ONONDAGA COUNTY – Without question, the most difficult stretch of the regular season for the Cazenovia girls volleybal team would come early.
After appearing in the Sept. 9 Hornet Pride Tournament at Fayetteville-Manlius, the Lakers had to face two reigning Section III champions on the road 48 hours apart.
Skaneateles, who again won Class C a season ago but like Cazenovia is in Class B now, awaited Monday night and controlled matters in this latest Laker showdown, prevailing in four sets.
Though Cazenovia had good moments in the first two sets, Sknaeateles won them 25-18 and 25-20. And when the visitors dominated the third set 25-8, it quickly fell back as the host Lakers won the fourth 25-16 to end it.
Lucy Bliss amassed 14 assists and eight digs, helped on the back line by Becca Ziemba’s five assists and McKenzie Warman’s three assists as Olivia Prykl and Mya Skeele each got 11 digs.
Prykl also matched Alyssa Wardell’s team-best total of six kills. Wardell added three blocks as Skeele, Bliss and Anna Bjork had three kills apiece.
Westhill awaited on Wednesday night, and Cazenovia had seen them at work at F-M, the Warriors taking that tournament by sweeping every opponent in pool play and then beating the host Hornets in the final.
After getting beat 25-14 in the opening set, the Lakers played quite well in the second, nearly pulling even, only to see Westhill, at 24-24, get the serve back and close out that set for a 2-0 advanrage.
Cazenovia was able to win the third set by a comfortable 25-18 margin, but the Warriors closed it out 25-16 in the fourth led by Ava Baty (21 assists) and Emmie Sisack (16 assists) on the back line and Eva Tarolli (13 kills) and Alison Lancette (10 kills) on the front line.
For the Lakers, Bliss amassed 16 digs to go with her 11 assists, helped on defense by Olivia Morse’s 13 digs as Ziemba got 12 digs and Skeele had nine digs.
Morse also had a team-best six kills and four aces, while Skeele had five kills, Ziemba five assists and Jocelyn Szalach three kills.
Returning to Buckley Gym next week, Cazenovia meets Homer Tuesday night and face Solvay Thursday, both matches starting at 6 p.m.
