Virginia Volleyball Falls To Georgia Tech 3-1
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Nov. 26, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia volleyball team dropped its final Atlantic Coast Conference match of the season 3-1 (30-24, 25-30, 30-27, 30-28) to Georgia Tech Saturday evening (November 26) at Memorial Gym. With the loss, the Cavaliers finish the season with a 20-11 overall record and a 15-7 mark in the ACC. With the victory, Georgia Tech extended its winning streak to 11 consecutive matches over UVa and concludes its season with a 16-15 overall record and a 12-10 mark in the ACC.
The Cavaliers had five players reach double figures in kills in the match. Second-year outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) led UVa with 16 kills and tallied 12 digs for her 13th double-double of the season. Kirkwood also had three blocks and two service aces to raise her season total to 69, which stands third on the Cavaliers’ single season aces list. Second-year middle Katie Oakes (Lorton, Va./Evangel Christian School) and first-year middle Shannon Davis (Austin, Texas/Westlake) both tallied 15 kills with Oakes hitting a team-high .480. Oakes also had four blocks, while Davis added three. Second-year outside hitter Beth Shelton (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursula Academy) totaled 11 kills, eight digs and a match-high three service aces. Third-year outside hitter Lindsay Osco (Houston, Texas/Elkins) rounded out the Cavaliers in double figures in kills with 10 and also had nine digs.
Third-year setter Emily Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) dished out a match-high 61 assists and also contributed eight digs, three blocks and three kills. Second-year libero Melissa Caldwell (Houston, Texas/Stratford) joined Sarah Kirkwood in double digits in digs with 10.
Callie Miller and Talisa Kellogg led Georgia Tech to the victory with 17 kills apiece. Miller also hit .538 and registered six blocks. Kellogg hit .316 in the match and had a match-best seven blocks. Lindsay Gray and Ulrike Stegemann added 14 and 13 kills, respectively. Stegemann hit .435, while Gray had 12 digs for a double-double. Setter Lindsey Laband handed out 52 assists, while Jennifer Randall tallied 11 digs.
The Yellow Jackets hit .381 with 19 kills in winning the first game 30-24. UVa tied the match at 1-1 with a 30-25 victory in the second game. The Cavaliers hit .406 in the second game with Oakes and Sarah Kirkwood both posting four kills. In game three, Virginia led 15-10, but the Jackets went on a 10-2 run to take the lead for good, 20-18. Georgia Tech hit .455 in the third game while registering a 30-27 win. The fourth game was close throughout. Sarah Kirkwood tied the game at 28-28 with a kill, but Georgia Tech closed out the game and match with back-to-back kills from Gray and Kellogg to seal the victory.
The Cavaliers had 70 kills in the match compared to Georgia Tech’s 65, but the Yellow Jackets hit an impressive .321, while UVa hit only .248. Virginia held a 51-47 edge in digs, while Georgia Tech won the blocking battle 11.5-8.0 The Cavaliers registered eight service aces to Georgia Tech’s six.