The Branford volleyball team’s dream season came to an end one game shy of a state championship in back-to-back seasons.

On Wednesday morning at Polk State College’s Health Center in Winter Haven, No. 2 seed Liberty County (Bristol) swept the top seed Bucs 25-20, 26-24, 26-24 to win the FHSAA Rural state title.

Branford, which defeated defending state champion Baker in Monday’s state semifinals, had its 25-game winning streak snapped and finished the season as state runners-up (Class 1A in 2023) for the second straight year.

The Bucs (27-4) took a 9-6 lead in the opening set on consecutive kills by senior Addison Folsom and seventh-grader Lalyn Sikes.

However, Liberty County used a 7-0 run to pull away on three kills by junior Whitlee Harvey and three attack errors by the Bucs for a 13-9 lead.

The Bulldogs (21-6) took their largest lead at 16-11 on back-to-back aces by Harvey and never trailed again for a 25-20 win and a 1-0 lead.

Branford overcame a 5-0 deficit in the second set and fought back to tie it four times.

Following a kill by Harvey for an 18-17 lead, senior Madison Ward’s block tied it and junior Kayley Johnson gave the Bucs a brief lead.

Later in the set, Branford rallied from a 24-21 deficit to tie it at 24-24 on a net violation by Liberty County and consecutive kills by sophomore Anabella Dicks.

The Bulldogs scored the next two points to win the second set, 26-24, to secure a 2-0 lead.

The third set was back-and-forth, with Branford building as much as a 4-point lead at 17-13 on a kill by Folsom.

Once again, Harvey took control with three straight kills as Liberty County eventually tied it at 17-17.

Branford answered with a 3-0 run for a 20-17 lead on a kill by Ward and a pair of aces by senior Erika Rioux.

The Bucs took their last lead of the day at 24-23 on a kill by Ward, before the Bulldogs scored the final three points to complete the sweep.

It was the first loss since August for Branford, which won its second straight region title on Oct. 29 with a 5-set win at home against Union County (Lake Butler).

Wednesday, Nov. 6

FHSAA Volleyball Rural State Championship

2 Liberty County (Bristol) d. 1 Branford 25-20, 26-24, 26-24