Hurricanes Pour Aces to Edge Georgia Tech, 3-2
ATLANTA – The University of Miami volleyball team had to break a 10-year-old record to overcome sturdy Georgia Tech 3-2 in the O’Keefe Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.
The Hurricanes (20-5, 14-5 ACC) recorded 16 service aces for the first time since Aug. 25, 2007 – against Jacksonville – as they came back from behind to defeat the Yellow Jackets (13-17, 8-11 ACC) in the second straight five-setter played out between the two teams. Georgia Tech took the lead twice, but the Canes provided an answer both times before closing the final set on a 8-1 run for the 18-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-16, 15-8 victory. Miami improved to 7-1 in five-set matches this season.
“We certainly didn’t serve to our standard,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said after the 18 service errors that accompanied the impressive feat. “In the three sets we won we were closer, but overall it was a little disappointing to serve the way we did. But you never apologize for winning.”
After getting to double figures in just two sets, senior outside hitter Olga Strantzali finished with 22 kills, which is how many Georgia Tech leaders Ashley Askin and Gabriela Stavnetchei combined for. Two more pin hitters joined Strantzali in the 10-plus-kills column – junior Kolby Bird (15) and redshirt freshman Elizaveta Lukianova (12).
Redshirt junior setter Haley Templeton grabbed her 12th double-double of the season with a match-high 52 assists and 10 digs. Senior libero Sylvia Hernandez led the way defensively with 14 digs for the Hurricanes. Miami combined for 50 digs and limited Georgia Tech to just one ace. Stavnetchei led three Yellow Jacket players in double figures with 16.
Hernandez (5), Templeton (4), Bird and Strantzali (three apiece) combined for 15 of the 16 aces. The last one came from serving substitute Hannah Sorensen.
Junior middle blocker Lucia Pampana contributed six blocks as Miami outblocked its opponent 10-9.5. Sophomore middle blocker Madison Dill and Strantzali followed Pampana with four blocks apiece.
Georgia Tech won the opening frame 25-18 after pulling away with a 7-1 run in the first half of the set. The Hurricanes struggled to gain momentum after committing six service errors.
Service was key for the Canes in set two, which they went on to win in a convincing fashion, 25-15. The teams were tied at 10 at one point, but five aces from that moment on helped Miami swing the momentum in its favor and score three times as many points as Georgia Tech for the remainder of the frame, thus tying the match at a set apiece. Both teams hit under .200 after two sets, but the Hurricanes had a 22-18 edge in kills and 10-1 advantage in aces.
Defense was key for the Yellow Jackets in the third set – they outdug the Hurricanes 12-4 on the way to a 25-21 triumph. Stavnetchei had five kills in that frame alone as Georgia Tech battled back from a five-point deficit and went on to win eight of the final 11 points in the set. Bird had five kills for Miami as well.
Miami forced a fifth set after hitting .412 in the fourth set, which was best by either team in any set. Strantzali had six kills on eight swings while Dill contributed four of her seven kills to help the Hurricanes top their lead at nine at 21-12, before finishing the frame in a seesaw fashion.
Despite the Canes taking a 6-2 lead in the final set, Georgia Tech pulled back at 7-7 thanks to several attacking miscues by Miami. Then, a well-timed timeout by the Hurricanes led to the impressive final run that was climaxed by Pampana’s third kill of the match.
“Georgia Tech is always tough at home, hat off to them,” Gandara said. “Now we look forward to Clemson on Friday.”
After spending the Thanksgiving holiday together, the Hurricanes will travel to Clemson to close out the regular season. First serve in South Carolina on Friday is at 2 p.m.
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