Molly Shafer posts 2A state volleyball record 41 kills in EBF’s semifinal win over Beckman

CORALVILLE — Sometimes your best is simply not good enough.

Especially when you are on the receiving end of a record-breaking performance.

Dyersville Beckman was the unfortunate team to be on the other side of the net as Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont’s Molly Shafer put on one of the best individual offensive performances in state tournament history.

The 6-foot senior pounded home a Class 2A tournament record 41 kills as the No. 2 Rockets ousted No. 3 Beckman, 26-24, 19-25, 25-18, 25-19 on Wednesday afternoon at Xtream Arena.

Shafer shattered the previous 2A kills record of 34 set by Morgan Middleton of Clarion-Goldfield-Dows in 2019. Shafer's total was also the most in any class since the tournament moved to five classes in 2012. The all-time state mark for kills in a match is 46 by Marion’s Angela Bys in 2005.

“She is as good as I have seen,” Beckman Coach Todd Troutman said of Shafer. “I've seen a lot of them and she has all the shots. I didn't think we played badly at all, but we just did not have an answer for her.”

Rockets Coach Gladys Genskow said when you have a player with Shafer’s skills, you keep going her way.

“She's our go-to gal, everybody knows that,” Genskow said. “She was hitting spots we needed to hit so we kept going to her.”

Shafer, who along with twin sister Kate, will play next year at Northern Iowa, had no idea she had set a state record. She could not recall ever having that many kills in a single match.

“Going into this match I knew (Beckman) was a pretty scrappy team,” she said. “I didn't really know what to expect when it came to the number of kills, but my team relied on me and I executed.”

Even as Shafer pounded away, Beckman took the second set in impressive fashion.

“I thought our block did a great job to help us get the second set,” Troutman said. “They kept feeding (Shafer) and she adjusted her shots and that puts a lot of pressure on your back row and it keeps you from getting much going on offense.”

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Photos: Eddyville EBF vs. Dyersville Beckman in Class 2A state volleyball semifinals

Kate Shafer had 46 assists for the winners. Lacey Taylor added 12 kills. Molly Shafer led the defense with 18 digs. Beckman (36-7) was led by Katelyn Schmitt's 11 kills. Alexie Higan had 13 digs.

EBF (37-2) will play No. 1 Denver at 4:45 Thursday in the 2A title match. The Cyclones advanced with a three-set sweep of defending champion Dike-New Hartford.

“We've been ranked 1 and 2 all season,” Genskow said. “We don't know a lot about them but we will go watch the tape and we will be ready to go (Thursday).”