BATTLE CREEK — All good things must come to an end.

The Buchanan volleyball team’s four-year drive to win a state championship came up a match short at No. 3-ranked North Branch outlasted the No. 5-ranked Bucks 3-2 in the Class B state semifinals in the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek Thursday night.

North Branch, the defending state runners-up, rallied from 2-1 deficit to beat Buchanan 12-25, 25-17, 22-25, 25-19 and 15-10.

The Broncos went on to defeat defending state champion Lake Odessa in the championship match 3-0 Saturday afternoon.

The Bucks cruised to an easy 25-12 in in the opening set only to have North Branch rally for a 25-17 win in the second tie to square the match at 1-1.

Buchanan reclaimed the lead with a hard-fought 25-22 victory in the third set and led four set before the Broncos used a 15-6 run to tie the match with a 25-19 victory.

It was all North Branch early in the fifth and deciding set before the Bucks rallied late to make the score a bit more respectable.

After setting a new school record for single season wins in the quarterfinals, Buchanan finishes the year at 49-7. The seven seniors on the Bucks’ roster established a new standard of excellence at Buchanan with a 177-29 four-year record, which included three district and one regional championship.

All-Stater Franki Strefling, who will play at Eastern Michigan next season, finished with 33 kills, 23 digs and a pair of blocks against the Broncos.

Alex Tobler had 18 kills and 19 digs, while Liz Kuntz finished with 12 kills, six blocks and four digs.

Britta Mollberg ended her career with 65 assists, 15 digs and three kills. Taylor Strauss led the Bucks with 40 digs and an ace.

 

NORTH BRANCH 3,

BUCHANAN 2

At Battle Creek

Match results

North Branch d. Buchanan 12-25, 25-17, 22-25, 25-19, 15-10

Individual statistics

Franki Strefling 23 digs 33 kills 2 blocks

Alex Tobler 19 digs 18 kills

Liz Kuntz 4 digs 12 kills 6 blocks

Andrea Bair 1 block

Megan Adkerson 3 digs 6 kills 1 block

Taylor Reed 4 digs 1 ace

Taylor Strauss 40 digs 1 ace

Britta Mollberg 15 digs 3 kills 65 assists

Varsity records: Buchanan 49-6.

, North

Branch 57-9.