The Lady Dutch wrapped up their 8th ever state volleyball tournament appearance with the highest finish in school history.

Pella fell to Wahlert in straight sets (25-18, 25-16, 25-14) yesterday in a match heard live on 92.1 KRLS, which meant they ended their season as the 2nd-place team in Class 4A.

While the bid for a first-ever title came up short, Head Coach Catie Brand says making it to the final match of the year can be a potential building block for future volleyball players at Pella.

In the championship finale, the Lady Dutch defense was unable to stop future UCLA Bruin Mackenzie May, who tallied 21 kills and three aces. Pella was led by sophomore Emily Holterhaus, who had 15 kills.

Pella finishes the Class 4A runner-up with a 38-5 overall record, with all loses only coming to state qualifiers in 4A and 5A.