CENTRAL NEW YORK – Seventeen months since its last competitive match, the Cazenovia girls volleyball team finally was in action again.

The pandemic-enforced wait for the Lakers concluded with last Tuesday’s opener against Christian Brothers Academy at Buckley Gym, the first of three matches in as many nights.

Eager to start, Cazenovia claimed the first set 25-19 and was seven better in the second set, handling the Brothers 25-14 before it closed out the match 25-16 in the third.]

Helen Hausser led in both kills (seven) and digs (10), with Kylie Fenton adding five kills and Quinlan Emhoff four kills. Maddie Waite added three kills to go with her eight digs as Julia Ketcham got six assists and Lindsey Clements had five assists.

Then, against Homer Thursday night, it went in the other direction, the Lakers unable to keep up with the Trojans as it lost the first set 25-10 and, though closer in the next two sets, dropped each of them by equal 25-21 margins.

Anastasyia Yajorska stepped up and matched Hausser’s total of seven kills. Fenton got three kills as Caryn Gagnon fed everyone with 17 assists. Defensively, Waite gained 19 digs and Hausser had 14 digs

Last week also marked the return of Chittenango, who had not played since February 2020, and the Bears promptly found its winning form.

During a 25-21, 25-17, 25-20 sweep of Fabius-Pompey last Monday night, Chittenango saw Lily Callahan produce 10 assists and six kills in a fine all-around effort. Camryn Kackison, with eight asists, helped Callahan on the back line as Olivia Fawcett produced three kills.

Up against Onondaga on Wednesday, Chittenango again needed just three sets, putting away the Tigers 25-21, 25-11, 25-18 as Callaahn gained nine assists and Rachel Gilbert stepped up with five aces and four blocks. Mary Tassone got five kills and Kackison got five aces as Jackie Korosec earned four blocks.

Then the Bears challenged long-time power Tully on Thursday night, and it proved a classic.

Twice, Chittenango went in front, taking the first set 26-24 and the third set 25-19. Twice, the Black Knights rallied, gaining the second set 25-21 and the fourth set 25-15.

A close fifth set 25-20 in Tully’s favor despite Tassone’s 12 kills, Kackison’s 13 assists and Callahan’s 11 assists. Julianne Kent had 13 digs. For the Black Knights, Emma Byrne had 25 assists and 11 digs, with Erin O’Mara putting away 15 kills and 12 digs as Julia Dietz got 20 digs.

Meanwhile, the up-and-down season of Chittenango’s boys volleyball team continued last Monday with a four-set defeat to Living Word Academy.

Each of the first two sets were close ones, with the Lions taking them 25-23 and 25-21. Two points from getting swept, the Bears pulled out the third set 26-24, but Living Word closed it out 25-20 in the fourth.

Jake Simmons still had 15 assists. nine kills and three blocks, with Evan Edwards getting seven kills and 11 digs. Nate Dziedzic had six blocks as Aiden Adams (17 digs) and Josh Boulter (nine digs) helped on defense.

Micah Alperuto added four kills and Will Bailey earned eight digs to go with three blocks. The Lions’ Matt Rudisky gained 48 assists to set up Tim Plewak’s 22 kills and Riddick Robinson’s 16 kills.

Meeting Central Square Thursday night, Chittenango rebounded again and prevailed 25-9, 25-19, 25-20 over the Redhawks.

Simmons, with 19 assists, seven digs and five kills, led the way as Edwards got seven kills and seven digs. Connor VanDee added six kills and Bailey got five kills, with Adams also earning seven digs.