CENTRAL NEW YORK – Rising from a no. 7 seed, the Cazenovia girls tennis team would make a sustained run through the Section III Class C playoffs.
Having pushed past No. 10 seed Manlius Pebble Hill 3-2 in the Sept. 30 opening round, the Lakers went north last Monday and, challenging no. 2 seed Lowville, was able to beat the Red Raiders 3-2.
Quick points in singles were earned by Grace Probe beating Phoebe Jennings 6-4, 6-0 and Rachel Molloy, in two sets, topping Anna Exford 6-3, 6-4.
Meanwhile, Madden Cobb lost, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2, to Rubi Zabielowicz as a long second doubles match had Ava Galton and Kiara Vazquez take a 7-5, 6-7 (11-9), 6-4 defeat to Katelyn Baker and Alyvia Mallard.
So Cazenovia needed a win in first doubles – and got it in three sets when Erin Kuhn and Leah Bell paired up to battle past Anna Denning and Hannah Moshier 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
Now Cazenovia looked to knock off no. 3 seed Marcellus in the sectional semifinal 24 hours later. Against a Mustangs side it lost to 4-3 on Sept. 12, the Lakers would find itself in another close contest – and, by a single point, see its season conclude.
Impressive in singles, Molloy worked past Shaelyn Kelly 6-2, 6-0, with Probe topping Emma Angotti by those exact same scores.
Three different doubles matches went to three sets. Kuhn and Bell fell to Lila Kelly and Korrine Kemp 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, with Nora Berg and Katie Williams taking a 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 defeat to Claire Wrona and Sydney Colon.
So it got decided when Vazquez and Galton led early against Abby Finn and Sofia Tufenkjian, but could not hold on to it, taking a 6-7, 6-4, 6-0 defeat. Cady Webb and Teagan Brown lost in straight sets.
