You had to figure that Emmaus and Parkland would meet in the East Penn Conference boys volleyball finals. The top two teams in the conference and rivals were on a collision course. Parkland came into the meeting at 16-0 on the season and Emmaus (16-1) was looking to be the first team to knock them off and in just the setting the Hornets wanted.

Things started well for the Hornets. They did something that only one other team had done this season when they won the opening set. That had not happened to Parkland since their second game of the season against Pennridge.

In that set, Emmaus picked up four service points from Brian Cobb and three from Jametric Harris, who also had two key blocks for the Hornets. Emmaus first seven points came on service breaks, and they were able to pick up a 26-24 win with Cobb serving for the final two points.

Not used to trailing in a game, the Trojans went right back to work and won the second set easily with a 25-17 win. Emmaus had trouble breaking serve in the second set and Parkland was able to put together stretches of consecutive service points. Harris had three kills in the set, but the Hornets were unable to put together any long, successful stretches. Parkland took over the game when they broke serve and took a 16-12 lead. Emmaus then struggled to return serves from Kumayl Soonasra until Harris broke a serve to make it 20-13, but Parkland got serve back and won the set.

With the match tied 1-1, the third set was up in the air. Emmaus took out a libero and Parkland seemed to seize on the opportunity with one of their middles moving to the back. Parkland attacked with a short game and Chase Robbins picked up five kills in the set for the Trojans. The play at the net was the tipping point in the set as Parkland went up 2-1 with a 25-22 win.

With the score 22-19, Emmaus took a timeout. Cael Kratzer and Lucas Mondin had kills on Parkland serves as the Hornets cut the lead to 23-21, but Parkland was able to break serves late in the set and took a 24-22 win and the EPC gold medals.

“I’m not going to lie, there was a lot that I disliked,” said Emmaus coach Jeff Elsea. “We played better than the first time we met them, but we still made some fundamental mistakes. We have to work on blocking and work on some digging. We’ll get there, it just was not where I expected it to be. My back row must improve and if they don’t, districts is not going to be a fight that we will be able to handle and if we do get it together, we will be fun to watch.”

Before the game, the EPC All-Star team was announced and included Cooper Henseler, who was named the conference’s MVP. Also on the team were Emmaus players Jametric Harris and Logan Dougherty.