8A: The BMS 8A volleyball team battled through a competitive weekend at the Belton Middle School Volleyball Tournament, finishing as tournament runner-up after a strong performance. The team opened the tournament with a dominant victory over Midway, earning a 25-7, 25-11 sweep. BMS continued its strong play against Academy, defeating them 25-19, 25-17 to advance to the championship match. In the championship, Belton MS faced Lake Belton Middle in an extremely close and competitive match. Lake Belton took the first set 25-19, but Belton responded with a hard-fought 25-23 victory in the second set to force a deciding third set. The final set came down to the wire, with Lake Belton ultimately earning a 16-14 victory. Despite the tough loss, the 8A team showed tremendous resilience, communication, and fight throughout the weekend. The team consistently competed for every point and continued to support one another through long rallies and high-pressure moments. Several athletes made significant contributions throughout the tournament. Avery Mills, who contributed as a setter, middle blocker, and outside hitter, finished with 42 serves, 4 aces, 7 blocks, 5 kills, and 14 assists. Aubrey Crayton led the offense from the outside with 17 serves, 4 aces, 2 blocks, and 21 kills. Gracelyn Garelick provided steady defensive play as the team's libero, finishing with 18 serves and 2 aces while making numerous key defensive plays throughout the weekend. Sophie Hughes, who contributed at setter, middle blocker, and outside hitter, recorded 14 serves, 5 aces, 7 blocks, 7 kills (including two tips) and 8 assists. At right side, Ashlyn Briggs contributed 16 serves, 1 ace, and 4 kills, while Brooklyn Beierman was a force at the net with 6 serves, 1 ace, 14 blocks, 3 kills, and 1 assist. The tournament gave the 8A team valuable opportunities to compete, learn, and grow together. The team will take the lessons and experiences from this weekend into the weeks ahead as they continue to develop, build confidence, and move forward together with the goal of becoming stronger as a team. 8B: The BMS 8B girls made their tournament debut this weekend and showed plenty of heart, determination, and teamwork from start to finish! The girls opened the tournament with a big 2-set victory over Midway, winning 25-20, 25-11. Emily Munoz led the way with an impressive 9 aces, 2 kills, and 2 assists, while Rayne Meyer added 4 kills, 3 assists, and 1 ace. Allison McCoy, Jah’Mani Johnson, Addison Webb, and Elianna Kelley also made key contributions. The team then battled hard against Academy, falling 15-25, 19-25. Rooklyn Whitmire recorded 2 aces, Rayne Meyer added 2 aces and 3 kills, Jah’Mani Johnson had a kill, Addison Webb had 2 kills, and Paiton Mapes added an ace. In Game 3, the girls fought until the very end against Lorena, falling 24-26, 16-25. Addison Webb led the team with 4 aces and a kill, while Jah’Mani Johnson added an ace and a kill. Emily Munoz contributed 2 aces, 2 kills, and 2 assists, and Rayne Meyer added an ace, a kill, and 2 assists. Every player contributed throughout the tournament, and the girls continued to fight, learn, and grow together. What a great first tournament for the BMS B Team! So proud of these girls and the way they represented BMS! Way to go, BMS 8B Team! #BMSVolleyball #BTeam #GoBMS #Volleyball #Teamwork #TournamentDebut 7A: The 7A Lady Tigers delivered an outstanding performance at this weekend’s tournament, earning a well-deserved 3rd place finish. The team’s commitment to refining the "little things" during practice paid off in a big way, as they demonstrated massive improvements in serve receive and executed remarkably smooth transitions from defense to offense. Their relentless energy, improved communication, and relentless hustle on the court made every match exciting to watch. A huge key to the team's defensive success was the phenomenal plays of Harper Gryseels. Harper displayed elite court awareness throughout the entire tournament, routinely reading the opposing offense to cover short balls and tips that often fall for easy points. Her determination was unmatched and she repeatedly put her body on the line, diving for tough balls to keep plays alive and inspiring her teammates with her total commitment on every point. At the net, the defensive presence of Aliyah Batchelor and Calahan Torres provided a powerful spark that proved to be a true game-changer. Both players came up with momentum-shifting blocks that frustrated hitters and provided key scoring runs. Immediately after contesting at the net, both Aliyah and Calahan quickly transitioned off the tape to make themselves available as physical hitting options on the attack. The Lady Tigers should be extremely proud of their hard-fought 3rd place finish and the steady progress they continue to make as a team. The team is already preparing for their next home game against Travis this Thursday! Lets pack the stands and bring the energy! 7B: The team kicked off the Belton ISD tournament on Friday with a dominant performance on the court, securing a hard-earned victory over Midway. The winning side of the bracket was officially locked in when Kamrie Talkington delivered a clutch match-ending kill to close out the victory in style. Saturday brought intense competition right out of the gate. The morning matchup against a tough North Belton squad saw fierce rallies, but North Belton’s aggressive serving ultimately proved difficult to overcome. In the second match on Saturday against a formidable Lorena team, the squad faced adversity early, falling into a quick 1-8 deficit. Demonstrating incredible grit and resilience, the team fought back behind a masterful serving run by Lillette Jones, roaring all the way back to tie the game at 14-14. Though Lorena narrowly edged out the win and the team finished in 4th place overall, the comeback showcased the heart and determination that define this team. The team returns to action on their home court this Thursday, September 24th. Be sure to pack the stands and bring the energy!