Girls Soccer – Hornets quest for a third trip back to District XI finals begins on Wednesday with first round matchup vs Whitehall. PREVIEW:

Lizzie Bender (3) leads the Hornets in scoring with 15 goals on the season. Photo: Mark Lineberger.

Matchup: No. 6 Whitehall (11-8) vs No. 3 Emmaus (15-3-2)

When/Where: Wednesday 4:30 p.m. @ Memorial Field

What’s on the line: Winner advances to the semis to take on either No.2 Parkland/No.7 Freedom

Coverage: LIVE on The Eastern Pa Sports Network (4:15 p.m. pregame)

Coaches: Whitehall – Chris Bleam; Emmaus – Chris Hain (1st season)

Key players: Whitehall: Soph. MF Collene Sommers, Fr. Def. Larken Good, Soph. GK Cora Musselman, Sr. Sage Snyder, Jr. Morgan Laub, Sr. B Jade Alvarez

Emmaus – Sr. GK Ashley Stine (13 shutouts), Soph. F Lizzie Bender (15g/15a), Fr. MF Ella Scharper (9g/7a), Sr. MF Gabriella Powell (12g/4a, 2nd Team EPC), Sr. Def. Ella Daly (3rd Team), Soph. F. Giuliana Meyer (8g/4a)

CORNER KICKS – Emmaus and Whitehall met early in the season (Aug. 27) with the Hornets rolling to a 6-0 victory. In that matchup, senior Kam McWhinney, who has missed most of the season with an ACL injury, scored a hat trick … Whitehall last played in the opening round of the EPC playoffs falling to the eventual champ CCHS 5-0. The Zephyrs are very young squad that has dealt with key injuries throughout the season. In their eight losses, Whitehall has been outscored 37-2 … A year ago, Emmaus defeated Freedom in the opening round 6-0, Easton in the semis 1-0 before losing to rival Parkland in the finals 2-1 …Emmaus last won a district title back in the 2008-09 season when the sport was played in the Spring. The Hornets also won titles in 06′-07′, 05′-06′, ’04-’05

District XI 4A Tournament (Weds., Oct. 23, top 2 teams advance to states)

No.8 Pleasant Valley @ No.1 Nazareth

No.7 Freedom @ No.2 Parkland

No.6 Whitehall @ No.3 Emmaus

No.5 Easton @ No.4 Northampton

October 29 – Semis

October 31 – Finals