The Black Knights (13-5) started fast and scored three first-half goals en route to 4-1 victory over Ephrata (12-6-1).

 

"We wanted to score first,'' Hempfield senior forward Sarah Helgeson said. "We always play better when we do.''

 

The Knights played better where it counted most against the Mountaineers, dominating in the circle and using their speed to create numerous scoring chances.

 

Even though Ephrata finished with a 12-6 advantage in penalty corners, Hempfield outshot the Mounts 15-8.

 

"Our play in the circle was a lot sharper than it has been in the past,'' Hempfield coach Julianne Bojanic-Collier said. "We took care of the little things we needed to do when we needed to do them. And, I'm fortunate to have speed up front.''

 

Ephrata has some solid legs as well, but after playing to an overtime tie against Elizabethtown on Wednesday, then warming up in the rain but not playing Manheim Central Thursday, then beating those Barons on Friday to win the Section Two crown, the Mounts were a little gassed against Hempfield.

 

"We didn't bring our 'A' game,'' Ephrata coach Rhoda Mountz said. "We just didn't have it together. We weren't working as a unit.''

 

Hempfield, on the other hand, was hitting on all cylinders.

 

Kyra Brakefield finished off a Helgeson cross 3:33 into the game, then Taylor Nolan punched home a Brakefield pass five minutes later for a 2-0 advantage.

 

After Kirsten Ueberroth picked up a rebound of a Meredith Michel shot at the 14:57 mark to score for Ephrata, the Knights answered as Mackenzie Hukill collected a long pass from Brakefield and tapped in the ball with 6:03 left before intermission.

 

Helgeson later redirected a Taylor Nolan blast off a corner to close out the scoring 9:34 into the second half and set up the rematch with the defending champion Comets.