Another week brought another change to the Cazenovia field hockey schedule, along with one more tense, low-scoring affair in front of a home crowd.
The Lakers played Fayetteville-Manilus to a 0-0 draw in its Oct. 6 season opener. They were set to play again on Oct. 29, but both schools decided not to have that contest.
It marked the third game canceled this fall for Cazenovia, to go with the two against Onondaga High School League rival Cato-Meridian after that school shut down its entire fall sports season over COVID-19 cases.
Had it not been for the addition of last Saturday’s game against Baldwinsville, the Lakers may have gone through an 11-day break before its rematch with the Weedsport team it beat 1-0 right after the F-M opener.
As it was, the game against the reigning Section III Class A champion Bees was another defensive showcase, with the issue not settled until overtime, when the Bees pulled it out 1-0.
Over the first 60 minutes, Cazenovia’s back line ably turned back what the speedy B’ville forwards threw at them. Maddie Young, Ainsley Schug and Sophie Clancy,always found the right places to set up and intercept chances.
Goalie Mackenzie Halliday only had to make five saves, but the Lakers found it difficult to get many close looks of its own, held to just one shot overall.
Put again into a 10-minute, seven-on-seven OT period, the Lakers were toppled when the Bees’ Rebecca Mantione took a pass from Bella Nazdan and fired home the game-winner.
Aside from facing Weedsport on Tuesday, Cazenovia is scheduled to travel to Canastota Saturday for a 2 p.m. start.
