This is where the long wait for a girls volleyball season ends at Cazenovia.
With matches scheduled against Christian Brothers Academy, Hamilton and Homer on consecutive nights early this week, the Lakers, who typically have a fall season, join its neighbors from Chittenango, who typically have a winter schedule.
Also playing three times this week, the Bears face Fabius-Pompey, Onondaga and Tully, joining a boys side that already has built up a solid record this month.
At 3-1 following a split of matches against Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, the Chittenango boys met Sauquoit Valley last Wednesday night and swept to victory over the Indians.
Claiming each of the first two sets by equal 25-17 margins, the Bears then rolled through the third set 25-13 as Jake Simmons set the tone thanks to his seven assists.
Nate Dziedzic led the defense, picking up nine digs, while up front Will Bailey earned seven kills. Dziedzic and Kyle Schnauffer finished with four kills apiece.
Back-to-back matches with Mount Markham followed on the weekend, with Chittenango dropping the first of them last Friday to the Mustangs in a three-set sweep.
Mount Markham won the opener 25-15. Then, in each of the next two sets, the Bears had great opportunities, but could not quite get the points it needed as the Mustangs prevailed 27-25 and 25-23.
Simmons had 17 assists and Bailey finished with 12 digs. Evan Edwards led with six kills and Aiden Adams got eight digs, with Simmons and Schnauffer earning four kills apiece. Dan Otis sparked Mount Markham thanks to his 16 kills and seven blocks.
Just like it did with VVS, though, the result was quite different in Saturday’s rematch, Chittenango turning it around and beating Mount Markham in four sets.
Having lost the opener 25-12, the Bears then seemed to get all the critical points at the end of the second and third sets, winning them 25-23 and 26-24, before a more comfortable 25-20 win in the clinching fourth set.
Edwards gained 10 kills and six digs, with Micah Alperuto stepping up to earn nine kills. Simmons got 23 assists and nine digs as Bailey and Josh Boulter had 11 digs apiece and Adams finished with eight digs. Bailey served up five aces.
