Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CORALVILLE – By her own high standards Clear Creek Amana junior Bliss Beck was relatively quiet in her state tournament debut.

The two-time reigning WAMAC West Division player of the year had 12 kills on .265 hitting and added three blocks in a five-set upset of third-ranked Marion on Monday.

The encore performance from Beck on Wednesday in the Class 4A semifinals at Xtream Arena in Coralville was a masterpiece.

Beck had match-highs of 19 kills and 12 blocks as Clear Creek Amana reached the state championship game for the first time in program history with a five-set upset of second-ranked North Scott.

“When she gets confidence everyone else gets confidence,” Clear Creek Amana coach Jackie Clubb said of Beck. “We had the ball in system, we got the ball to her and she did great.”

Beck was excellent all match against North Scott.

The 19 kills for Beck came on 46 swings as she hit a match-best .348.

However, she was at her best when the Clippers needed it most.

Beck had five kills and three blocks in a decisive fifth set won 15-6 by the Clippers.

“Bliss did such a great job in the fifth set,” Clubb said. “She was a huge presence at the net and they couldn’t get around her. We are lucky to have her.”

Clear Creek Amana didn’t have a five-set match in the regular season.

The Clippers hadn’t even played a match that went to a fourth set before its five-set win over third-ranked Marion in the 4A quarterfinals.

In two state tournament five setters the Clippers have outscored a pair of top-three opponents by a combined score of 30-14.

“We’ve been trying to condition in practice for rallies and long matches but nothing really compares to that,” Beck said. “The adrenaline just pushes you through it. Just pure excitement.”

Beck has been a big reason for the late-match success.

She started the fifth set with a kill on Wednesday and never let up.

“It takes a while sometimes for her to get turned on,” Clubb said. “I am so proud of her. She has grown so much even in the last week she has gained confidence.”

Clear Creek Amana opened the fifth set with a 10-0 run.

Beck was responsible for seven of those points.

The 6-foot-2 junior scored seven of nine points to open the fifth set either on kills or blocks.

She scored four consecutive points with two kills and two blocks to give the Clippers an insurmountable 0-0 lead.

“I’ve never seen anyone do anything like that,” Clear Creek Amana junior Addison Gisleon said. “That was awesome.”

With 31 kills and 15 blocks in a pair of state tournament wins Beck now has 386 kills and 148 blocks on the season entering the 4A final against top-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier (32-4) on Thursday at 12:15 p.m.

“It was strictly adrenaline,” Beck said. “I wanted to win so bad and I think everyone else on the team did as well.”

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