Quite happy with the split it gained in tough road visits to Skaneateles (a 2-1 win) and Marcellus (a 4-0 loss) late in the first week of October, the Cazenovia girls soccer team would not allow a goal back at the Sean Googin Sports Complex in the games that followed.
A five-day rest, forced by the rain postponement of last Monday’s game with Manlius-Pebble Hill, had the Lakers completely refreshed in time for last Thursday night’s game against Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, and with a steady, relentless effort, Cazenovia shut out the Rebels 4-0.
Taking 16 shots overall, the Lakers, donning pink socks in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, did not have any big surge, but simply converted twice in each half, with junior captain Clare Costello re-emerging as a central force in the attack.
Costello finished with two goals, while Audrey Burbidge gained one goal and one assist. Abbie McEntee earned the other goal as eighth-grader Casey Crawford picked up an assist. Cazenovia’s defense protected Jamie Joseph, who only had to make two saves.
Stepping out of league play on Saturday afternoon, Cazenovia hosted 11-2-1 Camden, and it proved to be a tense contest that stretched into overtime before the Lakers could edge the Blue Devils 1-0.
All through regulation, the two sides traded chances, but it stayed 0-0 as Joseph continued her fine work in the net, picking up six saves for her second shutout of the week.
Camden proved just as stingy, Kiersten Leos recording eight saves, until the early stages of the first 10-minute OT period, where Burbidge, off a nice pass from Saige Ackerman, fit a shot past Leos that would hold up through the rest of the extra sessions.
The pair of wins pushed Cazenovia’s record to 10-3 as it has to make up the MPH game, plus visit Jordan-Elbridge and host Hannibal, before it finds out Sunday where it will start the Section III Class B playoffs.
