Five games into the 2019 regular season, the Cazenovia field hockey team is quite aware of its strengths and weaknesses, thanks to the high-quality opposition it has encountered.
Traveling to Cato-Meridian last Monday afternoon, the Lakers got a chance to showcase its offense for the first time in a large-scale manner as it scored four times in each half and romped past the Blue Devils 8-1.
Lily Sorbello led the way, notching the first three-goal hat trick of her career to go with an assist. Carley Lounsbury scored twice, with Molly Brown and Ava Hartley each getting one goal and one assist. Kiara Dolan also had a goal and Ella Huftalen added an assist.
Then a five-game homestand got underway on Wednesday, Cazenovia taking on Port Byron/Union Springs. The Lakers scored in the first half and, despite the Panthers getting on the board in the second half, pulled away 3-1 for its third consecutive victory.
Sorbello and Lounsbury each had goals, as did Peyton Basic, the offense spread around as Brown earned an assist. Cazenovia’s defense was still quite stingy, limiting Port Byron/Union Springs to just two shots.
A far tougher test loomed on Friday, when Baldwinsville showed up at Burton Street Elementary, the Bees having just seen Emma Brushingham notch three goals and one assist in a 4-1 win at Rome Free Academy two days earlier.
Cazenovia held up well, but B’ville prevailed 2-1, getting both of its goals in the first half, one from Leah Tuch, the other from Emma Dugan as Brushingham got credit for an assist.
Hartley’s unassisted goal in the second half cut the Bees’ margin to one, but the Lakers could not quite catch up, B’ville goalie Sara Smiley finishing with four saves.
For the most part, Cazenovia practices and rests this week, but its single game would be a big one as OHSL rival Weedsport visits Burton Street on Tuesday afternoon.
