Atlanta, GA — Georgia Tech battled through five competitive sets Friday night, but NC State came away with a hard-fought victory over the Yellow Jackets in Atlantic Coast Conference volleyball action.
The Wolfpack (14-10, 5-8 ACC) outlasted Georgia Tech (14-10, 6-7 ACC) in a match that featured several momentum swings and a dramatic finish in the deciding set.
Alida Bennour led the Yellow Jackets with 19 kills, extending her streak of consecutive matches with at least 10 kills to 12. Freshman Magda Kobaidze delivered one of her strongest performances of the season, establishing a career high with 18 kills while adding 12 digs for her sixth career double-double.
Sophomore Laura Bieleski also reached double-double territory, finishing with 11 kills and 13 digs. Defensively, Zoe Humphrey contributed six blocks, marking her 11th match this season with at least five blocks.
Georgia Tech finished with 60 assists and 60 digs, both ranking among the team’s top three single-match totals this season. Mana Kaneko led the defensive effort with 17 digs, tying Bennour’s performance against Florida State for the third-highest individual dig total by a Yellow Jacket this season.
Match Breakdown
First Set: Georgia Tech 25, NC State 19
The Yellow Jackets established control early, taking advantage of NC State’s attacking mistakes while producing a .303 hitting percentage. Georgia Tech also recorded three blocks, with Heloise Soares contributing to all three.
After the teams exchanged points during the opening stretch, Tech created separation with a five-point run that pushed its advantage to 21-15. The Wolfpack attempted to close the gap, but the Jackets maintained their composure to take the first set.
Kobaidze led the offense with five kills, while Bennour added four. Soares contributed 10 assists and four digs.
Second Set: NC State 25, Georgia Tech 21
NC State responded in the second frame, building an early 10-6 advantage and forcing Georgia Tech to regroup with a timeout.
The Yellow Jackets continued to apply pressure and repeatedly trimmed the deficit to two points. However, the Wolfpack protected its lead and evened the match at one set apiece.
Kobaidze and Bieleski each recorded three kills, while Bennour and Humphrey added two apiece. Soares finished with seven assists, and Sasha Godey contributed three. Bennour and Humphrey combined for Tech’s only block of the set.
Third Set: NC State 26, Georgia Tech 24
The third set developed into a tightly contested exchange, with 12 ties and five lead changes. Both teams finished with 15 kills, and their overall statistical performances were nearly identical.
Georgia Tech posted a .235 hitting percentage, while NC State hit .242. The teams also recorded 14 assists apiece and three blocks each.
Kobaidze led all players in the frame with six kills and a .308 hitting percentage. Bennour added four kills, while Humphrey contributed to all three of Georgia Tech’s blocks.
The Yellow Jackets stayed within reach throughout the set, but NC State captured the final two points to take a 2-1 match advantage.
Fourth Set: Georgia Tech 25, NC State 16
Facing elimination, Georgia Tech responded with its strongest stretch of the night. The Jackets opened the fourth set with a 6-1 run, forcing an early NC State timeout.
Tech improved its hitting percentage to .323, reduced its errors and recorded four blocks. The advantage continued to grow, reaching 19-9 before the Yellow Jackets closed out the set 25-16 to force a deciding fifth frame.
Bennour paced the attack with six kills on 12 attempts, hitting .500. Kaneko added five digs, while Bieleski and Kobaidze recorded four each. Bieleski also contributed a solo block and a block assist.
Fifth Set: NC State 19, Georgia Tech 17
The deciding set delivered the drama expected from a closely matched ACC contest. Neither team managed to build a lead greater than two points, as the score was tied 15 times with six lead changes.
NC State held the offensive advantage, hitting .433 compared with Georgia Tech’s .321. The Wolfpack reached match point first, but the Yellow Jackets fought off three additional match-point opportunities to extend the contest.
NC State finally ended the match with a kill followed by a service ace, securing the 19-17 victory.
Kobaidze continued her outstanding night with four kills on seven attempts in the final set, posting a .571 hitting percentage. Soares recorded all 11 of Georgia Tech’s assists in the frame, while Bennour, Bieleski and Kobaidze each added three digs.
Individual Highlights
Bennour’s 19 kills continued her impressive freshman campaign. She now owns nine of Georgia Tech’s top 10 individual kill performances this season, with Kobaidze accounting for the other.
Kobaidze’s 18 kills established a new career best, and her 12 digs produced her sixth career double-double. Bieleski’s 11 kills and 13 digs marked her eighth career double-double.
Humphrey finished with six blocks, while Kaneko’s 17 digs helped anchor the Yellow Jackets defensively. Vitoria Belfort also contributed at the service line, recording her fifth ace of the season and her fifth in the last seven matches.
Up Next:
Georgia Tech will look to bounce back Sunday, Nov. 8, when the Yellow Jackets welcome Wake Forest to O’Keefe Gymnasium. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m., with the match available on ACCNX.
