TURNERS FALLS — After tying with Hampshire in its season-opener, the Franklin Tech field hockey team has found a groove. 

The Eagles — which have made it to three straight Western Mass. finals — came back to win their next two games and on Thursday, found themselves hosting a much improved Amherst squad. 

Tech found the back of the cage with 1:25 to go in the first half and added a late insurance goal, moving to 3-0-1 on the year with a 2-0 County League triumph over the Hurricanes. 

“We’re playing well right now,” Eagles coach Rian Lovett said. “Kids are stepping up when they need to. I’ve seen a lot of really good play and we have great team chemistry right now. From the back line to the forward line, everyone is picking each other up, backing each other up and filling in the gaps. It was a great team win.” 

While the score was 2-0, it was a competitive game throughout. Franklin Tech held an 8-4 penalty corner advantage, though the Amherst defense hung tough to keep the Eagles from breaking the game open. It was the Hurricanes’ first loss of the season, having won their opening three games. 

“I told them after the game that we competed for 60 minutes,” Hurricanes coach Sarah Hafele said. “They got two lucky goals and we could have gotten two lucky goals. I don’t think we got blown out. I think we were two well matched teams and we’re excited to see them again.”

It was McKenzie Sourdiffe-Phelps who put the Eagles on the board just before the half, picking up a deflected ball in the circle and firing it into the back of the cage to give Tech the opening lead. 

With three minutes to go, and Amherst pressing for the tying goal, Lovett used her timeout to allow her squad to regroup. 

The message during the break worked, as Jazzy Gonzalez raced through the Hurricane defense before sending a pass to Sourdiffe-Phelps, who was able to knock a shot in to help seal the win for the Eagles. 

“We’re competing in the tough games,” Lovett said. “I told them at the end of the game that it’s all about grit. I took the timeout with three minutes to play because I saw we were starting to look exhausted. I told them they had to bear down and give me everything they had and that’s what I got from them. They believe and believe in each other which is huge. They have to believe that the next person who gets a pass isn't going to miss it. That’s when it falls apart. Right now, it’s working.” 

Eden Polak made nine saves in goal for Amherst, with Madison Markwell not being called into action to make a save for Franklin Tech. 

Boys soccer

Franklin Tech 2, Duggan 2 — Trailing 2-0 late, the Eagles scored twice in the closing minutes to earn a draw with Duggan in Turners on Thursday. 

Jon Gheorghita scored on a penalty kick to cut into the lead before Mason Thurston tied the game in the final five minutes off an assist from Gheorghita. 

Hopkins 0, Greenfield 0 — Neither the Golden Hawks or the Green Wave were able to find the back of the net on Thursday, leading to scoreless Schmid League draw in Greenfield. 

Liam Grahame-Lawson made eight saves for the Wave while Logan Bye made six saves for Hopkins. 

Pioneer 4, Smith Academy 1 — It was the Judah Glenn show for the Panthers, as the junior opened the scoring in the first half before tallying twice in the final 40 minutes to close out the hat trick and lead Pioneer to an impressive Schmid League triumph in Northfield Thursday. 

Dani Paque closed out the scoring for Pioneer in the second half. Jackson Glazier dished two assists while Jackson Campbell and Kurt Redeker each recorded an assist in the win. 

Four Rivers 10, Academy of Charlemont 0 — Cooper Whitney tallied a hat trick while Jasper Greninger scored twice in the Otters’ victory Thursday. 

Kolin Broderick, Aiden McGuinness, Wes Acton, Tim Yanko and Marley McConkey also scored in the win. 

Girls volleyball

Mohawk Trail 3, Athol 1 — The Warriors moved to 4-0 on the season with a 15-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-22 triumph over the Bears on Thursday in Buckland. 

Abby Spooner, Giana Vaillancourt (five aces, seven assists) and Olivia Mayer (three aces) each had five kills while Ella Reed finished with eight assists for Athol. 

Franklin Tech 3, Greenfield 1 — Shelby O’Leary dished 24 assists while adding four aces and 11 digs in the Eagles’ 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 25-19 win over the Green Wave on Thursday in Turners. 

Emma Petersen tallied 11 kills, one ace and five digs, Sarah Beckwith finished with 12 aces, three kills and five digs while Madison Pettingill added three aces, eight kills, 15 digs and three blocks in the win. 

Turners 3, Mahar 2 — After the Thunder roared out to a 2-0 lead, the Sens fought back to win the next two sets to force a fifth. It was all Turners in that fifth set, however, as the Thunder pulled out a 25-13, 25-15, 22-25, 23-25, 15-3 victory in Turners. 

Madi Liimatainen led the way with 19 aces, 11 kills and four digs while Maddie Dietz recorded two aces, three kills and 20 assists, Tatianna Carr-Williams tallied one ace, six kills and three digs and Janelle Massey put down five aces and four kills in the win for Turners. 

Duggan 3, Pioneer 1 — Sophia Wood led the way with three aces and eight assists for the Panthers in an independent loss to Duggan on Thursday. 

Jacobia Tyminski (three aces, seven digs), Oceana Duclos (two aces, two digs), Kiara Gruszkowski (two aces, two kills) and Taylor Chase (two kills, two aces) played well in the loss. 

Golf

Hopkins 210, Turners 219 — Golden Hawk Ryley Regan was the match medalist with a 38 in Hopkins’ victory over the Thunder at Thomas Memorial Thursday. 

Darian Burnett led Turners with a 49. 

Mohawk Trail 176, Pathfinder 214 — Phineas Tuttman fired a 41 to finish as the match medalist, lifting the Warriors past the Pioneers at Country Club of Greenfield Thursday. 

Logan Moore (42), Conner Bergeron (46) and Tyler Zdanowicz (47) closed out the scoring for Mohawk Trail.