As time goes on, the Skaneateles girls volleyball team continues to display the attributes of a champion, one of which is the ability to show prime form just when it is needed. And it was needed last Thursday night, when the Lakers met its namesakes from Cazenovia and used well-time spurts to beat those other Lakers in four games and stay undefeated, moving to 9-0 on the season. Skaneateles and Cazenovia had first met Dec. 9 in the eastern’ Lakers’ cozy home of Buckley Gym. There, the western Lakers needed five tough games to prevail, so it knew exactly what kind of challenge the rematch would provide, especially with first place in the OHSL Liberty division at stake. Quickly, the western Lakers found itself down 7-1 in the first game, and the deficit remained the same at 12-6 before Skaneateles started to display its power, catching up at 17-17. With the game still tight, the western Lakers, up 20-19, made its first big surge, scoring the game’s last five points to prevail 25-19 and take the early lead. In a close second game that featured 13 ties and numerous lead changes, Cazenovia claimed the last two points to win 25-23 and even the match at one game apiece. The third game was similar to the first, except in that it was close most of the way. But it ended with Skaneaetles turning a one-point lead into a romp by scoring seven straight points at the end to win 25-17 and go back ahead, this time for good. Each side traded spurts in the fourth game, but Skaneateles broke a 17-17 tie with four straight points and never got caught, eventually winning 25-20 to clinch the match. Power mattered in this match, as Ryan Merle put away 16 kills and Katherine Hill got 15 kills, with each of them adding three blocks. Emily Wood, back from injury, had a fine return with eight kills, while Alexa Campanile earned seven kills. Chloe Warner picked up 35 assists. Cazenovia, in defeat, had Alissa Easterly pick up 15 assists and six kills, with Leah McAleer (seven kills, four aces) and Lindsay Nourse (six kills, five aces) also performing well.