GT Volleyball downed 3-0 by #4 Pitt

Georgia Tech Volleyball closed out their 2025 regular season campaign getting swept by #4 Pittsburgh 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-7), finishing with a 16-13 overall record and 11-9 in ACC play.

The Jackets have been hovering in the bubble zone to potentially receive an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. If they do make it, it will be the program’s 15th NCAA appearance and 6th straight dating back to 2020.

There were no clear standouts for Tech, but were led in kills by Noemi Despaigne with nine and both Mimi Mambu and Anna Fiedorowicz finishing with eight apiece.

Similar to many games this season for Tech against the best in the ACC, they hang around for about a set, flirt with another set, and get completely pummelled in at least another. Today was no exception.

If this is the final game of the season, Tech made do with the pieces they had and performed about as well as could be expected. Projected starters Liv Mogridge and Larissa Mendes both suffered season ending injuries early in the season, necessitating more play from Noemi Despaigne and Bianca Garibaldi, who both became primary attack weapons by the end of the season. Having a fully healthy roster maybe nets Tech an additional win somewhere where in the process, but generally Tech beat the teams they were supposed to beat and lost to the teams that were clearly better than them.

How It Happened

Set 1

Pitt came out guns ablazing with a three point run to grab a 3-1 lead, and only waited a couple more points before a six point run forced Tech’s first timeout down 11-3 (at this spot, Pitt was hitting .667). After the run cut off there, Tech just traded points up to 16-9 where Collier called Tech’s second timeout.

Tech got their first real bit of momentum starting with a block by Noemi Despaigne, then on a long point Olivia Babcock was called for a double touch. DeAndra Pierce got a free kill on the next point from an overpass, prompting Pitt’s first timeout up 18-15.

Pitt put their lead back to a five point margin up 22-17 before a Anna Fiedorowicz kill and Abbey Emch error had Pitt calling their second timeout of the set to stop any potential Jacket run up 22-19. Tech’s run continued with a block by Garibaldi and kill by Laura Bieleski to tie it at 22-22. At 23-23, Helolise Soares sailed a serve before Brooke Mosher perfectly placed an ace to win the set 25-23.

Set 2 (1-0 Pitt)

Tech stayed very even with Pitt through the front half of the second set with key kills from Despaigne, Lameen Mambu, Pierce, and Fiedorowicz up to a 9-9 tie. From there, a block of Despaigne, a service error by Garibaldi, and kills by Olivia Babcock put Pitt up 15-12 at the media timeout (her 1500th career kill), their largest lead of the set to that point. Pitt went on a three point run from multiple Jacket attack errors after the timeout, forcing Tech’s first timeout down 18-13.

Tech won one more point before another three point Pitt run forced Tech’s second timeout down 21-14. Tech fought back to get five more points, including saving a set point but were far too behidn to comeback as Babcock hit the nail in the coffin, winning the set 25-19.

Set 3 (2-0 Pitt)

Tech went down quickly to start the third, allowing a four point run and calling a timeout down 7-2. Tech only scored one more point before allowing a five point run and burning their second timeout down 12-3, hitting -.214 at that point. The run lasted to 14-3 for Pitt. Mambu landed one very nice kill before Pitt marched all over us again, putting down another five point run to go up 20-5 and crusing to at 25-7 set win.

Stats & Game Leaders

Kills: Blaire Bayless (PITT): 13

Assists: Heloise Soares (GT): 28

Digs: Sofia Velez (GT): 12

Blocks: Abbey Emch (PITT): 10

Hit% (min. 10 attempts): Marina Pezelj (PITT)/Blaire Bayless (PITT): .400