RECAP >> In a word — heartbreak.
That was the feeling the Emmaus field hockey players felt in the pit of their stomachs last night as they walked off the turf at frigid Hamburg High School in Berks County.
Another word could have been used describing their emotions — disbelief.
Or better yet — stunned.
With their PIAA Class 3A state semifinal game with District 3 runner-up Wilson tied at 1-1 and the clock winding down in regulation, all indications pointed towards overtime.
And then, the unthinkable happened.
With just 4.2 seconds, the Bulldogs stunned their own fans – and the Hornets faithful they made the trip – as they celebrated the game-winning goal sending them to a 2-1 upset win, ending Emmaus’ undefeated season and hopes and dreams of a third straight state title.
Sophomore Caroline Horace was the hero as she received a pass from teammate senior Erika Culp in front of the goal and buried a shot into the back of the cage past Emmaus junior goalie Emma Cari setting off a wild celebration for the Bulldogs (24-2-1) who are headed back to the state finals for the second time in the last four years.
It was back in 2019 when Wilson won the state championship after defeating Emmaus 1-0 in the same round and at the same venue.
That game was not nearly as dramatic as when the two met again last night, but nonetheless, the result was the same as the Bulldogs have once again ended Emmaus’ season in two of the last four years.
Up next for Wilson in Saturday’s state final at 3 p.m. at Cumberland Valley High School will be a rematch with Lower Dauphin, the District 3 champs, who edged Conestoga 3-2 in overtime in the other semifinal. The Falcons defeated the Bulldogs 3-2 in the district championship just 11 days ago.
Meanwhile, for Emmaus head coach Sue Butz-Stavin’s team, their hopes of winning the program’s 15th state title ends, and it’s yet another heartbreaking loss at Hamburg for the Hornets who are now 0-3 at the in the state semis since 2011.
The nation’s No.1 ranked team according to maxfieldhockey.com ends their season 25-1 and their 69-game win streak stopped by the last team to defeat them by, you guessed it, Wilson.
Emmaus dominated play most of the of the game outshooting the Bulldogs 13-7 and holding an 8-2 advantage in penalty corners, but were unable to finish around the goal and subsequently, held to their lowest offensive output of the season after being held scoreless in the second half. A big reason why the Hornets could never break the tie and regain the lead was due in large part to the outstanding play of Bulldogs sophomore goalie Catherine Wolf who had 12 saves on the night, including a number of key ones in the fourth quarter.
Senior Ava Zerfass had her team’s lone score of the night with 13:03 left in the second quarter as she found the back of the cage with her 28th goal of the season off an assist from classmate Abby Burnett.
Emmaus took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break and then just six minutes into the third quarter, Wilson tied the game at 1-1 on senior Grace Chisholm’s seventh goal of the season on the Bulldogs second penalty corner.
The game marked the final one in the high school careers of Emmaus’ senior tri-captains: Rachel Herbine, Zerfass and Burnett. The three were part of three Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and four District XI championships along with two state titles.
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Wilson 2, Emmaus 1
Em – 0-1-0-0 – 1
Wi – 0-0-1-1 – 2
Scoring
Q2 – Em: Ava Zerfass (assist Abby Burnett)
Q3 – Wil: Grace Chisholm (assist Emma Staron)
Q4 – Wil: Caroline Horace (assist Erika Culp)