Though in close to the same spot as a year ago when it entered the Section III Class C playoffs, the Cazenovia girls lacrosse team did not get the same result.
The no. 8 seed Lakers, hosting no. 9 seed General Brown in Saturday’s opening round at the Sean Googin Sports Complex, produced more than enough offense to win, but was porous on the defensive end, which led to a 16-15 loss to the Lions.
Cazenovia had won in the first round as a no. 9 seed in 2012, prevailing at Marcellus before a quarterfinal defeat to eventual champion CBA. This looked even more inviting, since the Lakers were at home and General Brown had not won a post-season game since 2004. The winner here would get top seed Skaneateles in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.
Right away, the Lions pushed the tempo, and Cazenovia went with it, achieving a fair amount of success. Kayla Dorrence and Kristie Kleine led the way as the Lakers inched in front of GB 8-7 going into halftime.
But the Lions kept on pushing. Emily Amell and Cayla O’Connor, with four goals apiece, and Bryanna Fazio, with three goals and three assists, helped GB push in front of Cazenovia in a tense second half.
Somehow, the Lions held on, despite Kleine producing six goals and four assists and Dorrance adding nine more assists to give her 81 for the season, plus a pair of goals. Jessie Matt and Dana Kiselica also scored twice as Lucy Shepard, Kelsey Henderson and Kali Cook earned single goals. Lauren Devine had 10 saves.
Before the playoffs started, the Lakers received a humbling experience in last Wednesday’s regular-season finale, as Marcellus, now no. 8 in the state Class C rankings and far removed from last season’s up-and-down behavior, came to town and beat Cazenovia 17-7.
Still miffed about a 16-8 defeat to front-runner Skaneateles a week earlier, the Mustangs steadily took control against Cazenovia, leading 8-4 by halftime and continuing to run away by pushing the tempo on the overmatched Lakers.
Dorrance, garnering the full attention of the Marcellus defense due to her assist total, mostly got contained, only earning one assist to go with a pair of goals.
Kleine still managed three goals and one assist, while Henderson and Madison Gabor also scored and Emily Willard managed an assist. For Marcellus, Audrey Cerrone scored five times, adding an assist, while the star trio of Grace Nolan, Molly McGuane and Grace Hunt each picked up three goals and three assists.
Then Marcellus earned the no. 2 seed in the sectional tournament, one which ended for Cazenovia in the first round as it finished 9-8 overall.
