SAN ANGELO - The second-ranked Belles open conference play this weekend when they welcome Oklahoma Christian and UAFS into the Junell Center. The Belles currently sit at 7-2 on the season, having won all four games on their opening weekend at the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational before going 3-2 on the road this past week in Colorado. 

The weekend begins with the Belles matching up with the Eagles of Oklahoma Christian, and this will mark their first meeting since the Eagles brought back volleyball in 2019. 

These two schools have ever only matched up once before, and that was back in 1979, a match in which the Belles would win. 

Oklahoma Christian is 4-4 on the season with a pair of wins over Bentley (Mass.) as well as Newman and East Central. The Eagles rank in the top 10 nationally in digs per set (9th in the country, 19.32 digs per set) as well as team kills (9th, 599 kills). 

The Eagles offense has five players with 50 or more kills, led by Caitlynne Hudgens' 83; and defensively, Alexandra Aponte Torres and Allyssa Hamlin have recorded 116 and 115 digs, respectively. 

The Belles will turn around the next day to host UAFS on Saturday. The Lady Lions, who were picked fifth in the LSC preseason poll, are 5-3 so far on the season. They will open conference play the night before at Lubbock Christian. 

The Belles are 3-2 against the Lady Lions under head coach Chuck Waddington, with the Belles having won both matches since UAFS joined the Lone Star Conference back in 2019. 

The Lady Lions have been lethal on the serve this season, with a conference-best 65 services aces, or 8.1 service aces per match. Additionally, they are fifth in the country overall in team blocks with 81.0, which is also best in the conference. 

Hannah Holland has a LSC-best 16 services aces as well as 67 kills on the season, as well as leading the conference with 37.0 blocks. 

Having used both Kailyn Gilbreath and Jaedyn Woolley at setter this season, the Belles lead the conference in assists with 388 on the season. Because of this, the Belles also pace the conference in team kills with 422 so far this season. 

Gilbreath, the current LSC Offensive Player of the Week, ranks third in the conference in assists with 238 while also leading the team with 79 kills. 

In addition to Gilbreath, the Belles have five other players with 50 or more kills on the season - Delaney Fuller (74), Sophia Berg (67), Elsa Lamphere (66), Baleigh Allen (54) and Grace White (51). 

Defensively, libero Chloe Patton has 125 digs on the season, fifth in the LSC, and at the net, Allen is second in total blocks with 33.0, just behind the Lady Lions' Holland. 

Following this weekend, the Belles will be on the road for a pair of conference matches, facing Midwestern State next Friday before taking on Cameron on Saturday.