Georgia
Wisconsin volleyball: Badgers overcome first set loss to beat Georgia Tech 3-1, advance to Sweet Sixteen
After letting the opening set slip through their fingers, No. 2 Wisconsin bounced back to win three straight to defeat the No. 7 seed Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 3-1 (25-27, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21) to advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
Senior outside hitter Sarah Franklin had a huge night for the Badgers, scoring a double-double with 20 kills and 10 digs while hitting .294.
Wisconsin got off to a strong start in the opening set and looked to be cruising over a Georgia Tech team coming off a five-set battle in their first match with Tennessee. Junior middle blocker Carter Booth got started early with some quick kills as UW went up 12-7 to force a GT timeout. Though the Jackets cut the lead to 16-14, the Badgers pushed on to go up 20-15 to force another timeout with another kill from Booth on an overpass.
A block from senior opposite Anna Smrek pushed Wisconsin’s lead to 22-16, but the Jackets seemed to flip a switch from that point on. Suddenly, their defense was able to get block touches and make it harder for UW’s hits to terminate.
Senior Bianca Bertolino also started a 3-0 service run that featured an ace that cut the lead to 22-19 and forced a timeout from Kelly Sheffield. Outside hitter Tamara Otene then helped tie the set at 23-23 with a kill. The New Zealand native had a match-high 21 kills and was a thorn in UW’s side. Although senior Devyn Robinson set up a UW set point at 25-24, three straight points for Tech helped them take set one and stun the crowd. Otene had seven kills in the opening set.
Wisconsin got off to a quick start in the second set. A great serve from freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer let senior opposite Anna Smrek get the kill on an overpass to give UW a 9-6 lead. But Tech fought back to go up 12-11 after a kill from Kiwi Otene, forcing a Wisconsin timeout.
The timeout worked as UW went on a 3-0 run to re-take the lead at 14-12, and the lead extended to 18-15. The Tech defenders were swarming, keeping so many balls up, a trait that made them a tough out all season against the top teams in the ACC. Libero Sofia Velez had 11 digs at that point in the night. She finished with 19 while three other Jackets had over 10.
But Velez was struggling at times in the serve receive, and in the second set, Fuerbringer had two straight aces on Velez that gave the Badgers a 22-16 lead that energized the whole arena and gave UW a lead they would not relinquish.
In the third set, UW’s block started to make itself known. Booth and Smrek combined on an early block to put the Badgers up 6-1 and force a GT timeout. Wisconsin had nine blocks at that point on the night, while Smrek finished with nine — making her one shy of a double-double as the 6-foot-9 Canadian had 13 kills in a stellar performance — and Booth had eight.
The Jackets got back in the frame thanks to a service run from Bertolino. The Argentine had a wicked topspin serve that helped GT cut the lead to 13-11. A service error stopped her mini-run, but she had a touch kill over the fingertips of UW’s huge block to cut the lead to 18-16 and force a timeout from Sheffield.
Bertolino had 17 kills and 17 digs on the night. A kill from Booth then a block from her and Smrek gave UW a 21-18 lead, but the Jackets fought right back to tie the third set 22-22. Smrek then had two straight kills and Fuerbringer had a huge block on Otene to give Wisconsin the 25-23 set win to put the Badgers up 2-1 on the match.
Despite the Jackets’ dogged back row defense, untimely service errors and the Badger block helped beat Georgia Tech. But key players stepped up for Wisconsin in key moments.
Senior Devyn Robinson was able to get a groove on offense off the slide play. In limited rotations, the senior from Ankeny, Iowa had eight kills and no errors on offense with three timely kills in the fourth frame. She and Franklin combined on a huge block that put Wisconsin up 14-11. Booth then was able to convert a kill off a slide play for her tenth kill on the evening, giving UW a 16-14 lead.
But again, the Jackets fought back and tied the fourth set at 20-all and forced a UW timeout. Robinson got a kill from the slide right after the timeout then combined with Fuerbringer on a block to make the score 22-20. Then Frank the Tank closed out the night with three straight kills to close out the match for Wisconsin, helping the Badgers advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
In each set, the Badgers’ hit percentage steadily increased, and the stars showed up when they were needed the most. That’s a winning recipe even if there are some things to clean up. But Wisconsin’s win means they’ll be dancing for a second weekend — likely heading to Lincoln, Nebraska if the Huskers take care of business in their second-roundg match against Miami.
ATHENS — To little surprise, Georgia picked up an easy win over Charlotte on Saturday.
The 35-3 win ensured Georgia would remain as the No. 4-ranked team in the Coaches Poll Top 25 heading into Week 14.
Georgia’s opponent heading into the final week of the season did not enjoy a stress-free Saturday, with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets falling 42-28 at home to Pitt.
The loss dropped Georgia Tech from No. 12 to No. 19 in the Coaches Poll rankings. The Yellow Jackets also saw their ACC championship game hopes take a serious hit. A win would’ve clinched a spot in the conference title game.
Now, Georgia Tech has to try and get off the mat with Georgia rolling into Atlanta.
The game won’t be played at home for Georgia Tech, with the game moving to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It will be a short week for both teams, with the game being played on Black Friday once again.
Last year’s contest was played in Athens and saw the Yellow Jackets jump out to a 17-0 lead. Georgia rallied to win in eight overtimes, 44-42.
Prior to yesterday’s loss, Georgia coach Kirby Smart made it known Georgia expects to get Georgia Tech’s best shot and then some this coming week.
“It’s the same amount of time they have, we have,” Smart said. “So I don’t know that it’s an advantage. The advantage, I guess you’re asking about, is you did it before, so repeating the process. But it’s a little different this time for us in terms of timing and everything because we’ve got to go on the road this time.”
Georgia will be fully occupied with trying to take down Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs do still have a chance to play back-to-back games in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as Georgia is still alive to play in the SEC championship game.
Georgia’s chances of making it to the game did take a hit on Saturday with Vanderbilt beating Kentucky. The only scenarios in which Georgia can get to Atlanta involve either Texas A&M losing to Texas or Alabama losing to Auburn. Both of those games will be played after Georgia concludes its game against Georgia Tech.
Friday’s game is set for a 3:30 p.m. ET game on ABC.
You can see the full Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings below.
Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 14
- Ohio State
- Indiana
- Texas A&M
- Georgia
- Oregon
- Ole Miss
- Texas Tech
- Oklahoma
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
- BYU
- Vanderbilt
- Miami
- Utah
- Michigan
- Texas
- Virginia
- Tennessee
- Georgia Tech
- USC
- James Madison
- North Texas
- Tulane
- Pitt
- SMU
ATHENS, Ga. – Freshman Bo Walker ran for his first three career touchdowns, Nate Frazier added two scoring runs, and No. 4 Georgia cruised to a 35-3 victory over underdog Charlotte on Saturday, strengthening its position in the College Football Playoff race.
What we know:
Georgia (10-1) entered the game looking to protect its No. 4 CFP ranking and secure a first-round playoff bye. The Bulldogs overwhelmed Charlotte (1-10) for their seventh straight win, while the 49ers dropped their eighth consecutive game.
One week after Gunner Stockton threw four touchdown passes and ran for another in a 35-10 win over then-No. 10 Texas, the Bulldogs leaned heavily on their ground game, rushing for 192 yards and outgaining Charlotte 449-169.
Senior running back Cash Jones made his first start in his final home regular-season game, but Georgia’s offense found more rhythm with Frazier and Walker leading the rushing attack.
Frazier scored on runs of 2 and 7 yards in the first quarter. Walker followed with touchdown runs of 15 and 12 yards in the second quarter to extend the lead to 28-0.
Walker capped his breakout day with a 3-yard touchdown on Georgia’s first drive of the second half, set up by Stockton’s completions of 11 and 38 yards to Noah Thomas.
Georgia maintained focus despite a sparse crowd at Sanford Stadium, scoring the first 28 points and never being threatened. The convincing win should solidify the Bulldogs’ standing in both the AP Top 25 and CFP rankings.
Dig deeper:
Stockton, a fourth-year junior, participated in Georgia’s Senior Day ceremony, possibly signaling his intention to enter the NFL draft — though some fourth-year players take part and still return for another season.
What’s next:
Georgia will face No. 15 Georgia Tech on Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this article.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Northwest Georgia’s 14th congressional district took center stage in American politics late Friday night with the astonishing news that U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is resigning.
Citing a disillusionment with the nation’s current political climate after a stunning break with President Donald Trump, Greene said her resignation would take effect Jan. 5, 2026.
READ: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s full statement
Georgia’s 14th congressional district stretches from the Chattanooga, Tennessee, metropolitan area in an east/south arc toward toward metro Atlanta’s outlying suburbs.
The district’s major population centers are Dalton (Whitfield County); Rome (Floyd County); Cartersville (Bartow County area near Paulding County); and portions of Paulding County (Dallas).
The district includes most, if not all, of Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker, Whitfield, and part of Pickens counties.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: This Sunday’s On The Record With Atlanta News First will feature an in-depth look at Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation and its impact on Georgia and the nation. Watch On The Record With Atlanta News First at 11 a.m.
While mostly white, the district has notable Hispanic populations concentrated around Dalton with its carpet-industry workforce.
Its economy is centering around manufacturing (particularly in Dalton’s carpet/rug industry); agriculture, and small business.
The Cook Partisan Voting Index rates the district solidly Republican, as does Ballotpedia. Historically GOP, it was represented by Tom Graves before his retirement in 2020.
Greene won the district initially in that election, winning a crowded GOP primary in a runoff before winning outright in November 2020.
She won reelection in 2022 – again, facing several GOP challengers – and 2024, where no Republican opposed her in the primary.
Arguably once President Trump’s staunchest ally in Congress, Greene’s relationship with the now-47th U.S. president has been deteriorating in recent weeks.
Georgia’s nationally watched midterms in the 2026 primary is May 19, 2026. Gov. Brian Kemp may decide to call for a special election before that date, or could simply let the seat remain vacant until the state’s primary rolls around.
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