Even with daylight-saving time taking effect, it took the Georgia Tech volleyball team one game to wake up Sunday afternoon in Memorial Gymnasium where it defeated Virginia three games to two.
"Georgia Tech is a good team," Virginia coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton said. "It could have gone either way. We just didn't play our best game in games four and five."
The Cavaliers (15-10, 10-6 ACC) were tied for third place in the conference with the Yellow Jackets (17-9, 11-5 ACC) coming into the match. Georgia Tech's win gave the Yellow Jackets sole possession of third place while also earning a season split with Virginia. The Cavaliers won in Atlanta Sept. 28, a match that also went five games.
"It was a tough loss being tied with them, but it's not devastating because we already beat them once," senior middle Katie Oakes said. "We split with them now, so we'll move past this loss."
It was the sixth time in ACC play that Virginia has had a match go to five games. The Cavaliers are just 1-5 in those contests.
Virginia jumped on top of Georgia Tech in the first game, dominating throughout and taking the game with a score of 30-15.
The second game saw Georgia Tech rebound and take the lead early before Virginia cut it to 28-27 late. Two straight Georgia Tech points, however, sealed the victory.
After intermission, the teams battled in the third game, going back and forth throughout. With the game tied at 24, the Cavaliers scored six of the next eight points to win the game 30-26, taking a two games to one lead.
Georgia Tech took an early 9-6 lead in the fourth game and never relinquished it. The Jackets went on to win the game 30-22, forcing a fifth game.
Virginia never had a chance in the fifth game, as Georgia Tech jumped out to a 13-3 lead before taking the game and the match 15-6.
By the end of the match, the Georgia Tech team that was blown out in game one was nowhere to be found.
"They really started to pass a lot better," Shelton said. "In games three, four and five, they controlled the ball really well and we didn't, and we really couldn't run our offense like we wanted to."
Virginia was led by Oakes who registered 18 kills. Senior outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood and freshman right side Kendahl Voelker each contributed 16 kills. Freshman setter Kelly Irvin paced the offense with 32 assists while senior libero Melissa Caldwell led the defensive effort with 17 digs.
Georgia Tech stole a victory behind junior outside hitter Talisa Kellogg who had a match-high 22 kills. Senior right side Ulrike Stegemann added 14 kills, and junior setter Allie Niekamp had 62 assists.
The loss came just two days after Virginia swept No. 24 Clemson, playing one of its best matches of the year.
"We played together Friday night," Shelton said. "We played with a lot of energy and we played really focused. Tonight we didn't do that."
Virginia's next four games are on the road, and all are likely must-wins if the Cavaliers hope to make the NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers travel to N.C. State and North Carolinalater this week to kick-off the four-match roadtrip.
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