A run to the final day of the volleyball season moves the Dutch to an elite top seven out of top ten moments in 2024-25.

A late-match surge for the Pella volleyball team was just enough to keep the 2024 season alive in a 3-2 win (19-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-18, 15-9) over #4 Clear Creek-Amana, as heard live in the state quarterfinals on 92.1 KRLS on November 4th.

The Dutch struggled through much of the first three sets with uncharacteristic miscues and several hitting errors, which allowed the Clippers to largely control that period of the match.

Down 7-3 in set four, Emma Eekhoff led an eight-point charge that seemed to flip the script for the remainder of the match. Despite an early set five deficit, the #5 in 4A Dutch again surged to the finish line and earned a final four finish.

Eekhoff and teammate Katie Scheckel each had a “triple double” – Scheck tallied 23 kills, 25 assists, and 25 digs; Emma added 11 kills, 16 assists, and 29 digs — and also added five service aces.

This was followed up by a sweep of Sergeant Bluff-Luton 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-23), in a semifinals match heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

Pella was dominating from the opening serve, and fueled behind a team hitting percentage of .300, six service aces, and nine total blocks. Katie Scheckel continued her strong week at state with 16 kills, 20 assists, and 10 digs; Emma Eekhoff and Brooke Schulte each tallied 10 kills apiece.

From the opening serve, the #5 in 4A Pella volleyball team never quite found its footing against #2 Bishop Heelan in the title match, who swept the Dutch 25-10, 25-13, 25-17 to win the Class 4A state title, as heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

Pella struggled to contain Crusader outside hitters Maliyah Hacker and Ava Lloyd, who combined for 34 kills, and couldn’t find the offense they needed to match the output. All-Tournament team selections Katie Scheckel and Emma Eekhoff finished with six and eight kills respectively.

The Dutch had split with Heelan in the 2024 season, defeating them in September — but the eventual champions won 33 of their next 34 games. Pella finished 2024 at 41-8 overall in their second-ever state championship finals.

Interview with Scheckel and Eekhoff: