Georgia finishes its non-conference schedule with a 9-2 record, its best since the 2018 season when the Bulldogs finished with the same record to start the season. Southeastern Conference play begins Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Mississippi State.
High Kacie Evans He also tallied a double-digit kill mark in the match, recording 11 kills. second Night Hit .538 on 13 swings and put up eight kills in just two sets.
defense, Alexa Fortin They tied for the team lead with Evans in amassing eight digs each. On the net, Jr Sophie Fisher Place six blocks. As a team, Georgia outshot the Yellow Jackets 8.5-5.5.
The Bulldogs used a 6-2 run early to pull ahead of Georgia Tech (7-2) 11-8. Tech reeled off three-straight layups to take a 13-12 lead and Georgia stayed in front for a pair as the clock ran down 18-16. The Yellow Jackets built a four-straight lead, 22-17, and won the opener 25-19.
At the beginning of the second set, four straight points from the Yellow Jackets added a strong frame for the visitors from Atlanta, taking the set 25-17. Maesch entered the rotation in set two, providing a spark for the offense, putting down five kills off the bench.
Georgia rallied to open the third set strong, going point-for-point with Tech. The match started with seven matches, with both teams meeting in 11. Three points from the Yellow Jackets opened up a small lead, but a big one was enough to keep the Bulldogs at arm’s length. Maesch made it a one-point game at 18-17, but three more from GT put the Yellow Jackets in front 21-17. Georgia managed to cut it to two at 22-20, but Tech held on to take the lead 25-21 and end the match at three. The Bulldogs’ blocking shined in the set with 5.5 team blocks.
The Bulldogs open Southeastern Conference play at Mississippi State on Wednesday, Sept. 21. First tip-off from Starkville is set for 8 p.m. ET. Live on the SEC Network.
Head coach Tom Black
At the crowd at Stegemann Coliseum…
“We’re really excited about the fans that are here. We appreciate the show, it means a lot to us. We hope they keep coming out. It’s a big part of where we want to go as a program.”
What will the team be working on moving forward?
“There’s a lot to work on other than just our layup and our hitting. I think that’s the biggest difference in the game. We’ll work on that.”
On his thoughts about going 9-2 into conference play this week…
“I think it was not a very strong conference. We wanted to finish high, but we’ll be better in the next game. I’m excited to see what we can do for this team and going into the conference.”
second Night
How the fans at the game helped the atmosphere…
“We really appreciate the fans coming to our games. We love how many of them come. It’s not like we have a packed house every day, and it affects the game, it affects the intensity. We play. We’re very happy that the fans can come because they’ve sparked us and got us through this game.
The University of Georgia ranked 16th In U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 ranking of the nation’s best public universities, it marks the seventh consecutive year that UGA has been ranked 20th. Georgia is one of the top 20 SEC institutions.
“This exciting news is another clear sign that the University of Georgia is solidifying its position among the best public research universities in America,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Our consistent national ranking is a testament to the commitment of our talented faculty, staff and students, the generosity and support of our loyal alumni and friends, and the effectiveness of our vision and strategy to achieve academic excellence.”
