From game to game in the early part of this high school girls season, Sarah Oswald doesn’t know exactly what she’s going to get from her team.
Already this season, Emmaus’ has knocked off previously-undefeated Parkland 2-1, ending the Trojans 70-game win streak against District XI teams, along with District 3 power Wilson by the same score, snapping a 10-year losing drought against the Bulldogs.
Along with the big wins, the Hornets have also struggled, opening the season with just a 1-0 win against winless Northampton, and then less than a week later, dropping a disappointing 4-0 loss to a .500 Nazareth team on the road.
So what would the Hornets fourth-year head coach get from her team on Thursday night as they hosted another pre-season favorite in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, unbeaten Easton at Memorial Field?
How about an effort from her team that had her beaming from ear-to-ear afterwards.
Sparked by junior midfielder Lindsay Phillips goal less than seven minutes into the second half, Emmaus picked up yet another big, early-season win as they knocked off the previously-undefeated Red Rovers 2-1.
“I think this was the best team effort we’ve had as a whole group defensively, through the midfield and the attack,” said Oswald. “Tonight was a full performance from our kids and that’s not something we’ve seen this season. We asked the girls to play the second half the same way that the came out in the first and we were able to get the go-ahead goal.”
With the victory, Emmaus improved to 3-2 in the EPC and 4-2 overall, while Easton fell from the ranks of the undefeated dropping to 4-1 both in the league and overall. The Hornets also defeated the Red Rovers for the second straight season, having beaten Easton 1-0 in the District XI semifinals a year ago.
Easton had jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute of the first half as senior Caroline Finelli gave the Red Rovers a 1-0 lead with a well-placed goal from approximately 25 yards.
But the Hornets would respond as they got the equalizer just :37 seconds later as junior forward Lily Schmitt scored her first goal of the season off a nice crossing pass from senior Maddie Fey.
Phillips, who scored a second career goal on the varsity, then knocked in the game-winner as she took a free kick from teammate sophomore Isabella Ingato and placed it into the far post past Easton senior goalie Christina Finelli.
Easton applied a lot of pressure in the second half, but Emmaus junior goalie Alexa Ryan stood strong and kept the Red Rovers off the scoreboard. Ryan made five saves in the game, including denying Easton a goal on three successive shots in the opening half.
“There was a lot of pressure there late in the game,” said Ryan, who posted her fourth win in goal “The last 10 minutes I really felt it and it was getting intense but our defense did well and we were able to pull out the win.”
“Alexa is always very comfortable with her skill set and what she does,” said Oswald. “She’s a really great shot-stopper and puts herself in a quality position to cut down angles. As Alexa continues to hold this team in the back it not only builds up her confidence but it gives us all confidence.”
For the game, Emmaus out shot Easton 10-6 and held a 7-6 edge in shots on goal. Each team had two corners in the contest.
Emmaus will return to action at 7 p.m. on Saturday as they travel to Freedom (3-2) to take on the Patriots.
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Emmaus starters: Fey, Smith, Phillips, Schmitt, Albanese, Dill, Eisenhard, Reith, McWhinney, Ingato, Ryan GK. Subs: Cole, Brown, Grant, McGrath, Erle, Griffith, Mehrtens
Easton starters: Drake, Echevarria, Caroline Finelli, Christina Finelli, Hall, Lucas, Vincent, Geiger, Rodriguez, Nepa, Protyniak.