CENTRAL NEW YORK – Perhaps the most important match of the season awaited the Cazenovia girls volleyball team when it hosted Skaneateles last Thursday at Buckley Gym.
In each of the first two sets, Cazenovia had sizable leads and a chance to establish itself, only to have the visiting Lakers rally and claim both of those sets by two-point margins, 25-23 and 27-25.
When Sknaeateles won the third set 25-21, the match was over, but Cazenovia went away from it encouraged by the signs of progress it had showed led by Maren Smith’s 10 kills, seven digs, two aces and four blocks.
Zoe McLean added five kills to go with her 15 digs as Becca Ziemba and Lucy Bliss each had 10 assists, combining for 18 digs. Ziemba also had two aces and three kills as Corinne Albicker earned nine digs.
For Skaneateles, Ayla Pas’cal, with 10 kills, and Bella Shoenborn, with nine kills, led the front line, Kate Raddant adding six kills, eight blocks and 10 digs.
On the Skaneateles back line, Maddy Bender earned 29 assists and 11 digs, with Alice Bender earning 23 digs and three aces, Katie Combs contributing 17 digs and four kills.
Gearing up for Skanetaeles, Cazenovia met Phoenix last Tuesday night at Buckley Gym. After it won each of the first two sets by 25-18 margins, the Lakers saw the Firebirds win the third 25-21.
Then, nearly pushed to a fifth set, Cazenovia was able to claim the fourth 27-25 and end the match as Smith amassed 12 kills, six aces and 14 digs, while McLean had nine kills and 20 digs.
Mya Skeele picked up six kills, while Ziemba had 15 assists and seven digs. Bliss helped Ziemba on the back line with seven assists and 10 digs. Anna Bjork had four assists, with Albicker and Olivia Pryki both earning five digs.
Cazenovia takes on Jordan-Elbridge Wednesday and then goes to Saturday’s Onondaga High School League tournament at Phoenix.
