CORALVILLE, Iowa – McKenzie Moeller supplied the power and it was just what North Scott needed to win another state championship.
The 5-foot-9 senior with a super-charged swing pounded home 32 kills and the fifth-seeded Lancers bounced back quickly from a first-set loss to beat No. 2 seed Sioux Center 3-1 for the Class 4A volleyball title at Xtream Arena. North Scott prevailed on scores of 23-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-19.
It’s the third championship for the Lancers (27-10), who captured the 4A crown in 2023 and won the 2A title in a two-class tournament in 1985.
Moeller, who will play at Southern Illinois next season, amassed 90 kills in her three matches at state and was named captain of the all-tournament team. Teammate Addison Allen joined her on the honor unit after compiling 42 assists and 11 digs in the title match. She totaled 137 assists for the tournament.
Adalynn Johnson added 11 kills for North Scott and libero Ainsley Haedt had 17 digs. Moeller added 13 digs and a solo block to her line.
Sioux Center (30-5), finishing as the state runner-up for the second time in four years, got 18 kills from all-tournament selection Courteney Schmidt. Adison Brantsen added 12 kills for the Warriors and Avery Bitker contributed nine. Romee Bleeker and Taylor Holverson set up the Sioux Center hitters with 18 assists each.
Branstsen and Sioux Center’s Mary Franken also made the all-tournament team, along with Averie Lower of Clear Creek-Amana and Katie Scheckel of Pella.
Sioux Center fought off a late charge by North Scott to win the opening set, getting the winning point on a serving error after the Lancers had scored three straight points to draw to 24-23. Moeller rocked the Warriors with 10 kills in the second set, accounting for all the North Scott points in a 6-1 run that gave the Lancers the cushion they needed to hold on for the win and tie the match.
North Scott rallied from a 17-10 deficit to win set three, scoring the final four points to break a tie at 21. With the momentum on their side, the Lancers jumped to a 17-10 lead of their own in the final set and easily held on to claim the title.
