Halloween is still a couple of days away, but Tuesday’s volleyball match between visiting Union County (Lake Butler) and host Branford was a bit frightening.

Top-ranked Branford built a 2-0 lead, but the No. 3 seed Tigers roared back to tie it at 2-apiece before the Bucs won a hair-raising fifth set in front of a raucous and spirited crowd.

What could have been a nightmare ended up being a party as Branford celebrated a 25-19, 25-14, 17-25, 19-25, 17-15 victory in an FHSAA Class Rural-Region 3 Final, sending the Bucs to their second straight final four and their third in the past six years.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Branford coach Mendy Sikes. “These seniors I’ve had for a long time, and I wanted them to have one more opportunity. One of our main middles (senior Madison Ward) got hurt yesterday during the last 10 minutes of practice. They made adjustments, we had a whole new rotation, and I could not be prouder of them depending on each other and making it happen.”

The decisive fifth set was tied four times, including a Branford service error which tied it for the final time at 15-15.

However, Branford seventh-grader Lalyn Sikes, the daughter of Coach Sikes, had a kill for a 16-15 lead, followed by an ace to win it, giving the Bucs (26-3) their 24th straight win. It was one of five aces on the night for Sikes (16 kills, 26 digs).

“Basically, we said in the huddle that if they really want to continue playing, and we have a lot of seniors on the court, that they’ve really got to dig deep, they’ve got to trust their teammates and believe that they can do it as a team,” Mendy Sikes said.

Earlier in the set, a return by Sikes sailed high well beyond the back line that would have cut the Bucs lead to 11-10. However, it was overruled by the main referee, who said it was deflected.

The point was awarded to Branford on the kill by Sikes for a 12-9 lead. She finished with five kills and two aces in the fifth set.

“She was (phenomenal), she’s an amazing player,” said her mom. “I really worried coming into this extreme atmosphere how she would cope mentally, and you can tell she struggled a little bit when she made an error or two, but I could not be more proud as a coach and as a mom with the way she finished.”

Coach Sikes said the loss of Ward was “huge.”

“Huge impact,” she said. “She’s the leader on our court, she’s the voice on our court. When she’s out there you can tell when she’s out there, but she gave them a huge motivational speech just before we came out here and she cheered them on…she’s just one of those players that is hard to replace.”

Despite the absence of Ward, who was on crutches on the team bench with a high ankle sprain, Branford won the first two sets.

With the score tied 7-7 in the first set, Sikes gave the Bucs the lead for a good on a kill, followed by a kill by senior Addison Folsom (14 kills, 3 blocks) off of a deflection for a 9-7 lead.

Folsom had five kills in the opening set, including the final two for Branford.

“She did everything I asked her to do,” Mendy Sikes said. “They made adjustments, honestly, there wasn’t anything other than the fourth set that I was really frustrated with. In the fourth set we played a little scared and just started tipping like crazy and not placing the ball, but we got the ‘W.’ We’re going to state and I’m happy.”

In the second set, Sikes had three consecutive kills as part of a 6-0 run, which gave Branford a 17-7 lead.

But the Tigers didn’t go down without a fight, clawing their way back to tie the match at 2-2.

“It was a great match,” said Union County coach Tifani Knox. “We did not play the first two sets and then decided to. They just ended up on top. It was a great match though.”

Union County (17-10) battled back from a 2-0 deficit thanks to the play of freshman Morgan Smith, who had five kills in the third set. After Branford had cut the deficit to four at 20-16, she had consecutive kills to help the Tigers regain the momentum.

“That was really what helped us turn it around and that was also what helped us whenever we played Mayo (Lafayette) and beat them,” Knox said. “She really stepped up and that’s tough as a freshman, first year on varsity, she’s a tough kid. She’s going to be one heck of a player.”

In the fourth set, Smith broke a 19-all tie with a kill and senior Kamryn Southerland added five service points including the final point on an ace to force a fifth set.

“I’m really proud of them,” Knox said. “Coming back three sets at the end was commendable. They played their hearts out and it just didn’t end for us the right way. It was a great year.”

Junior Kayley Johnson add 10 kills and 40 digs for Branford, which will play defending 1A state champion Baker on Monday at 1 p.m. in the state semifinals in a rematch of last year’s state championship game.

2024 FHSAA Volleyball playoffs

Tuesday, Oct. 29

Rural-Region 3 Final

1 Branford d. 3 Union County (Lake Butler) 25-19, 25-14, 17-25, 19-25, 17-15

Rural-Region 4 Final

1 Moore Haven d. 2 Williston 25-22, 25-20, 25-23