The Georgia volleyball team made the most of its trip to the Courtyard LaGuardia Volleyball Classic over the weekend in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The Bulldogs (8-2) swept three matches against Colgate, Siena and Long Island en route to claiming the tournament title.

Georgia’s final match of the weekend came on Saturday night and proved to be their most resilient effort of the young 2009 season.

After losing the first two sets to host Long Island (3-7), the Bulldogs battled back to take the final three sets of the match to defeat the Blackbirds.

“Hopefully we are learning some valuable lessons along the way and can move into SEC play with some confidence,” head coach Joel McCartney told Sport Communications. “I would have loved to win in three [sets] but we really needed a five-set win to have something to fall back on when we find ourselves there again.”

In the first Saturday match, Georgia took care of Colgate (1-5) in dominating fashion by sweeping all three sets 25-15, 25-23 and 25-20.

Sophomore setter Kathleen Gates turned in 30 assists while junior outside hitter Simone May posted 11 kills.

In the first match of the weekend on Friday, Georgia swept Siena (1-4)with set scores of 25-15, 25-19 and 25-20.

Redshirt freshman outside hitter Briana Bahr tallied nine kills while sophomore middle hitter Ann Dylla recorded seven.

In the match against Long Island, junior outside hitter Erika Clark posted a career-high 19 kills while junior middle hitter Valentina Gonzalez had a career-high of her own with nine blocks.

Sophomore Carla Tietz joined in with a career-high 23 digs.

Clark’s performance earned her the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Gonzalez and Tietz.

“It was great to have Erika’s steady play on our floor,” McCartney said. “She did so much for us this weekend and really deserved the Most Valuable Player award.”

The Bulldogs will begin SEC play this weekend as they travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to take on the Crimson Tide Friday and Mississippi State on Sunday.