Branson girls varsity volleyball defeated fourth-seeded Foothill in a three-set game during their Nov. 6 playoff match, securing their spot in the first-ever North Coast Section Open Division finals.
The Bulls entered the game with a 20-4 season record, ranked first in NCS and hoping to secure their 15th NCS championship match in the past 16 years.
“We wanted to make sure that when we came in we were ready,” said libero Lauren Dignan ‘25, who is committed to playing volleyball at Northwestern.
After not playing a game in 12 days, the team wanted to ensure that they were prepared for their rematch against Foothill.
The Bulls started their season with a 3-0 game against Foothill on Aug. 27, and since then they have continued to develop and strengthen their skills.
“I think we have definitely improved our off-blocker defense and defense in general,” said Dignan, who is also the opinions editor on The Blazer. “They have some really great players, honestly, so we had to work on our scouting report.”
The team has been working very hard recently, both on and off the court, resulting in their impressive record.
“I think that everyone is very dedicated,” said Dignan, noting the five-practices-per-week schedule — a sum of more than 12 hours a week that the players spend in the gym.
Off the court, the Bulls continue to establish and strengthen their team chemistry, which has helped to solidify their culture of success.
“We all love each other as people. We’re all best friends off the court, so it’s really easy to play together,” said Dignan.
Looking ahead, the team is now preparing for the championship match for the first-ever NCS Open Division. Until 2024, NCS has only offered competitions going as high as Division 1. The bulls are now preparing to make Branson — and NCS — history. And after dominating NCS for the past few years, the team is ready for the step up.
“We are really happy that we can have something that can challenge us,” said Dignan.
The team dominated Marin Catholic in the NCS Open Division final Nov. 9, securing their sixth win in the last seven years.
