TURNER — Playing well and earning only a tie for their efforts — and scoreless ties, at that — was getting a bit old for the Leavitt Hornets.

With crisp passing to match the autumn air and stout defensive work against a few quick forwards, the Hornets broke out of that scoreless funk in a big way, racking up six goals to earn a 6-1 victory over Nokomis on Thursday.

“We haven’t scored a goal in two games, we’ve had two nil-nil ties,” Leavitt coach Chris Cifelli said. “That was definitely in the back of our minds.”

“Compared to the years before, we realize what we have is really special,” freshman striker Mariah Treadwell said. “These next few games are the last ones the seniors will have, so we’re trying really hard to get done what we need to get done, and get it right.”

Treadwell scored two key goals in Thursday’s contest: the winner late in the first half and the back-breaker — a doorstep strike just 27 seconds into the second half.

“I didn’t even think I was going to be there,” Treadwell said. “I just hit the line and got the shot. i was really surprised we got it that early. We were working well together.”

The Warriors (6-5-1) put a scare into Leavitt early. Becky Wolinski snuck free for a breakaway 30 seconds into the contest and Leavitt keeper Danielle DuBois made a kick save with her left foot, and another on a rebound header by Wolinski.

The shifty Nokomis sniper did net the game’s first goal a few minutes later, though, launching a sharp-angle shot from in tight on the left side into the top right corner of the cage.

“We felt we were playing really well at that point,” Cifelli said. “When she scored, I know it crossed all of our minds, like, ‘Oh no, here we go again.’ But the kids stayed with what we try to do and the results came and all of a sudden they started to come in bunches.

Abbey Randall even the game for the Hornets (7-3-3) in the 31st minute, redirecting a Tori Zupancic corner kick past Nokomis keeper Laura Lyford. Treadwell’s first made it 2-1, and her quick strike to begin the second half widened the lead to 3-1.

Kendra Ray got into the action after that, setting up a Zupancic strike in the third minute and a Jenna Cote score in the 15th to put the contest out of reach. Paige Landry tacked on the sixth goal with 14:01 to play.

“We played for 30 minutes and the game’s 80 minutes long,” Nokomis coach Kori Dionne said. “They had the short passing game going, they were playing right to feet, and they just outplayed us.”