CENTRAL NEW YORK – A season ago, the Cazenovia girls volleyball team managed a .500 record, stopped short of its ultimate goal by eventual champion Skaneateles in the Section III Class C semifinals.
Determined to do better this fall, the Lakers nearly earned a shutout in its first match of the season Sept. 1, a three-set sweep of Syracuse Academy of Science.
In that opening set, a series of great serves led to long point streaks and, ultimately, a 25-2 margin. That pace could not hold up, but Cazenovia won the next two sets 25-13 and 25-11.
Maren Smith earned four aces, with Lucy Bliss, Mya Skeele and Becca Ziemba earning three aces apiece and the Lakers getting 20 aces overall.
Ashley Lordon paced Cazenovia’s front line, earning five kills, with Anna Bjork getting five assists and Lucy Bliss four assists. Defensively, Olivia Pryki led the way, gaining seven digs.
Going for two in a row last Thursday night against Bishop Ludden, the Lakers were again successful, rolling to a 25-12, 25-15, 25-18 victory over the Gaelic Knights.
With her six aces, Smith set the tone, adding six kills and 11 digs. Skeele and Zoe McLean each had three kills, while Bliss had three aces and five digs, adding five assists to help Ziemba (six assists) on the back line. McLean tacked on seven digs.
After some tournament play at Fayetteville-Manlius last Saturday, Cazenovia would return to match action Monday at LaFayette before hosting Cato-Meridian Wednesday and going to Hamilton Friday night.
