Two more tough home games awaited the Cazenovia girls lacrosse team before its venture into the Section III Class C playoffs, and it could not prevail in either of them.
The Lakers didn’t find much success in last Monday’s game against Jordan-Elbridge, shut down for most of the night as it took a 9-5 defeat to the Eagles.
Perhaps affected by the visiting team arriving more than a half hour late due to bus issues, Cazenovia never got into its rhythm, but didn’t pay for it in the early going as it muddled through a 2-2 first half.
But after the break, the Eagles took over, and Cazenovia couldn’t answer as shots kept getting turned back by J-E goalie Morgan Conroy, whose 14 saves put her over 500 saves for her career.
Only Audrey Burbidge, who had a three-goal hat trick, consistently figured out Conroy, with Jessie Matt and Keeley Race each adding one goal and one assist. Zantha Hourigan made seven saves. Alexis Malvaso (three goals) and Marissa Malvaso (two goals, one assist) led J-E’s efforts.
It would not be easy for Cazenovia to recover, since it closed out the regular season against Marcellus, who stood at no. 8 in the latest state Class C rankings. And for the second time this spring, the Lakers were unable to keep up with the Mustangs, taking an 18-11 defeat.
Having lost to Marcellus 14-9 on April 28, the Lakers found itself victimized by the same kind of scoring surge that the Mustangs used late in the first half to take control in that initial encounter.
By the time they reached the half, Cazenovia found itself trailing, 11-4, so even though it would play on even terms the rest of the night, the main damage was rendered.
Still, Burbidge managed four goals, with Matt, Race and Abbie McEntee each finding the net twice. Madison Gabor added one goal and one assist, with Olivia McEntee and Samantha Gates adding assists. Marcellus freshman Maddie Conklin hurt the Lakers with six goals and two assists.
So the Lakers finished the regular season at 8-8, finding out Thursday that it had the no. 8 seed in the Class C sectional tournament and would face no. 9 seed Bishop Ludden in Monday’s opening round at Cazenovia College’s Christakos Field, the “reward” a quarterfinal date with top seed and defending champion Skaneateles just 24 hours later.
