Wildcats cap successful season in D5-6-8 Class AAAA final, suffer tough loss to Somerset
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain volleyball players comfort each other following the team's 3-0 loss to Somerset in the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship at Mount Aloysius on Saturday.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain volleyball players are overcome by emotion following the team's 3-0 loss to Somerset in the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship at Mount Aloysius on Saturday.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Charlee Toner (20) gestures during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Alana Ingram (10) attempts a kill during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain volleyball players hype each other up during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain celebrates a point during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Allison Koch (14) attempts a kill during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Gracie Grieco (8) performs a return during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Claire Nestor (16) and Sofia Kelley (24) high five each other during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain celebrates a point during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Chloe Confer (3) performs a return during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain volleyball players comfort each other following the team's 3-0 loss to Somerset in the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship at Mount Aloysius on Saturday.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain volleyball players are overcome by emotion following the team's 3-0 loss to Somerset in the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship at Mount Aloysius on Saturday.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Charlee Toner (20) gestures during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Alana Ingram (10) attempts a kill during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain volleyball players hype each other up during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain celebrates a point during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Allison Koch (14) attempts a kill during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Gracie Grieco (8) performs a return during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Claire Nestor (16) and Sofia Kelley (24) high five each other during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain celebrates a point during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Chloe Confer (3) performs a return during the District 5-6-8 Class 4A championship against Somerset at Mount Aloysius on Saturday. The Wildcats fell 3-0.
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CRESSON – Though the Central Mountain volleyball team edged out Somerset, 3-2, in September, a repeat of that outcome wasn’t in the cards in a high stakes rematch at Mount Aloysius on Saturday.
The Wildcats kept things close in the first set and erased an early deficit in the third to give themselves a shot at a late comeback. But each time Central Mountain saw success, the Golden Eagles had a counter, sweeping the Wildcats, 3-0, behind set scores of 25-20, 25-14, 25-14 to take home the District 5/6/8 Class 4A title.
The win propeled Somerset (15-5) to the PIAA Class 4A championships, where the Golden Eagles open their run against District 4 champion Athens on Wednesday.
For Central Mountain (15-5), the loss concludes a successful first-year stint for co-head coaches Erin Winslow and Jenna Schienke. The Wildcats finished with 15 wins, a PHAC tournament title and a District 6 Class 4A semifinal win over Bellefonte.
Seniors such as setter Chloe Confer – who surpassed 1,000 career assists, Allison Koch, Kaitlyn Walker and Charlee Toner will be tough to part ways with. But the team harbors a strong returning squad ahead of 2027, with key contributors in Gracie Griece, Sofia Kelley, Alana Ingram and Claire Nestor all back for next season.