Four teams, Tech, Indiana, Alabama A&M and UAB, all opened their respective seasons with last weekend’s Courtyard Marriott Classic. Tech hosted the tournament at O’Keefe Gym and won two of its three games. Tech dropped the opener to Indiana on Friday, Aug. 28 but won both matches the following day.

With several key players from last season’s squad returning to lead a young but talented roster, the Tech volleyball team enters the 2010 season prepared to contend for an ACC title and a second straight berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Tech volleyball dropped both of its matches over the weekend, falling 3-2 against Miami on Friday and losing Saturday’s “Gold Out” match to No. 15 Florida State 3-0 at O’Keefe Gym.

Tech volleyball closed out a strong four-game road trip with a pair of sweeps over the weekend. The Jackets took down Boston College 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-19) on Friday night and topped Maryland 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-18) on Saturday, improving to 18-7 overall and 12-3 in the ACC. In the process, Tech took the season series against each of the two teams, two matches to none.

Following its first home loss of the season, the volleyball team traveled to North Carolina over the weekend and played a pair of ACC matches against the North Carolina Tar Heels and the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Although the Jackets have struggled on the road at times this season, they picked up wins in both matches, defeating UNC 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-18) on Oct. 30 and sweeping N.C. State 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-23) on Oct. 31. The wins moved the team to 16-7 overall and 10-3 in ACC play.

Tech volleyball, which had won seven of its first nine ACC contests, returned home for a pair of conference matches last weekend. The Jackets swept Wake Forest 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-13) on Friday night but fell in a close battle against Duke, losing 3-2 (25-23, 21-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-11) in their annual “Dig for the Cure” match.

Tech’s volleyball team traveled to Va. this past weekend where it played in two ACC matches, facing Virginia Tech on Friday and Virginia on Saturday. After falling to the Hokies 3-0 (28-26, 26-24, 25-11), the Jackets topped the Cavaliers 3-1 (25-17, 20-25, 25-15, 25-21).

Tech’s volleyball team continued ACC play over the past two weeks with four matches. For the first weekend in October the Jackets traveled to Florida, where they met Florida State on Friday and Miami on Sunday. In the team’s first match, Tech upset the No. 17 Seminoles in five sets to win 3-2 (19-25, 27-25, 15-25, 27-25, 16-14). Two days later the Jackets saw their first ACC loss of the season in Miami as the Hurricanes posted a 3-2 win (22-25, 26-24, 29-31, 27-25, 9-15).

The Jackets’ volleyball team begins conference play in earnest this weekend, and the team’s 7-4 record through four early-season invitational tournaments has generated confidence and enthusiasm among the coaches and players.

Tech’s volleyball team followed up the Thursday night football victory over Clemson with a home win of their own over Clemson, as the Jackets prevailed in five sets (25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 15-25, 15-8) in their first ACC game on Friday night. A day later, the Jackets defeated Southeast Missouri State and Ole Miss to win the Georgia Tech Courtyard Classic as they swept their second home invitational tournament of 2009.