To start out its October slate, the Skaneateles girls soccer team found itself going beyond regulation, yet not finding much success there.

In last Monday’s game at Chittenango, the Lakers came from behind and got to overtime, only to get burned twice by Sarah Martin  in the extra period as it lost to the Bears 3-1.

It was 1-0 in Chittenango’s favor thanks to Martin’s first-half goal. After intermission, though, the Skaneateles defense stepped up and Lyda Buck slipped in the tying goal.

They were still 1-0 going into the first OT period, where twice more Martin found herself open and finished off those shots. What’s more, the Lakers could not get anything else past Bears goalie Ava Dardaris, who had 15 saves as Grace Kush produced 11 saves.

Expected to play at Phoenix a day later, the Lakers had the game rained out. Instead, they met on Wednesday, and the delay seemed to hurt Skaneateles more as it could only manage a 0-0 draw with the Firebirds, who were 3-8 entering the game.

Much of the game was spent in Phoenix’s end, the Lakers attacking at will. Despite this, in 80 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime, not one of the 22 shots Skaneateles took got past Firebirds goalie Emma Clark.

Back at Hyatt Stadium Friday to take on Homer, the Lakers cranked up its defense and, by doing so, got itself a much-needed 1-0 victory over the Trojans.

Throughout the first half, and a portion of the second half, neither side could break through, and Homer would take just four shots, all of them stopped by Kush.

Not until Fallon Lynn, off a feed from Tess Peterson, put it past Trojans goalie Maddy Cole did Skaneateles get in front, and it stayed there, improving to 7-5-1 overall.

A trip to reigning state Class B co-champion Westhill on Tuesday starts a stretch of three matches in four days to close the regular season, with the Lakers also going to Solvay and, on Friday, hosting state Class B no. 5-ranked Clinton.