Emma Beck was cleared for takeoff Friday night at the Alaska Airlines Center.
The Kenai Central high flyer slammed 24 kills to lead the defending state champion Kardinals back to the Class 3A final after sweeping Peninsula rival Nikiski 25-21, 25-20, 25-18 in the winner’s bracket semifinal.
Beck blasted the ball night and all over the court but also displayed a soft touch with a half dozen taps and tips. She also had one kill on a mishit, proof that everything was going her way.
Throw in two solo blocks and Beck produced 26 of her team’s 75 points.
Opposite side hitters Sophia Tarpley and Grace Beiser also thrived for Kenai (20-1), which beat Nikiski a week ago in the Southcentral Conference title game.
Tarpley finished with nine kills, including four in the second set. She also smacked back-to-back kills to end the match.
Beiser furnished five kills in the third set, including a string of three in a row. She also served well and ratted off 4-0 runs in the first and third sets.
ASAA/First National Bank Alaska
Class 3A Volleyball State Championships
At Alaska Airlines Center
Friday’s Results
Winner’s Bracket
Kenai 3, Nikiski 0
Loser’s Bracket
Sitka 3, Nome-Beltz 0
Barrow 3, Eielson 0
Valdez 3, Barrow 0
Sitka 3, Mt. Edgecumbe 0
Valdez 3, Sitka 1
Saturday’s Schedule
Loser’s Bracket
10am Nikiski vs. Valdez
Championship Match
2pm Kenai vs. Nikiski/Valdez winner
But this night belonged to Beck.
The senior southpaw had five kills early to fuel a 7-5 start in the first set. Her kills also produced leads of 17-13, 20-16 and 22-19. Her block sealed the first set.
It was the same song in the second set. She had five kills as Kenai led 11-9. Another banger made it 22-18.
Beck turned the third set into her own highlight reel as she recorded nine kills, including a run of five straight kills when it seemed like she couldn’t be stopped.
But she wasn’t finished. Later she got hot again with kills on two of three arms swings as Kenai’s lead swelled to 18-9.
From there, Tarpley and Beiser got into the act and combined with Beck for nine of the team’s final 10 points.
Nikiski didn’t surrender under a barrage of spikes. Defensive specialist Kailey Stynsberg was a stalwart on the back row and outside hitter Alexa Iyatunguk led the offense with 10 kills.