AGAWAM — The three-time defending MIAA Div. 4 field hockey state champions weren’t ready to relinquish their crown on Tuesday. 

Fourth-seeded Frontier took on top-seeded Uxbridge in the Div. 4 semifinals at Agawam High School and the Spartans quickly got to work, gaining five corners in the opening 15 minutes and turning one into a goal. 

Uxbridge struck twice in the final four minutes of the half and tacked on two goals in the second half of action, advancing to the final for the fourth straight season with a 5-0 victory over the Redhawks. 

The Spartans will face No. 2 Monomoy — which defeated Sutton, 3-0, in the semis on Tuesday — in the championship game at a date and time to be determined. 

“The score does not indicate how hard our girls worked tonight,” Frontier coach Missy Mahar said. “They had certain goals we were setting each quarter. They held them scoreless in the third quarter with only one quarter so there were big takeaways from a game like this.

“I know it looks misleading with a 5-0 loss but I think they played their hearts out against a team that has won the last three state championships,” Mahar added. “I am pleased with how they played. They followed the gameplan and tried to create opportunities when they could.” 

The loss closes out the season for the Redhawks (18-3-2), one in which they took home a share of the Suburban League title and lifted a Western Mass. Class C championship to go along with the state semifinal appearance. 

“When the game completed, we reminded them that they were one of four teams in Division 4 still playing tonight,” Mahar said. “That’s something to be very proud of. Hopefully that’s how they can remember this season. Their effort was 110 percent out there. I couldn’t have asked for anything more from them. I’m going to miss them.” 

While its offense was able to generate goals, it was the Uxbridge defense that made the difference on Tuesday. 

The Spartans (20-2) dominated possession and consistently kept the ball away from their goal. Frontier did not finish with a shot on goal, with Redhawk goalie Kyra Richards was called in to make 12 saves. The Spartans finished with a 12-0 corner advantage. 

“We knew the tall order coming into this,” Mahar said. “The one thing was they believed they had a chance and they worked for it. They played every minute as hard as the first. I’m proud of them.”

Uxbridge opened the scoring with 7:42 to go in the first off a corner. The Spartans sent it in to Kendall Gilmore and the junior took a dribble in before sending a pass across to Amelia Blood, with the junior smashing in the one-timer to give Uxbridge the early lead. 

The Spartans kept up the pressure throughout the first half, but the Redhawk defense did their job of limiting corners and shot attempts. 

That changed with 3:30 to go in the half. Uxbridge drew a corner, flung it out to Gilmore who blasted a shot on goal from outside the box the circle. 

Aubrey Bouchard was there to get her stick on it and tip it past Richards to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead. 

It was a great individual play from Ava Rosborough that gave Uxbridge a 3-0 lead at the intermission. In the dying seconds of the half, Gilmore sent a pass up the left flank to Rosborough. The freshman dribbled into the circle and fired a backhand shot that zipped into the right corner of the goal with 24 seconds showing on the clock. 

The Spartans added a goal with 10:49 to go in the contest off a corner, with Bouchard knocking in a shot off a pass from Julianna Casucci. 

With 8:57 to play, Uxbridge drew another corner. After a scramble in front, Addie Blood took a shot that was deflected but Elyse Bouchard was there to corral the rebound and put it home to give the Spartans their 5-0 lead.

The second half saw the Redhawk defense slow down the high flying Uxbridge attack, but the Spartans were able to capitalize on corner opportunities throughout. 

“We increased our defensive lines because they have such hard hits,” Mahar said. “We tried to counter when we could. We had a gameplan overall and they stuck with it. We wanted to get the ball in the air and try to capitalize on field position at times and try to slow them down. We knew how fast they were and the tempo of their game.”