Girls soccer: Branson takes down Tam, claims regular-season title

The Branson School girls soccer team secured its first MCAL regular-season title since 2022 after taking down the two-time defending champions from Tam on Tuesday.

Ava Grevelding scored from long range and Luna Diaz scored on a breakaway in the first half as the Bulls secured a 3-0 road win.

“We just focused on playing with each other and not getting too stressed in the moment because, as you know, this is a really big game for us to sort of seal the top seed or one of the top seeds in the MCAL bracket,” Grevelding said. “So just playing as a team and being very calm with the ball was super important for us this game.”

The victory put Branson (17-1-2, 6-0-1 MCAL) up to 19 points which proved to be enough to end the title race after second-place Redwood and Marin Catholic battled to a 0-0 draw in the night game. Redwood, which has a bye on Thursday, ends the season on 18 points.

“They’re the defending champs,” Diaz said of the Red-tailed Hawks (5-10-5, 3-3-1). “They won last year so we really wanted to beat them. Every game is important but definitely this one because it’s so close to the end.”

Branson weathered a solid start from Tam in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Red-tailed Hawks created a great chance in the eighth minute following a corner kick played short by Lauren Willard. The ball was returned to Willard whose ensuing shot was just inches wide of the far post.

The Bulls’ first real chance of the half came in the 15th minute on a through ball played to Diaz, who got behind the defense – a recurring theme in the first half. Tam’s CeCi Murdoch and Taryn Migliori recovered to prevent Diaz from putting in a shot on frame.

One minute later, after a Branson throw-in in the final third, Tam’s defense dealt with the initial threat by clearing the ball – but only out as far as Grevelding in her position at right back. Grevelding launched a shot toward goal from about 40 yards out which dropped just inside the far post for a stunning 1-0 lead.

“It was crazy,” Grevelding said. “I actually scored one similar to that one the other day against Novato but I don’t score usually so I was super excited. It was super nice to have my teammates hugging me and being around me. I was really happy to score and be around very joyful and happy people.”

Grevelding’s long-range effort caught everyone off guard – including some of her teammates.

“I looked behind and I saw her kicking it and I was like ‘Oh, my gosh,” Diaz said. “I started screaming. It was crazy.”

Branson channeled its attack through more traditional means the rest of the first half – namely playing through balls to Diaz past Tam’s high back line. Diaz got in behind the defense on at least three occasions and doubled Branson’s lead at 2-0 in the 25th minute off an assist by Anya Sridharan.

Diaz was in behind the back line again in the 30th minute and looked ready to give the Bulls a 3-0 lead but Tam goalie Fionnula Hall made a huge save to keep the margin at 2-0.

“(Hall) was just coming out and she made herself pretty big,” Diaz said. “It was hard to try get it around her.”

Tam created enough chances to climb back into the game but were unable to convert any of them into goals. Tam’s Mia Bukow sent a dangerous cross into Branson’s 6-yard box in the 33rd minute. Branson left back Tait Anderson beat a pair of Tam attackers to the ball to prevent a shot on target.

Tam sent another dangerous ball through Branson’s 6-yard box in the 47th minute but Mia Yolles’ cross went just over Murdoch’s head at the far post.

Tam’s other major chance came on a free kick just outside the 18-yard box taken by Willard in the 57th minute. Willard’s shot appeared to be on target but Brooke Davis – in the wall – jumped and deflected it out wide for a corner.

Branson ended any remaining drama in the 62nd minute when Julia Myerberg took a free kick just beyond the right edge of the 18-yard box. Myerberg’s service found Sridharan for a header and a 3-0 lead.

“Julia’s service has been quality all year and she hung it up there in a spot for her teammates to go challenge for it,” Branson coach Tyler Gottschalk said. “Anya went up and made good contact.”

Around the county

• Stella Hayes scored a second-half goal to lift Archie Williams to a crucial 1-0 victory against Terra Linda (7-6-5, 1-3-3) on Tuesday. Ainsley Sullivan had the assist for the Peregrine Falcons (6-8-2, 2-4-1) which jumped the Trojans into seventh place with the win. Archie Williams closes the season against Tam on Thursday while TL faces Branson.
• San Rafael secured a playoff spot following a 5-0 win against Novato (1-11-1, 0-7-0) on Tuesday. The Bulldogs (11-1-8, 2-1-5) moved into third place heading into the final day of the season and would host a playoff game with a win against San Marin (9-5-4, 2-3-2) on Thursday. Ryder Higgins Jones had two goals and an assist to lead the Bulldogs while Jaela Brown added a goal and an assist. Joselin Romero and Stefani Brandt had the other goals while Darby Fones and Brooklyn Cox had the other assists.
• Redwood (8-4-5, 5-0-3), which had already secured a first-round bye in next week’s playoffs, battled Marin Catholic (4-6-5, 2-3-3) to a 0-0 draw on Tuesday night. MC sits in fifth and needs a result Thursday against Novato to secure a playoff spot.