On Oct. 10, the Issaquah girls’ soccer c-team-purple won 5-2 against Redmond. After team captain sophomore Ellis Park scored a goal in the first two minutes, she ultimately set the game tone for their second win of the season. Throughout the first half, purple had a constant presence in Redmond’s defensive zone and managed to score four goals by halftime. Impressively, freshman Natalie Burch scored two of these goals. At 35 minutes, sophomore Nandita Malhotra walked off the field from a shoulder injury and appeared to only use her opposite arm.  

In the second half, IHS performed well but was met with solid resistance. In the first ten minutes, Redmond’s Mustangs scored two goals until the Eagles were able to read the field and pushed back against the offense. The second half also witnessed a fast sprint from sophomore Audrey Drake as she chased the ball and outpaced the white team. Shortly after, Burch scored her third goal of the game.  

Pre-game the team had doubts about their performance. So far , the girls’ soccer team has had a difficult season. This was only game number five, as a result of moved games, smoke, and miscommunication. Therefore, the game seemed daunting and there were a lot of nerves. Park says, “JV and Varsity team for this school were better than expected so that definitely inspired doubts.” Captain and sophomore Jemima Tamblyn agrees and adds, “None of the other teams have played Redmond [this year].” Coach Demaree Keiburtz concurs that the team had doubts and that these doubts were eliminated by “scoring really early on in the game. It allowed them to relax and just play.” 

Post-game the team was both proud and confident in their performance. Drake says, “We have been working on playing instead of just kicking the ball high in the air every time. We did really well with our short passes, working together, and just connecting with each other this game.” Coach Keiburtz expands on their performance saying, “A big goal for us at the beginning is that we would learn what the other team was doing, and we would plan our game according to what they were doing. We would try to beat them at their own game.” The coach and all three captains agree that this home win meant a lot to them. 

Moving forward, the girls’ soccer team goal is to continue improving the skills seen at this game and to focus on hitting the ball into the net. As a whole, the purple Eagles performed well, whether it be passing, chasing down the ball, or simply reading the field. They accomplished their goals. Ultimately, the game was a true confidence booster for the girls’ soccer team.