Mens volleyball lost a closely contested edge-of-your-seat thriller to cross-town rival La Costa Canyon High School last Wednesday. The semifinal CIF match, which went to five games, witnessed a filled stadium of excited fans and also, according to some, one of the greatest games in Carlsbad’s sport history.

The first game saw Carlsbad take a compelling 8-1 lead in the first few minutes. But LCC put together an array of powerful kills and solid blocks and quickly answered back, bringing the score to 12-13. Carlsbad was able to break their momentum and took the first game 25-20.

The second game never was even contested. Carlsbad commanded the score board, finishing the game at 25-17.

LCC regrouped and took the fourth and fifth games with scores of 25-23 and 25-17 respectively.

It all came down to the last game. The energy was bursting out the seams.

“Never sit down. I don’t want to see anyone sitting down,” Assistant Principal Tom Bloomquist said as he paced the floor pumping up the crowd for what turned out to be an adrenaline filled fifth game.

Everyone listened. When Carlsbad won the first point, on-their-feet fans filled the stadium to a fever pitch of cacophonous noise. Carlsbad continued to rally evenly through the beginning of the fifth game with almost the entire home side standing up. 4-4. 6-6. 7-7. 8-8.

At 11-11, Junior Tien Le combined a dump (a trick set that instead of setting up a spike, is placed over the net directly) and a service ace to bring the score to 13-11 (and remember, fifth games are first to 15, not the usual 25).

At 13-11, Carlsbad lost one of the longest rallies in the match, missing an opportunity to go up 14-11 with three consecutive chances to win the match. But either way, Carlsbad had their chance at 14-13 to win the match but failed to convert.

Soon it was LCC’s chance. Carlsbad fended off LCC’s first match point, but failed to do so on their second, leaving the Mavericks with a 17-15 win in the fifth game and a win overall.

“If a couple more points go our way, we’re talking about it being the best game we’ve ever played in,” Senior Matt Cooney said. “As it went, it’s disappointing, but we had a good season regardless.”

Carlsbad mens volleyball lost to only three other San Diego teams this season. They even beat the Mavericks at their home earlier in the season.

Next year Carlsbad will lose 12 seniors but hopes to be led by Juniors Tien Le, Jordan Kruse, and Jake Blaker.