The challenge is substantial, but the Frontier field hockey team is ready.

Three-time defending state champion Uxbridge stands in the way of the fourth-seeded Redhawks and a spot in the MIAA Division 4 championship game. Frontier and the top-seeded Spartans will tangle in the state semifinals on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Agawam High School.

The winner will meet either No. 2 Monomoy or No. 3 Sutton in the state title game this weekend.

But first, Frontier has to get by Uxbridge. The Spartans (19-2) have been the dominant force in Division 4 field hockey since the statewide tournament format began in 2021, winning all three titles during that span. They aren’t just winning games though, they're dominating. During this year’s run to the state semifinals, Uxbridge has outscored its three opponents by a 29-0 margin. For the season, they’ve racked up 160 goals and allowed just six. That includes 17 shutouts, and victories over Division 1 semifinalist Andover and western Mass. powerhouse Longmeadow. Uxbridge’s only two losses have come at the hands of Division 1 semifinalist Walpole (1-0) and Division 2 semifinalist Somerset-Berkley (3-2).

“I think the team knows that we’re in for a challenge,” explained Frontier coach Missy Mahar. “They’re the defending state champs and obviously a very talented team. They just swarm you. It feels like they’ve got 22 players on the field with how quickly they can get on you. They’re really good at pressuring the ball and that’s something we’ve done well with this year. So we’ve just talked about staying composed and making good, quick decisions. You aren’t going to have much time so you have to make quick and accurate plays with the ball.”

The two teams met in the 2022 quarterfinal round, a 5-0 Uxbridge victory.

“Those girls that played on that team, they know they’re skilled, but I think now you fast forward two years later and those girls that were on that team know what to expect a little bit better this time around,” Mahar said.

While the Spartans play their games on turf, Frontier’s home field is natural grass. Tuesday’s semifinal will be held on turf, though the Redhawks (18-2-2) have played enough games on turf over the course of the season to make Mahar feel comfortable going into the high-stakes affair.

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“Nothing’s changing, we’re not changing our game plan,” Mahar offered. “We’re always gonna be of the offensive mindset… we’re gonna play the Frontier hockey they’re capable of playing. We’ll just be tweaking a couple things.”

While Uxbridge will serve as the team's toughest challenge to date, this year’s Frontier team has already made history. The Redhawks broke through after two straight state quarterfinal appearances and reached the program’s first Final Four under the statewide format. They also shared league title honors with Longmeadow, and won another Western Mass. championship. The team's only losses this season came to Longmeadow and Sutton, both by 1-0 margins, and they, too, have been dominant in the state tournament – outscoring three opponents by a 13-1 margin.

“I could tell early on in preseason with the leadership from the captains and their overall work ethic that this team’s got something,” lauded Mahar. “They’re believing in one another and that’s a testament to them.”

Regionally, Frontier is the last team from western Massachusetts standing in the state field hockey tournament after Longmeadow was ousted in the Div. 2 quarterfinals over the weekend. Mahar said the program doesn’t take that banner lightly.

“It’s so exciting for a western Mass. team to be there – whether it’s us or not,” she said. “The plan is to go out, represent western Mass. well and give it our best.”