TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Bald Eagle Area players celebrate after winning the District 6 Class AA championship on Saturday.

In the LHAC semifinals back in mid-October, those in attendance at Bald Eagle Area were not only treated to a great volleyball match but also presented with a preview of what would end up taking place in Saturday’s district championship.

Then, the Eagles never had it easy. Each set entered its closing phase with the score neck-and-neck, often times the result of a Richland rally that threatened to fully turn the tide. And just over two weeks later, it was the same story in the rematch.

However, on both occasions, Bald Eagle kept finding a way to secure the momentum late. It didn’t just occur in one or two match-defining sets or amidst two back-and-forth, five-set brawls. It happened on six straight occasions, five if you want to write the final one off as a tad more comfortable, as the Eagles swept the Rams in both matchups.

One or two times would’ve been noteworthy, especially if those sets still translated into wins. But five presents a pattern, and patterns often have reasons behind them.

For the Eagles, what helped fuel those late surges was composure derived from a strong connection throughout the team. Though they found themselves in multiple tough spots, the team’s trust in each other’s abilities and strong, experienced foundation proved unshakeable in the clutch.

“Friendship is such a strong thing in this game and mentally,” said Bald Eagle Area senior Casey Angelotti when discussing those tense moments. “We’re pretty strong and tough, and in those situations, we all come together. We take a deep breath; we reset and we get right back to it.”

“All of us had to perform together for each other, step up and score,” emphasized fellow senior Leah Bryan. “Just find ways, stay confident in each other and trust ourselves.”

In the LHAC semifinals, it saw solid first and second-set leads vanish and trailed through much of the third. But every situation was met with the Eagles trusting their abilities, trusting their teammates’ abilities and trusting everyone on the court to handle their roles.

At setter, Angelotti was crucial in those moments, setting up the set-sealing kill in all three sets and barrages of them in the first and third. Bryan was at the kill end up those three assists, kicking it up a notch late, and sophomore Emily Smith and junior Addelyn Fisher also produced crucial kills.

“I communicate with my hitters on every point,” said Angelotti when discussing the key to those assists. “I think keeping that connection and keeping that communication is key and also, keeping the confidence and resetting after a bad set because I have to be ready for every single point.”

“Not only do they need to be tough every time, but they can be smart too, which people don’t expect. They expect us to swing big every time and having their IQ’s is huge for us, and I’m glad they have my back,” she added on Bryan and Smith at hitters.

Outside of kills, the Eagles also got strong contributions at the service line, most notably from senior libero Nora Eppley in the second. There, with the team’s lead at 20-18, she posted five straight service points to grant her team the set, kicking off that stretch with an ace.

Those contributions, coupled with strong fielding on Richland’s own kill attempts, helped Bald Eagle prevail. They helped it prevail against the Rams then. And even with the heightened stakes of Saturday’s bout, they helped it prevail against the Rams again on Saturday.

At Altoona, Bald Eagle led the whole first set before the Rams finally broke through late, taking their first lead at 22-21 and needing just three points to steal the set. But the Eagles managed to tie it before three service points from Angelotti gave them a 1-0 lead.

They’d trail late again in the second, as Richland got into a groove and went up 23-20 before setting up a set point at 24-23. But the Eagles extended the set with a kill from Leah Bryan on a service point from Kinsey Clark and with the score tied at 25-25, Angelotti finished the job from the service line.

At this stage of the season, showing an affinity for prospering in those tight spots is a great sign.

Richland, a program that fell one set short of a state semifinal appearance last season, is the caliber of team that the Eagles can expect to face in the PIAA Class AA Championships. And given the results, they proved up to the task, not just from a talent standpoint but a mental one as well.

“It taught us that we can compete against some good teams,” said Angelotti following the team’s LHAC semifinal win. “Heading into districts and playoffs, I just think as long as we stay tough and stay together, that we can accomplish anything.”

After falling one set short of states in 2024, Bald Eagle Area (20-3) makes its second appearance in three seasons, clinching said appearance with Thursday’s win over Central Cambria before securing a host slot on Saturday. The tests resume on Tuesday, as the Eagles play host to District 7 Class AA runner-up Hopewell (18-2) at 6 p.m.

They’ll be looking to pick up their first state win since their sweep over District 19 Class AAA champ Greencastle-Antrim in 2023. Win there, and they have a chance to make their deepest run in quite some time.