The Branson School girls volleyball team secured their place in the North Coast Section Open Division championship by defeating Redwood High School in a decisive semifinal match. The Bulls triumphed with a score of 25-12, 25-17, 25-21, showcasing their determination to defend their title against Marin Catholic on November 7, 2025.
Branson, seeded fourth with a record of 19-7, demonstrated their dominance in the match, avenging a previous five-set loss to the top-seeded Giants. Outside hitter Ella Tsai led the charge with a remarkable performance, registering 14 kills. The victory propels Branson into a highly anticipated rematch against Marin Catholic, who are seeded second and hold a record of 25-6. This championship clash will take place at 19:00 at Marin Catholic.
Branson’s strong start in the first set set the tone for the match, as they quickly established leads of 8-3 and 17-5. The Bulls capitalized on lengthy service runs from Abby King and Blake Cussen. This swift momentum left Redwood struggling to recover, raising questions about their readiness after a lengthy layoff of 12 days due to a first-round bye.
“I definitely think it plays a big role,” said Lucy Tusher, Branson’s libero, who contributed 13 digs to the effort. “Not being on the court is a big thing.” Branson, having faced a similar challenge last season, managed to overcome their own slow start, ultimately winning the title in straight sets against Marin Catholic.
Branson’s offensive strategy proved effective, with four players achieving at least nine kills during the match. Alongside Tsai, Ellie Corsello added 11 kills, while both Cussen and King notched nine each. Tusher emphasized the importance of diversifying their attack, stating, “We want to be able to mix up the offense and not have the blockers just stay on Blake or Ella.”
Head coach Michelle Brazil credited the setters, Kate Bianchi and Lily Gross, along with the back row defenders, for facilitating the successful play of the middle blockers. Brazil noted, “The fact that Ellie got so many sets is indicative of us passing and playing defense so well.”
In the second set, Redwood momentarily took a 4-1 lead but Branson quickly regained control, ultimately leading 7-6 and maintaining their advantage. Although the Giants managed to pull within three points at 17-14, Branson responded with critical kills to secure a two-set lead.
Redwood demonstrated resilience in the third set, managing to tie the score at 14-14 after a strong service run from Maddy Wagner. The Giants held brief leads of 16-15 and 20-19, but a crucial moment came when a free ball from Branson’s Charlotte Moore clipped the net, allowing Redwood to tie the game at 20-20.
Branson capitalized on this moment, winning the next four points, which included a block from King and a kill from Tsai, sealing their victory as a service error from Redwood ended the match.
With this win, Branson prepares for their third meeting this season against Marin Catholic. The Bulls previously defeated the Wildcats in a regular-season match on October 17, while Marin Catholic claimed victory in their MCAL semifinal face-off on October 22. This upcoming championship match promises to be an intense showdown as both teams vie for the coveted title.
