The No. 16 Jackets headed west this weekend, delivering a dominant three-set sweep over the University of California, Berkeley on Friday and extending their impressive ACC winning streak to nine games. Fueled by standout performances from senior outside hitters Tamara Otene and Bianca Bertolino, Tech looked unstoppable. However, the Jackets faced a steeper climb in their second matchup, ultimately falling in straight sets to a powerhouse No. 6 Stanford team that is among the nation’s top-ranked programs.
In their Friday night showdown against Cal, set one saw a rocky start. Tech dropped the first three points. However, the Jackets quickly regrouped, leveling the score at 4-4 and refusing to allow Cal to run away with the lead. Tech and Cal continued to exchange points, but the Jackets’ powerful offense began to edge out the Golden Bears thanks to critical kills from freshman middle blocker Logan Wiley and a dynamic display from Otene. It was a true team effort with five Jackets recording multiple kills and senior setter Luanna Emiliano racking up 11 assists in the first set alone. The Jackets capped off the set with a thrilling finish, closing it out 25-22.
The momentum carried into set two where Tech fought through an even closer battle. Cal managed a five-point scoring burst midway through the set to push the score to 17-12, putting pressure on the Jackets to regroup. Tech rallied back with incredible plays by senior middle blocker DeAndra Pierce and steady kills from sophomore right side Larissa Mendes and Bertolino. The Jackets clawed their way back to a 20-20 tie. With dominant kills and solid defense, they managed to clinch the set 25-23.
By set three, the Jackets were unstoppable. Tech surged to an early lead with a six-point run, setting the tone for the set and never looking back. Otene recorded a stunning 10 kills with a .909 attack percentage in the final set. Tech managed a 25-12 win and dominated the Golden Bears. The Jackets’ .373 hitting percentage against Cal was their second-highest of the season and their impressive 54 kills, 49 assists, and 118 attempts illustrated the offensive firepower that defines the team.
The game came with numerous milestones and impressive individual achievements. Bertolino extended her double-double streak to eight consecutive games by posting 11 kills and 14 digs. Wiley tied her career-high with 11 kills and added another layer of firepower to Tech’s offense. Junior libero Sofia Velez, the team’s defensive powerhouse, reached double-digit digs for the 97th time in her career and the 10th straight game, finishing the night with 11 digs.
However, Tech learned a humbling lesson about their ability to face off against top teams on Saturday in their clash with No. 6 Stanford. They struggled to find their rhythm as Stanford quickly took control of the first set. Tech found themselves down 9-3, and despite regrouping efforts, the kept their grip on the game by taking advantage of Tech’s rough patches on offense. Otene and Bertolino combined for only four kills in the set as Stanford capitalized on its home-court advantage, wrapping up the first set at 25-9.
The Jackets came out stronger in the second set, taking an early lead at 5-3. Quickly, the Cardinal fought back by overtaking Tech at 10-9. A series of critical plays by Stanford pushed them to a 16-11 lead andTech struggled against the Cardinal’s .407 attack percentage. Bertolino led the Jackets with three kills in the set, while Mendes added two. Despite strong efforts by Emiliano and Otene on defense, the Jackets could not prevent Stanford from taking the set, ending it at 25-17.
In set three, the Jackets fought to keep the match alive. Bertolino broke up a seven-point Stanford run with a timely kill and Tech battled to close the gap. However, the Cardinal’s powerful .509 hitting percentage proved too strong for Tech’s defense to overcome. Otene and Bertolino managed three kills each, but Stanford’s offense surged ahead and closed the set out by a final score of 25-12. This marked the Jackets’ first loss in ten games, and ended their ACC winning streak.
The match marked the conclusion of several impressive individual player streaks. Bertolino capped off an eight-game double-double streak that stretched back to mid-October. She came within one service ace of tying Julia Bergmann for sixth in Tech’s all-time record books. Velez concluded her 10-game double-digit dig streak, a remarkable defensive performance that anchored Tech’s back row throughout the weekend. Additionally, Emiliano remained a steady presence on the court, keeping her season-long double-digit assist streak alive with 14 assists against the Cardinal.
After their West Coast journey, the Jackets are set to bring the energy back home, taking on ACC opponents in front of their loyal fans at a sold-out O’Keefe Gymnasium. They host Syracuse on Friday at 5 p.m. and close out the weekend with a Sunday showdown against Boston College at 1 p.m. With tickets already gone for both matchups, Tech should push for a strong finish in ACC play with just six games remaining in the regular season.