Liberty’s field hockey team had a “moral” victory in their EPC championship loss, if it wants to hear that.

Emmaus continued its run of success with another championship, but it wasn’t easy.

Two first half goals from junior forward Riley Baughman were enough as the Green Hornets held on late, after surrendering a second half goal, to defeat Liberty 3-1 last Thursday night at Whitehall High School.

The victory was just another in a long line of them.

Emmaus (21-0 overall) has won 76 straight games dating back to the 2015 season, and the win over the Hurricanes (18-3), which also halted their 14 game win streak, gave the Green Hornets their third straight EPC title. They have won 23 of the last 25 conference championships.

The game last Thursday night, however, looked nothing like the first meeting during the regular season between these two teams.

Back on September 12, Emmaus blitzed Liberty to a tune of a 12-0 win. Since that time, the Hurricanes went on to win 17 of their next 18 games, and besides Emmaus, were the most consistent team in the league all season.

Baughman scored the first goal of the game just 4:15 in off a low, line-drive pass by senior Olivia Krogermeirer. Then with a little less than nine minutes left in the first half, Baughman tallied her second, this one coming from freshman Annika Herbine.

After the halftime break, Emmaus added a third off a rocket shot from just at the top of the circle by junior Kacie Patton for a 3-0 lead.

It looked like just another easy contest for the Green Hornets, but Liberty never quit.

The Hurricanes tacked one on with 6:58 to go on a hard shot by senior Olivia Sahaydak, the conference’s leading goal scorer with 65. Sahaydak is also committed to Duke University next fall.

The goal was assisted by sophomore Rayne Wright.

“I thought we played 60 minutes of strong hockey,” said head coach MK Omdahl. “I thought we matched their energy level. Our kids kept their heads up, not like the last time [we played them]. They thought until the last 30 seconds that they had a chance to win, and that’s what I wanted to see.”

Before the goal that ruined the shutout, Emmaus had outscored its opponents 173-3 this season.

The Green Hornets outshot the Hurricanes 21-10 over the course of the game.

Sophomore goalie Kaitlin Borda made 12 saves.

Liberty will look to start a new win streak when it opens up District 11 3A tournament play today.

The Hurricanes are the number two seed and will take on Parkland the seven seed at 3:30 p.m. at Liberty High School.