Girls Soccer: 2019 Wrap-up
On April 26th of 2019, after a long and hot day at school, the girls' soccer team left straight to ISPP to play their final tournament. The girls started off strong, with their first game against East West, where they scored many goals and won. After that, the girls had to wait 2 hours for their next game, which was one that would unexpectedly get their hearts racing.
The game against NISC was quite tough, with the soccer ball being constantly passed up and down the field, passed from one person to the other, stolen from one team by the other. It was so difficult that both sides had around 1 point for the whole game. The match ended with a tie, which meant that penalty kicks had to be made. This was the game that would determine whether or not the girls would make it to the finals and compete with ISPP.
The 5 penalty kicks were nerve-racking, one wrong move and all is lost. To make things even more intense, the penalty shootout was a tie and the girls now had to play sudden-death - the tiebreaker. The team held onto each other as they supported those who were going up, hoping and praying for them to do well; the girls were extremely nervous. Finally, the goalies had to do a penalty kick, with NISC's goalie up first. All the pressure was on their goalie Siha because this was what determined whether or not the girls would go to finals. The girls held hands, crossed their fingers, and supported the goalie from across and... SHE BLOCKED THE SHOT AND LOGOS WON THE MATCH AGAINST NISC!
The most memorable moment of this was thrilling, when the whole team ran towards Siha for a group hug, cheering and shouting. Some tears were even shed (shoutout to Seoyoung who shed tears of joy). Now the girls advanced to their final match against ISPP.
It was pretty late at night (around 8 PM) when the girls played their final match. Everyone was tired and worn out from school and all the games from earlier, but that did not stop them from putting in all their effort. The girls played hard and with all their might, and even though they didn't win the match, everyone was proud of their hard work to get 2nd place!
Here's what some of the players had to say about the 2019 soccer season:
How do you feel knowing that it is your last year of playing soccer at Logos?
Merica: It's bittersweet. I've built strong relationships with my teammates through soccer. I was sad that I had to end my high school soccer career through an injury, but I'm glad it happened because it allowed our team to play hard and allowed others to rise (go Janice & Emily & Miriam! you guys are amazing). It's been an amazing journey, but I'm sad that my 7-year soccer journey at Logos has come to an end. I'm going to miss having to come to morning practices and practicing under the 37°C weather.
Diamondna: Personally, it's more bitter than sweet. I love soccer and playing at Logos was a huge blessing, because of all the people that I've played with who have taught and helped me with my skills as a player and my character as an athlete. It is always an honor to represent Logos in an event, but there is something special about being out on the field. I'm really going to miss it.
What are your thoughts on the final tournament?
Merica: To be honest, before the tournament, I was heartbroken that I couldn't play due to an injury. The team was different and we had to adjust to a new lineup quickly. We struggled with team chemistry, but on the day of the tournament, the girls pushed through and gave it all they've got. We struggled with scoring, but we had a strong defensive line. Everyone left it all on the field and played with no regrets. I'm so proud of them :') Even though we didn't win first place, we're happy with second place because we had fun and we did our best. The final game was tight and it was a fun game to watch.
Diamondna: I thought we played well in our final tournament and it was a really strong finish to a really challenging season. We overcame many high-pressure situations and many tough emotional moments and advanced to the finals. I am very proud of the way we played.
Elizabeth: I feel like the final tournament went really well. We played with no regrets and we left everything on the field. Even though we didn't win, it still felt like we did.
Anonymous: I definitely have regrets from the mistakes I made but it is something that I can learn and grow from.
Janice: I liked the pool we were in since it was challenging but not too challenging. I had a good time and it was fun to run around even after eating a burrito.
What were your best moments for soccer this year?
Merica: Favorite memory? The season was too short, but one of my favorite memories was watching the soccer team attempt to play volleyball during Tri-sport hahaha. It was cute.
Diamondna: Probably our penalty kicks shootout in our final tournament to advance to the finals. There was a lot of pressure and we were tired. What made this memorable for me was how we cheered for each other and how each of us fought to win. It was definitely the most exciting and thrilling moment for me this year.
Elizabeth: There were many great moments throughout the whole season. The one that stood out to me was Tri-sport because we got to bond as a team and play new schools we've never even heard of. We had quite a few losses but it made us stronger. Also, the penalty against NISC was pretty intense. We were all so excited and nervous at the same time.
Anonymous: Being able to see the happiness of my teammates when they score
Janice: Best moments: playing volleyball and basketball with our soccer team at Tri-sport and the pk during the final tournament was intense
Which school was the hardest to play against?
Merica: ISPP
Diamondna: ISPP is always a tough opponent - they are very skilled and have a lot of experience with the sport. Playing them in the finals, we had to play more defensively than we did offensively. NISC was also a tough competitor in that we had to be creative and quick in our attacks, which was not always easy to do.
Elizabeth: The school that was the hardest to play against is certainly ISPP. They have always been our rival but I have to say that they are a really good team.
Anonymous: I want to say ISPP but can't bring myself to believe it.
Janice: ISPP
Do you have any advice for the soccer team? Anything you would like to say to the team?
Merica: Advice? Have fun and keep going. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. And remember, to leave it all on the field and play with no regrets. Shoutout to Siha, Mycah for being our backbones. Shoutout to Diamondna, Seoyoung, Elizabeth, Laura, Yeseul for their OP defense. Shoutout to Miriam, Ratana, Jessica, Kristen, Emily, and Janice for their OP attacks. And shoutout to Melisa, Yubin, Sabrina, Esther, and Michelle for stepping in for us when we're all dying and for giving us energy. Shoutout to Miss B, Buthineary, and Yechan for keeping the team together and for pushing us to be the players we are. I love you all so much ❤️
Diamondna: I think my advice would just be to try to enjoy it and work hard. Soccer is not an easy sport and there will be so many moments where you want to quit and where you feel you're not suited for it. However, I think the beauty of the sport is that there's a lot of space for mistakes, but there's also a lot of grace in getting back up. Enjoy the sun and enjoy the run, and always be willing to put in the work to better yourself.
Elizabeth: An advice I would like to give is to stop doubting yourselves and be confident. If you make a mistake, don't dwell on it, look for ways so that you won't make the same mistake again. Everyone makes mistakes but the worst mistake you can make is to give up.
Anonymous: Thank you for never giving up!
Janice: Advice: don't beat yourself up after every little mistake. It's best to play with a clear mind.
How was the soccer season this year?
Elizabeth: The soccer season this was unexpectedly good. Despite the hot season, everything else was great. I did not expect myself to like soccer as much as I do now.
Anonymous: Everyone improved so much within the short time we had compared to other sports seasons. there were many trials throughout the season but we were able to overcome it as a team. this season is one that I will treasure.
Janice: This was probably the best soccer season I've had so far, and it's really because of the people.
The girls worked so hard this year and did such an amazing job!