Last night, the SCHS girls varsity soccer team took to the pitch to face the Presentation High School Panthers. Both teams fought hard for a grueling 82 minutes. However, no one was able to score, leading to a tie of 0-0.

Around twenty minutes into the first half, Santa Clara was moving upfield with quickness, ending with a shot from senior striker Ellie Mujushi that hit the crossbar. The ball bounced back to Mujushi, and she tried a second time with a header, but it went over the crossbar, ending the possession.

“I just kind of tapped it as it wasn’t a very thought-out shot,” Mujushi said. “Someone had to shoot it, so I just kicked it.”

After this nearly successful, spur-of-the-moment attack, the Bruins were more aggressive, looking for more opportunities to score.

Despite a close shot from junior left midfielder Zulley Lopez, the halftime score was still stagnant at 0-0.  

Throughout the second half, senior goalkeeper Samantha Coelho was crucial in preventing opposing goals. WIth many saves, Coelho was able to keep a victory within reach.

The defensive presence for Santa Clara was efficient. Defenders Haley Levene and Frida Ramirez  prevented multiple potential scoring opportunities for the Panthers.

“Defense is the heart of this team. If the defense doesn’t play well, there is a low chance of us winning a lot of games,” Ramirez said.

Late into the second half, as the rain poured down on the pitch, Santa Clara continued to play hard through difficult conditions.

Even with outstanding defense, Santa Clara couldn’t put the ball in the net, ending the match with a score of 0-0.

With a tie in this game, the Bruins have to make appropriate changes, according to junior Samantha Galina, if they want to win against Bullard High School in just two days.

“I feel we should connect our through balls to our forwards more, but also not letting the other team get their through balls in so they can’t score and gain momentum,” Galina said.

The Bruins have a record of 1-0-1 (win/tie/loss) and are looking to bounce back on Saturday.