by Brandon Petersen

It was a very difficult loss to stomach.

Falling 2-0 to No. 2 Marymount California, the Westcliff men's soccer team took its time leaving the field on a bitter cold Thursday night in the expansively vacant Central Valley.

Eleven Warrior seniors played their last game on the college pitch, and the tears spoke volumes after the final buzzer sounded.

This game means a lot to them. This team means a lot to them. This program means a lot to them.

"They picked us seventh," Jakob Schnitzler told his teammates afterward. "No one expected us to be here. But look where we are now. We are the best program at the school."

Schnitzler's right. No one outside of Westcliff expected the Warriors to even make the postseason, certainly not the Cal Pac coaches which predicted Westcliff to fall flat in its first campaign.

Instead, the Warriors finished the season with 13 wins, led the Cal Pac in goals scored, the country in shots per game, played in the school's first playoff game, and picked up the first playoff win in program history.

They claimed the league's defensive player of the year (Schnitzler) and the conference's most valuable player (Quentin Hornung).

Karam Idris, who led the Cal Pac in assists, was called upon one last time to break down the team's final huddle at midfield.

"We were doubted from the beginning," Idris said. "All the way from the start, they gave us the seventh seed. Obviously, we had difficult circumstances with coaching from the start. But it brought us together."

Marymount scored its first goal in the sixth minute, and added the security score 54 minutes in.

Westcliff outshot the Mariners 19-15, and Francesco Zanin collected eight saves.

As the Cal Pac officials broke down the stadium around them, the Warriors lingered, almost refusing to step off the pitch.

Idris was especially emotional afterward, as were his fellow seniors.

But when they wake up Friday morning and the pain starts to fade, they're going to realize that they have set a new standard for success at Westcliff University.

Men's soccer has paved the path for every other team at Westcliff to follow.

It's hard being the first to do anything.

It's really hard trying to do it while being the new kid on the block.

But the Warriors handled it beautifully and made a name for themselves in the process.

A year from now, when those same Cal Pac coaches are asked what they expect from the Warriors, rest assured no one will be overlooking the Westcliff family.

"So many nationalities, and we haven't had one conflict – we've been one family," Idris said. "It's been an honor to captain these guys. Every single one of them. Every single one has an attribute to bring and will take home for the rest of their lives.

"I will take this to my grave. All the way to the end. I know this program is going to go far in a very short period of time with the right staff, the right players, the right recruitment. I have no doubt, and I will keep watching, and keep rooting for you guys."

To contact Brandon Petersen, e-mail brandonpetersen@westcliff.edu.