Clear Creek Amana sweeps West Delaware, advances to state volleyball tournament

MANCHESTER — As a member of the Iowa Rockets club volleyball team, Bliss Beck has played at Xtream Arena before.

“But not on the main court,” she said.

She will Monday.

Beck clobbered eight of her match-high 17 kills in the third set, and eighth-ranked Clear Creek Amana neutralized No. 6 West Delaware’s pace in a Class 4A regional-final sweep Tuesday night at Seedorff Gymnasium.

Scores were 25-19, 25-22 and 25-20.

“We’ve been working all week on trying to speed up our defense,” CCA’s Sam Schrage said. “We wanted to make sure we weren’t late on our blocks.

“Tonight, we put it all together.”

Clear Creek Amana (32-10) advances to the state tournament for the first time since 2014. The Clippers will face No. 3 Marion (35-6) in a first-round match at 6 p.m. Monday at Xtream Arena, Coralville.

“It’s a great feeling,” Beck said. “We get to continue this.”

CCA Coach Jackie Clubb said, “I’m so proud of them. I can’t tell you how prepared they were for this match, and that brought confidence.

“We tried to simulate their quickness, and we worked on blocking every single day.”

For the most part, the Clippers controlled the match. They didn’t face a deficit in the first set, or the third.

The only truly tense moment came late in the second set, which was tied at 21-21 late.

A pair of kills by Schrage put the Clippers in front, 23-21. A ball-handling error on the Hawks (29-15) got CCA to set point at 24-22, then Meg Berkland delivered an ace to give the Clippers a two-set cushion.

Schrage tallied 12 kills, including the final one of the match. Freshman Averie Lower added 10.

Emily Henderson and Kenadi Wood supplied 21 assists apiece.

Clear Creek Amana started no seniors, but the Clippers played poised.

“Most of us were sophomores last year,” said Beck, a junior and a Drake University commit. “We learned how to work together.”

Last year’s 3A state champion, West Delaware was led by Alivia Schulte (13 kills). Brooke Krogmann added 12, Allie Demmer 11.

The Hawks’ latest lead in any set was 16-15 in the second. The middle set featured 13 ties.

A four-point run pushed CCA to a 12-7 lead in the opener, and it was never closer than four points after that.

Beck had two kills and a block in a four-point surge in Game 3 that broke a 7-7 deadlock.

Clear Creek Amana 3, West Delaware 0

(25-19, 25-22, 25-20)

CLASS 4A REGIONAL FINAL, AT MANCHESTER

Serving: CCA 70-73 (.959), West Delaware 55-63 (.873)

Aces: CCA 2 (Emily Henderson, Meg Berkland), West Delaware 1 (Natalie Mensen)

Kills: CCA 46 (Bliss Beck 17), West Delaware 39 (Alivia Schulte 13)

Assists: CCA 44 (Henderson, Kenadi Wood 21), West Delaware 36 (Kirstyn Kolbet 31)

Blocks: CCA 6 (three with 2), West Delaware 3 (Brooke Krogmann 2)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com