For a brief moment in the opening set of last Monday’s match at Buckley Gym, the Cazenovia girls volleyball team had undefeated Westhill in a bit of trouble.

That moment passed, though, and the Warriors, reinforcing its status as the favorites in league and sectional races, took just three sets to defeat the Lakers.

Early-season defeats to Marcellus and Solvay, plus a modest showing in the Marcellus Tournament Sept. 15, had shown Cazenovia just how much work was still needed to replicate its championship form from 2017.

Fired up to face Westhill, the Lakers had a chance to get that first set, only to have the Warriors pull it out 26-24, going on to take the next two sets by 25-17 and 25-20 margins.

Lindsey Lawson got nine kills, four blocks and four digs, but no other Lakers player had more than one kill. Josie Avery got six assists and seven digs as Laura Clements had four assists and five digs. Mackenzie Waite had five digs and Maddie Waite added three digs.

Westhill featured a triple-double of sorts from Mackenzie Martin, who accumulated 10 kills, 13 assists and 11 digs, while Sara Galante also got 10 kills. Montanna Gedney put way 11 aces, adding eight kills as Kate Heinrich also got eight kills and Sarah Schwartz picked up 11 assists.

So Cazenovia took a 3-4 record to Mexico Thursday night, but climbed back to the .500 mark, handling the Tigers 25-22, 25-19, 25-17.

Most of Avery’s 13 assists went to Lawson, who got seven kills and two blocks. Mackenzie Waite had four kills and seven digs, with Lindsey Clements getting three kills as she and Kylie Fenton both earned a pair of aces. Maddie Waite and Hope King both picked up four digs.

After a tournament appearance at Fayetteville-Manlius on Saturday, the Lakers get a chance at avenging its defeat to Solvay on Wednesday, its lone match next week.