The postseason finally arrived for high school field hockey teams last weekend.

Two-time defending state champion Emmaus remained unbeaten after taking out Liberty 9-0 in the first round of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference playoffs Saturday at Emmaus High School’s Memorial Field.

It took nearly an entire quarter for Emmaus to get on the board. However, after the Hornets’ first goal came with 25 seconds left in the first period, they added four more for a 5-0 halftime lead then kicked in the mercy rule with a goal just 23 seconds into the second half.

“It took us a while to find the back of the cage,” said Emmaus head coach Sue Butz-Stavin. “I think overall we played well. We gave opportunity for everyone on the roster to get in today and get a taste of a playoff game. I’m happy. A victory is a victory this time of year.”

The Hurricane defense and goal keeper Abigail Mayes held off the powerful Emmaus offense as long as most teams could hope for, successfully defending five corners in the first quarter before the Hornets finally converted one.

Senior Abby Burnett scored the first of her three goals in the game off an assist from teammate Autumn Kernechel on a corner play for a 1-0 lead.

Burnett, who also assisted on a pair of goals in the game, added two more goals in the second quarter, while teammates Ava Zerfass and Rachel Herbine also scored before halftime.

Herbine, the team’s leading goal-scorer, added two goals in the second half while picking up two assists in the win. Zerfass capped the Hornets’ scoring with a fourth-quarter goal with 13:02 left in the game.

“I think it’s a great win for us,” said Burnett, one of three seniors on the EHS roster along with Zerfass and Herbine. “We played great hockey. We used inside-outside passes. We connected really well. We had great shots on goal. It was a really good game for us.”

The top-seeded Hornets (19-0) move on to play No. 5 seed Parkland in Tuesday’s semifinal round.

Liberty (8-10-1) was the eight seed in leagues and will now have a week off before moving on to the District 11 playoffs.

The Hornets have outscored opponents 161-7 this season an haven’t given up more than two goals in a game all year. They did allow two goals to three of their last five opponents in nationally-ranked Oak Knoll, Whitehall and Gwynedd Mercy Academy.

“Every season has its ups and downs, its hills and valleys.,” said Burnett. “We’ve had our valleys this season. Right now I think we’re on our up and we’re going to stay on our way up.”