TAMPA, Fla. — No. 20 Georgia Tech volleyball corralled South Florida, running away with a 3-0 sweep (25-23, 25-12, 25-13) to open the season on Friday night in Amalie Arena. The Yellow Jackets erupted in the final set, claiming 14 consecutive points and 18 in the final 19 chances as they outmatched the Bulls in every facet.
The White and Gold were dominant on the court and on paper, owning advantages in each major category, including kills (44-27), hitting percentage (.380 -.081), assists (43-27), digs (42-37) and blocks (8-1).
Junior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino fronted the attack for the Jackets with 15 kills at a .448 clip and pitched in defensively with three digs and a pair of blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Liv Mogridge anchored Tech on the defensive side with a career-high seven total blocks (three solo, four assisted) and four digs on top of her eight kills on a .467 hitting percentage offensively. Senior setter Bella D’Amico primarily ran the point with 28 assists, and junior middle blocker DeAndra Pierce swung at a .500 mark with four kills and a pair of digs. Other notable performances for the Yellow Jackets included freshman outside hitter Larissa Mendes with 11 kills and six digs in her first collegiate match as well as senior libero Paola Pimentel leading the squad with 11 digs.
Georgia Tech vs. South Florida
August 25, 2023 (Tyler Rover)
How it Happened
South Florida fed off the home crowd’s energy early, pushing up to a 14-9 lead in set one. The Bulls would press on, holding their own until a four-point run for Tech evened the tally at 21 apiece. USF would take back the lead with the next point, but the White and Gold took rallied with four of the next five points to secure a 25-23 victory in the first set.
The Yellow Jackets controlled set two from wire-to-wire, opening with a three-point burst and soon after taking 13 points in a stretch of 15 chances to catapult ahead, 21-8. Tech bookended the set with three-point runs to pull away with a 25-13 triumph in the second set.
South Florida responded early in set three by stringing together seven consecutive points, but the White and Gold exploded soon after to seal a commanding victory. The Yellow Jackets rattled off 14 straight points and won 18 of the final 19 points to put a pin in the 25-12 win in set three and clinch the sweep.
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