But eventually, the kills and aces began to rain down in droves.

After a back-and-forth start, the Wildcats erupted for a 10-2 run to close out the first set before carrying that momentum into their most dominant stanza of the night. The Red Raiders would make things interesting in the third, forcing seven straight match points to cut a lofty deficit to one. But a Sofia Kelley kill finished the job for Central Mountain, who kicked off districts with a 3-0 sweep featuring set wins of 25-16, 25-8 and 25-23.

With the win, the Wildcats advanced to their third district championship appearance in four years and second in a row at the Class AAA level. They’ll look to earn consecutive District 6 Class AAA titles for the first time in program history on Wednesday in a tough matchup against No. 2 seed Hollidaysburg.

“We got our errors out of the way, then kind of put the gas on and really pushed forward,” said Central Mountain senior Reese Walizer on the first set. “All around, everybody was there. So, I think there were a lot of good things from tonight from everyone.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain volleyball celebrates its match-sealing kill during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Bellefonte on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 3-0.

“We knew the situation. We lose; we go home,” said Central Mountain head coach Chipp McCann. “We were pressing a little bit at the beginning of the first. Then, the message was just relax and play volleyball the way you’re capable of, and I think we did that.”

After getting out to a 5-1 lead in the first, Central Mountain saw the Red Raiders roar back to quickly even it up behind three straight service points from Schreppel. A set that seemed to be a tone setter became a slug fest, as six ties and four lead changes followed.

However, a service error from Bellefonte gave the Wildcats a 13-12 lead, and they’d never surrender another from there. Five straight service points from Walizer, including two aces, upped their lead to seven, and an array of kills from Lilly Downing and Sofia Kelley helped them finished the job, 25-16.

“We started to play volleyball to our capability, and we finished that one,” said McCann when discussing the first.

With its footing found, it hit the ground running in the second. Four straight service points from Gabby Beaubrun allowed it to quickly get out to a 6-1 lead. And after taking over at server with a 7-2 lead, Walizer didn’t give up the role until it was up to 15-2.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Reese Walizer (16) performs a return during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Bellefonte on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 3-0.

“We just wanted to stay focused that set, really show our full potential and put the whole team out there,” said Walizer, who accumulated 13 of his 14 service points through the first and second.

“I went back on the service line and really focused on putting in some good, tough serves. A lot of other girls did too, and it really helped us win that set. We just showed our true team and what we can put out on the court.”

The lead would grow to 14. And after the Red Raiders cut it to 19-7, the Wildcats would finish it off with a 6-1 run.

In the second, Lilly Downing and Sofia Kelley were dominant at the net, with Downing being involved on four blocks and both posting mid-set kills. Gabby Beaubrun and Kylie Rauch combined for seven kills, many coming in emphatic fashion, and Sophia Hardy assisted on a plethora of those while contributing three straight aces through their closing effort.

That’d carry into the third, as Central Mountain roared out to a 14-5 lead behind a 9-1 run and five service points from Allison Koch. However, Bellefonte wasn’t finished.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Alison Koch (14) performs a return during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Bellefonte on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 3-0.

Three service points from Ella Novitsky and great plays from Matilynn Hepfer helped the Red Raiders cut that deficit down to 16-11. And when Central Mountain upped its lead back up to seven, three service points from Bella Pereira, including back-to-back aces, cut it to four at 21-17.

And with its back against the wall three CM points later, a Colbie Frailey kill put Aubrey Schreppel on the service line. Aided by kills from Frailey and Jordan Putnam, she’d put together five straight service points, including back-to-back aces to make it 24-23.

The last hoorah would fall just short, as the Wildcats clutched it out. But Bellefonte head coach Monica Smith was proud of the effort.

“It was a pretty incredible run. Aubrey really kept us in it and gave us a fighting chance. She was a leader on the court tonight, and she’ll be missed next year,” said Smith. “The fact that we even got it that close is pretty amazing. (Central Mountain) has a lot of big hitters that are tough to defend, so I think we battled and stayed in it.”

It’s an effort they’ll look to carry into next year. The team departs with five impactful seniors in Schreppel, Ella Novitsky, Keira Clarkson, Jordan Putnam and Brooke Carlini, who all contributed in their own right on Monday, but maintains a promising core to build upon.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Lilly Downing (21) and Sofia Kelley (24) celebrate a point during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Bellefonte on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 3-0.

“Get back to work,” said Smith on her mindset heading into next season. “We’re still a young, developing program that just added a junior high like four years ago. So, we’re still making it happen, but we’ll get there.”

For Central Mountain, the focus turns to Hollidaysburg on Wednesday.

Central Mountain 3, Bellefonte 0

(25-16, 25-8, 25-23)

(DISTRICT 6 CLASS AAA VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS)

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte's Sloan Moore (6) performs a return during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Central Mountain on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Red Raiders fell 3-0.

Central Mountain points: Reese Walizer 14; Chloe Confer 8; Gabby Beaubrun 8; Sophia Hardy 8; Allison Koch 6; Lilly Downing 2. Central Mountain kills: Gabby Beaubrun 12; Kylie Rauch 7; Lilly Downing 7; Sofia Kelley 3; Alana Ingram 2. Central Mountain assists: Sophia Hardy 13; Chloe Confer 7; Reese Walizer 4; Alana Ingram 3. Central Mountain aces: Reese Walizer 4; Sophia Hardy 4; Alana Ingram 3; Chloe Confer 2; Gabby Beaubrun 2; Allison Koch 1. Central Mountain blocks: Lilly Downing 6; Kylie Rauch 3; Sofia Kelley 3; Gabby Beaubrun 2; Alana Ingram 1; Sophia Hardy 1.

Bellefonte points: Aubrey Schreppel 9; Bella Pereira 4; Sloan Moore 3; Braelyn Mingle 2; Ella Novitsky 2; Colbie Frailey 1. Bellefonte kills: Colbie Frailey 9; Matilynn Hepfer 3; Bella Pereira 2; Keira Clarkson 1. Bellefonte assists: Aubrey Schreppel 7; Brooke Carlini 5. Bellefonte aces: Bella Pereira 3; Aubrey Schreppel 3; Sloan Moore 1; Braelyn Mingle 1. Bellefonte blocks: Matilynn Hepfer 2; Brooke Carlini 1; Keira Clarkson 1; Aubrey Schreppel 1; Bella Pereira 1.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte's Ella Novitsky (14) performs a return during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Central Mountain on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Red Raiders fell 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Lilly Downing (21) tries to hit the ball over the net during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Bellefonte on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte's Matilynn Hepfer (11) waits for action to resume during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Central Mountain on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Red Raiders fell 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Kylie Rauch (12) performs a kill during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Bellefonte on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Gabby Beaubrun (11) dives for the ball during a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Bellefonte on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express The Bellefonte volleyball team breaks their huddle before a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Central Mountain on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Red Raiders fell 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte's Sloan Moore is honored for surpassing 500 career digs before a District 6 Class AAA semifinal matchup against Central Mountain on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Red Raiders fell 3-0.