Tech volleyball fought hard but ultimately fell to u[sic]ga in a tense five-set match last Friday at McCamish Pavilion. Despite the loss, the Jackets delivered one of their strongest performances of the season and set a new Institute attendance record with 5,478 fans packing the stadium. This game’s attendance surpassed the previous record of 5,303 set in 2023 against the Bulldogs.
Set one was a close battle, but the Jackets slightly pulled ahead with a four-point run to win 25-23. Graduate middle blocker DeAndra Pierce and freshman outside hitter Lameen Mambu each had four kills, with Pierce maintaining a perfect attack percentage in the opening set. Sophomore middle blocker Bianca Garibaldi contributed a .667 attack percentage on her two kills, and junior setter Heloise Soares led the team with seven assists and four digs.
In the second set u[sic]ga responded, eventually winning 25-20 despite Tech narrowing the gap to two points late in the set. Junior right side Larissa Mendes led Tech with four kills while Soares recorded eight assists and four digs. Set three was the highlight of the match with seven lead changes and 19 ties. Mambu’s six kills, combined with freshman outside hitter Anike Groom and Mendes’ four each, helped Tech secure a thrilling 29-27 set victory.
Once again, u[sic]ga came back strong in set four, winning 25-19 after an early five-point run gave them control. Tech still managed 13 kills in the set, with all five contributing players recording at least two kills each.The final set saw the Jackets tie the match four times but fall short as the Bulldogs pulled away with a 15-10 win.
Despite the loss, Tech’s performance offered plenty of positives to build on as the season continues. The Jackets set season highs this game with 64 kills, 178 attack attempts and 63 assists, while also tying their season high with 71 digs. For the first time this season, three players reached double-digit kills in a single match. Mambu led the charge with a career-high 17 kills, followed by Groom with a career-high 15 and Mendes with 12. Mambu now holds three of the Jackets’ top five kill performances this season.
Soares also had a standout night, recording a season-high 43 assists and a career-high 18 digs to earn her third double-double of the season. Senior libero Sofia Velez continued her consistent defensive play with 10 digs, marking her eighth double-digit dig game of the season and the 113th in her career. Pierce tied her career high with three digs, and freshman libero Danielle Tansey set a new personal best with three digs as well.
With strong individual performances and record-breaking support from the fans, volleyball remains one of the most popular teams at the Institute. The Jackets will look to bounce back on Friday, Sept. 26, when they take on Miami and on Sunday, Sept. 28 against Florida State in O’Keefe Gym.
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