Although it was a beautiful day at Randall’s Island Park, even the shining sun couldn’t change the score when the referee blew the whistle. After a difficult yet exciting game, the New School Narwhals varsity soccer team suffered a tough loss against Cooper Union this past Sunday, April 7. It was a very tight game, with a final score of 1-0.
“We all gave our best effort and you can’t ask for more than that. The sincere effort shown by all of us speaks to the love we have for this sport,” team captain Ruben Cruz Valladares told the Free Press.
This was the last game of the season for the university’s varsity soccer team. The Narwhals played a total of three regular season games — two of which were against Cooper Union, including this April 7 game, and one against Vaughn College, which is located in Queens — and also participated in a soccer league separate from the New School’s that had them playing an additional game once a week. When the Narwhals played Cooper Union this season prior to this game, they also lost; that game finished with the same score of 1-0.
Sunday’s game was suspenseful. Throughout the 90 minute showdown, both teams showed immense effort and skill. The New School’s offensive players had a few shots on target; at one point, they were so close to scoring that supporters on the sidelines appeared to be holding their breath as the ball hit the opposing post and grazed the goal line. But luck was not on their side. The team’s defense was solid, and Sebastian Hansen, the team’s goalkeeper who is a freshman at Parsons majoring in architecture, made strong saves that stopped Cooper Union from scoring on multiple occasions. The crowd stayed excited, watching the team take many opportunities to score, but the Narwhals ultimately suffered from incomplete passes and off-target shots. The New School’s team couldn’t recover when Cooper Union scored the first and only goal in the first half, costing the Narwhals the game.
New School students, along with Brittney McFadden, the New School’s assistant director of recreation and campus activities, traveled to Randall’s Island to support the varsity soccer team’s last effort this season. To get from campus to Randall’s Island Park they took a 20-minute subway ride, followed by a bus ride, followed by a short walk to the field.
“It was wonderful to see how much support and love we received at the game. We are thankful for all the students, family, and everyone else who came to watch us play. They are also a part of the team,” Cruz Valladares said.
Other team members reiterated this sentiment. “It was great to see how many people came out to support,” defensive player Ingrid Zuijdgeest, who is a Global Studies major, said. She said she hopes that in the future, turnout will increase. “Hopefully next semester, more and more people will start to show up and show their support. It was amazing to see students out here.”
“It was a tough loss,” Marc Stauble, another defender on the team who is a media studies graduate student, said. “Mostly because we worked so hard on the field and we had so many supporters. We really wanted to deliver a win. It is super disappointing to lose the last game of the season.”
However difficult the outcome was, morale was not low. “I am truly proud of the way we finished the season,” team captain Cruz Valladares said. “I am beyond grateful for the coach, Zafar, and all of my teammates for making this year such a great one.”
Zafar Mirzaliev, the coach of the team and himself a former student at the New School, was described by players as a “passionate coach” who oftentimes “lets his emotions get the better of him” on the sidelines.
“Even though we didn’t get the victory, the team took it really well. We all had smiles after the game,” Stauble said. “We’re a great group of players. Not just talent wise, but just genuinely good people. It’s a super supportive culture.”