ORANGE – The Mahar field hockey team is findings its groove. 

After dropping their first five games of the season, the Senators have gone on a hot streak, picking up wins over Turners and Smith Academy to gain some confidence heading into Thursday’s showdown against Mohawk Trail. 

That confidence showed early, with Mahar taking a 1-0 lead into the half before exploding for six second-half goals to run away with a 7-0 Valley League victory over the Warriors at the Woodward Complex. 

“Today felt great,” Senators coach Laurie Saisa said. “The kids are connecting, the passing has been spot on and we’ve finally found the back of the net. Keeping this energy is key to building our future.” 

Lillian Rathburn opened the scoring in the first quarter for Mahar, scoring off a corner sent in by Laura McGinnis. 

Shea Woods made it a 2-0 game two minutes into the third quarter after smashing in a rebound before Taylor Paluk blasted in a shot off a corner sent in by Nevaeh Woods two minutes later to add to the Sens lead. 

Woods and Rathburn tallied before the third quarter buzzer sounded to give Mahar a 5-0 lead going into the final 15 minutes. 

Kathryn McGinnis scored off a corner sent in by Woods to open the fourth quarter before Rathburn scored off a corner with four seconds left to close out the game. 

Cleome Gardner came up with 27 saves for Mohawk Trail in the loss. 

Turners 1, Southwick 0 — Avery Tela scored with 50 seconds left in the third quarter and the Thunder defense held on the rest of the way to earn a Valley League win over the Rams in Turners on Thursday. 

Ledwin Villafana assisted Tela’s goal. The Turners defense did not allow a shot on goal throughout the game. 

Girls soccer

Athol 3, Pioneer 0 — The Bears took a 2-0 lead at the half and didn’t look back, earning a Bi-County League win over the Panthers in Northfield on Thursday. 

Elizabeth Mailloux scored twice for Athol. 

Franklin Tech 6, Greenfield 1 — The Eagles had five different players find the back of the net to defeat the Green Wave in a Bi-County League contest in Turners on Thursday. 

Anne Kolodziej opened the scoring off an assist from Ella Kolodziej six minutes in for Tech. Ella Koloziej bent in a corner kick 10 minutes later before Mia Marigliano headed in a cross from Kyra Goodell with 20 minutes to go in the first half to five the Eagles a 3-0 lead. 

An own goal put Tech up 4-0 before Sofia Moreno made a penalty kick to give Tech a 5-0 lead at the break. 

Tayler Bergeron scored the lone Greenfield goal with 22 minutes to go before Ripley Dresser closed out the scoring with a penalty kick for Franklin Tech. 

Kylee Gamache made two saves in the win while Annie Cobileanschi and Carly Blanchard combined for 10 saves for the Green Wave. 

Holyoke 5, Frontier 0 — The Purple Knights scored three goals in the first half and tacked two more on in the final 40 minutes to earn a Pioneer-North win over the Redhawks in Holyoke on Thursday. 

Kyra Lippman had a hat trick for Holyoke. 

Boys soccer

PV Christian 2, Franklin Tech 2 — Tech’s Mason Thurston scored early in the second half to knot the game at two and neither offense was able to produce a goal from there on out, with Franklin Tech and PV Christian playing to a 2-2 tie on Thursday in Turners. 

Robert Belval scored on a penalty kick to open the scoring before PV Christian scored twice before the half to take a 2-1 lead at the break. Riley Pereira made nine saves for  Franklin Tech. 

Golf

Pioneer 172, Mohawk Trail 185 — Brayden Thayer led the way with a 41 while Ethan Mauthe (43), Ben Werner (44) and Mike Stennes (44) rounded out the Panther scoring in an independent win over the Warriors at Edge Hill Golf Course on Thursday. 

Logan Moore finished with a team-low 41 while Sam Mizula (45), Phineas Tuttman (47) and Doug Wilcox (52) scored for Mohawk Trail. 

Hampshire 165, Frontier 172 — Ryan Cetto carded a match-low 37 in the Redhawks’ loss to the Raiders at Cherry Hill Golf Course on Thursday. 

Cade Allenby shot a 41, Addy Wood finished with a 46 while Gabe Solodky carded a 48 to close out the Frontier scorers. 

Volleyball

Athol 3, Mahar 0 — Anna Duquette led the way with six kills and two aces as the Bears picked up a 25-12, 25-23, 25-18 victory over rival Mahar at Mallet Gymnasium on Thursday. 

Alma White recorded four  kills, seven aces and six assists, Laney Florentino finished with four kills, seven assists and four aces while Gianna Vaillancourt  had four kills and an ace in the win. 

Madelynn Burgess put down nine aces, two kills and dished seven assists, Mia Santana tallied four aces, an assist and three digs, Mckenzie Scribner finished with three aces and three digs w hile Hayden Comeau made six digs and added six kills and an ace for Mahar. 

Frontier 3, Minnechaug 0 — Following a rare two-game skid, the Redhawks got back in the win column on Thursday with a 25-15, 25-10, 25-19 Eastern League victory over the Falcons in Wilbraham on Thursday. 

Kate DeMaio put down eight kills and three aces, Gabby Adams finished with seven kills and six aces, Caroline Deane tallied six kills and an ace, Olivia Machon had five kills and three aces while Allie Pierce dished 19 assists in the win. 

Mohawk Trail 3, Greenfield 0 — Maddie Cosentino smashed six aces and three kills as the Warriors knocked off the Green Wave with a 25-10, 25-10, 25-21 sweep on Thursday in Buckland. 

Palmer King distributed 12 assists and added five kills, Riley Giard put down four kills and an ace, Emma Canaday had three aces, one kill and two assists while Jade Wheeler made five digs in the win. 

Turners 3, Pioneer 0 — Taylor Greene dished 22 assists while adding three kills and one ace in the Thunders’ 25-13, 25-16, 25-11 win over the Panthers in Turners on Thursday. 

Madi Liimatainen smashed 18 kills and two aces while also making a block while Tatiana Carr Williams tallied a pair of kills and aces for Turners. 

Avery Johnson had one kill, ace and block, Kayla Gauthier finished with three assists, two aces and a kill while Aiden Wall had an ace and a kill for Pioneer. 

Late Wednesday results

Boys soccer

Four Rivers 2, Dublin 1 — Christian Dimitriou tallied twice for the Otters in a win over Dublin on Wednesday.