Georgia Tech’s volleyball team lost its top-10 matchup on Sunday, but made history nonetheless.
Playing in McCamish Pavilion for the first time in team history, the No. 10 Yellow Jackets drew 3,418 to their game against No. 9 Pittsburgh to set a program record for largest home attendance. In a trial event scheduled in part to test the drawing power of coach Michelle Collier’s team, the crowd was nearly triple that of O’Keefe Gymnasium’s capacity of 1,200. The Jackets fell to the Panthers in four tightly contested sets, 25-20, 27-25, 22-25, 25-16.
“Such an unforgettable moment for our program,” Collier said in a statement given to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We are so grateful for everyone that showed up to the match today. Thank you for your support and energy. Also wanted to thank our administration and athletics staff who helped create this unique opportunity for our players. Our team will continue to work hard on the court and in the classroom as we strive to be one of the best volleyball programs in the country. We are so proud to be part of the Yellow Jacket Family. Thank you for showing out for us today!”
Besides Tech’s status on the court, having qualified for back-to-back NCAA Tournaments and reached the Elite 8 last season, the Jackets have become among the most supported teams in the ACC. After eight sellouts in eight home dates at O’Keefe, Tech’s crowd at McCamish appears to be the largest home attendance this season for an ACC school, exceeding the 2,433 that Pitt drew for a game with Ohio State.
“I thought Michelle and her staff did a great job of getting the match played in McCamish and creating such an excellent environment for college volleyball,” Panthers coach Dan Fisher said in a quote on the Pitt athletics website. “It was a great day for the ACC and volleyball as a whole.”
With the team consistently selling out O’Keefe – Tech sold out 11 of 15 home dates last year – Collier has considered moving more high-profile matches to the 8,600-seat arena. Sunday’s turnout does not figure to dissuade her or Tech’s administration from that plan. Tech can also host third- and fourth-round NCAA Tournament matches in McCamish, as O’Keefe does not meet the NCAA’s capacity requirements for those rounds.
In Sunday’s match, outside hitter Julia Bergmann led with 25 kills in a superior performance against one of the stronger defensive teams in Division I. Setter Bella D’Amico compiled 38 assists with 10 digs and middle blocker Erin Moss added seven kills and five blocks. Middle blocker Breland Morrissette had eight kills.
Tech (11-4 overall, 4-2 ACC) dropped into a tie for third in the conference behind Pitt (16-2, 6-0) and Louisville, also 6-0 in the league. Tech, whose two league losses are to the Cardinals and Panthers, will play both teams again in November.
Credit: Georgia Tech
Credit: Georgia Tech
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