Nothing has proven easy for the Cazenovia girls volleyball team early in the 2018 season.

Already, the Lakers have subjected itself to a pair of five-set matches, splitting them, and next Monday night it welcomes undefeated Westhill to Buckley Gym.

Having dropped a five-set decision to Marcellus Sept. 6, Cazenovia found itself in the same scenario at LaFayette last Monday, but this time prevailed.

The Lakers claimed the first two sets 25-13 and 25-17, but on the brink of a sweep Cazenovia allowed the Lancers to take the third 25-22 and then earn a 25-19 win in the fourth set.

Alarmed by all this, Cazenovia dominated the final set 25-8, seeing Lindsay Lawson amass 25 kills as Laura Clements got 19 assists and 11 digs. Josie Avery put together 11 assists, five aces and eight digs.

Elsewhere, Maddie Waite earned six assists, with Lindsey Clements contributing four kill and five digs. Kylie Fenton and Faith King finished with six digs apiece.

Two nights later, Solvay would visit Buckley Gym, and perhaps tired from the two long battles with Marcellus and LaFayette, the Lakers were swept by the Bearcats 25-18, 25-18, 25-20.

Lawson still had eight kills, four blocks, three aces and five digs, but Waite was held to two kills as Avery got seven assists and Clements finished with three aces, three kills and seven digs. Hope King joined Waite and Avery with five digs.

Solvay’s standout effort came from Allie Posnick, who served up nine aces, earned 17 assists and gained 12 digs. Jordan Bamba (13 digs) and Alexa Filicia (12 digs) made big defensive contributions, too as Myah Platler earned 12 kills.

It just so happened that Cazenovia returned to Marcellus for a tournament on Saturday as a lead-up to the Westhill match, with a match mext Thursday at Mexico and another tournament at Fayetteville-Manlius set for Sept. 22.