Through the first half of the regular season, the Cazenovia girls lacrosse team was 5-3, having won three in a row to move back above the .500 mark.

But the Lakers’ hot streak got halted last Monday night, when it went to LaFayette and could not capture enough of the draws to gain valuable possessions in an 11-8 loss to the Lancers.

Most of the game was played in tight quarters. Cazenovia fell behind in the first half, but did enough on the offensive end to keep pace with LaFayette, only trailing 5-4 at the break.

It was still a one-goal margin, 6-5, when Cazenovia fell into a prolonged second-half slump. For more than 14 minutes, it could not earn a goal, hurt by the Lancers constantly winning the draws and making its way into the Lakers’ end to apply pressure.

That led to five unanswered goals on LaFayette’s part, causing Cazenovia to fall behind 11-5. Kristie Kleine scored to break the long streak and ignited a 3-0 Laker run, but a missed shot in the late going allowed the Lancers to run out the remaining clock.

Kleine, Jessie Matt and Grace Milmoe each scored twice, with Kayla Dorrance adding three assists and Kali Cook two assists. Kelsey Henderson and Hailey Lavelle notched single goals.

Splitting time in the net, Lauren Devine and Zantha Hourigan made 10 total saves. Cazenovia’s defense did a solid job containing LaFayette star Cassley Jackowski, holding her to two goals, but Cassidy Doster, with four goals, helped the Lancers stay in front most of the way.

More drama followed Wednesday night, when the Lakers, visiting Bishop Ludden/Bishop Grimes, needed to go to overtime to hold off the Gaelic Knights 11-10.

A poor first half left Cazenovia trailing 7-5, Ludden/Grimes getting big efforts from Teresa Shattuck, who had five goals and one assist, and Nicole Granteed, who scored four times.

Yet the Lakers fought back, tying it 10-10 in regulation, and notched the only goal in the pair of three-minute OT periods as its defense turned back all of the Gaelic Knights’ attempts to pull back even.

Dorrance had two goals to go with her four assists, often passing it to Kleine, who had a team-best four goals. Matt and Henderson matched Dorrance, each scoring twice. Lauren Devine picked up nine saves, each of them important.

Another tough game loomed Saturday afternoon, when Cazenovia visited Onondaga, arguably the area’s most improved team with a 6-3 mark. And the Tigers showed just how much it had improved, pulling away late to beat the Lakers 13-9.

Through the first half, Cazenovia stayed close with OCS. Trailing 5-4 at the break, the Lakers’ production remained steady as Dorrance dished out seven assists, but the Tigers got away behind Samantha Annable, who had five goals and one assist, and Makenzie Annable, who added three goals.

No Laker scored more than twice, though, as Kleine and Abbie McEntee fell on that mark, with Dorrance, Henderson, Matt, Lavelle and Cook notching single goals. Devine had seven saves.

Now with a 6-5 record, the Lakers would host Tully on Tuesday and then take on Skaneateles Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Sean Goggin Sports Complex.