Yellow Jacket Roundup: Clean, Old Fashioned Upsets

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - Tech faithful slunk back to Atlanta, feeling different. In the face of existential trauma, the Jackets had a rough weekend. But, keep reading, because something good happened, believe it or not. What a swell time to be alive!

No. 6 Men’s Golf

The highly acclaimed Yellow Jackets returned to the fairway this weekend in Rocky Face for the Carpet Capital Collegiate. They shot one under par at 287 on the final day of competition to tie the Tennessee Volunteers at the end of regulation play. Though the boys of Knoxville ultimately prevailed after one playoff hole, the Jackets played pretty well for the first outing of the season and matched their opposition on the final day of play. Andy Ogletree, James Clark, Luke Schniederjans, Noah Norton, and Tyler Strafaci all appeared on the card, with Schniederjans placing the highest individually. Additionally, redshirt freshman Ben Smith made his college debut for Tech.

This Week for the Swing-y Bois: they are at rest in the upcoming week.

Volleyball

Friday, September 7th: Georgia Tech (9 - 0) sweeps Northern Illinois (1 - 7), 25-22, 31-29, 25-19 (3 - 0).

Friday, September 7th: Alabama (8 - 0) washed out Georgia Tech (9 - 1), 25-17, 25-13, 25-23 (3 - 0).

Saturday, September 8th: Marshall (5 - 6) knocks off Georgia Tech (9 - 2), (3 - 1).

Tech took a while to shake off the one-win Huskies, even though they did end up winning in three straight sets. Notably absent was freshman Mikaila Dowd, though sophomore Dominique Washington did see notable playing time. Tech took a lot of bonus volleyball to take the second set and the Huskies did not appear to be particularly fearsome opponents, but a win is a win, and, in the first game, at least, Tech took care of business in the end.

That phrase is less applicable to the next two games. Though Alabama was probably the most formidable opponent the Jackets have yet faced in the regular season, they were able to pretty thoroughly dispatch Tech in the first two sets. The Jackets gave it all they had, taking the Crimson Tide down to the wire in the third, but fell and were swept in their first loss of the season. Truly, a sweep or be swept moment. If there was any good news to come out of the second game, it had to have been the return of sophomore Sam Knapp from an extended stay out of play. She played sparingly across two sets, but that additional veteran experience on this greener-than-green team is surely a welcome addition.

In the final game of the weekend, despite freshman Mariana Brambilla’s third double-double of the weekend, the Jackets were unable to secure more than one set in the loss to Marshall. The absence of her peer Dowd was noticeable all weekend, though Brambilla herself was still pegged for the all-tournament team. Fellow freshman Matti McKissock joined her in double-double territory, undoubtably netting some confidence and solid experience for the promising prospect. In the end, Tech was within a hair’s breadth of two of their three lost sets turning in their favor, though a close loss to an okay Marshall team isn’t the best taste to linger with a return home for the annual tilt against the school in Athens looming on Friday.

This Week on the Flats: the single best sporting event on the Flats returns Friday at 7:00pm when Clean, Old Fashioned Hate hits the court at O’Keefe for the Georgia Tech Classic. Tech plays Arkansas on Saturday at 4:00pm as well.

Cross Country

Both the Tech men and women ran roughshod over their Athenian foes this weekend at their season-opening Bulldog Invitational. Facing a slate of three other teams from around the state and a bevy of unattached runners, both teams pulled off victories on the road, with the women upsetting the no. 19 team from the school out east. For the women, senior Mary Prouty and sophomore Nicole Fegans pushed ahead, finishing second and fourth overall, while the men were led by perennial track stud senior Avery Bartlett, who captured the individual title, and junior Andrew Kent.

This Week for the Runners of this State: the Jackets are idle.

This Week on the Flats:

BOLD for home, REGULAR for away, ITALIC for time and location

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: OFF

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: OFF

Friday:
Volleyball vs. the “School” in Athens (Georgia Tech Classic)
7:00 PM, O’Keefe Gymnasium, ACC Network Extra and WREK 91.1

Women’s Tennis @ Duke Invitational
All day, Durham, NC

Women’s Tennis @ ITA Hall of Fame Classic
All day, Williamsburg, VA

Saturday:
Football @ Pittsburgh
12:30 PM, Pittsburgh, PA, RSNs and Georgia Tech Football Radio Network

Volleyball vs. Arkansas (Georgia Tech Classic)
4:00 PM, O’Keefe Gymnasium, ACC Network Extra and WREK 91.1

Women’s Tennis @ Duke Invitational
All day, Durham, NC

Women’s Tennis @ ITA Hall of Fame Classic
All day, Williamsburg, VA

Sunday:
Softball vs. Southern Union
1:00 PM, Mewborn Field

Women’s Tennis @ Duke Invitational
All day, Durham, NC

Women’s Tennis @ ITA Hall of Fame Classic
All day, Williamsburg, VA