It seems like it's been a long time since the Skaneateles girls lacrosse team edged West Genesee in its season opener.

Since that 12-11 win, the Lakers have put away every opponent they've faced, from Class C to Class A.

Friday, Skaneateles will play what is undoubtedly its most important game of the season against Section V's Penn Yan. The Lakers and the Mustangs square off at 4 p.m. on Friday at Cortland State in the Class C state semifinals.

It's been two years since the Lakers have made it two the state final four. In 2003, Skaneateles faced Manhassett and lost, 13-12.

Emily Lotkowictz a midi, was a member of the team then, and when Skaneateles lost to Corning East in the first round of the state playoffs last season.

"We worked really hard this season, and I think we're a lot more not only physically prepared but mentally prepared," Lotkowictz said after Tuesday's semifinal against Maine-Endwell. "I feel a lot better going to the final four this year than I did the last couple of years."

Skaneateles is no stranger to the state playoffs, winning three Section III titles in as many years, but have run into roadblocks in the past two seasons. Penn Yan, who has shared the No. 1 ranking with Skaneateles for most of the season, is the defending small school champion (the state expanded from two classes to three this year).

Both teams played a tough schedule loaded with highly-ranked larger schools and have dominated. The Lakers are undefeated (22-0), and the Mustangs' (19-2) only two losses have come to Class B's No. 1 state-ranked Brighton, and the top team in New Jersey, Moorestown. The teams each had an easy road to the semifinals. On Tuesday, Skaneateles romped Section IV's Maine-Endwell, 19-2, and Penn Yan advanced with similar ease against Section VI's East Aurora, 22-2.

"I think mentally we're ready for it," Laker coach Bridget Marquardt said after Tuesday's semifinal. "I think they understand what a big game this is and how tough Penn Yan is. They've been playing tough and playing hard, so I don't think they've let down at all. It will be a change to go after a tougher team, but I think we're ready for it."

While the teams are solid in all the same areas such as passing and defense, according to Lotkowictz they do differ in some areas.

"We saw them play a couple of weeks ago, and they play a lot different style than we do," she said. "They (have) a really settled offense, and we're a really fast team. We have a lot of fast breaks."

The Skaneateles offense has been dominant all season, scoring 346 goals. The Lakers have a strong core of attackers and midis, including Carolyn Davis, Stephanie Rice, Lauren Vitkus, Breanna Haggerty and Lotkowictz.

The defense is as stingy as the offense is explosive. Skaneateles, led by defenders Cassidy Callahan, Emily Gaffney, Abby Duggan and Hekia Bodwitch, is only allowing 3.77 goals per game. The Lakers are winning by an average of nearly 12 goals. Only West Genesee and Christian Brothers Academy have scored in double digits all season.

Penn Yan on the other hand has racked up 292 goals this season on the sticks of Kelly Lickert, Sylvia Queener and K'Leigh Vanaman. Syracuse University-bound Bridget Hamm takes the draws. The Penn Yan defense has given up 84 goals with Natalie Jones in the net.

"We're pretty proud of our offense, but our defense has generally been able to hold teams to very few goals," Penn Yan coach Patty Queener said .

Queener, said she knows it will be a tough semifinal for the Mustangs, though.

"That's an asset that you have experience going in, as a coach and as players," she said, referring to Penn Yan's familiarity with the state playoffs. "On the other hand it's hard to repeat. I've been in this situation before and we didn't do it."