Branson (Ross) battled back from a 12-8 fifth-set deficit to beat
Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Estates) on Friday in the CIF Division I finals to grab a sixth state title for the Bulls, but first above the DV level, beating the Sea Kings, 25-17, 24-26, 25-20, 23-25, 15-13.
The Bulls had 29 kills from
Elena Fisher and freshmen
Cayman Stein added nine while
Logan Tusher had 53 assists.
Kaci Demaria was spectacular in the losing effort with 27 kills while
Kendall Beshear added 15 and
Melanie Tilles and
Daniela Rusich each had 13.
Tatum Lane had 59 assists for Palos Verdes.
Branson, a Division V with an enrollment of roughly 350 students, came out and landed the first punch on Palos Verdes, which had played in the Southern Section Division I pool play along with heavyweights Mira Costa, Sierra Canyon, Mater Dei and Marymount. The Bulls pulled away from a 14-all game to lead 24-14 before the Sea Kings made it close in the first set.
After trading sets two and three, Palos Verdes held a 20-16 edge in the fourth before Branson closed it to 24-21. But two unforced errors by the Bulls set up set point and Beshear's kill gave the Sea Kings the win and sent the match to a fifth.
In the fifth, the Sea Kings seemed to have the momentum, taking leads of 4-1, 7-5 and 12-8. But the Bulls used their quick setting and attack game to wrestle the momentum back. A Palos Verdes hitting error, kills by Fisher and Stein and a block from Fisher knotted the score at 12 as the Sea Kings called their final timeout.
"I'm very competitive, but in the timeout when it was 12-12 I was so joyous thinking I don't care who wins," said Branson coach Michelle Brazil. "I was just thinking that this is so much fun and I've never had that feeling."
Up 14-13, the Bulls grabbed the title as a Sea Kings' kill attempt sailed long.
"They played their hearts out and came up short by two points," Palos Verdes coach Patrick Lynch said.
