No. 15 Tech Powers Past Alabama State – Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

THE FLATS – Everything was going right for No. 15 Georgia Tech volleyball (7-1) on Friday night, sweeping Alabama State (25-10, 25-17, 25-15) in front of a sold-out crowd at O’Keefe Gymnasium. Three different Yellow Jackets made their collegiate debuts as Tech imposed its will all night.

QUICK HITS

• This was the 33^rd consecutive sold out match at O’Keefe Gymnasium, a streak dating back to the 2021 season.
• Tech hit .430 as a team, its highest hitting percentage since Nov. 18, 2022 (vs. Clemson – .475). It was the highest hitting percentage against a non-conference opponent since 2019 (Dec. 6, 2019 vs. Alabama A&M – .545).
• Senior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino led the team with 13 kills on an astounding .619 hitting, a new career best.
• Senior right side Laura Fischer set a new career high for kills, finishing with 10 on .571 hitting. Her first-career double-digit kill performance.
• Senior outside hitter Tamara Otene led the team with 12 digs (4.00/set). She has made 4+digs/set in three of Tech’s four sweeps this season.
• Tech’s starting middle blockers were unstoppable on offense. Senior DeAndra Pierce and junior Liv Mogridge combined for 12 kills (six each) off 15 swings. Both players set career highs in hitting % while also making three blocks.
• Pierce made her six kills on seven swings without committing an error (.857), a new career high.
• It was a career high for Mogridge as well, who made her six kills on .750 hitting.
• Mogridge led the team with three aces, two of which came in her first service run of the match.
• Senior setter Luanna Emiliano led the team with 36 assists (12/set) – a new season-best for assists/set.
• Three Yellow Jackets made their first career appearances tonight, with all three contributing points: senior setter Ashlyn Goolsby made six assists and recorded an ace, freshman Logan Wiley made two blocks and freshman Lara Martinez Casas recorded a pair of kills, including the match winning kill in the third set.

SET BY SET

Set 1 (GT 25 – ASU 10)

Tech took a quick lead in the match, leading 8-4 after a Tamara Otene kill, her first of the night. Four straight kills from Tech extended its lead, up 17-6 over Alabama State, forcing an Alabama State timeout. Out of the timeout, Tech used a 8-4 run to close the set 25-10. Tech used a balanced attack in set one, with Bianca Bertolino totaling five kills, while Liv Mogridge and Laura Fischer added for each. Mogridge led the team with three aces, the only three of the first set.

Set 2 (GT 25 –…