Up 2-1, UCLA barely gets by in the 5th
Jack here, this is not me doing the recap, but instead is our newest staff writer, my dear friend and partner in crime during our Technique days, Will Fuss. We’re still waiting on their account to get activated so in the meanwhile, he’s basically ghostwriting.
Fuss is a Tech BSIE graduate in the class of 2023 who worked as the Sports Staff Writer (Fall ‘20), Sports Editor (Spring ‘21-Fall’22), and Paper Boy (Spring ‘23) for the Technique while in school. They have covered every Tech varsity sport and have been a Tech fan for 23 years and grew up in the Atlanta area.
No. 14 Jackets drop five-set thriller to UCLA in volleyball season opener
Tech volleyball kicked off the 2024 volleyball season with the GT Invitational, opening the weekend with a matchup against UCLA. After jumping out to a 2-1 set lead, the Jackets dropped the final two sets to fall to the visitors (20-25, 25-11, 25-10, 19-25, 14-16). The Invitational features the Big 10 newcomer Bruins, followed by a pair of matchups with New Mexico State and Coastal Carolina.
O’Keefe Gymnasium was filled to the brim for the return of Tech volleyball, who came into the season ranked No. 14, their 71st straight AVCA poll boasting a spot in the top 25. UCLA just missed on the NCAA tournament last season and received votes in the opening AVCA poll, providing the Jackets a solid test to start the year. The Bruins were one of the best road teams in the country last season, going 15-5 away from home with three ranked wins.
Tech rebounded from a mistake-filled first set to dominate the next two sets. After recording seven attacking errors in the first set, the Jackets only recorded six in sets two and three combined. Tech tallied double digit kills in all five sets, but ultimately committed too many late errors and did not register a single ace after nine in the first three sets.
Set 1 (1-0 UCLA)
Tech took the first point of the year on a Bruin serve into the net, which kicked off a back and forth start. A challenge by head coach Michelle Collier reversed a 7-5 Bruin lead into a 6-6 first set, but UCLA rattled off six straight points after the overturned call. Tech would battle back within three at 19-16, but UCLA took the first set 25-20, aided by seven Tech attacking errors and a .494 hitting percentage for the visitors.
Cheridyn Leverette dominated the opening frame for UCLA, recording seven kills on ten attacks without a single error. Bianca Bertolino was the only Jacket with more than two kills with four, and she added five digs in a strong start. Three Jacket service errors spotted the visitors ten points, which gifted them the first set when coupled with a .147 hitting percentage by Tech.
Set 2 (1-1)
The Jackets came out hot in set two, racing to a 6-1 lead. Tech would eventually open up a 12-5 lead, forcing a Bruin timeout. UCLA would just break into double digits, but the Jackets would roll and take the second set 25-11.
Bertolino had another strong set, with two aces, five digs, and three blocks. Tamara Otene paced Tech with four kills and an ace, and 11 total UCLA errors led to a tied match after two sets. UCLA registered a negative .129 hitting percentage in set two.
Set 3 (2-1 Tech)
Tech opened the third frame with the same pace, picking up the first three points and opening up a 10-2 lead and forcing another UCLA timeout. The Jackets once again rolled, and sealed a 25-10 set three win where the hosts hit .500 and tallied 5 aces.
Tamara Otene had her best frame of the night with five kills and an ace, and Bertolino and Larissa Mendes each had three kills with no errors, while Bertolino chipped in with seven digs. Kiki Horne was one of two Bruins with a positive hitting percentage, and the only one with more than one kill.
Set 4 (2-2)
The Bruins recovered early in the fourth set, jumping out to a 4-1 lead, their first since set one, and led 8-3 into a Tech timeout. A 4-0 Jacket run closed the gap, but UCLA responded with six straight to open up a healthy lead. Tech fought within three at points, but the Bruins held on for a 25-19 set win and forced a fifth frame.
Six UCLA players had at least two kills, and Anastasija Ivkovic’s three kills and two aces loomed large as the visitors tied the match. Bertolino tallied 4 kills, but Otene’s four attacking errors contributed to a .111 hitting percentage for Tech.
Set 5 (3-2 UCLA)
UCLA jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the final frame before Tech rallied to tie it at three. Both teams traded runs before UCLA pulled ahead 11-8 and spurred the Jackets into using their final timeout. A long review of a potential net violation eventually led to a no point decision before a flurry of back and forth sent the teams into a Bruin timeout with the visitors leading 13-12. The Jackets pulled the set even at 14, but UCLA put away the final two points to continue their streak as a gritty road team.
Grayce Olson and Anna Dodson combined for six of UCLA’s nine kills in the final frame, and the Bruins only recorded two total errors in the entire set. Tech hit .360, with Bertolino, Otene, Mendes, and DeAndra Pierce combining for 12 kills with only one attacking error, but an opportune 2-0 run by the visitors with the match tied at 14 sealed the upset.
Total stats
Stat Leaders
Bertolino and Otene led the Jackets statistically, each recording double doubles. Bertolino tallied 15 kills and 20 digs with only three errors, while Otene had 16 kills and 10 digs, though she recorded nine total attacking errors for a .163 hitting percentage. Mendes also added 12 kills with only three attacking errors. Soares and Luanna Emiliano combined for 50 assists and both Emiliano and Sofia Velez recorded double digit digs.
The visitors were led by Kiki Horne and Cheridyn Leverette with 10-plus kills each. Anna Dodson had seven kills and led the team with five digs. Audrey Pak recorded 31 assists and 20 digs, and UCLA hit .400 as a team in sets one and five around weathering Tech’s dominant sets two and three.
Takeaways
Rotation: Tech switched from a 5-1 rotation to a 6-2 following the first set, with the adjustment by Collier helping spark the turnaround after set one. UCLA ran unorthodox rotations in later sets, partially due to Leverette barely playing after the third set, which Tech struggled to find an answer for.
Depth: UCLA played a deep lineup, with a dozen players making appearances in just the first two sets and 14 players seeing the floor overall. Tech stayed with a short bench, with Laura Fischer and Heloise Soares the only players to rotate in with the starting core until Anna Boezi and Lauren Sanden rotated in late. UCLA’s depth showed in the final two sets, where fresh legs and a longer bench led them to the comeback win.
Next Up
The Jackets get a day off before hosting New Mexico State at 4pm on Sunday, September 1. The Aggies are coming off of a season opening win against Coastal Carolina, who Tech will face on Labor Day at 4pm to wrap up the GT Invitational. UCLA faces Coastal Carolina on Sunday morning.