Photo by Rick Thompson: The Humboldt volleyball squad celebrates its victory over Cherokee in a Class 3A state volleyball quarterfinal match on Tuesday in Coralville.

CORALVILLE — For the first time in program history, Humboldt is headed to the state volleyball semifinals.

The focused Wildcats punched their ticket with a commanding sweep over No. 4 Cherokee here on Tuesday afternoon inside a loud and packed Xtream Arena. Fifth-ranked Humboldt (32-6 overall) will now take on No. 1 Western Christian back here Wednesday at 2 p.m. for a spot in the finals.

Scores in the quarterfinals were 25-16, 25-15 and 25-21 in favor of the Wildcats.

Western Christian (38-9) advanced to the final four for a 25th consecutive year with a sweep of Mount Vernon in a rematch of the title game from 2024. Scores were 25-12, 25-20 and 25-16.

The Wildcats set the tone early vs. the Braves, recording 22 kills on 39 attempts with just two errors in the first set. Humboldt finished the match with 50 kills and just 12 errors, including a match-high 14 from Adelynn Goodell.

Mia Schluter and Kendall Works each had 12 kills, as Addie Waldorf dished out 39 assists. Claire Dieleman had a team-leading 12 digs for the Wildcats, who have now won 14 straight matches and recorded 26 sweeps — including through every match in the North Central Conference this fall.

“This is really exciting,” Works said. “The team is really special, and we want to see just how far we can go.”

Alivia Goodell added five kills, Waldorf had four and Jazzie Dodd three. Both Schluter and Works had nine digs, with Waldorf and Dodd both tallying eight.

Humboldt served at a 92-percent clip with four aces: two from Dieleman and one each by Adelynn Goodell and Waldorf.

“We have a lot of options in our front row,” Humboldt head coach Kara Waldorf said. “If (the attack isn’t) working with someone, it’s working with someone else.

For Cherokee (29-7), Addy Wolfswinkel had 12 kills and eight digs, Deidra Doeden had nine kills and Ellana Mortenson added eight kills.

Mahren Malausky recorded 12 assists, but the Braves had 18 errors on the day.

Humboldt’s regular rotation includes four seniors in Dieleman, Alivia Goodell, Schluter and Works, along with juniors Gracie Johnson and sophomores Adelynn Goodell, Waldorf and Dodd. They have improved in the win column each of the past three seasons, going from 14 victories in 2023 to 23 last year to 32 currently.

Since 2007, the Wildcats have had six seasons with 30-plus wins, including a high of 34 in 2016. Last year, Western Christian ended Humboldt’s run in the regional finals, one win shy of a trip to state.

“We think we have a chance if we play like we did (Tuesday),” Schluter said. “We have to show a lot of energy and terminate the ball.”

The other 3A semifinal will feature second-ranked Davenport Assumption taking on No. 6 Carroll Kuemper. Assumption swept Mid-Prairie and Kuemper bested Red Oak.