For the second weekend in a row, the Baldwinsville girls soccer team tested itself with tough back-to-back weekend games, only doing so much closer to home – and finding out that a lot of work still remains, especially on the defensive end. After its victory in the Clarence Tournament, the Bees shared hosting duties of the Kickoff Classic with Cicero-North Syracuse, playing Friday at Archie Hall Stadium before returning home to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium for Saturday’s contests. Each of the opponents were Section I powers, starting Friday when B’ville met John Jay-East Fishkill. In a tough battle, the Bees prevailed by a score of 2-1. The two sides traded first-half goals, but it was the Bees inching in front during the second half, and then hanging on behind the work of goalie Rachel Valenti, who finished with six saves. Lily VandeValk and Elise Siefritz broke through with goals, while Emma Firenze and Jade Gentile each had one assist. Then the Bees came back home to face Arlington on Saturday afternoon, and all seemed to be going well until a disastrous second half led to a 5-3 defeat to the Admirals. B’ville attacked hard in the first half, and though it did give up a goal, it still was up 3-1 at the break as Firenze proved unstoppable, scoring twice and assisting on Gentile’s tally. Yet Arlington turned it around with four unanswered goals in the second half, one of the few times the Bees have ever given up that much in a single half. All of this followed last Tuesday’s CNY Counties League opener, a visit to Auburn where the Bees worked through the rain and put together a 3-0 shutout of the Maroons. The wet conditions slowed B’ville’s high-octane attack a bit, as it only grabbed a 1-0 lead by halftime. But the relentless pressure the Bees put on Auburn goalie Gabbi Scott (who made 18 saves) led to some late breakthroughs and a cushion. Firenze put up one goal and one assist, with Gentile and Cassidy Bruen also finding the net. VandeValk and Alyssa Tretowicz got one assist apiece. The loss to Arlington was B’ville’s fifth game in nine days. Perhaps needing a breather, B’ville will get one after Tuesday’s test at West Genesee, who is off to its own quick start.