While experience and talent return at most spots for the Pella volleyball team, they are hopeful by having most faces back on the starting rotation, they can also improve upon last season’s flaws, making them even more dangerous to compete against.

Seniors Ella Corbin and Anna Vander Waal both say they want to see this year’s Lady Dutch squad take their games to a more advanced place, and worked this summer to shore up any weaknesses identified in 2020.

“We had a winning record last year and we have a pretty solid team, and we’ve been working on those little spots where we need help, like mostly serve-receive, and things like that, and I feel like once we get those down, we’ll keep pushing ahead and do even better this year,” Corbin says.

“It’s just really nice to have a lot of experience on the court,” Vander Waal says. “So I think we’re all more used to playing next to each other–you can kind of know the person next to you and what passes they’ll take and what passes you’ll take, I think can be we can be a little bit more aggressive with our shots; we’re more advanced with our shots and our free ball plays, and just passing in general has been better.”

Head Coach Mallory Peterson says Corbin and Vander Waal, newcomer Avey Amelse, 2020 All-State Honorable Mention Bailey Van Voorst, and Jasmine Namminga are all capable of playing full rotations if necessary, and returner Meridith Rowe and libero Katie Pollock give them more possibilities defensively.

Pella opens the volleyball season Tuesday at Ballard.