Kelley Surpasses 500 Kills
MILL HALL — In a grueling, back-and-forth battle that came down to the final points, the Central Mountain Wildcat volleyball team improved to 9-3 on the season with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the visiting Somerset Eagles (11-8-1) on Saturday afternoon.
The match proved to be an evenly matched contest from the opening serve, though Central Mountain had to recover from a sluggish start. Somerset controlled the opening frame, handing the Wildcats a 25-11 loss in set one. Central Mountain quickly found its footing, responding to claim both the second and third sets by identical 25-21 scores.
Somerset refused to go away quietly, dominating the fourth set 25-13 to force a winner-take-all fifth set. The final game mirrored the competitive intensity of the afternoon, featuring tight rallies and frequent lead changes before the Wildcats ultimately secured the 17-15 victory.
Beyond the team win, the afternoon marked another historic personal milestone for the program. Coming off a landmark performance on Thursday where senior Chloe Confer recorded her 1,000th career assist, sophomore Sofia Kelley entered Saturday’s match needing just 11 kills to reach 500 for her career.
Kelley hit the mark during the third set, triggering a brief stoppage after the frame where teammates and fans honored her on the court with a commemorative banner, and flowers. Kelley paced the Wildcat offense all afternoon, finishing with a team-high 24 kills.
Central Mountain will look to build on the momentum quickly as they return to their home court on Monday night to host Hughesville. The program will honor its graduating players for Senior Night, with varsity action scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
