanes came charging back to win the next two. In the fifth set, the Yellow Jackets then had match point at 14-11 but Miami responded by taking the final five points.
Mead led all scorers with a career-high 21 kills and also added 11 digs. Tippins added 16 digs and dished out 56 assists. Sophomore Bailey Hunter added 17 kills, while seniors Chrissy DeMichelis and Brittany Roderick had 14 apiece. Junior Jordan McCullers led the Jackets with 24 digs. The Yellow Jackets hit .246, while Miami had a .240 percentage.
The Yellow Jackets led by as many as four points early on in the first set, but a quick 4-0 run by Miami tied the set at 14-14 as Tech called timeout to try and settle down. After the timeout, the Hurricanes scored the next three points to build up a 17-14 lead, their largest of the set. Then it was the Yellow Jackets turn as they came back with a 6-0 run to answer the Canes and go back up 21-18 as Miami called its final timeout. The Jackets took four of the final six points as they finished the set on a 10-2 run and went up 1-0 for the match. Hunter hit .667 for the set as she had a team-high six kills.
The Hurricanes led by two points early in the second set, but Tech came charging back once again. A 6-2 spurt by the Jackets gave them an 11-9 advantage and forced Miami to use a timeout. Tech got its lead up to five points and would not let Miami begin to chip away. The Canes got within three points a couple of times but when the Jackets took the lead up to 20-15, Miami had to use another timeout to try and mount a late rally. After Tech got to set point at 24-16, Miami scored four straight points to make things interesting but a Hunter kill preserved the win for the Jackets, 25-20. Mead led the Jackets with four kills as they hit just .182, but held Miami to .033.
Miami jumped out to a 13-8 lead in the third set only to see the Yellow Jackets reel off five straight points to tie it up. Miami then proceeded to go up two points on three different occasions only to see Tech come back and tie it. The third time saw Tech tie the score at 20 and force Miami into its final timeout of the set. The two teams traded the next couple of points, but Miami scored the final two to win the set 25-23.
Miami carried that momentum into the fourth set as it opened up a 10-5 lead and forced a Georgia Tech timeout. The Jackets tried for the rest of the match to chip away but were unable to do so. They did close within one point at 21-20, but the Hurricanes won the final four points to even the match at two sets apiece. Mead had seven of Tech’s 13 kills in the fourth set as it hit just .182.
Tech led 4-2 in the fifth set but Miami scored four in a row to take a 6-4 lead and force the Yellow Jackets to use a timeout. Tech came back and when it re-took the lead at 10-9 Miami used a timeout to try and slow down the Jackets who were feeding off the energized crowd. Miami tied the score at 11, but three straight points by Tech gave it match point at 14-11.
The Hurricanes came back with four in a row of their own and soon had match point themselves at 15-14 as Tech called timeout. After the timeout, Miami completed the comeback.
Georgia Tech will host No. 15 Florida State tomorrow at 4 p.m. It’s the annual Gold Out at O’Keefe Gym and all fans are encouraged to wear their gold. The match will be broadcast on WREK, 91.1 FM in Atlanta and online at www.RamblinWreck.com. Live stats will also be available via the Gametracker link.
Due to the men’s basketball game at 7 p.m., volleyball fans will not be able to park in either the Alexander Memorial Coliseum or O’Keefe parking lots. Fans are encouraged to park in either Peter’s Parking Deck, 6th Street or Techwood Drive.
