One week removed from posting their first notch in the win column over Dixon, Belle Lady Tiger volleyball welcomed Viburnum’s Lady Blue Jays to Maries County for their Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) opening match.

In the junior varsity match, Belle forced a third set taking game two 25-16 before dropping the third set and the match to the Lady Blue Jays, 25-19, 16-25 and 25-12.

Morgan Brenton sparked Belle’s second-set rally with six service points followed by five from Victoria Pfeiffer.

Maddie Rohrer served the final two points of the second set which included an ace on game point.

Lauren Prigge had two kills to lead Belle’s JV Lady Tigers.

Additional Lady Tigers on Belle’s JV volleyball roster include Alexis Bacon, Bailey Butler, Emily Helmig, Lani Rehmert and Melissa Brown.

Also sweeping Dixon in two sets a week ago, Tracy Auer’s Belle Lady Tiger varsity volleyball squad looked for their first victory over Viburnum in six years.

Racing out to a 5-1 lead behind the serving of Mikal Lough, BHS appeared on their way to a victory in their GVC opener.

Unable to overcome inopportune errors, Belle’s search for the GVC win column had to wait for another match following their loss in two sets to Viburnum, 25-21 and 25-20.

Halle Smith led Belle in the first set with four blocks. Brandi Thompson also added three kills in game one.

Trailing 16-11 in game two, the Lady Tigers got six service points in a row from Grace Busch giving them a 17-16 lead.

Outscored 9-3 the rest of the second set, Belle dropped the match in two sets.

In tournament action Saturday at New Haven, Belle’s varsity squad split with Bowling Green (25-23, 17-25) while being swept by Winfield and the host Lady Shamrocks.

BHS returns to action tomorrow in GVC action at Cuba with the junior varsity match slated for a 5:30 p.m., start time.