DALLAS (SMU) – No. 11 SMU Volleyball took down Georgia Tech (6-6, 1-2 ACC) in four sets (25-19, 27-29, 25-18, 25-21) inside Moody Coliseum Friday night for its first ACC win of the year. The win is the 50th conference win for SMU under head coach Sam Erger. SMU improved to 9-4 overall and 1-2 in the ACC.

Three Mustangs reached the double-figure kill mark in the victory, led by SMU's pin-hitter duo, Malaya Jones and Jadyn Livings, who each logged 18 kills in the match. Livings logged her third double-double of the season, adding a match-high 11 digs against the Yellow Jackets.  
 
Madison Scheer poured in a season-best 10 kills against Georgia Tech, reaching double-figures for the first time in her SMU career. Favor Anyanwu put down eight kills and a team-high six blocks. Averi Carlson dished out 44 assists and added seven digs and four blocks.
 
As a team, SMU hit .255 and held Georgia Tech to a .149 attack percentage. The Mustangs ended with 58 team kills compared to just 46 for the Yellow Jackets.
 
MATCH NOTES: 

• Under Head Coach Sam Erger, SMU is now 50-12 (.806) in conference matches.
• SMU is 6-0 when holding its opponents to hitting under .200 this season.
• Livings earned her third double-double of the season and seventh of her career.
• It was Malaya Jones' 10th time in double-figures this season, and the 72nd time of her career.
• Livings extended her streak of double-digit kills to nine straight Friday night, with her 12th of the season.
• SMU is now 4-2 all-time against Georgia Tech. The Mustangs have won three straight in the series.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE | SMU used a 5-0 run at the eight-all mark in the first frame to create separation, which propelled the Mustangs to an opening set win. The Mustangs stretched their lead out to seven (17-10) on a kill from Jones and Scheer, along with an attack error by the Yellow Jacket. SMU's offense was potent in the opening frame, hitting .367 as a unit. Jones put up six kills on nine swings in the first set while Scheer and Livings each added four in the 25-19 first set victory.
 
SET TWO | Tied at 10-10, SMU scored on five straight rallies to go up 15-10, which forced the Yellow Jackets to take a timeout. The Yellow Jackets kept in contention and forced extra points. SMU held off Georgia Tech in its first set point and then gave itself two opportunities to close it out, but couldn't get it done, and the Yellow Jackets took advantage. Georgia Tech ended the second frame on three straight kills to win it 29-27.
 
SET THREE | SMU jumped on Georgia Tech early for a 9-3 advantage through 12 rallies, due in large part to the serving efforts of Livings, who had her second ace of the season in the run. The Mustangs then expanded their lead to eight on a kill from Livings and back-to-back aces from Jordyn Schilling to go up 15-7. Georgia Tech had a late surge with four straight to cut into its deficit, but SMU wouldn't be denied in the third set, finishing with four straight to win the frame 25-18. The Mustangs held the Yellow Jackets to a .083 hitting percentage in the third.
 
SET FOUR | The Mustangs edged past the Yellow Jackets with a four-point swing after Georgia Tech took a 15-14 lead before the third-set media timeout. A service error by the Mustangs stopped the run momentarily, but SMU sided out and got two more points to extend its advantage to 21-16. Georgia Tech responded with three straight to cut its deficit down to two, but SMU held on to its lead, closing the match out on a kill from Jones and Livings to win the frame 25-21. The Mustangs shut down Georgia Tech's attack again in the fourth set, holding the Yellow Jackets to a match-low -.032 efficiency in the final set.
 
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Malaya Jones/Jadyn Livings (18)
SMU Assist Leader: Averi Carlson (44)
SMU Digs Leader: Jadyn Livings (11)
SMU Blocks Leader: Favor Anyanwu (8)
SMU Ace Leader: Jordyn Schilling (2)
SMU Points Leader: Jadyn Livings (20.5)
 
Up Next: SMU will return to Moody Coliseum to face Clemson on Sunday, September 5, at 1 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed on ACCNX.