WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Franklin Tech field hockey team couldn’t solve West Springfield on its home turf on Saturday, as the top-seeded Eagles fell to the second-seeded Terriers, 4-1, at Clark Field in the Western Mass. Class C championship game.
It’s the second consecutive season that the Eagles made it to the sectional final, only to lose to the Terriers.
“I think it’s hard when you are playing in this kind of tournament and it’s the same teams you have played multiple times,” Franklin Tech coach Rian Lovett said. “Because you know them and you know what to expect. You subconsciously have a gameplan in your head, but you don’t need to, you just have to play your game.”
Teagan Donahue of Franklin Tech watches a cross go the front of the net against West Springfield, Saturday in West Springfield Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Teagan Donahue of the Franklin Tech field hockey team fights for a cross against West Springfield, Saturday in West Springfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Amelia Rider of Franklin Tech attacks the defense against West Springfield, Saturday in West Springfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Amelia Rider of Franklin Tech attacks the defense against West Springfield, Saturday in West Springfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Avery Korenewsky of Franklin Tech charges up the field against West Springfield, Saturday in West Springfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo
The Eagles were playing defense most of the game. Franklin Tech rarely broke through the midfield of West Springfield. Teagan Donahue, Leah Meattey and Amelia Rider tried desperately to create offense, but the West Springfield defense seemed to be there on every play.
“We played too defensively today,” Lovett said. “We played to their strength instead of playing our game which is a more offensive game.”
Franklin Tech was visibly upset after the loss, but the Eagles will need to quickly regroup for the MVADA championship game on Monday at Blackstone Valley Regional at 2:30 pm.
“I kind of explained that one game doesn’t define a season,” Lovett said. “Everything they did to this point…. they got here. Which is a success. They won a league title, that is a success. We had a successful season. Being here today makes it successful. They have to remember that. They fought and they played hard and they were able to score.”
Abigail Dobias found the net at the beginning of the fourth quarter for the Eagles.
“I think this is a game we are going to have to forget,” Dobias said. “It’s really frustrating. We didn’t think it was really fair. We didn’t think the officials really helped us this game. But we honestly didn’t play well either. It is a game we have to forget, let it go and move on.”
The chance to bring home a championship on Monday is still a motivating factor for the Eagles, who will see a new and fresh opponent in the vocational final.
“We see everything as just as important,” Dobias said. “We see state the same as Western Mass. We see Western Mass. the same as vocational. Everything is the same. We just want to win something. “
Redyn Gutierrez had five saves in net for the Eagles.
Nate Xavier gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead with three minutes, 38 seconds left in the first quarter. Xavier finished with three goals for West Springfield.
Franklin Tech had an excellent opportunity at the end of the quarter on a penalty corner. On a play that worked to perfection in the semifinal game against Hampshire Regional, Leah Meattey sent the penalty corner to the stick of Dobias, who smothered its momentum. The play lines up a shot for Rider, whose shot got deflected in front of the net just wide.
Xavier scored twice in the third quarter, giving West Springfield a 3-0 lead going into the final frame. Joey Xavier scored West Springfield’s fourth goal. Emily Duncan had two assists for the Terriers.
