The Belles will finish out their regular season this weekend with a match against Kalamazoo Friday and a double-header Saturday against Calvin and Hanover.
The Belles (9-13, 5-9 MIAA) will attempt to snap a four-game skid and get back on track before the playoffs. Their first chance to do so will be against the Hornets (11-15, 5-9), a conference foe in a similar scenario as far as seeding goes.
The Belles had no trouble with the Hornets in their first meeting Sept. 30, claiming a 3-1 win behind come-from-behind victories in the first and third sets. However, the Hornets have momentum after a 3-1 victory over Olivet, whereas the Belles are reeling from a 3-0 sweep at the hands of Albion on Senior Night. In that match, junior Stephanie Bodien and senior captain Lorna Slupczynski led the way with 10 and nine kills, respectively.
The Belles will remain on the road when they travel to Angola, Mich. Saturday for the conclusion of their conference schedule against Calvin. The Knights sit near the top of the MIAA standings with an impressive 12-2 record. Their only two losses came against undefeated Hope, who holds the top spot in the conference.
Immediately following the Calvin match, the Belles will finish the regular season with a non-conference showdown against Hanover. The Panthers (5-2, 12-13) come in with some momentum, having won their last five matches, most recently a 3-0 sweep of Transylvania.
The first round of the MIAA playoffs is scheduled to begin Nov. 3. The Belles hope to improve on last season's performance when they were eliminated by Adrian in the first round.
Should the Belles advance, the semifinals and finals will be the following Friday and Saturday.
