RECAP >> Domination!
In a word, that describes the play of the Emmaus field hockey team this season and in seasons past.
Just ask Nazareth.
The third-seeded Blue Eagles, who pulled off a 4-3 double overtime upset win over second-seeded Easton in the semifinals on Tuesday, were once again looking to pull off a stunner by taking down the unbeaten and nationally-ranked Hornets in last night’s Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC) championship game.
They never stood a chance.
The seven-time defending league champs, led by the legendary head coach Sue Butz-Stavin, dominated Nazareth from the opening whistle and never looked back as they claimed their eighth straight EPC title with a dominating 7-0 win at the Zephyr Sports Complex in Whitehall.
Emmaus, which has now won 40 conference championships in program history, scored early and often as they claimed yet another league title after shutting out the Blue Eagles for the second time this season (first meeting 9-0 on September 21).
Five different players scored goals in the victory for the Hornets who remained unbeaten on the season (21-0) and ran their consecutive win streak to 65 games.
Senior Abby Burnett, who was voted the league’s MVP, scored a pair of goals (Nos. 29 and 30 on the season) and added an assist, while classmate Ava Zerfass tallied her 21st and 22nd goals for Emmaus, which led comfortably at the halftime break 6-0.
Junior Melea Weber added a goal and two assists, senior Rachel Herbine scored her team-leading 42nd goal and sophomore Emmy Horner also found the back of the cage with her 14th goal of the season. Sophomore Autum Kernechel dished out a game-high three assists.
Statistically, the Hornets dominated play outshooting Nazareth 50-3 and 26-3 in penalty corners. In goal, junior Emma Cari picked up her 16th shutout of the season making three saves.
Nazareth dropped to 16-4 overall with the loss. Junior goalie Mackenzie Mann was busy all night making 36 saves.
Emmaus will now turn its attention towards winning its 34th straight District XI Championship. The Hornets will be the No.1 seed and will receive a first-round bye. Their opponent on November 1 will the winner of No. 4 Parkland or No. 5 Stroudsburg. Those two teams will meet in the quarterfinals on October 27.
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Emmaus 7, Nazareth 0
Em – 2-4-1-0 – 7
Na – 0-0-0-0 – 0
Scoring:
Em – Abby Burnett (assist Autum Kernechel)
Em – Melea Weber (assist Rachel Herbine)
Em – Burnett (assist Kernechel)
Em – Ava Zerfass (assist Kernechel)
Em – Herbine (assist Weber)
Em – Emmy Horner (assist Burnett)
Em – Zerfass (assist Weber)