Clear Creek Amana ousts another highly-ranked team in state volleyball tournament

CORALVILLE — Bliss Beck battled butterflies with all eyes fixed on her.

Her adrenaline was pumping, but she needed the right combination of force and finesse with her teammates, coaches, family and classmates watching.

Placing the Clear Creek Amana sticker firmly in the championship round on the official state volleyball bracket was more nerve-racking than tapping home the game-winning point.

“I was shaking out there,” Beck said with a laugh. “I didn’t want to push over the board either. I had to have a soft touch, but I didn’t think it would stick. It was a mixture of that.”

Beck had the right touch, as she did during the Clippers’ 25-22, 22-25, 18-25, 25-18, 15-6 upset over second-ranked North Scott in a Class 4A state semifinal match Wednesday at Xtream Arena. No. 8 CCA advances to its first final, taking on No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier on Thursday at 12:15 p.m.

The Clippers (34-10) piled in the center of the court to celebrate.

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“It was crazy,” said CCA junior Addison Gisleson, who had a diving dig to keep the final point alive. “I loved it. It was awesome.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s the best feeling in the world. I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else.”

CCA dominated the final set with everything on the line. The Clippers bolted to a 10-0 lead thanks to four kills from Beck and two blocks that she shared with Averie Lower and Ashlyn Pitcher. North Scott put together a couple three-point runs but that was it.

The fast start was similar to the last set in Monday’s quarterfinal win over Marion.

“I think that’s our mentality coming out and going right away with guns-a-blazing,” Beck said. “That is something that helped us. It gives us some insurance points. They can go on a run but we’re still up by five. It eases our nerves and allows us to swing like we normally would. You don’t feel the pressure as much.”

The final point was indicative of the Clippers’ effort the entire match. They dug everything the Lancers pounded at them, hustled all over the court and then Beck put things away with her 19th kill.

“She was a huge presence at the net,” CCA Coach Jackie Clubb said. “They couldn’t get around it. She’s a great kid and great player. We’re lucky to have her.”

Beck also had four solo blocks and eight block assists. Lower had seven kills and Gisleson added three aces and five kills. Emily Henderson paced the Clippers with 18 assists.

“Our passing and our setting,” Beck said. “We struggled a bit with our passing but once we got that down we just seemed to be unstoppable. I attribute it to them.”

The magical postseason run was in jeopardy when North Scott (33-6) rebounded from the opening set loss to take the next two and move one away from advancing. The Clippers weren’t ready to close the book on this year, coming out for a 10-3 lead in the fourth and a six-point stretch for a 20-11 edge.

“We weren’t ready to be done, yet,” Gisleson said. “We just put it all in for each other so we could play one more game.”

Abbey Hayes led North Scott with 13 kills, while teammate Kaci Johnson had 12.

Cinderella’s slipper still fits the Clippers. They knocked off No. 6 West Delaware to qualify. They upset No. 3 Marion to reach their first state semifinal since 2013. The win over the Lancers puts them against the top-ranked Saints (32-4).

“I think that’s what motivates them,” Clubb said. “They have nothing to lose and we’re going to prove to you, if you’re going to doubt us. We’re coming back at you.”

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com