SAN ANGELO - After a successful weekend at the 15th Annual Kathleen Brasfield Invitational, the Angelo State volleyball team looks to continue its positive momentum on the road as they face New Mexico Highlands tomorrow afternoon in an in-region matchup.

The Rambelles went 4-0 at the KBI, sweeping each match, while the Cowgirls are 1-3 on the season following their opening-weekend tournament in Kingsville, where they won against Ouachita Baptist before dropping matches to Quincy, Texas A&M-Kingsville, and Tiffin.

Under head coach Chuck Waddington, the Belles are 32-14 against RMAC opponents and are 6-1 against the Cowgirls. The Belles swept the Cowgirls last season at the KBI, and this matchup marks the first time the Cowgirls will be hosting the Belles in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Since 2015, the Belles have played an RMAC opponent following the hosting of the KBI and have gone 7-3 in those ten matches.
 
RV Angelo State vs. New Mexico Highlands
Tuesday, Sept. 5 - 4 p.m. CT
John A. Wilson Complex
 
The Rambelles defeated the Cowgirls last season, 3-0, in the KBI, with Laney Dale recording 17 assists while Caleigh Enax had 15 digs, helping hold the Cowgirls to a .075 attack percentage.
 
Hannah Kinnison notched double-digit kills in all four matches to open the 2023 season, and despite attempting a team-high 89 attacks, the senior from Colorado is hitting an eye-watering .506 this season, having only made eight attack errors this season.
 
Dale is averaging 8.70 assists per set as she is facilitating an attacking group that has a .331 attack percentage this season and is averaging 14.92 kills per set.
 
Enax has 3.80 digs per set and leads the team with five service aces this season, while eight different Belles have recorded at least two blocks this season, led by Marina Sanchez's ten blocks. The senior from Presidio is averaging 1.25 blocks per set, up from her 1.11 blocks per set average from the 2022 season. The defense led by Enax and Sanchez held opponents to a .039 hitting percentage on opening weekend.
 
BELLES IN THE POLLS

•       The Belles ended the 2022 season as the eighth-ranked team in the LSC standings, qualifying for the LSC Tournament. The Belles have qualified for the tournament every season under Waddington.
•       The Belles were picked fifth in the LSC Preseason Poll behind West Texas A&M, UT Tyler, DBU, and Texas A&M-Kingsville.
•       The Belles are receiving nine votes in the AVCA Preseason Top 25.
•       They are one of four LSC teams to appear in the poll, behind top-ranked West Texas A&M, receiving  votes DBU and tied with receiving votes UT Tyler.
•       The Belles started the 2021 season ranked 13th in the country before dropping to 23rd the following week and falling out of the poll the next week, failing to rejoin at any point during the rest of the season.
•       The Belles started the 2021 season ranked first in the country off the heels of the 2021 AVCA National Championship; they spent the entire 2021 season within the top 25 of the poll.

 
PERSONAL BESTS THIS SEASON

•       Eight Rambelles have recorded at least one personal best this season.
•       Outside hitter Hannah Kinnison set a career-high attacking percentage of .750 against University of the Southwest on September 1.
•       Setter Alli Kirkpatrick assisted 14 times against Henderson State on September 1st, the most in her debut season; she also notched three service aces against Southwest on the same day.
•       Outside Elsa Lamphere hit .833 in the season opener versus Southwest, a new career-high for the senior.
•       Outside hitter Madi Parrish nearly recorded a double-double in her collegiate debut with nine kills and ten digs versus Southwest. She hit .692 against the Mustangs, and recorded three blocks against UTPB on September 2nd.
•       Defensive specialist Krizia Perez recorded two digs against Huston-Tillotson on Spetmeber 2nd.
•       Middle Marina Sanchez tied her career high with two service aces against UT Permian Basin on September 2nd.
•       Middle Hannah Spencer recorded three blocks against Henderson State on September 1st; she also recorded five kills twice, doing so against the Reddies and UT Permian Basin; she hit .833 against the Falcons.
•       Outside hitter Kamryn Williams recorded four kills each against Huston-Tillotson and Southwest; she hit .667 against the Mustangs. 

 
Returning Stats
Angelo State returns 79.8 percent (1052 of 1319) of its kills, 94.7 percent (107 of 113) of its service aces, 88.3 percent (1572 of 1780) of its digs, and 34.2 percent of its blocks (81.5 of 238.5) from last season's team.
 
Rambelles Add Seven
ASU returns four starters and 12 letter winners from last year's team while adding seven newcomers, including a pair of in-conference transfers.
 
Angelo State brought in seven newcomers in 2023, including a pair of transfers from within the LSC. 

Alli Kirkpatrick
Freshman * 5-11 * Setter
Bonham, Texas * Bonham HS
Recorded 1,939 kills and 1,375 digs at Bonham HS; two-time district hitter of the year
    
Madi Parrish
Freshman * 5-9 * Outside Hitter
Saginaw, Texas * Boswell HS
Recorded 981 kills and 1,049 digs at Boswell HS; two-time all-district selection.

Krizia Perez
Freshman * 5-6 * Defensive Specialist
Laredo, Texas * United HS
Led United HS to four district championships; first-team all-district selection

Maya Smalls
Grad. Student * 5-10 * Right Side
San Antonio, Texas * St. Edward's
2022 All-LSC First Team selection at St. Edward's; recorded 361 kills for the Hilltoppers in 2022

Hannah Spencer
Freshman * 6-1 * Middle Blocker
San Antonio, Texas * Cornerstone Christian
Tallied 385 kills and 210 blocks; two-time all-district selection

Evelyn Torres
Senior * 5-9 * Outside Hitter
Fort Worth, Texas * UT Tyler
All-LSC Second Team in 2022 for UT Tyler

Kamryn Williams
Freshman * 6-0 * Outside Hitter
Wall, Texas * Wall HS
All-time kill leader at Wall HS with 1,260; most kills in a season with 448; 2021 All-West Texas MVP

Up Next
The Belles make the trip up to Colorado to compete in the Fort Lewis Invitational in Durango, Colorado.