The girls’ soccer team competed in the Best in the West Tournament on Dec. 9 at Newport Harbor High School. Following the team’s first 1-2 loss to Huntington Beach High School and subsequent 4-3 win to Temecula Valley High School, the team moves to an overall record of 3-2.
Defender Ashle Reese ’25 said her teammates have bonded well so far.
“I think the team chemistry is really good, especially for the start of the season,” Reese said. “I don’t think that there is as much separation between grade levels this year, and we are really trying to go out of our way to intermix ourselves during practices and gel together during games.”
Girls’ Soccer Program Head Richard Simms said although the early season is tough, he is optimistic that the team will be competitive.
“The first couple weeks are always a battle for us because we have kids who are finishing up their club commitments, so the first couple games for the season was all about waiting for everybody to get back,” Simms said. “Now that we have got everybody back, we’re starting to get a rhythm, and the kids are playing well together.”
Midfielder Gemma Ozturk ’25 said she is excited to see her team develop throughout the season.
“I’m looking forward to building our team culture and finding our team style as we play,” Ozturk said. “We are successful when we are organized as a team defensively and [when] we are all on the same page throughout the game. Offensively, it comes down to the execution within games.”
The team’s next game is against Mira Costa High School in the Best of the West Tournament on Dec. 16.
