Having risen no higher than no. 17 in the state Class D rankings despite back-to-back wins over two other state-ranked opponents, the Cazenovia girls lacrosse team looked to gain more notice by maintaining the momentum built up from those results.
However, the Lakers couldn’t quite do so, unable to hold an early lead in last Wednesday night’s clash with Tully at the Sean Googin Sports Complex and taking a tough 11-10 defeat to the Black Knights.
The first half proved pivotal, in that Cazenovia got off to the ideal start, rolling to a 5-1 lead, only to see its offense dry up, giving Tully time to answer – which it did, making up the deficit and tying it 5-5 by halftime.
They then traded goals throughout a tense second half. With her team down 9-8, Megan Henderson picked up a ground ball and converted with 9:09 left, only to have the Black Knights reclaim the lead before Henderson, off a feed from Lucy Connor, put Cazenovia back in front.
That would be the Lakers’ last goal. Tully’s Allison Carr tied it with her fourth goal of the night with 2:09 left in regulation, and a minute later the Black Knights took the lead, able to regain possession on the ensuing draw and run out the clock.
Connor and Chloe Willard both finished with three goals and two assists. Mikaylee Whalen had one goal and one assist as Molly Brown also scored, with Keara Dwyer earning two assists. Olivia Catania added an assist as Carr and Gemma Guy, with five goals and two assists, carried Tully’s attack and goalie Sydney McNerney made 12 saves.
On Friday night, Cazenovia would look to rebound at LaFayette, but could not do so, falling 19-13 to the Lancers. All game long, the Lakers’ defense had difficulty containing a Lancers side that did not let up once it had built a 9-5 halftime advantage.
Willard and Connor both finished with four goals and one assist. Dwyer had two goals and three assists, with Brown getting a goal and two assists. Henderson and Catania also scored as LaFayette got six goals from Mya DeJoseph, with Charlotte Ryan adding five goals and three assists. Kaitlin Rurka (four goals, one assist) and Carha Williams (two goals, five assists) had big games for the Lancers, too.
Meanwhile, Chittenango lost twice during the week, starting with last Tuesday’s 18-0 defeat to state Class D no. 6-ranked Skaneateles. Fourteen of those goals came in the first half and Grace Dower led the way, setting a career mark by scoring four times and adding an assist.
Even in limited minutes, the Lakers’ Kyla Sears came up with three goals and three assists, with Mae McGlynn also scoring three times and Riley Brogan getting two goals and four assists.
The Bears did get on the board Friday in the second half of its own game with Tully, but lost, 15-2, to the Black Knights. Alyssa Frantz had both of those Chittenango tallies long after the outcome was settled as Hailee Watt made eight saves. For Tully, Mackenzie Bolt had five goals and two assists, with Guy adding three goals and two assists.
