With just three games remaining in the regular season, it would be easy for the Emmaus field hockey team to start peeking ahead to the Lehigh Valley Conference semifinals, which will be played on October 15. Instead, they're staying focused on the games between now and then and using them as reminders to not take any team too lightly.

Conference play ends with a game at home against Central Catholic Wednesday night, then nonconference games at Upper Perkiomen and home against North Penn to wrap up the regular season schedule this Saturday. Of course, every win will be important to help gain seeding in the district playoffs. At 12-1 in the LVC and 14-1 overall, the Hornets should be in good shape for a high seeding and home field advantage in the preliminary and quarterfinal rounds of the district playoffs.

The latest win came on Monday when Emmaus beat Dieruff 8-0 with Krissy Mikelson and sophomore Taylor Bednar leading the attack with two goals each. For Bednar, the goals were the first of her varsity career, a feat which freshman Laura Smerker also achieved scoring once for the Hornets in the win over the Huskies.

Over the weekend, Emmaus had another dominating outing in a 5-0 win over Owen J. Roberts. In that game, the Emmaus defense allowed just one shot on goal, while putting 17 shots on the net.

It's hard to say whether the offense or defense has come up bigger for Emmaus this season. Even with its LVC win streak having come to an end earlier this season against Liberty, Emmaus' numbers are still staggering. Besides having just one loss this season, the Hornets have outscored their opponents 91-4 on the season.

"We always stress working hard both offensively and defensively," said coach Sue Butz-Stavin. "Our girls know that you have to play hard on both ends of the field if you're going to be successful."

Parkland and Whitehall are battling for the final spot in the LVC semis. The bad news for them is that whoever gets the spot will have to play Emmaus. In the regular season, Emmaus beat Parkland 2-0 and downed Whitehall 4-0. Liberty and Northampton would meet in the other semifinal game and Emmaus would likely be rooting for the Hurricane to come out victorious, setting up a rematch between the two teams and a chance for the Hornets to avenge their only loss of the season.

"I'm sure it's in the back of our girls' minds, but you just have to let things play out and go after whoever you're matched up against," said Butz-Stavin.