Finals Recap - Georgia Tech vs. South Dakota

GEORGIA TECH 3, SOUTH DAKOTA 0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-17)

VERMILLION, SD — Georgia Tech held tough during a difficult assignment, posting a three-set sweep of host South Dakota to claim the title match of the 2019 National Invitational Volleyball Championship.

The Yellow Jackets (26-8), who lost just two sets in the tournament, got 17 kills and 13 digs from Mariana Brambilla and broke South Dakota’s 18-match winning streak at home. The victory also came in front of a Coyotes record crowd of 2,428. The Coyotes close the season at 31-3.

Brambilla was named MVP of the tournament; joining her on the all-tournament squad were teammates Julia Bergmann and Matti McKissock, along with Anne Rasmussen and Elizabeth Juhnke of South Dakota, Katie Clark of TCU and Taylor Horsfall of Tulsa.

Georgia Tech took a 6-1 lead in the first set; South Dakota countered with five straight points to tie it up. Brambilla had seven kills in the set as the Yellow Jackets hit .308 in taking a 1-0 lead. The second set was close again, with Brambilla drilling home the final point for the Yellow Jackets.

McKissock finished with 44 assists and had two early aces as Georgia Tech jumped ahead in the third set, 11-4. Bergmann had 10 kills and 12 digs, and Mikaila Dowd added nine kills. 

For the Coyotes, Sami Slaughter had nine kills, Madison Jurgens added 30 assists and 10 digs,  and Rasmussen had 14 digs.

This was the third edition of the reborn, revitalized NIVC - the 2018 champion was Iowa State, and in 2017 the title went to Ole Miss.