Manistique senior Ella Schuetter (10) emerges from a makeshift tunnel created by the student section before a match against Marquette on Oct. 12, 2023 at Manistique High School.

As the final point was scored during Manistique volleyball’s win over Marquette on Oct. 12, pandemonium broke out.

The Emeralds rallied after trailing 24-22 in set four to force a race to 15 in the final frame. After a 13-point run, the green and white claimed the fifth stanza 15-2 to knock off the UP’s lone division 1 volleyball program.

Players embraced with one another, fans, members of the student section and family members. Tears of joy flowed through several Emerald’s players. One of those was senior Ella Schuetter, who finished with 22 kills and 11 blocks in Manistique’s last guaranteed home match of the 2023 season.

But beyond the stat sheet, who is Schuetter?

Daily Press sports editor “The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg caught up with Schuetter after the match to talk about the season so far and more.

Big Dog: The fifth frame was tied 1-1 with (senior) Dani (Lund) on the line. Did you think she’d rattle off 13-straight points?

Ella Schuetter: You know, in those moments, sometimes I don’t think at all. But I did not expect that. I can’t say I’m shocked because that’s just how we are sometimes. But that was like the best we have ever played as a whole. As our energy reaches a certain height and we just keep it, everybody is going for it as much as we can and cheering each other on. That is when we’re at our best.

BD: So, this is a question I ask every athlete. It’s somewhat controversial: does pineapple belong on pizza?

ES: (Thinks for a few seconds) Not gonna lie… I’ll eat it, but I’ll never order it.

BD: OK, that’s fair. There’s two weeks left in the season. How do you feel everything has gone for you so far?

ES: I’m really sad because I feel like it’s crazy to me that, at least for our in-season, it’s gonna be over. It’s my fourth year on the varsity team, so it’s like a home to me. The thought of being done was really scary. But this is the most confident I have ever felt on a team and the most confident I’ve ever felt from my teammates. So I have the utmost faith in everything that we can do. Everything in me is hoping for a far drive in the postseason.

BD: What is it about this group in particular that gives you that confidence?

ES: I think our level of skill is extremely good. We did lose seven seniors last year, so starting off the season, we were kinda like ‘I don’t really know, it’s gonna be a building year? How’s it gonna go?’ And then summer came around and we just balled out. Like, I feel like every single girl who was out on that court was giving everything that she has. She wants to be here. She put in the work in the summer. She put in the work in the season. That amount of work, and just drive, because our seasons are long. We start training in the week after School’s out. So we’ve been doing this for a long time, and the amount of perseverance it takes to continue that for so long says a lot about a person and it builds a lot of trust through all of us with each other.

BD: What do you want to do after you graduate high school?

ES: Right now. I’m looking at the University of (Wisconsin) Lacrosse and the University of Madison. I plan to major in microbiology to hopefully study or be able to work in medical research.

BD: OK. What makes you want to do that?

ES: So I had a grandpa die when I was four and he had (a form of) blastoma, it’s a really fast growing brain cancer. And for how technically advanced we are it is really sad to me that there’s all these illnesses and diseases that don’t really have cures, or that we’re not really able to help people. Sometimes it’s just let it take its course and that’s really sad. So if I can make even (pinches index finger and thumb close together, leaving less than a centimeter of space in between) this small for people like that who can’t help themselves, that would make me feel relieved.

BD: Last question. Before she graduates high school, Ella Schuetter wants to accomplish what?

ES: I want to accomplish feeling like everything I do on the court with this team and in school… I gave it my all and I know I did the absolute best. I gave it everything that I had. I don’t want to have any regrets.