Jackets Topple Florida, Advance to Regional Semifinals – Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

GAINESVILLE, FLA. – No. 5 seed Georgia Tech volleyball (24-6, 13-4 ACC) took down No. 4 seed Florida (19-10, 10-8 SEC) to advance to the NCAA Regional Semifinals for the fourth time in program history. The Jackets (team stat or individual stat) to defeat the Gators, on their home court (22-25, 30-28, 25-21, 18-25, 16-14) inside Exactech Arena.

“Super excited for our players, for our staff,” head coach Michelle Collier said. “Obviously, this is something that you pencil in at the beginning of the season and you hope that you get to, and these guys worked their butts off. Played a great team, a really tough environment, and were able to stay resilient and just keep playing and come up with the win. Super proud of them. Excited I get to keep them in the gym for a little longer and we’ll see what’s next.”

QUICK HITS

• Georgia Tech has advanced to the Regional rounds for the fourth time in program history – also 2021, 2004 and 2003.
• The Jackets improve to 16-12 all-time in NCAA Tournament matches and 7-3 in the Michelle Collier era.
• With this win, Michelle Collier now owns the most NCAA Tournament wins by any coach in Georgia Tech volleyball history, surpassing Bond Shymansky’s total of six wins from 2002-08.
• This was the first true-road win in an NCAA Tournament match in program history, snapping a streak of three-straight road losses, including at Louisville (2021) and at Marquette (2022).
• The Jackets have now won 11 road matches this season, the most in the Michelle Collier era and the most in a single season since 2004.
• This was the first 5-set NCAA Tournament win in program history.
• Tech won the match after dropping the opening set, improving to 5-3 this season after falling behind, 0-1.
• 72 kills are the most Georgia Tech has every made in an NCAA Tournament match in the modern scoring era.
• Senior outside hitter Tamara Otene recorded 21 kills, becoming the third Jacket in the modern scoring era to achieve 20 kills in an NCAA Tournament match (also Marianna Brambilla and Julia Bergmann).
• Junior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino recorded a double-double with 18 kills and 17 digs while hitting .341. It was the 25^th double-double of her career.
• Senior opposite Afedo Manyang recorded season bests in kills (10) and blocks (4) tonight, hitting .438 in the win. She has hit .400 or better in four straight matches.
• Senior Paola Pimentel made 16 digs, a new NCAA Tournament career-best, along with a career high 10 assists – her first career…