Vikings fall short against Tigers with state on the line

North Branch's hopes of a state volleyball tournament berth came to an end on Wednesday, November 4, as the second-seeded Vikings fell to top-seeded Princeton in straight sets in the Section 7AAA championship game.

Playing on Princeton's home court, the Vikings battled the Tigers in the opening set but couldn't quite get over the hump, falling 25-21. Princeton carried that momentum into the second set, pulling away for a 25-14 victory before closing out the championship with a 25-16 win in the third.

The match was a near carbon copy of the Tigers’ sweep over the Vikings last month.

Princeton was led by Taylor Davis, who finished with a match-high 14 kills, while Gretchen Beltrand added 11. 

The loss was a disappointing finish for North Branch, which put together a strong season and postseason run to reach the section championship match but ultimately couldn't solve a historically good Princeton team, as it’s the Tigers first ever bid to the state tournament in volleyball.