Two weeks ago, the Emmaus High School girls basketball team suffered its first defeat of the season in Eastern Pennsylvania Conference play after winning its first six league games. It was a close, three-point setback at Pocono Mountain West.

The Hornets immediately bounced back in a big way with a double-digit home win over Pleasant Valley last Tuesday. Three days later, however, they dropped another contest, this time to undefeated Parkland on the road last Friday.

Against the Bears last week, the Emmaus defense was at its best all game, allowing the fewest points in a game since the opening weekend of the season.

The Hornets held Pleasant Valley to single digits in scoring in each of the four quarters. They took a 12-8 lead after the opening quarter and more than tripled the margin, outscoring the Bears 20-4 in the second quarter to take a commanding 32-12 lead at halftime. Emmaus finished off the game on a 23-10 run over the final two quarters.

The Green Hornets shot 54 percent from the floor in the game and held the Bears to just 38 percent defensively.

Three players finished in double figures in scoring, led by Paige Inman with 12. Olive Whitney recorded 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and Cassandra Doemling added 10. Gabrielle De Vita totaled eight points. Seven other Green Hornets found the score column in the win.

Three nights later at Parkland, Emmaus jumped out on top early, outscoring the Trojans 12-5 in the first quarter behind six points from Cooper. But just like in the previous game, the second quarter was the deciding factor in the outcome, this time it went against the Green Hornets. Parkland had a 17-6 quarter in its favor and went into the halftime locker room ahead 22-18. The Trojans kept their lead the rest of the way, on top 35-27 after three.

Inman led the way with 12 points, followed by Cooper with eight. De Vita chipped in six points. Julia Adams had two points and Taylor Griffith rounded out the scoring for the Green Hornets with one point.

Emmaus has a difficult week ahead of it as it hits the road to take on unbeaten Easton Tuesday. The Red Rovers defeated the Green Hornets back on December 28, in the championship game of the Easton Holiday tournament. Emmaus then hosts Central Catholic, the team tied with them in the standings, on Friday night, before taking on Blue Mountain on Saturday in a nonconference game at home.