CENTRAL NEW YORK – As a whole, the Cazenovia field hockey team’s 2024 season is a drawn-out process of growth, with a new starting lineup absorbing plenty of lessons both in terms of how to play the game and how to react to game situations.

Sometimes it has worked, but in other cases the Lakers have met some disappointment, as it did when it went to Weedsport Tuesday night and ended up on the wrong side of a 2-1 decision.

Dani Stanford recorded an unassisted goal, and Rae Western made four saves. Still, Weedsport pulled it out by getting goals from Gabriella Jeffers and Daisy Milton as its defense limited Cazenovia to just two direct shots all night.

Another road trip followed, to Homer on Thursday night. This was a team the Lakers had not lost to since the first decade of the 21st century, another example of Cazenovia’s long domination of Onondaga High School League opposition.

Here, though, the Trojans would triumph in a tense 1-0 game that was scoreless throughout the first half.

Only in the third quarter did Homer go in front, Ava Armstrong putting herself in prime scoring position and then, from the post, pushing a shot past Western.

Now the Trojans had to hang on, and the task was made easier by a defense which stifled every Cazenovia attempt to come back. Again, the Lakers’ chances were minimal, with Homer goalie Taylor Seamans only having to make a single save.

Sitting at 1-4 overall, the Lakers play three times next week, home to face Whitesboro and Port Byron/Union Springs before a Friday-night trip to Cortland.