Championship banners are hanging in the main Emmaus High School gym, but none represent the girls volleyball program.
That’s because their banner is in the much smaller auxiliary gym down the hall.
Eventually, it will be moved into the main gym where the team now plays its home matches, and that banner will include the EPC title the team won last week.
But before the banner moves, the 2025 Green Hornets would like to make an addition. They would like to add a District 11 championship to the league crown already claimed.
Top-seeded Emmaus took its first step toward the 4A title Thursday night with a hard-fought four-set win – 31-29, 25-21, 24-26, and 25-22 – over defending District 11 4A champ Liberty.
The win moved the top-seeded Green Hornets (19-3) into Tuesday’s district semis at Catasauqua, where they will match up with fifth-seeded Nazareth. The Blue Eagles (11-8) prevailed in five sets over No. 4 seed Pleasant Valley.
“Liberty came to play and they had our number,” Emmaus coach Jessica Orlang said. “Their defense was fantastic tonight, and their serve receive was very good. They did what they needed to do to challenge, and we had to dig deep.”
Amanda Rivera led a balanced attack with nine kills, while Fiona Answini and Rosie Landino added eight kills apiece. Alyssa Heffner had 27 assists. Heffner had 14 digs to go with 18 digs by Corinne Slivka and 14 by Haley Seidel and 13 by Sophia Freemont. The Green Hornets had 11 service aces, including three by Claudia Walls.
“We just have to come back ready to work and get ready for next week,” Orlang said. “You are not always going to be at 100%. You’re going to have some off nights, but you still have to stick in and be able to battle it out and refresh yourself for a fourth set. That’s important, too. Sometimes you can get into a championship hangover, but you have to fight through it. Our girls are still excited and want to keep going.”
Landino, a junior, said the team didn’t have its best game.
Emmaus senior Claudia Walls soars above the net for a potential kill during the Green Hornets’ District 11 4A quarterfinal match against Liberty Thursday night at Emmaus. The Green Hornets won in four sets and will play Nazareth in the semifinals on Tuesday night at Catasauqua High School. (Contributed photo / Mark Lineberger)
“It was tough because we had to get the momentum back we had last week,” the EPC Lehigh Division first-team all-star said. “We’ve just got to keep focused and work hard in practice every single day. We have eight seniors on our team, and we want to get on that banner twice.”
Walls, who is one of the eight seniors, said: “This wasn’t one of our best games, but it’s better to have it now than later. We have to bring it up and keep the energy going. We played really well in the championship last week, and we need to bring that energy back. I’m so happy because I’ve been on the varsity with these same girls for four years. We’ve wanted this for four years and I’m so happy we’re getting there. We just have to keep playing together as a team and keep communicating and talking. If we do that, we have a great chance.”
Walls will participate in track and field at Lehigh University. She has been an EPC champ in the high jump and a district and state qualifier the last three years, and now she’s helping Emmaus reach for great heights on the volleyball court..
“I just want to keep playing with these girls and go as far as we can,” she said.
Liberty finished 8-9 one year after winning district gold. Hurricanes coach Fernando Torres said he was pleased with the progress of his young players after the program graduated seven players from last year’s team, including all-time points leader Bailey Corrigan.
“All the players who graduated were on the offensive side and our libero and some defenders,” Torres said. “We’re all freshmen and sophomores, and it was really a year of growth for us. Tonight, we came out ready to fight, and I was really proud of the effort they brought. Sometimes it’s tough when you’re used to being in the mix toward the end of the season, but really, we embraced one day at a time through the growth process. We’re excited to show off what we’ll have in the next few seasons.
Eva Madeira, Sofia Condoulis, Leila Torres, Mia Mitch, and Lanie Schenkel are all returning players which bodes well for the future.
“We took some lumps this year, and we had some tough performances, but it’s all about learning from them, and handling it emotionally, and processing it and then working to get better from it,” Torres said. “I think their growth showed tonight because Emmaus is really good. I have so much respect for their coaching staff to deal with the injuries they have had and to keep going. They’re well-coached and fun to watch. It’s going to be exciting to see how the rest of the playoffs shape up.”
Freedom and Parkland will meet in the other 4A semifinal at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, with Emmaus-Nazareth to follow.
In the 3A semis at 7 p.m. Monday at Catasauqua, No. 1 seed Southern Lehigh will play No. 4 Allentown Central Catholic in a rematch of last year’s final won by the Spartans. No. 3 Bethlehem Catholic will face No. 7 Northwestern Lehigh in the first match at 5:30 p.m.
In the 2A final at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Pottsville’s Martz Hall, No. 1 Mahanoy Area will go against No. 2 Pine Grove Area, and in 1A at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Pottsville, No. 1 Tri-Valley takes on No. 2 Marian Catholic for the championship.
