The middle school girls’ soccer teams traveled to International School of Busan (ISB) for the South Korea Association of International Schools (SKAIS) finals tournament on Nov. 22. After a day of closely contested matches, the junior varsity (JV) team emerged as tournament champions, while varsity claimed third place.

The varsity team kicked off their match against ISB with starters Elly Song (11), Ann Oh (12), Akari Kojima (9) as midfielders, Christina Kim (52) as striker, Chloe Woo (3) and Elin Koo (6) as defenders and Minju Koo (99) as goalkeeper. 

As the whistle blew, both teams pressed aggressively and traded counterattacks. Backed by strong defense and tight midfield battles, Jets fought to the final whistle and settled for a hard-earned 0:0 draw.

“It was early in the morning and we weren’t fully warmed up so we couldn’t play our best. The game was very competitive and we underestimated them,” said Song (11). 

In the subsequent match against Gyeongnam International Foreign School (GIFS), the girls exchanged quick one-two passes that penetrated through the defense and created scoring opportunities.. 

Driven by strategic ball maneuvers, Kim (52) dominated the scoreboard with a hat trick, while Akari (9) added another to seal a confident 4:0 victory. “We started off with the first point which I scored in the first half. Then not long after I scored another goal and for my last goal I [shot]from right after the half line. I was so proud of my teammates and also really happy about my goals,” said Kim (52).

For the final championship, the Jets clashed against Busan Foreign School (BFS). Despite the Sharks’ early lead and back line pressure, the girls held their ground and continuously pushed forward. Song (11)’s sharp pass through the center and Oh (12) finished the play with a clean shot that leveled the score. With only ten minutes left, BFS struck a second goal that tipped the match into a close 1:2 loss. 

With no path to the championship, the team secured third place overall. “BFS didn’t compete in KISAC so we underestimated them. In the second half, I think we started to give up and didn’t listen to Mr. Faille when we should have,” said Song (11). Before concluding the day, the varsity girls went head-to-head with the JV crew. 

Meanwhile, the JV division featured only two teams – DIS and ISB. Starters consisted of: Sophia Sung (98), Gaby Kim (2), Joy Cha (4) as midfielders, Irene Kim (7) as striker, Olivia Park (22) and Yujin (16) as defenders, and Gia Kim (13) as goalkeeper. In the first game, neither team broke through in the first game, and the Jets closed the first match with a 0:0 tie. 

The finals brought a far more dramatic rematch against the Bears. A last minute goal from Kim (7) pushed the match to 1:1 deadlock, sending the championship to penalty kicks. Sung (98), Kim (7), and Park (16) converted their shots, while Kim (13) blocked every attempt from ISB and secured a decisive 3:0 PK victory.

Reflecting on the intense finish, the rookie players expressed their pride in the victory. “I failed to block a goal at first and we scored one goal and made a tie. The game went to penalty kicks and I blocked four goals and we scored three. I was proud of myself and my teammates,” said Kim (13) 

With the soccer season now complete, the middle school girls set their sights on the upcoming volleyball season. Carrying the teamwork and confidence built on the soccer field, the Jets charge in for new challenges and triumphs on court.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Annie Cho

Midfielder Ann Oh (12) steps up to take the corner kick and swings the ball into the box. Her delivery drops into the six-yard area, putting immediate pressure on the opponent's defense.