The defending Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District 11 3A champion Emmaus High School field hockey team had not really been challenged over the course of the first week of the 2023 regular season. The Green Hornets won their first three games of opening week by a combined score of 32-0.

But after taking down Northampton 9-0 in conference play last Thursday afternoon at Memorial Field, the Green Hornets faced their most competitive game of the season in a nonconference home game. They allowed their first goals of the season and had to score a winner in the fourth quarter to defeat Downingtown West 3-2 on Friday.

Emmaus made quick work of the Kids, scoring five goals in the opening quarter and then at least one in each of the next three. Melea Weber tallied five goals and an assist. Lauren Kushma recorded two goals and an assist and both Emmy Horner and Haley Kvacky found the back of the cage once for the Green Hornets with the latter adding an assist as well. Autumn Held, Autum Kernechel and Sarah Schaffer each contributed an assist. Emma Cari made one save in cage for her team as Emmaus outshot Northampton 24-1.

Horner scored off a pass from Kushma in the fourth quarter to break a 2-2 tie against Downingtown and keep the Green Hornets undefeated on the season at 5-0.

Kernechel got the scoring going in the game after a scoreless first half as she slotted home on a penalty corner midway through the third quarter. The Cougars would tie the game a couple minutes later before Held put her team back in front just before the end of the third.

Schaffer added an assist to the total and Cari finished with a season-high 11 saves.

Emmaus has two games this week, at Pocono Mountain West Tuesday and at home against Freedom on Thursday.