Author: Linni Kral
After getting off to a rocky start this fall with a hazing incident and subsequent judicial hearings, the Men’s Soccer team has redeemed itself with success on the field. The team is now in second place and in good position to enter the SCIAC playoff tournament – its goal for the season. Although the team lost 5-1 to University of Redlands on Patterson Field this weekend, they only need to win two more games to make the playoffs.
The team forfeited their season opener to La Sierra because of allegations of hazing. Evidence of the incident was presented to Athletic Director Jaime Hoffman, who determined that the Athletic Department’s hazing statute had been violated. The team met with department representatives and agreed to forfeit the game as punishment, but the Student Affairs office is still reviewing the incident to determine whether further punishment is necessary.
“Our disciplinary incident did distract us, but we have managed to focus on the positive aspects of the team and the season,” Gilberto Ortega (junior) said. Judicial hearings were scheduled to take place to address the allegations, but the results of these remain undisclosed.
“The judicial hearing is still something that we are to keep private,” Team Captain Griffin Harding (senior) said. “What I can say is that it has simply made us a stronger, more unified team.” This has shown in the team’s wins against Pomona-Pitzer, Cal-Tech, Whittier and University of La Verne.
“We’ve learned from it, we’ve become better and stronger because of it,” Coach DJ Waddington said.
The team has parlayed that strength into wins, but will still need to win its remaining two regular season games against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Cal-Lutheran to secure its spot in the playoffs. There are five SCIAC teams currently within two points of each other, fighting for three remaining spots in the playoffs, making every remaining game crucial for Oxy.
“We just need to stay focused on our goal to make the playoffs and take care of business together as a team,” Harding said. The team functions on a principle of unity, with no one player outshining another. “When one player is struggling on a certain day, the rest of the team picks them up,” Harding said. “We play together and for each other so there is not a certain player that stands out.”
“This year, we have better team chemistry,” Waddington said. “Last season we did not have that.”
The team’s chemistry plays out both on and off the field. “We get along great, hang out and have barbecues,” Kris Suzuki (sophomore) said. This is Suzuki’s first year on the team and he has started all games but one at left fullback.
This chemistry has helped the team overcome a season riddled with injuries, forcing every player to have a role in games. “Players from the bench have been called on now more than ever to step up in big games,” Ortega said. “Everything we have achieved has cost us a lot of determination, heart and hard work.”
The team’s final home game will be against Claremont Oct. 29 at 4:00 p.m. From there they will go on to play at Cal-Lutheran on Nov. 1 and potentially travel to the SCIAC tournament the following weekend.
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