Clemson Volleyball Falls In Five To Georgia Tech

Nov. 14, 2006

ATLANTA, GA – The Clemson volleyball team came out on the losing end of a five-game thriller on Tuesday night against Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA. The Tigers claimed the first and third games (30-28, 30-24), but the Yellow Jackets responded to each and won the decisive fifth to gain the victory.

The loss dropped Clemson to 17-9 overall and 12-6 in the ACC, while Georgia Tech won their seventh straight to improve their overall record to 18-10 with a 10-8 ledger in conference action.

Four Tigers posted double-figure kill totals, led by Danielle Hepburn’s career-tying 18. Jeannette Abbott contributed 16 while Meghan Steiner and Leslie Mansfield each recorded 15. Hepburn, who was ranked fourth in the nation through Nov. 12 matches, also tallied nine total blocks in the contest.

Lindsey Gray recorded a team-best 18 kills for the Yellow Jackets while also totaling 27 digs on the night. Ulrike Stegemann and Chrissy DeMichelis each recorded 17 kills as well.

The Tigers erased a five-point Yellow Jacket lead midway through the first game and claimed a 30-28 victory. Georgia Tech went ahead 12-9 early in the frame and extended the lead to 19-14 on a kill by Ulrike Stegemann before Clemson mounted its comeback. The Tigers rallied for five straight points, including two kills by Leslie Mansfield, to tie the score at 19 apiece. The teams traded points 20 and 21, but Clemson then posted two points to Tech’s one until the 28-25 mark. The Tigers then held off the Yellow Jackets and clinched the game on a Mansfield kill.

The second frame then saw 18 tie scores and seven lead changes before Georgia Tech put together a four-point run to claim the game by 30-26 margin. The Yellow Jackets led by two at 14-12, but the Tigers responded with a four-point run that gave them a two-point advantage. However, Tech posted the next three points to regain the lead. The teams were then knotted at 22, 24, 25 and 26 prior to the Yellow Jackets late rally. Lindsey Gray tallied three of Georgia Tech’s final five points to give her 11 kills through the first two games.

Clemson then opened the third game on a six-point sequence that included four kills by Hepburn. After the Tigers widened the gap to 10 points on four occasions, Georgia Tech went on an 11-5 run that brought them within four points at 24-20. Clemson’s lead dwindled to just three at 26-23, but the Tigers regained control and outscored the Yellow Jackets, 4-1, to post the 30-24 game victory and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Game four was a thrilling affair that Georgia Tech won by a 31-29 margin. With a tight score throughout the first half of the frame, Clemson put together a four-point rally to go ahead 19-14. The lead was cut to just one shortly, however, as the Yellow Jackets rallied for their own four-point run. Georgia Tech went ahead 26-25 on a kill by Chrissy DeMichelis, but the Tigers posted the next two points to regain the lead. The Yellow Jackets then scored five of the last seven points to force the fifth game.

Georgia Tech came out strong in the fifth game and prohibited Clemson from posting points back-to-back, winning the game by a 15-6 margin. The Yellow Jackets lead 8-4 early on and went on a four-point run to close out the game and the match.

The Tigers return to Jervey Gym on Friday night after a three-week absence. They will face the Maryland Terrapins in a 7:00 pm match.