NEW HAVEN — Seeing their varsity volleyball counterparts sweep Chamois back on Friday, Aug. 28, Evin Farris’ Belle freshmen and junior varsity volleyball teams finally got to see the court last Thursday at New Haven.

Running into a buzz saw of servers, Belle’s freshmen Lady Tigers dropped their season-opening match to the host Lady Shamrocks in two sets by scores of 25-10 and 25-5.

Earning the right to serve first in game one, Belle quickly lost the serve on a Liz Luecke kill for New Haven.

Luecke went on to serve the next 13 points before an attack error gave the ball back to Belle.

Two more points elapsed before a Tegan Trainer kill cut the Lady Shamrock lead to 17-2.

After Trainer recorded her second kill of game one, she served a pair of aces trimming New Haven’s lead late in game one to 23-6.

Two points later, a Dekota Butcher kill sent Ella Tipton behind the serving line for Belle.

Serving the next three points, Tipton cut the Lady Shamrock lead to 24-10 before a serving error ended the opening set.

Belle once again found themselves in an early hole in game two seeing Luecke serving the first seven points.

Scoring their first four points thanks to New Haven service errors, Belle’s Olivia Koch served the fifth and final point for the Lady Tigers in the freshman match.

Next up in the trifecta of volleyball at New Haven was the junior varsity match.

Leading 23-21 late in game one, Belle ended dropping game one 25-23 before running out of energy and time in game two falling 25-13.

Trailing 3-0 early in game one, Belle battled back behind the serving of Emily Helmig.

Serving up two aces over the next four points, Helmig helped the JV Lady Tigers to an early 5-3 lead.

Trading points on service errors, Kayli Lansford served up a point pushing Belle’s lead to 7-4.

That lead disappeared thanks to a string of errors leaving BHS trailing New Haven 13-8 midway through game one.

Seeing a Lady Shamrock error on the next point, Mackenzie Garner took her turn behind the serving line trailing 13-9.

Serving the next five points (including three aces), Belle regained the lead by a 14-13 score.

More errors had the Lady Tigers trailing 19-17 before Molly Busch took her turn on serving duty.

Helping BHS score the next two points, Busch helped the Lady Tigers tie the Lady Shamrocks at 19-19 late in game one.

Now trailing 21-19, a kill from Helmig assisted by Morgan Willis trimmed the deficit in half to 21-20.

Looking to add to her two aces earlier in game one, Helmig took another turn behind the serving line.

With help from Willis and Garner, Belle took a 23-21 lead late in the opening set.

Three errors over the next four points cost the Lady Tigers the opening set.

Belle was now looking to force a third-and-deciding set by winning the second set.

Getting as close as two points on several occasions early in game two, Belle could not overcome a number of errors before dropping game two and the match 25-23 and 25-13.

In the final match of the night, Belle’s varsity Lady Tigers were looking to run their record to 2-0 on the young season against a traditionally strong New Haven squad at a tough place for visiting teams to win.

Leading in all four sets of the match, the Lady Tigers gave the host Lady Shamrocks all they could handle and them some before falling in four sets 25-20, 22-25, 25-21 and 25-15.

Winning the coin toss, Belle served first to open the match in game one.

Adding to her serving success during the JV match, Helmig served the first two points of varsity action giving Belle an early 2-0 lead.

Four errors led to New Haven points and the Lady Tigers trailing 7-3 in the opening set.

Down 13-6 midway through game one, a Melissa Brown kill and a Gracie Schultz assist sent Schultz behind the serving line.

Serving the next five points, Schultz helped Belle trim New Haven’s lead to two points at 13-11.

That was the closest Belle got in game one before dropping the opening set 25-20.

Mikie Lough recorded an ace while Sanders and Schultz both had kills in game one.

Down 10-3 in game two, a New Haven service error sent Schultz back behind the service line.

Two points from her and two aces from Kenzi Cetroute trimmed the Lady Shamrock lead in game two to three points at 12-9.

Still trailing throughout the second set, Belle was finally able to break through when a New Haven service error left the Lady Tigers trailing 21-19 along with sending Helmig back on serving duty.

Scoring the next four points, Helmig helped BHS take a 23-21 lead late in game two.

Answering a New Haven kill, Sanders delivered a kill setting up the Lady Tigers with set point leading 24-22.

Maddie Rohrer served the final point of game two while Schultz found Sanders for the kill to tie the match at one set apiece.

“Belle gave us all we could handle and then some,” New Haven head volleyball coach Jaime Hoener said. “Belle is much improved from years past and I can see them winning a lot of matches this fall.”

Game three saw Belle trail throughout the first half of the set before a New Haven service error pulled them to within three points of the Lady Shamrocks at 16-13.

After serving the final point of game two, Rohrer served the next four points giving Belle a 17-16 lead only to see the match tied back up on an attack error.

Taking a 20-19 lead on a Sanders kill assisted by Schultz, the Lady Tigers committed four errors giving New Haven the pivotal third set and a two games to one advantage in the best three-out-of-five match.

Early in the fourth set, Lough helped Belle to a 4-3 lead serving a pair of points.

From there, the Lady Tigers had too many miscues to overcome before dropping the fourth set and the match to the host Lady Shamrocks.

“I’m very pleased with the way we played against a very good New Haven team at a tough place to play in,” Farris said. “We were right there with a good team and I feel like we can compete with any team we play as long as we execute.”

Playing their third straight match on the road last night (Tuesday) in Owensville, Belle volleyball will finally get to play in front of their home fans at Belle High School.

Beginning tomorrow (Thursday), Belle will play three home matches in the span of a week facing Dixon’s Lady Bulldogs tomorrow (Thursday) starting at 5 p.m.

Their home stand will continue on Monday, Sept. 14 hosting Calvary Lutheran’s Lady Lions also with a 5 p.m., start time.

Ending their string of three straight home matches, Belle will open Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) volleyball action hosting Viburnum’s Lady Blue Jays starting at 5 p.m.