With a five-day break behind them, the Cazenovia field hockey team headed into October refreshed for another packed set of games – three in four days – but it didn’t waste any time getting out in front.
Hosting East Syracuse Minoa last Monday at Burton Street, the Lakers had a lead in less than 90 seconds, and while it couldn’t finish off on most of its scoring opportunities, it controlled matters and defeated the Spartans 3-0.
Barely a minute into the game, Cazenovia’s pressure created a penalty corner. The ball passed around the middle until Morgan Giordano, fed by Mikaylee Whalen rammed a shot past ESM goalie Cory Palmer at the 1:28 mark of the first half.
No immediate follow-up came, though the Lakers kept stringing together runs and penalty corners. It took more than 20 minutes before Cazenovia made it 2-0, thanks to Zoe Shephard’s unassisted goal with 6:12 left in the half.
Through the entire course of the second half, Cazenovia kept the ball in the Spartans’ end. Though ESM goalie Cory Palmer made 13 saves, she could not quite pull off a shutout in that half since Shephard rammed home a second-goal with 5:32 to play.
Whenever it needed to, Cazenovia’s defense, led by Liz Shephard and Delaney Yates, turned away the Spartans’ counterattacks, and Shea Flannery only had to make four saves.
Back on the road Wednesday night, the Lakers went to Bragman Stadium to face Cicero-North Syracuse, the Class A side Cazenovia beat 1-0 at Burton Street on Sept. 19. Here, the Lakers didn’t get a shutout, but still claimed the rematch 3-1.
They were still 0-0 going into the second half, but Shephard changed that equation, twice finding the net as Molly LaHart also earned a goal. Whalen got credited with an assist as Katie Thies netted C-NS’s lone goal. Again, Flannery had four saves, with C-NS goalie Nina Trenca getting 13 saves.
It was supposed to be less stressful in Thursday night’s game at Auburn, but the Maroons proved stingier than C-NS, meaning that the defense had to do its part to insure a 2-0 shutout.
All that Auburn could manage was three shots as Lizzy Shephard, Delaney Yates and the rest of the Lakers’ back line clamped down. Goals by Giordano and Zoe Shephard proved enough as Janie Kempf was credited with an assist.
With a 12-2 record, Cazenovia hosts on Tuesday the same Liverpool side it beat 5-2 at LHS Stadium on Sept. 26, and then the Lakers would close the regular season with a big test against visiting Port Byron next Friday afternoon.
