The Emmaus High School girls lacrosse team started its District 11 playoff run by defeating the fifth seed, Freedom, 12-11 last Friday.

The Hornets’ district run and 2026 season ended in the next game as they fell to top-seeded Nazareth, 6-5, Monday night.

In the victory over the Patriots, Rylie Poll finished with a game-high five goals and one assist, including what proved to be the game winner later in the fourth quarter. It was the seventh time this season an Emmaus game finished with a one-goal margin.

Kathryn Newhard tallied two goals and three assists and Avery Aquino also totaled two goals and added an assist. Taylor Younker, Sarah Gross and Sarah Palazzo all found the back of the net once with Younker contributing an assist. Ally Kusko dished out one assist. Kate Rainford finished with seven saves in net for the victory.

Madison Lenig won a team-best four draw controls and collected three ground balls, also a team-high. Aquino forced a team-high two turnovers defensively. Paige McClain recorded two ground balls and one forced turnover. Lily Smith finished with two ground balls and Kaitlyn Grochowski had one ground ball and one forced turnover.

In the game with the Blue Eagles, Nazareth led 1-0 after the first quarter and then Emmaus received goals from Poll and Palazzo and the score was tied 2-2 at halftime. That duo then connected on an early third quarter goal as Palazzo fed Poll for the goal and the 3-2 lead. The Blue

Eagles responded with one later in the quarter and the two teams remained tied 3-3 after three. McClain found the back of the net to get things going in the fourth quarter to give her team the lead right back, but Nazareth netted three unanswered goals to go on top 6-4 before Aquino pulled her team back to within one. But that was all the Hornets could get the rest of the way.

Emmaus finished its year 12-8 overall. There are 12 seniors that will graduate from the program, including Reese Gerhart, Grochowski, Gross, Newhard, Palazzo, Poll, Ava Roberts, Sydney Schaadt, Paige Shickel, Abbey Thomas, Kayla Wassel and Younker.