CENTRAL NEW YORK – Two straight wins to open the season, along with a tournament appearance at Fayetteville-Manlius Sept. 10, gave the Cazenovia girls volleyball team plenty of good seasoning.

However, the Lakers could not carry that over into last Monday’s match against LaFayette, taking a four-set defeat to the Lancers.

A close opening set went 25-23 in Cazenovia’s favor. LaFayette won the second set 25-19 and then, in a tense third set, pulled it out 25-23 before getting away 25-12 in the fourth.

Maren Smith, in defeat, had nine kills and 19 digs. Zoe McLean had five kills and 14 digs, with Olivia Prykl getting 11 digs as Mya Skeele put away four kills.

On the back line, Lucy Bliss got 10 assists and 10 digs as Anna Bjork added six assists. Olivia Prykl (11 digs) and Becca Ziemba (eight digs) helped as the Lancers’ Layla Isaacs had eight aces, 16 kills and 15 digs, with Chylure Bucktooth adding 26 assists and IsabellahShenandoah-Kurtz eight kills.

Two nights later, against Cato-Meridian, the Lakers quickly resumed its winning form, claiming all the close points in a 25-19, 25-21, 25-22 sweep of the Blue Devils.

Abby Falso, earning four aces, and Bliss, getting three aces to go with eight assists, set the tone as Smith had five kills, Skeele four kills and McLean and Ashley London three kills apiece.

Anna Bjork and Becca Ziemba helped Bliss on the back line, each getting five assists as Bjork added five digs.

Meeting Hamilton last Friday night, Cazenovia lost the first set 25-20, but then battled through each of the next three sets to defeat the Emerald Kngihts, taking them 25-22, 25-20 and 25-21.

Three more matches take place for the Lakers this week as it meets Altmar-Parish-Wiliamstown and Solvay before traveling to Phoenix on Friday.