SOUTH DEERFIELD – Score another round for the Frontier Regional field hockey team.
In the second meeting of the year against Greenfield High School, the Red Hawks prevailed, 2-0, on Tuesday afternoon in Valley League play.
The Red Hawks (11-2, 6-0 VL) have lost three straight times to the Green Wave in the WMass Division 2 finals.
The two straight regular season wins over the Green Wave feel pretty good for the Red Hawks, but there is still unfinished business.
Lily Spencer assisted on the game’s first goal for the Red Hawks.
“We’ve been runners up three years in a row,” Spencer said. “I don’t think I will be completely satisfied until we beat them in the Western. Mass finals.”
Two first half goals by Olivia Vecellio and Lila Roche were enough to hold off a relentless Green Wave squad who pressured the Frontier defense for most of the second half.
“I am not really sure why we came out flat,” Greenfield coach Erin Thayer said. “”Had we played the whole game like we played the second half it would have been a different game.”
After Greenfield’s quick second half start Frontier coach Missy Mahar called a timeout to gather her team.
“Just executing,” Mahar said. “Just basic tackling and stopping penetration of Greenfield.I honestly thought in the second half that Greenfield outplayed us.”
Greenfield’s Katie Haselton pushed through the Frontier defense several times, but bouncing balls in front of the net were not finished.
“During that timeout we focused on stopping Katie,” Mahar said of Haselton. “She was a really a factor. We needed to find a solution for her. Fast. I thought we stepped up and made the adjustments needed.”
The Green Wave (8-5-1, 5-2 VL) did not have Madyson Kuchieski, a key piece to the offensive attack.
Kuchieski missed the game with a wrist injury.
“I had kids out there who have not played more than five or 10 minutes of varsity all season,” Thayer said. “They did great jobs and stepped up. Madyson brings a big part of our offense. So I think our offense struggled a little bit today to finish in places and get passes where they needed to go.”
The first goal came on a penalty corner where Spencer fed Vecellio who settled and fired for the Red Hawks, giving Frontier a 1-0 lead at 20 minutes, 15 seconds of the first half.
“The corner is one of our usual plays," Spencer said. “I insert to Liv and she drives it in.”
Frontier took a 2-0 lead when Spencer sent a ball in front of Greenfield keeper Ainslee Flynn.
The ball eventually found the stick goal of Roche who scored at 12:55 of the first half.
“My job if I am on the outside of the circle is to just get it in there,” Spencer said. “Hopefully someone gets a touch on it and magic happens.”
The Red Hawks had to survive multiple chances around their net in the final seconds of the first half.
During Greenfield’s attack during the second half, Roche and Grace Wesoloski made some stops of Haselton who was looking to get to Frontier’s net.
Flynn made three saves for the Green Wave.
Skyla Burniske made six stops for the Red Hawks in the shutout.
Greenfield’s Racquel Provost had a noticeable limp after the game with an injured foot, but should be fine moving forward.
Frontier 2, Greenfield 0
Greenfield | 2 | 0 | — | 2 |
Frontier | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
Goals: (F) Roche, Vecellio
Assists: (F) Spencer
Shots: Greenfield 6, Frontier 5
Saves: (G) Flynn 3 (F) Burniske 6.
Corners: Greenfield 3. Frontier 6