On Thursday night, the Lady Lancers volleyball team lost to the Fallbrook Warriors in a game that couldn’t have been closer. In the first match, both teams went back and forth, each unable to get the upper hand. As neither team could gain a decisive lead, the teams went past the normal victory point of 25 points, with Fallbrook eventually winning 26-24.
Carlsbad seemed to get fired up for the next match as the Lancers, led by junior Brenna Mann, took an early lead and never looked back. Firing on all cylinders, the Lancers fought hard and took the second match 25-19.
Carlsbad’s senior setter Tiffany Mancuso began the third match with a bang, perhaps catching the Warriors off guard with a jump-serve ace. Throughout the rest of the match, Carlsbad’s defense kept them in the game with a series of phenomenal digs against the Fallbrook hitters. After a series of kills, Fallbrook took a 22-17 lead and the Warriors’ hitting proved too much to handle as Fallbrook won 25-20.
The Lancers seemed to regain their fire in the fourth game, starting off with an emphatic kill by sophomore Rachel Noble. Carlsbad continued to look strong with two blocks in a row from junior Caihla Petiprin. Although Fallbrook kept it close for the majority of the game, Petiprin aced the Warriors three times in a row to take a 23-18 lead, and Carlsbad scored an additional two points to finish off a seven point run to end the match.
The game then went to a decisive fifth match to fifteen, with both teams looking for the win. The Lancers mounted a 13-11 lead, hoping to take the win, however a kill and a block had Fallbrook tied up, and an ace had the warriors sitting on game point. A tip to the middle of the court that caught the Carlsbad defense on it’s heels sealed the game for the Warriors and dealt a disheartening defeat to the Lancers.
Though disappointed about the loss, the Lancers remained positive.
“I thought we got out there and executed our game plan well,” coach Emily Andrassy said. “It’s tough losing to them twice, but we have two big games next week and plenty of time to make a statement.”
Many of the players praised their teamwork and the overall team effort.
“I felt we really clicked as a team today,” Mann said. “We’ve come a long way, and our hard work showed, but there is still room for improvement.”
With a CIF bid in mind, the Lancers are looking for results.
“We need to be more aggressive and keep our momentum,” sophomore Kamden Maas said. “It’s about the little things.”
The Lady Lancers have home games against RBV on tuesday and LCC on thursday and are looking for a big crowd to help demoralize their opponents.
