Sept. 13, 2021

free

MONDAY

sept. 13, 2021 high 74°, low 58°

t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k |

dailyorange.com

N • Twenty years after 9/11

C • Solo debut

S • After Rutgers

On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Syracuse University’s chaplains reflected on the attacks and offered messages of remembrance at a service in Hendricks Chapel.

Page 2

An SU senior released his nostalgic debut album “Sugar Water” this month before performing a packed-house concert on Saturday, Sept. 4.

Page 7

In the Orange’s 17-7 loss to Rutgers, their special teams performance was littered with mistakes and miscues causing SU to deteriorate in the second half.

Marshall residents worry about acquisition Residents are concerned following SU’s acquisition of The Marshall

Page 12

city

SPD releases police stop data

By Kyle Chouinard asst. news editor

The Marshall was acquired in July by Syracuse University for just under 70 million dollars. Residents are unsure about what will happen to the building. lucille messineo-witt photo editor

By Nick Robertson senior staff writer

S

yracuse University has not communicated with residents how their purchase of The Marshall apartment building will affect its operations next year, residents said.

In July, SU announced its purchase of The Marshall, the luxury apartment building that looms over Marshall Street.

The university hopes to turn the building into student-only housing after this school year, it said in a statement.

Communication from the university and the building’s current management to residents

has been limited, said junior and resident Vincenzo Hid Arida Suarez. The building’s management company sent one physical letter explaining that the change would not affect the 202122 school year. Before that, Hid Arida Suarez heard the news of SU’s plans through social media, he said.

“But that’s all they really told us,” Hid Arida Suarez said. “They didn’t really tell us anything else.

Even if you further inquire they don’t know what’s going on, even people within The Marshall.”

SU spent $69.4 million on the eight-story, 168,000-square-foot building, according to city records.

The building’s managing partner

did not intend to sell before he was approached by the university, he told syracuse.com. Men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim was also a minority investor in the property, according to the article.

Hid Arida Suarez and other residents are concerned by the lack of communication from the university and the building’s management. It’s unclear if residents will be able to stay in their apartments next year. Hid Arida Suarez likes the building and location, and he said he wishes to stay. But he’s now worried about finding off-campus housing as fewer and fewer units become available over time.

see marshall page 4

The Syracuse Police Department reported 1,081 police stops from April 1 to June 30, according to data released by the city of Syracuse.

Of the 1,081 stops, 839 were Black people, making up 77.6% of stops. According to recently released 2020 census data, 35.4% of Syracuse’s population identified as at least partially “Black or African American.”

Proportionally, “Black or African American” people were potentially stopped at a rate 2.2 times their demographic presence in Syracuse’s population.

Stops in which the person was white saw the opposite trend. Of the stops reported by SPD, 203 were identified as white, representing 18.8% of police stops in Syracuse.

According to the 2020 census, 55.6% of the city identified as at least partially white.

Police officers stopped people identified as white by their “apparent race” at a rate of 0.3 times their demographic representation in Syracuse.

The vast majority of the police stops registered by the SPD were purely vehicle and traffic stops, comprising 73% of the stops.

The second largest category was “Other - Describe” at 11.8%.

Within the dataset provided, the SPD did not provide descriptions for these encounters.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh issued an order in June 2020 revising the Syracuse Police Department’s policy to “ensure the principles embodied in the New York City Right to Know Act are incorporated,” the order said.

The Right to Know Act reformed the New York City Police Department by mandating that police officers state who they are to citizens, provide information regarding consent with searches and document search requests.

Part of this revision included requiring SPD to publish stops to the public for each quarter.

“Posting of this data online is another step forward in improving police-community relations and enhancing police accountability,” Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said in a press release.

SPD recorded 17 cases of “Use of Force” during the quarter. Of these cases, 13 were “Black,” three were “white,” and one of the cases did not identify the race. Four of the see spd page 4

2 sept. 13, 2021

about

INSIDE The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.

NEWS t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k Editor@dailyorange.com News@dailyorange.com Opinion@dailyorange.com Culture@dailyorange.com Sports@dailyorange.com Digital@dailyorange.com Design@dailyorange.com ADVERTISING 315-443-9794 BUSINESS 315-443-2315 EDITORIAL 315-443-9798 GENERAL FAX 315-443-3689

The Daily Orange is an independent, nonprofit newspaper published in Syracuse, New York. The editorial content of the paper — which started in 1903 and went independent in 1971 — is entirely run by Syracuse University students.

The D.O., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is editorially and financially independent from SU, and the paper receives no funding from the university. Instead, The D.O. relies on advertising revenue and donations to sustain operations.

This fall, the paper will be published Monday and Thursday when SU classes are in session. Special inserts are published on Thursdays before home football and basketball games. The D.O.’s online coverage is 24/7, including while SU is on break.

To show your support to The D.O.’s independent journalism, please visit dailyorange.com/donate. Donations are tax deductible.

“If they are going to impose their dorm policies into an apartment complex, they’re really sorely mistaken about what that looks like.” - Vincenzo Hid Arida Suarez, resident at The Marshall Page 3

OPINION “It remains crucial that I, along with every other student representing SU, stay cognizant in remembering the moral considerations of international travel during a pandemic.” - Eleanor Chapman, columnist Page 5

CULTURE “I have no idea who these people are, but they’re singing the words to the song that I wrote.” - Peter Groppe, multi-instrumentalist Page 7

SPORTS “We hurt ourselves, turnovers, penalties hurt ... We can’t make mistakes like that.” - Tommy DeVito, quarterback Page 12

how to join us If you are a Syracuse University or SUNY-ESF student interested in contributing to The D.O. on either its advertising or editorial teams, please email editor@dailyorange.com.

COMING UP

corrections policy The D.O. strives to be as accurate in our reporting as possible. Please email editor@dailyorange.com to report a correction.

Noteworthy events this week.

WHAT: Trans 101 Workshop WHEN: Monday, 1-2 p.m.

WHERE: Schine Student Center, 132B

letter to the editor policy The D.O. prides itself as an outlet for community discussion. To learn more about our submission guidelines, please email opinion@dailyorange. com with your full name and affiliation within the Syracuse community. Please note letters should not include any personal information pertaining to other people unless it is relevant to the topic at hand. All letters will be edited for style and grammar.

WHAT: Psychology Research Fair WHEN: Tuesday, 12:30-2:30 p.m.

The D.O. is published weekdays during the Syracuse University academic year by The Daily Orange Corp., 230 Euclid Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. All contents Copyright 2021 by The Daily Orange Corp. and may not be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the editor-in-chief. The Daily Orange is in no way a subsidy or associated with Syracuse University. All contents © 2021 The Daily Orange Corporation

ON-CAMPUS STUDENT DELIVERY PERSON WANTED Only 4 hours per week!

Contact 315-569-1317 or email mdooling@dailyorange.com for more information.

WHERE: Huntington Hall, Jacquet Education Commons WHAT: Get Hired Job Fair WHEN: Wednesday, 3-7 p.m.

WHERE: The Canyon at Destiny USA

NEWS

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

PAG E 3

sept. 13, 2021

9/11: 20 years later

on campus

200+ groups attend in-person Involvement Fair SU chaplains remember 9/11

By Rachel Raposas contributing writer

In Hendricks Chapel, bowed heads and solemn silence marked the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The ceremony began at 8:46 a.m., to honor the exact moment the first plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. Chimes rang 20 times from inside of the chapel in recognition of the 20 years since the attack and “to express appreciation for the unity, compassion and courage” of first responders, according to the event’s program.

Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, opened the ceremony by ref lecting on the impact of the shocking act of terrorism and the sense of community that resulted from the tragedy.

From a workout club to an improv group, over 200 registered student organizations recruited freshmen and sophomore students at an in-person involvement fair on Thursday.

wendy wang asst. photo editor

By Richard Perrins asst. news editor

Student organizations at Syracuse University were able to meet new students in person at the annual involvement fair on Thursday.

More than 200 registered student organizations set up tables on the Quad, while students, including many first-year and sophomore students, were invited to walk around and experience what different clubs have to offer.

Last fall, the fair was virtual, following the lead of most orientation events for freshmen and transfer students as a result of the pandemic.

For these student organizations, Thursday was the first time in two years that they showcased their groups to the student body in person.

Trevor Kroells is one of the organizers of Citrus Racing, a formula society of automated engineers club at SU. Formula SAE challenges different groups of students to design and compete with small formula-style racing cars.

At the fair, Citrus Racing

displayed a model of their design — the metal frame of a formula car. This was crucial to the group’s recruiting process, he said.

“I really like showing what we can do,” Kroells said. “This stuff is cool, but it’s in the basement of Link (Hall), and people won’t find it unless we can actually bring it out.”

Citrus Racing meetings are secluded in one meeting area, meaning that a lot of students never hear about what they do or see what they can create, Kroells said. The in-person fair was helpful in showing off the club’s work to the wider campus community, he said.

Morgan Markowitz, a junior at SU, attended the involvement fair as a representative for CHAARG, a health and fitness society.

Markowitz and other members represented CHAARG at the virtual fair last year, but Markowitz said the in-person format makes it far easier for her to do her job as an ambassador for the club.

“It’s easier to walk up to

someone versus having to find the organization’s Instagram, having to find a zoom call, having to get all these links,” Markowitz said. “You can just come grab a piece of paper or scan a QR code to get information … It really helps with recruitment and getting new members.”

For some organizations, talking to potential new members is more than just a helpful way to recruit.

Zamboni Revolution is a comedy group at SU that performs improvisational comedy several times a semester. Zach Ginkel recalled his first involvement fair, a time for him to find a community that reflected his own interests.

“I remember when I first walked up (to Zamboni Revolution’s table).

The guys were just so funny,” Ginkel said. “I just thought, ‘This is what I want to do.’”

Because of the pandemic, clubs have had a difficult time discovering personalities that match and click, Ginkel said. For new freshmen on campus, such a dynamic can be difficult to find.

For a comedy club like Zamboni

Revolution, the personalities of the members have to match up perfectly, Ginkel said. The element of face-to-face interaction that an in-person event offers is valuable to the mission of the club, he said.

“For many other clubs, online might not be a big deal because people know what they’re selling,” Ginkel said. “We’re a comedy group. We can now get a good sense — when people come up and sign up — of their personality … It’s just so subjective for what we’re looking for.”

De’Lisia Adorno attended the fair with her peer mentor and appreciated the different opportunities her new school has to offer, something she said she wouldn’t have been able to do in a virtual format.

“It’s easier to see clubs in person rather than virtually, because it catches your eye,” Adorno said.

“When you’re online, you kind of just see it as it is. But meeting someone in person lets you get their personality.” rcperrin@syr.edu @richardperrins2

coronavirus

Active COVID-19 cases on campus rise to 153

By Francis Tang asst. copy editor

As of Friday evening, the number of active COVID-19 cases at Syracuse University is 122 more than it was on Aug. 30, the first day of classes for the fall 2021 semester.

Active cases on campus increased by 34 from Thursday to Friday last week to 153 cases. A total of 195 positive cases were reported among SU students in central New York from Aug. 30 to Friday, while 15 were reported among faculty and employees, according to the university’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Five faculty members of the Newhouse School of Public

Communications tested positive for COVID-19 during the first week of classes.

SU adopted a four-tier COVID19 alert system on Aug. 13. The university is currently under a “RED” level alert, which requires all students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear masks indoors at all times and outside in the presence of others.

SU also relocated Skyhall II residents over the weekend for COVID-19 isolation housing. All residents were required to relocate to another housing assignment by 8 p.m. on Monday. btang05@syr.edu

A total of 195 positive cases were reported among SU students in central New York from Aug. 30 to Friday. emily steinberger editor-in-chief

Twenty years ago, on Sept. 11, we were reminded that our world is both terribly broken and wonderfully beautiful Rev. Brian Konkol dean of hendricks chapel

Konkol encouraged the campus community to both remember the 2,977 people who died in the attacks and “regenerate the resilience” that arose 20 years ago. Similarly, he asked all those present to put aside differences in religion and politics and instead come together to remember the lives of heroes and loved ones that were lost on 9/11.

In a prerecorded video, Chancellor Kent Syverud recalled the impact the Sept. 11 attacks had on Americans.

“I remember watching the towers fall. I remember the fear, the anger and the grief,” Syverud said. “That day changed how we viewed ourselves, our country and our world.”

The Syracuse University Brass Ensemble then played an arrangement of “Amazing Grace.”

As the clear sound of trumpets and horns resonated through the chapel, members of the audience seemed particularly moved.

Chaplains of various religions at Hendricks offered messages of remembrance.

“We remember our anger at our enemies and our fear about what would happen next,” Lutheran Chaplain Rev. Gail Riina stated.

“We remember our grief — so much grief for loved ones lost.”

“Generations to come will thankfully remember those who left light as their legacy,” Muslim Chaplain Amir Duric said, noting the lasting effect of the heroic acts following the tragedies on Sept. 11. see hendricks page 4

4 sept. 13, 2021

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

from page 1

marshall “I would like to have more details regarding (staying) because the whole reason I decided to live here and pay nearly $2,000 is because I was going to invest in staying in one place for two years and just re-sign my lease,” Hid Arida Suarez said. “But the university coming in and buying this just adds an unexpected new issue because I put all this effort into moving in just for the possibility of me being kicked out to be on the table.”

Hid Arida Suarez has attempted to reach out to both the building’s management company and SU for more details but has not had his concerns addressed, he said.

“I’m hoping the university, for those of us that were intending to re-sign, allows us to, or at least give us priority for housing here,” he said.

SU is forming a task force of campus members — including students — to determine what housing in The Marshall will look like in the 2022-23 school year, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications.

“We recognize and are mindful that students will be preparing for the on-campus housing selection process and off-campus housing leasing period over the next few months,” Scalese said. “We hope to finalize plans for student housing in The Marshall later this fall and communicate those plans with current and prospective residents just as soon as that happens.”

The task force will determine what will happen with current residents, what the role of staff in the Office of Student Living will be, the costs of housing and other important issues, Scalese said.

In a July news release, SU did not provide many details on how the building would be used going forward. The purchase was made in response to a set of recommendations from its housing review. The review process began in 2019, and committee members collected perspectives of more than 7,000 community members, according to the university.

Recommendations from the review include expanding the types of available housing, expanding community building initiatives, investing in South Campus and improving the guaranteed mortgage program for neighborhoods near the university.

The committee recommended SU provides more housing options for students by expanding the university’s apartment and suite-style units. The Marshall met many of the committee’s goals for university housing, such as better aligning on-campus housing with “student preferences,” according to the news release.

The release notes that The Marshall housing would be intended for upper-level undergraduate students. Hid Arida Suarez is worried that SU may treat The Marshall like a dorm, with resident advisors on floors and more strict rules. SU has not determined if it will, Scalese said.

“I don’t want to be treated like a child.

I’m going to be 21 coming into my senior year, I’m a grown adult, and I don’t want to be limited,” Hid Arida Suarez said. “Dorm policy like having an RA on my floor looking over me. It’s like they’re trying to treat us like children.”

The housing review also noted that South Campus is an attractive option for students.

SU has been considering reducing or removing South Campus housing, even though there’s been disagreement among students. SU will

graphic by morgan sample design editor

explore options for additional housing in the location, according to the June news release.

Even though he wants to stay at The Marshall, Hid Arida Suarez isn’t sure if he would if the university chooses to run it like a more traditional dorm.

“I would love to be in this space. Again,

it’s a great building, and I understand why the university bought it. But if they are going to impose their dorm policies into an apartment complex, they’re really sorely mistaken about what that looks like,” he said. njrobert@syr.edu @NickRobertsonSU

from page 1

spd

cases involved teenagers as young as 16. Two separate 53-year-olds were also identified in “Use of Force” cases.

In the report, SPD divided the city into four different districts: Airport, North, Southeast and Southwest. There were 57.1% of the police stops in the Southwest district of the city.

The 20-29 age group saw the highest rate of stops with police officers, making up 44.8% of the stops in which age was noted by the SPD. People between 10 and 19 year olds made up 14.6% of police stops, and those who are 30 or older made up 17.7% of the stops made by SPD. Part of the SPD’s new policy with “Right to Know” is an altered procedure for “general public contact procedure” where police officers must provide business cards to those they work with in the public.

Over the SPD’s 1,081 stops, 812 were offered a business card, according to the data. Of those 812, 62.8% accepted and 37.2% declined the offer.

In 205 cases, the members of the SPD did not offer a business card to those that they stopped.

In the city’s email release on the data, SPD Chief Kenton Buckner thanked the police department for their work to get the data to the public.

“Accountability and transparency have been a main priority for my administration, and I believe this moves us in the right direction,” Buckner said in the press release. kschouin@syr.edu @Kyle_Chouinard

from page 3

hendricks “Twenty years have not decreased their place in our hearts.”

Transitioning to words of resilience for coming years, Evangelical Christian Chaplain Jay Koshy prayed, “may we understand how precious each life is.”

There were no tears in the congregation.

The audience sat like statues throughout the ceremony. There was no clapping.

Twenty candles were lit during the service, for each year since the attacks, in a show of commitment to practicing the promotion of peace.

To symbolize healing and hope of the future years, the ceremony shifted to a ritual of lighting 20 candles. This practice was meant to recognize personal and public commitment

SPD recorded 17 cases of “Use of Force” during the quarter. The oldest among those cases were two separate 53-year-olds who were also identified in “Use of Force” cases.

wiley chen contributing photographer

to serving peace, according to the program.

José “Peppie” Calvar, director of Hendricks Chapel Choir and a professor at SU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, delivered an a cappella performance of the popular Christian hymn, “It Is Well” during the candle lighting.

“Where there is hatred, let us show love,” Konkol said to conclude the ceremony.

“Where there is injury, fear, despair, darkness and sadness, let us offer faith, hope, light and joy.”

Upon leaving the building, people of all ages, including children, placed tiny American flags in the grass outside Hendricks Chapel to remember both the tragedy and valor of 9/11, showing that the memory of those who died will persist even to people too young to remember the events. rlraposa@syr.edu

Syracuse University chaplains hosted a memorial service on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. rachel raposas contributing writer

OPINION

dailyorange.com opinion@dailyorange.com

PAG E 5

sept. 13, 2021

column

Students should approach abroad program with caution

By Eleanor Chapman columnist

A

s Syracuse University’s campus opened its arms in a warm welcome to its students this fall, accompanying university-wide activities are in the process of being rolled out. This is despite COVID-19 cases rising amongst a mostly vaccinated population of students, faculty and staff.

Large planned events such as SU football games and prospective student tours are, as of now, projected to move forward at full steam ahead on the university’s main campus.

With SU’s home campus returning to mainly in-person activities, should its study abroad locations in countries across the world do the same?

Currently, the school’s programs for London, Madrid, Florence, Strasbourg and Santiago are slated to accept students for the spring of 2022, for a complete semester of study in their respective regions.

But these plans appear particularly tenuous when considering the fact that these countries have not rolled out mandated vaccine requirements for incoming travelers. These issues are not just going to affect SU students in the future — they are happening right now. Currently, SU abroad has students in multiple countries that do not have full vaccine requirements for travelers.

SU Abroad, however, requires all

participants to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before departing for any program unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption. “Not only will the vaccine have a direct and positive impact on the quality of your study abroad experience, we anticipate vaccine requirements being issued by destination governments in the very near future,” an April 15 update from SU Abroad reads.

These statements seem to be pragmatic words of guidance to prospective study abroad students, but they underscore an essential question of what studying abroad is like today. Are we sacrificing host countries’ overall stability, well-being of their citizens and socioeconomic stability in order to host entire campuses of foreign students, purely for the sake of traveling experiences?

“COVID-19 will be a feature of our lives for the foreseeable future, so we need to learn to live with it and manage the risk to ourselves and others,” the United Kingdom’s government website reads. Guidance from other countries with SU Abroad campuses, such as Italy, echo these warnings and notices.

For the most part, regions in Europe seem to be recovering well amidst rising vaccination rates despite the ever-spreading nature of the delta variant. About 64.4% of the United Kingdom’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19

as of Friday, according to Our World in Data. The countries of France and Spain, where Syracuse has its Strasbourg and Madrid partnership sites, respectively, have comparable vaccination rates.

Spain is sitting at 75% fully vaccinated as of Thursday, and France follows at about 62.5% fully vaccinated.

Compare these statistics with that of the United States, whose population is 53% fully vaccinated, and the concept of inviting legions of students to pass through various international borders perhaps becomes a great deal more complicated.

SU as an institution has been actively taking a stance of endorsing widespread student travel. The marked uplift in restrictions to the university’s operations comes as a great relief to many students, who have been trapped behind screens for the better part of a year. It may be too soon, however, for sanctioned international travel to become a priority and an accepted practice.

Given these countries’ own efforts to restore some semblance of economic and civic balance back into daily life, it is therefore both SU and its students’ responsibility to safeguard the tentative trust that these countries have given them — especially as it represents an ethical obligation to be safe in a world still recovering from COVID-19. Regardless of the fact that I personally have hopes of studying abroad in London in the spring,

It is a privilege, not a right, to be able to study in a country other than your own. annabelle gordon senior staff photographer

it remains crucial that I, along with every other student representing SU, stay cognizant in remembering the moral considerations of international travel during a pandemic.

Study abroad programs do offer a certain degree of immersion within exciting cities and countries, but we cannot forget that students studying abroad are guests within their respective locations. It is a privilege, not a right, to be able to study in a country other than your own. This is particularly true in a pandemic, where vaccine inequity and economic instability present themselves

as all-too-real obstacles in countries’ progressions towards recovery.

Ultimately, SU students should begin their ventures into abroad experiences with respect for their host countries and the efforts they’ve taken to curb the spread of COVID-19. During a pandemic, exercising caution is essential for ensuring the well-being of the campuses they’re attending and the citizens of their host countries.

Eleanor Chapman is a junior english and textual studies major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at echapm02@syr.edu.

column

How SU can help fight food insecurity among students

By Andrew Lieberman columnist

O

ver five million students face food insecurity while at college. However, some people may think that food insecurity is not a problem at Syracuse University, which is simply incorrect.

According to SU, about 80% of students receive some type of financial aid. Many students live off-campus and cannot afford sufficient food to satisfy all nutritional requirements, and we should also be cognizant of the community members from surrounding areas that also face food insecurity. SU administration should be doing much more to help community members help those facing food insecurity, as it is our collective responsibility to look out for one another and the local community.

According to Lynn Hy, Chief Development Officer of the Food Bank of Central New York, there are numerous ways students can aid food insecure individuals. Many students aren’t aware that SU has two food pantries, one in Hendricks Chapel and one on South Campus, which provide food, cleaning sup-

News Editor Richard J Chang Editorial Editor Nathan Fenningdorf Culture Editor Louis Platt Sports Editor Skyler Rivera Presentation Director Shannon Kirkpatrick Photo Editor Anya Wijeweera Photo Editor Lucy Messineo-Witt Video Editor Maya Pow Video Editor Maddy Kramer Podcast Editor Moriah Humiston Illustration Editor Nabeeha Anwar Enterprise Editor Michael Sessa

plies and other essentials to any SU or SUNY-ESF student. Hy also said that volunteerism is imperative to helping food-insecure individuals.

“Hunger exists everywhere and that includes on Syracuse University’s campus,” Hy said.

Volunteerism encompasses a multitude of involvement opportunities. One way to contribute is by donating items which significantly benefit food pantries no matter if the donations are canned foods, toiletries or other items. Fundraising is another mode of volunteerism because, without fundraising, community organizations will not have the financial means to serve the community. Another mode of volunteerism is facilitation, and there are several ways in which it aids food pantries. Examples of facilitation include coordinating food drives with Registered Student Organizations and arranging a time to ask for donations around the community.

As a community, we should recognize that there are people in our community who face food insecurity and we must provide adequate resources.

Simply giving time to support local food operations — whether through volunteering to stock shelves, trans-

Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor Asst. Editorial Editor Asst. Editorial Editor Asst. Culture Editor Asst. Culture Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Digital Design Dditor Design Editor Design Editor

Richard Perrins Lilli Iannella Kyle Chouinard Grace Myron Micaela Warren Abby Presson Sydney Pollack Anish Vasudevan Connor Smith Maya Goosmann Danny Kahn Xiaoxian Qu

porting people to food drives or assisting local organizations such as the Food Bank of Central New York and the Kids Cafe — is a tremendous relief to the community.

Additionally, SU needs to make it easier for SU community members not facing food insecurity to aid those who are. For example, many students do not regularly go to Hendricks Chapel or South Campus, so it would be helpful to have multiple donation drop-off boxes across campus, such as in resident halls, outside of apartment buildings and near the Schine Student Center.

Providing multiple donation locations could reduce students’ waste while also aiding people in need. Once multiple donation drop-off spots are established, SU can upload a map of all the contribution points to their website with a page explaining the significance and impact of the donation boxes, providing transparency by SU on how community members can make contributions, establish a straightforward donation system and create more opportunities for donations because of the simplicity of the map.

If we all practice volunteerism,

it would go a long way, as it takes a village to ensure that everyone has access to nutritional nourishment.

Whether you donate time or food, your contributions will not go unnoticed. We need to hold SU responsible and make sure no student ever

Emily Steinberger

Mandy Kraynak

Abby Weiss

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Design Editor Design Editor Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Video Editor Asst. Video Editor Executive Producer Executive Producer Executive Producer Podcast Host Podcast Host Sportscast Host

Morgan Sample Megan Thompson Meghan Hendricks Wendy Wang Asha Duerden Dylan Williams Adam Garrity Nick Luttrell Abby Fritz Kailey Norusis Arabdho Majumder Sydney Bergan

We should provide adequate resources to aid food insecure students at SU. elizabeth billman senior staff photographer

Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor

Shantel Guzman Hannah Ferrara Siron Thomas Mengyao Wang Anthony Alandt Adam McCaffery Francis Tang Karoline Leonard Austin Lamb Dakota Chambers Henry O’Brien Alex Cirino

has to decide between paying for books or lunch.

Andrew Lieberman is a junior citizenship and civic engagement and political science dual major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at aslieber@syr.edu.

Asst. Illustration Editor Asst. Illustration Editor General Manager Advertising Manager Fundraising Coordinator Business Asst.

Circulation Manager Student Delivery Agent

Estelle Liu Chloe Perline Mike Dooling Mark Nash Mira Berenbaum Tim Bennett Steve Schultz Tyler Dawson

C

CULTURE

dailyorange.com culture@dailyorange.com

When life gives you lemons

PAG E 6

sept. 13, 2021

slice of life

BSSU broadens path into biotech

By Anthony Bailey

contributing writer

PETER GROPPE'S five-song solo EP “Sugar Water” is reminiscent of childhood summers and grew from his role and experience in courtesy of nicholas peta his indie-pop band, NONEWFRIENDS.

The summery vibes of Peter Groppe’s solo project were influenced by nostalgia and the pandemic

C

By Christopher Cicchiello senior staff writer

risp trumpet notes soared over the packed crowd of students in the house. Overhead, thin slices of dried lemon peels hung from fishing line that glimmered in the spotlights. A few minutes earlier, senior Sarah Gross finished her set, and it was now Peter Groppe’s turn.

He had taken to makeshift stages dozens of times at house shows as the guitarist for the student band NONEWFRIENDS. But this time, all eyes were only on him.

The trumpet solo waned, and Groppe softly sang the opening lyrics to his first song with an embarrassed grin, his bandmates cheering him on from three feet away. By the night’s end, though, Groppe would be belting out the lyrics to his lead single “Nice Guys.”

“It’s just one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me,” said Groppe, a multi-instrumentalist and senior music industry major. “I have no idea who these people are, but they’re singing the words to the song that I wrote.”

For those in attendance on Saturday, Sept. 4, Groppe gave fans a live taste of his debut solo EP, “Sugar Water,” which had been released at midnight. Produced over the course of 2020, the album is a nostalgic love letter to childhood summers, be it a rain-soaked day or a warm summer night.

Cooped up in a house at Syracuse and without opportunities to perform due to the pandemic, Groppe said his album came together while reflecting on better days. There to help him bring

his vision to fruition was fellow NONEWFRIENDS. bandmate and senior Jack Harrington.

“Most of this we recorded in my bedroom,” Harrington said.

“We were both really happy with the quality of it. So, it’s definitely a testament (that) you can always see your vision fully through as long as you’re in the right mindset.”

Harrington not only cowrote the five-song project but served as the producer, recording engineer and mixing engineer. Right from the beginning, Groppe knew his album was going to be centered on summer, he said, though not in a “Beach Boys summer pastel” way.

He largely credits Harrington with adding an airy, synth-heavy sound to the album.

“Jack is so good at putting what you need in a song, like instrumentation wise, but not overstepping that line. It doesn’t ever feel like too much,” Groppe said.

Groppe said that part of that spacious sound comes from the contributions of former and current string players in the Syracuse University Symphony Orchestra. Without any rehearsals, the string players arrived at the Diane and Arthur Belfer Audio Laboratory and Archive, near Bird Library, and performed the arrangements for the final recording.

Also in the recording studio watching the creative process unfold from afar was Groppe’s photographer-turned-manager, Nicholas Peta, an audio arts graduate student at SU. Peta said he dealt with the social media and marketing strategies for the album, which included booking live gigs and designing merchandise.

Peta’s knowledge in photography helped to create a visual concept for the album that revolved around, of all things, lemons.

see groppe page 8

The Biotechnology Society at Syracuse University has been growing as the field itself develops, said Kat Fallon-Underwood, the president of BSSU and an SU master’s student in biotechnology.

“The club is growing because with everything going on with COVID and Regeneron creating the antibody cocktail, and Pfizer making a vaccine, we’re kind of right in the field, everywhere,” FallonUnderwood said.

The biotechnology undergraduate major is relatively new at SU — only available since the 2010-11 academic year when the university sought to keep up with the development of this up-andcoming field.

Tommy Magda, the treasurer of BSSU, described the biotech major as a combination of a biology degree and a business degree. By having courses in both the biology department and at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, the major gives students the tools to work outside of just the laboratory, including in jobs in marketing or administration, he said.

“It allows you to have the benefit of not just working in research but also helps those students who are entrepreneur-ly smart,” Magda said.

Fallon-Underwood, along with BSSU vice president Grace Hartung and a few 2020 graduates, founded the club in May 2019 with the goal of giving as many opportunities as possible to students interested in the field of biotechnology.

It’s going to thrive … Biotech is only growing, and everyone is really interested in what’s going on with it Kat Fallon-Underwood president of bssu

“The vision was to create a space for like-minded individuals who share an interest or a passion in the biotechnology field,” Fallon-Underwood said.

BSSU is open to all majors and not only provides opportunities to speak to others excited about biotechnology but also prepares students for life after college.

Members network with speakers from major companies in the field and participate in workshops for resume writing, interview skills and negotiating salaries.

Fallon-Underwood,who interned at the pharmaceutical company Regeneron, works to bring that company and others like it to speak to students in the club so the club members can have access to opportunities like hers.

“It’s just stuff you don’t learn in the

see bssu page 8

From the

kitchen dailyorange.com @dailyorange sept. 13, 2021

•

PAGE 7

Five-sense meal

Diners at The Spot 625 travel to mountains, space and the beach during their virtual reality experience as scenes are projected throughout the entire dining room onto the walls, plates and silverware. noah rosenblatt contributing writer

The Spot 625 virtual reality dining experience adds a futuristic feel to a traditional restaurant using visual and auditory storytelling

By Noah Rosenblatt contributing writer

G

uests in The Spot 625’s virtual reality dining room venture along snowy mountains, golf courses and beaches before dinner is served. The various settings are created through the placement of screens and projectors that illuminate the dining room and create the immersive experience.

Ryan Lynch, co-owner of Quantum Virtual Entertainment, compared the experience to a concert in that it utilizes all five senses.

“In a lot of ways, it’s all sensory,” Lynch said. “We’re talking about stimulating. Plus, we’re adding a taste element to it so it really opens up a multitude of senses.”

The Spot 625 opened this fall in Syracuse with the intent to bring a lot more to the table than just food. The new restaurant proposes a combination between food and virtual reality, creating an immersive dining experience like no other in the area. Guests purchase tickets to the VR experience and order their meal before arriving at The Spot through its website. Food options vary from pasta to beef, from chicken to seafood. Customers should note any dietary restrictions.

Quantum Virtual Entertainment, owned by both Lynch and Gregory Nies, teamed up to open The Spot 625 and create a virtual reality dining experience in a secluded room of the restaurant. Lynch and Nies met for the first time in October of 2019 in Syracuse at one of Lynch’s pop-ups, where Nies demonstrated interest in the project that combines a narrative story with a full dinner.

The experience begins as soon as the guests walk into the room — projections cover the walls, tables and plates. The story, “Sognatore,” Italian for “The Dreamer,” is then introduced. Two characters, Luigi and Pasquale — narrated by local comedians Lou Greco and Carlo Russo — take the guests with them as they fall asleep at the table and find themselves traveling through multiple landscapes.

As the characters announce the appetizers, the lights turn on and plates arrive with the first tasting, including a salad and vegetable dumplings. After everyone has finished eating, the story resumes, and the guests are taken back

into Luigi and Pasquale’s dream once again.

As the dream comes to an end, the characters finally wake up and acknowledge the guests for the first time, saying they look like “one big family” while signaling that the main dish is going to be served.

Lynch said he first got the idea for a virtual dining experience abroad.

“I saw one several years ago in France that blew me away,” Lynch said. “I’ve always loved production and creating visual effects and that sort of thing, and the whole idea of marrying the two arts — the art of food and culinary and the visual aspect of things — was always appealing to me.”

When the restaurant opened this fall, Nies said the pandemic brought its own challenges. Like many other restaurant owners, Nies and Lynch were faced with uncertainty and instability, as it became impossible to predict if the restaurant would be able to stay open during the course of the pandemic.

Despite the challenges, both owners explained that, as of now, the recently opened restaurant has been a success and that they are excited to see where it takes them in the future. They have a lot of ideas, they said, including introducing movement to make the experience even more immersive.

“We’d like to take it to a place where we can also involve motion, and actual physical feeling such as some sort of downward-upward movement force on the body, almost make it like a ride,” Lynch said.

The cofounders said they are also planning some fall events, including a virtual reality wine tasting which would bring customers to vineyards.

As the Syracuse restaurant grows in popularity, Lynch and Nies feel confident about its developments into the future and its impact on the community, they said. The owners are excited about the diverse demographic that has been attending the restaurant since its opening.

“We’re getting everything from the four-year-old coming in and enjoying it up to the 90-year-old that’s coming in and sitting at the table,” Lynch said.

“The most enjoyable thing is seeing the response to our efforts in the past and the excitement, and to some extent the nervousness because people don’t really know what they’re walking into.” norosenb@syr.edu

8 sept. 13, 2021

dailyorange.com culture@dailyorange.com

C

from page 6

groppe “We’re talking about potential ideas for album covers,” Peta said, “and I was like, ‘Man, we’re going to need to have a lemonade stand or something in order to raise money for that.’

And then we were like, wait, but this is a concept that could be really cool to work with.”

Soon, the name “Sugar Water,” a reference to lemonade, became the working title, and the team decided that everything was going to be lemon-themed in the rollout. “We definitely are Tops’ greatest client when it comes to purchasing lemons,” Peta said. Some fans dubbed Groppe the “lemon boy” in the lead-up to the release.

“I’ve finally gotten to a point where I’m comfortable with how I sound” Peter Groppe

student musician

But social media played another important role: It gave Groppe the confidence to share his voice for the first time. When he was younger, he remembers singing along to Beatles records. Then middle school started and he stopped singing altogether out of embarrassment and a belief that his voice wasn’t strong enough, he said.

Aside from singing to himself, Groppe refrained from singing again until college, when his music industry major required him to work on his vocals. He remembers being a “nervous wreck” for the first few weeks.

“I had so much faith in the kind of work that [Groppe] was doing,” Peta said. “And I very much wanted to be a part of it. I felt like, seeing someone that cared so much about their craft, I wanted to be able to offer my particular skill set in a way that

PETER GROPPE said social media gave him the confidence to share his voice for the first time, and he now posts covers of some of his favorite songs on TikTok. courtesy of nicholas peta

benefits them to keep doing the thing they are best at.”

Like many others at the height of the pandemic, Groppe found respite in TikTok and began posting covers of his favorite songs by artists including Paul McCartney and Rex Orange County, two artists Groppe said he channeled on his project. Today, he has over 10,000 followers on TikTok praising his voice and guitar chops in equal measure.

“I’ve finally gotten to a point where I’m comfortable with how I sound,” Groppe said.

“A lot of people are mean on the internet, but I don’t know, I felt kind of lucky because a lot of people were saying very nice things.

And sometimes it’s just those anonymous

opinions that help something click.”

Groppe was one of the main songwriters for NONEWFRIENDS., but along the way, some of the songs he had penned felt too personal, and the idea for a solo album sprouted. Most of “Sugar Water’’ is firmly rooted in Groppe’s own emotions and college experiences, he said, except for the track “Nice Guys.” Groppe wrote the chorus but struggled for a time to find material for the verses from his own life.

Ultimately, he looked to stories from his friends and even borrowed a verse from the handful of songs he decided not to release on the EP. Groppe and Harrington recorded 90% of the song in one afternoon, going from an unpolished demo to the album’s energetic

lead single. Harrington said it was the highlight of the album-making process.

Groppe’s album is a departure from the indie-pop, R&B sound that he helped to curate with NONEWFRIENDS. He said the album is for people like him, who enjoy meditating over a cup of peppermint or peach tea.

“It’s not like ‘sad boy stuff,’ because I don’t really like that term or the music, but just stuff that is not all sunshine and rainbows, more of like the darker, end-ofsummer feel,” Groppe said. “A lot of the songs came out of last summer when a lot of the normalness of life was changed.”

from page 6

Magda, for instance, got an internship at Acumen Detection, a local company that works with dairy farms, through his connection with the society’s former president. At this internship, Magda is getting the real-world experience he practiced at BSSU, he said.

Professor Raina said she sees BSSU as a perfect addition to the work that is done inside the classroom.

“It’s an overlap, a good overlap between their job market, wherever they want to go to and what they are learning,” Raina said.

Fallon-Underwood will graduate with her master’s degree in biotechnology in May, and she said she is confident she’s leaving the club with many new skills and resources it needs to succeed.

“It’s going to grow,” Fallon-Underwood said. “It’s going to thrive. Like we said, biotech is only growing, and everyone is really interested in what’s going on with it.”

bssu

classroom,” Fallon-Underwood said. “We want our members to have that same experience and to gain their confidence and to find their place.”

The wide-ranging activities in the biotech club are done with the future of the students involved in mind, Magda said. The club works to give their members an edge in a competitive environment by helping them get internships and network.

SU biology professor Surabhi Raina added that about a dozen students got internships and even jobs as a result of the opportunities the club provided.

“They really are working hard to expose the students to the companies and other things like how to make a resume, how to negotiate, to bring them up to speed, to bring them to the level where these students will feel comfortable after they finish (college),” Raina said.

chriscicchiello1872@gmail.com @ChrisCicchiello

anbailey@syr.edu

RENT FROM BEN! Houses and Apartments All streets from Ostrom to Ackerman Walking distance, furnished, laundry Off street parking, pet friendly

rentfromben.com

BSSU’s wide-ranigng activities focus on the future of the students involved in the club, Magda said. anthony bailey contributing writer

sept. 13, 2021 9

dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

women’s soccer

Vunipola’s summer training sparks stint as SU’s top scorer

By Chistopher Scarglato senior staff writer

Telly Vunipola hadn’t done technical drills in awhile, but the senior midfielder spent her summer working on them. At Winner Circle Athletics and Wellness Center in Corona, California, Vunipola and other collegiate soccer players Amanda Aleman and Gabrielle Cooper would set down a line of cones, dribble through them, shoot and repeat.

“I just wanted to get back into that,” Vunipola said. “Because after club and high school, you stray from small, basic technical drills.”

Coming off the worst season of her collegiate career at Syracuse, one where she played out of position as a defender and recorded zero points through eight games, Vunipola opted out of the spring season and returned home to Chino Hills, California. Through weekday workouts during the summer, Vunipola honed the power in her shots and crosses as well as increased her stamina.

This season, Vunipola has helped catalyze Syracuse’s best offensive start since 2017, with two goals and two assists in the last seven games.

Now playing at midfield on the wing, Vunipola blossomed from two underwhelming years at University of Louisiana at Lafayette to the player head coach Nicky Adams imagined while seeing her in the transfer portal before Vunipola joined Syracuse (4-2-1) last season.

“We always knew she was an attacking presence,” Adams said.

At home during the spring, Vunipola trained when she could, and at the end of April, Vunipola began a new fitness routine. Eliseo Cabildo, the director of training at Winner Circle, put Vunipola on an inclined treadmill. Vunipola struggled, gasping for air, and told Cabildo she couldn’t feel her legs.

“I was pretty out of shape, honestly,” Vunipola said.

Vunipola posted her workouts on Snapchat.

Later, Aleman, her former teammate from Chino Hills High School (California), tapped through her stories and learned her former teammate was working out at Winner Circle.

The two connected, and once Aleman was back from New Mexico State, she joined Vunipola at

TELLY VUNIPOLA has helped catalyze Syracuse’s best offensive start since 2017, with two goals and two assists in the last seven games this season at midfield. lucy messineo-witt photo editor

the athletic center.

Vunipola and Aleman drove 30 minutes from Chino Hills to Corona to start their workouts at 6 a.m. Weekdays would alternate between sprinting on an inclined treadmill or full body weight lifts. After, the two would practice finishing shots in the back of the net and their crosses, Aleman said. Weekends were for recovery.

On the turf field in the back of the facility, Vunipola repeatedly ran the ball into the corner, crossed it into the box for Aleman to finish it off. The two would move around the field and switch between passer and receiver for about an hour, splitting 20 reps between the two of them.

Sometimes Cooper would join in, too.

“She got so good at being able to hit the driven balls and putting power behind a pass and behind a shot,” Cooper said. “She was very intentional with what she did.”

Workouts continued at Winner until Vunipola reported back to Syracuse in August. Before she left, Cabildo measured Vunipola’s leg force on a Keiser machine. Since the start of the summer her legs’ pound of force tripled to nearly 4,000, close to the force of an NFL linebacker or defensive end, Cabildo said.

While sitting at Manley Field House hours before the game against Cornell, Vunipola said she’s seen an increase in her fitness in the way

her body moves from baseline to baseline.

Cabildo, Aleman and Cooper have seen the result of Vunipola’s summer routine — such as Vunipola’s first goal at Syracuse, a penalty kick — through highlights on their social media feeds. And those crosses into the box, the ones she repeatedly practiced this summer, rifled from her usual spot in the left corner to her Syracuse teammates.

“I just noticed that in my stamina, just being able to run and play the full 90 minutes because that in itself is a lot,” Vunipola said. “It’s just my fitness.” @chrisscargs cjscarglato@gmail.com

field hockey

Syracuse defeats UConn 5-3 for 1st ranked win of season

By Bryan Brush staff writer

Syracuse’s Willemijn Boogert took the ball from UConn’s Madi Herb at the midfield line and immediately passed to SJ Quigley. Quigley dribbled toward goal before getting the ball to Pleun Lammers on the right side of the shooting circle, and Lammers returned it to Quigley in the center. Quigley collected the pass after the ball bounced off a defender and fired a low driving shot to score her second goal of the game.

The Orange regained the lead with just over three minutes left in the first half.

Quigley opened the scoring with a goal earlier in the half, and her efforts pushed SU into halftime with a 2-1 lead and were critical in

thwarting UConn, as the Huskies tied the game at 1-1 just 45 seconds into the second quarter.

Quigley’s two first-half goals propelled the Orange (3-2) to a 5-3 win over UConn (2-4) on Sunday, with two second-half goals coming from Quirine Comans and Charlotte de Vries.

The Huskies weren’t able to capitalize on goal scoring opportunities until late in the fourth quarter when SU had already tallied five goals.

Two of Syracuse’s goals came directly after winning the ball back from UConn in SU’s own half. Similar to Quigley’s second goal, Comans was able to score after Lammers earned possession back for the Orange. Lammers played the ball up to de Vries, who exchanged passes with midfielder Claire Cooke and then passed to Comans, who was waiting in front of the goal.

Syracuse made it difficult for UConn, with both a high press and quick transition play from the midfield. This made the difference for SU, as it extended offensive possessions and limited counterattacking opportunities for the Huskies.

Syracuse took control early on in the first quarter, creating multiple offensive opportunities before opening the scoring on SU’s first corner of the game. Quigley inserted the corner, setting up a powerful shot for Eefke van den Nieuwenhof. Quigley sprinted to the front of the goal after inserting and was able to get on the end of van den Nieuwenhof’s shot and tip the ball into the goal less than five minutes into the game.

On its second corner of the game, UConn’s

Claire Jandewerth drilled a shot past SU goalkeeper Louise Pert into the bottom left corner to tie the game.

Shortly after halftime, Lammers worked the ball up the right flank and passed to Comans, who dribbled into the shooting circle along the baseline and slid a short pass to de Vries.

De Vries shot the ball without hesitation and scored to notch her first goal of the season.

Comans scored the final two goals for the Orange and put the game out of reach for UConn, putting Syracuse ahead 5-1. Jessica Dembrowski managed to score two goals for the Huskies in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter, but the forward’s efforts weren’t enough to tie the game. brbrush@syr.edu

women’s soccer

SU ends nonconference play with 3-0 loss against UConn

By Connor Pignatello staff writer

UConn sophomore forward Jaydah Bedoya made a run downfield less than two minutes in the contest, unleashing a shot on goal from the edge of the penalty box. Syracuse keeper Lysianne Proulx parried the shot away but the rebound bounced right in front of the goal. Immediately, Cara Jordan pounced on the free ball and tapped it in the empty net for a lead that the Huskies never relinquished.

UConn (4-2, 0-0 Big East) capitalized on multiple goalkeeping errors from Syracuse (4-2-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) and beat the Orange 3-0, SU’s most lopsided loss of the season. After scoring in each of its first five games, Syracuse has gone scoreless in its last two, a combined 200 min-

utes with no goals. The Huskies snapped Syracuse’s four-game unbeaten streak, their longest since 2016.

Bedoya tested Proulx from the edge of the box again in the 33rd minute to secure her second assist on the Huskies’ second goal. This time Bedoya made a run down the sideline, cut back inside and fired a ball towards Huskies’ forward Duda Santin at the corner of the six-yard box.

Santin deflected the ball with one touch, and it trickled off Proulx on a difficult hop and into the net.

UConn scored its third goal of the match in the 59th minute off another error by Proulx.

Emma Zaccagnini lobbed in a free kick from about 30 yards away that fell into an empty area between Proulx and the oncoming Husky attackers. Proulx sprinted out of position to punt

the ball away, but she collided with the defensive line and fell to the ground.

The ball deflected off of Proulx and a UConn player before landing at the top of the six-yard box, with only defender Zoe Van de Cloot there to stop two Husky attackers. Husky midfielder Lucy Cappadona got to the ball first and poked it into the empty net.

Syracuse was not only outplayed on the defensive end but the offensive end too. In the first six games of the year, the Orange sent 16 shots per game but allowed under six per game.

Today, UConn sent 17 shots toward the Syracuse goal, more than the Orange allowed in their past three games combined. Ten of those shots were on goal, four more than Syracuse’s previous season-high. Proulx saved seven shots — a season’s best — but misplayed the ball on all three of the

Huskies’ goals.

On the offensive end, Syracuse only managed two shots on goal, by far the worst showing of the year despite 70% possession. For a 60-minute period in the middle of the match, Syracuse failed to earn a single shot let alone one to challenge each of the UConn keepers.

The Orange finish non-conference play with a 4-2-1 record, racking up as many wins as Nicky Adams secured in her first two years with the team combined. In 2018, Adams’ first year as head coach, Syracuse went 2-4-1 in nonconference play. Last year, the team only played Atlantic Coast Conference teams because of COVID19. SU will begin ACC play on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Notre Dame. cpignate@syr.edu

10 sept. 13, 2021

from page 12

special teams neared, Pena turned and fell on the loose ball a split second before three Scarlet Knights players piled on top.

He let an ensuing punt go over his head instead of fielding it, allowing Rutgers to down it inside the 1-yard line.

Szmyt, who won the 2018 Lou Groza award which is given to the best collegiate kicker in the nation, hooked his only field goal attempt from 43 yards. He’s two makes away from Syracuse’s all-time made field goals record, but he couldn’t progress up the ranks on Saturday.

But there were a handful of bright spots on Saturday, mainly for Williams. After having his first punt blocked, he pinned Rutgers at the 11-yard line with a kick that drifted out of bounds. But Syracuse was called for illegal formation after what looked like a good punt from Williams, who was standing on the backline of his own endzone, so Rutgers accepted the penalty and elected for a re-kick.

That was the second of three illegal formations on punts. When asked about difficulties lining up for punts, Babers said there was one instance where SU didn’t have a player on the field and another where Rutgers was calling a play. He declined to specify, adding that he didn’t want “to get fined over something silly.”

Williams launched a 60-yard bomb on the redo which landed better than his first punt despite worse field position. Later, he hit a 49-yard punt which the Rutgers’ returner muffed. Williams’ final statline included six punts for 244 yards, two of which were inside the 20-yard line.

“We expect big things from James (Williams). And it’s going to be a little spooky at first but let’s see if he can get through those from page 12

vasudevan Babers said about his decision.

“With the fourth-and-10, that’s a tough call.”

Babers said he had faith in his 3-3-5 defense, which held a team that scored 61 points in its previous game to just 17. He trusted the unit to force another three-and-out like they had six times before on Saturday. He also had three timeouts, which he could’ve saved for Syracuse’s next offensive possession.

But that possession came too late. SU’s defense — without Garrett Williams due to an unknown injury suffered earlier in the half — folded.

On Syracuse’s second drive of the game, Babers’ tempo offense strung together nine plays. The Orange landed on the 14-yard line and facing a third-and-8, Babers called a timeout.

Taking time to think over how to approach the ensuing play, Babers and his staff settled on a screen pass to receiver Taj Harris. Harris caught the ball and made a nice move to avoid one defender but was met with a barrage of more Scarlet Knights in the middle of the field, forcing Harris to fumble the ball. from page 12

training an appointment with the embassy created the most difficulty, Shemanova said.

“That was a feeling of frustration of not having the ability to plan anything. I don’t know if I am going to go to the States tomorrow, in a month, in a year, never,” Shemanova said.

While in St. Petersburg, Shemanova reunited with her first youth coach, Vasily Dokuchaev. She practiced her serve and passed with the little kids Dokuchaev coaches, describing herself as a “pro player” because of the skill difference between the children and herself. But it didn’t have the same feeling to her, and challenges with capacity restrictions limited the opportunity to practice indoors.

A goal for this season was improving her serve using a top spin style technique, but Shemanova said she wasn’t able to practice her serve because the Russian gyms were too small. Instead, she focused on strength, conditioning and individual workouts.

In Russia, Shemanova booked time slots at several private gyms and attended fitness sessions and cardio exercises while working on stretching, too. Shemanova said her physical strength “absolutely improved.”

dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

growing pains and kick the ball the way we know he can kick the ball, because that’s the reason why we got him,” Babers said before SU’s season-opener.

Syracuse also sniffed out what appeared to be a trick play when Rutgers holder Adam Korsak took off running on a field goal attempt in the first quarter. Defensive back Garrett Williams made a big tackle on a punt return in the second quarter.

But to cap it all off, right after Rutgers ended the third quarter by taking the lead with a touchdown, Barker came onto the field for his first career punt at Syracuse. The Ohio State transfer used to play lacrosse and walked on at SU this summer.

With the ball spotted at Syracuse’s own 23-yard line, Barker shanked the kick eight yards past the line of scrimmage. A five-yard penalty for illegal formation didn’t help, and Rutgers took over at the 26-yard line.

“Our second punter was better than our first punter in that situation,” Babers said postgame. “He didn’t do so well.”

The game was won when…

The fans in the Carrier Dome headed for the exit when Babers and the Orange punted on 4th-and-10 halfway through the fourth quarter when SU was down 10 points. Syracuse did get a stop and the ball back, but it was after Rutgers had burned 4:21 off the game clock.

In a two-possession game, Babers said the decision to punt was “a 50/50 call” because the Orange had three timeouts and the potential for better field position with the defense playing well. But in hindsight, the decision dissolved SU’s slim chances at a comeback by allowing the Scarlet Knights to eat up the clock when the Orange needed the ball back quickly.

Quote of the night: Taj Harris on the 10-point loss

“We beat ourselves by far. No doubt, Rutgers has a very good football team, but we beat ourselves.”

Stat to know: 8

That’s how many penalties the Orange had in their 17-7 loss to the Scarlet Knights, good for 55 yards and two Rutgers first downs. Last season, the Orange averaged 67 penalty yards per game and seven penalties, the latter of which ranked 103rd of 127 FBS teams. Saturday, the penalties started when DeVito’s second throw of the afternoon led to an intentional grounding penalty. It continued in the second quarter with back-to-back illegal formation calls, first on third down with quarterback Garrett Shrader and the second following a punt. SU had another illegal formation on a third-quarter punt, too.

And at the most inopportune time in the third quarter, Babers was called for unsportsmanlike conduct which gifted the Scarlet Knights a first down on 3rd-and-long. Mikel Jones was called for a personal foul on the play, and Babers with his ensuing argument with the referee. Rutgers scored the first touchdown of the game on the ensuing play as a result.

Game ball: Mikel Jones

Jones recorded a team-high 11 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. He burst through a hole at the end of the first half and blew up Rutgers’ running back to force a turnover on downs.

Jones helped lead a defensive unit that continually rescued a stagnant SU offense.

“It made us feel good, it gave us confirmation that we are what we think we are — a great defense,” Jones said.

Three final points

What we learned about the O-line: Last week’s

performance against Ohio was a strong outing for the offensive line and the run game. But against Rutgers, Syracuse finished with 67 total rushing yards. Rutgers sacked Tommy DeVito and Garrett Shrader a combined five times.

Syracuse will face much better teams than Rutgers later in the season, and they’ll need to repair its offensive line in order to improve the run and pass game.

Third down defense: Time and time again, Syracuse’s defense bailed out a sputtering offense.

Rutgers finished the game 3-of-15 on third down.

A big sack from Caleb Okechukwu and Josh Black turned a routine field goal into a long one for Rutgers that missed in the first quarter. The defense did everything right in the first half, and continued to play well in the second half despite the departure of cornerback Garrett Williams.

Is this the true Syracuse? The Orange looked good against Ohio, a Mid-American Conference team, but Saturday’s loss to Rutgers was more telling of what we should expect from the Orange this season. Rutgers is a Big Ten school that went 3-6 last year, yet Syracuse looked disjointed on offense and special teams. The sample size is still very small two games into the season, but Syracuse has a lot to work on if it wants to prove that last year’s 1-10 season is truly a thing of the past.

“We’re not going to do this again this year,” Babers said, referring to last season. “As coaches we need to be better and as players we need to be better. That’s the bottom line.”

Next up: Albany

Syracuse stays at home for the next two weeks with games, the first of which will be against Albany. The Great Danes didn’t play last fall, instead playing a shortened, four-game schedule during the spring that included losses to Maine, Rhode Island and Stony Brook. @roshan_f16 rferna04@syr.edu

While Harris’ fumble can’t be blamed on Babers, the play call itself should’ve been more aggressive. A screen route leaves Harris subject to huge hits from the defense, especially if some blocks are missed by the offense. Harris was flustered after juking out one defender that was unblocked, and the ball popped out against three more. Fourteen yards from a touchdown, Babers could’ve drawn up a better play for Harris, one where he would’ve caught the ball in the end zone.

Instead, the Orange didn’t score for the whole half, and DeVito didn’t play in the second quarter. Babers said he decided “before the game” that DeVito wouldn’t play the entirety of the matchup against Rutgers, wanting to give Mississippi State transfer Garrett Shrader a chance at quarterback. This was most likely because Shrader only got a drive in garbage time last week against Ohio, after Babers had hinted he would get more playing time.

Despite going 7-for-10 with 57 passing yards, DeVito was pulled after the first quarter for Shrader, who provides more of a presence in the running game.

On his next drive, Shrader showed promise, heaving a perfect ball to Harris on first down. But safety Christian Izien made a bet-

ter play, batting the ball down. He passed three more times on the drive, hitting twice and missing once.

But on his last play of the drive, which ended up being his final of the game, Shrader fumbled the ball trying to avoid the rush. The ball rolled out of bounds, setting up SU for a long field goal attempt, which Andre Szmyt missed.

In the second half DeVito returned, but he was cold after not playing for almost 30 minutes. His first two passes landed incomplete, and Rutgers figured out how to fluster him, he said. The Scarlet Knights began to blitz safeties, and the offensive line couldn’t keep up, leading to DeVito struggling in the third quarter.

“Early on they weren’t bringing as much, but as the game went on and we started to pass the ball more, they started putting more pressure on me,” DeVito said.

Babers shouldn’t have taken DeVito out of the game. Against Ohio, DeVito and Syracuse’s offense had the same start — a slow one. The Orange scored on their first drive of the game but didn’t find the end zone again in the first half. DeVito just needed time to settle in and later led two drives that ended with touchdowns in the second half. Syracuse won 29-9.

At the end of the third quarter against the

Scarlet Knights, Syracuse linebacker Mikel Jones was called for a personal foul in the red zone — Babers and the fans did not agree with the call.

The flag offset with a holding penalty on Rutgers offensive line, but Babers confronted the referees. He entered the white lines and used language deemed “too strong,” receiving his own flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. Babers said it was the first flag of that nature he’s ever received in his time as a head coach, assistant or player.

As Babers walked off the field, Rutgers advanced to the 11-yard line with a new set of downs. On the ensuing play, Kyle Monangai waltzed into the end zone for the first score of the game.

The mixture of sloppy coaching and sloppy play proved disastrous for SU. Babers said the Orange aren’t going to play like they did last year, but it starts with him if they want a winning formula.

“We’re not going to do this again this year,” Babers said about repeating last year’s mishaps. “As coaches we need to be better, and as players we need to be better. That’s the bottom line.”

“I did a lot of work outside of volleyball, which really, really helped me this season and I can feel it already,” Shemanova said in a preseason press conference.

Occasionally Shemanova played in amateur volleyball games to keep her form, but nothing on a very competitive level, she said.

Markova also trained individually and with one her former coaches, Yevgeny Sivkov, and his younger team by working out in the gym of a children’s sports school.

From time to time, Shemanova and Markova would meet up to play beach volleyball.

Along with Shemanova’s parents, who both play volleyball regularly, and some friends, the group went to beach volleyball courts, competing in small tournaments. Shemanova would practice beach volleyball two to three times a week, said Dmitrii Shemanov and Olga Anisimova, Shemanova’s parents.

Both players emphasized the difference between beach volleyball and indoor volleyball, saying the movements in the two sports differ — especially when it comes to jumping.

The pair felt their time on the sand will benefit them this season, because of the movement, which keeps them more in shape and better trained. Markova believes it helped increase her vertical since the muscles are trained harder when playing beach volleyball.

“It’s much harder to run,” Shemanova said. “It was a really great switch, and … it makes you stay in shape.”

Syracuse struggled on the attacking end last season and relied heavily on middle blocker Viktoriia Lokhmanchuk and right side hitter Naomi Franco and outside hitter Ella Saada. Despite missing half the season, Shemanova and Markova ranked fourth and sixth in kills on SU. To stay connected with the team, the duo watched every Syracuse game, hearing the commentators reinforce that they wouldn’t be there — a constant reminder of a situation out of their control. Zoom meetings and FaceTime calls with coaches and teammates allowed for interaction with the team, but at times, the time difference was a challenge, both players said.

Their visas eventually got approved — they obtained them in Moscow a week before departing for Syracuse.

The pair made their return in the Syracuse Invitational, where the Orange outscored opponents 9-2 in 11 sets. Markova was named the tournament’s most valuable player, recording 42 kills and four aces while Shemanova, named to the all-tournament team, scored 47 kills and five aces.

The following weekend at the Yale Invita-

tional, Markova and Shemanova combined for 82 kills, and Markova earned ACC Player of the Week honors. Later at the Cy-Hawk Series Tournament, Shemanova and Markova scored 62 and 50 kills, respectively, leading the Orange.

“We have those big, powerful hitters that I think we may have been lacking last year,” middle blocker Abby Casiano said.“It’s really nice to have them back on the court.”

Head Coach Leonid Yelin said it’s much easier for the team to get kills when Shemanova and Markova are on the court because of their strong ability to spike.

Markova’s versatility to move from middle blocker to outside hitter helps the Orange on the attack, he said.

Both players acknowledged that there were advantages and disadvantages to being in Russia, recognizing their time with family, personal training and conditioning as beneficial. But the inability to work with the team and uncertainty of any travel plans frustrated them the most. “(It was) definitely a unique experience, and I don’t think I would love to experience it again — to be without any plans,” Shemanova said.

@anish_vasu asvasude@syr.edu

cabambin@syr.edu

CLASSIFIEDS

dailyorange.com

sept. 13, 2021 11

Affordable Off-Campus Housing All Energy Star Homes Best Values on The Hill Prices Start at $350 / Bedroom Euclid, Sumner, Madison, Westcott, Lancaster and many other areas

Free installation of Fresh-Aire UV germicidal system for air and surface disinfection of SARS!

315-422-0709 rentals@universityhill.com

www.universityhill.com

collegehome your home away from home

2022-2023

2 thru 8 Bedrooms FURNISHED No charge for laundry & parking

John O. Williams

Quality Campus Area Apartments Call John or Judy

315 - 478 - 7548

collegehome.com | cuselord1@gmail.com

AUDI/VW (used) 7 Days Sales - 40 Years *Good/Bad Credit!!

Service 315-789-2200 SelectEuroCars.com

-New Energy Star Stainless Steel Refrigerator, Stove, Dishwasher -Energy Star Furnace, 92% Efficient and zoned heating in single family homes -Energy Star Coin-Operated Washer & Dryers for each apartment in basements -Basement Glass Block Windows -New Energy Star Windows -LED Lighting -Granite Kitchen Counter Tops -Free Parking -No Extra Fees/Charges -Exterior Security Lighting on each side of house

BOOM BABIES All Saints Catholic Church

Clothing, jewelry, Gowns FULL & PT. Must be energetic, organized & dependable. Some retail exp. a plus. Do not call.

Must come in & fill out app. at 489 Westcott St. Monday-Friday, 11-7 P.M.

Where All Are Welcome!

1342 Lancaster Ave Syracuse, NY 13210

Sacrament of Weekend Masses: Reconciliation Saturday – 4:00pm ~ Tuesdays: 4-5pm in (Traditional Music) church OR call Fr. Fred at Sunday – 9:00am 315-530-8995 Daily Liturgy: 11:30am

~ (Gospel Choir) AND 11:30am ~ (Contemporary Music)

For information call our Office M-Th, 9am to 2pm: 315-472-9934

Help wanted cooks, waitress, waiters, HOUSING AVAILABLE barback.

PressRoomPub.com 315-569-4345

• Ackerman/Sumner/ Lancaster Aves.

• 3,5,6,8 Bedrooms • Furnished, Stainless Kitchens

• Free washer and dryer • Off street Parking • Leases begin June 1 w/ some flex • www.willco-su-rents.com

CALL/TEXT RICH @ 315-374-9508

Affordable Off-Campus Housing

Free installation of Fresh-Aire UV germicidal system for air and surface disinfection of SARS!

All Energy Star Homes Best Values on The Hill Prices Start at $350 / Bedroom Euclid, Sumner, Madison, Westcott, Lancaster and many other areas

315-422-0709 rentals@universityhill.com

www.universityhill.com

-New Energy Star Stainless Steel Refrigerator, Stove, Dishwasher -Energy Star Furnace, 92% Efficient and zoned heating in single family homes -Energy Star Coin-Operated Washer & Dryers for each apartment in basements -Basement Glass Block Windows -New Energy Star Windows -LED Lighting -Granite Kitchen Counter Tops -Free Parking -No Extra Fees/Charges -Exterior Security Lighting on each side of house

SPORTS

dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

PAG E 12

sept. 13, 2021

The next day: Special teams’ miscues cost SU in loss to Rutgers

Syracuse has dubbed itself “Special Teams U” over the past few seasons, but Saturday against Rutgers saw a missed field goal and a blocked punt. lucy messineo-witt photo editor

Against Rutgers, the Orange had an eight-yard punt and three illegal formation penalties on special teams among other errors

By Roshan Fernandez senior staff writer

S

yracuse doesn’t have a designated special teams coordinator this season.

The unit has produced NFL-caliber punters Riley Dixon, Sterling Hofrichter and Nolan Cooney, and current kicker Andre Szmyt has NFL potential, too. Syracuse has branded itself as “Special Teams U” over recent years.

But coordinator Justin Lustig departed at the end of last season for an assistant coaching job at Vanderbilt. The Orange have leaned on Blair Cavanaugh, who’s listed as the quality control staff member for special teams. SU has yet to fill Lustig’s vacancy.

Through spring and fall training camp and into the season, Syracuse has been “sharing responsibility throughout the

entire staff,” said head coach Dino Babers.

Punter James Williams said last week that it hasn’t been more challenging without a coordinator. The coaches understood Lustig’s position and Williams said the coaches continued where Lustig left off.

But Saturday, in the Orange’s 17-7 loss to Rutgers, their special teams performance was littered with mistakes and miscues. Szmyt missed wide left, returner Trebor Pena nearly muffed a punt, the Orange had their first punt blocked and Colby Barker shanked a punt that went 8-yards to start the fourth quarter. Syracuse had three illegal formation penalties while punting, too.

“There were numerous mistakes in the kicking game,” Babers said postgame. “I thought the kicking game cost us as much as the offense not scoring many points.”

On Syracuse’s first drive of the game, Rutgers’ Max Melton barreled unblocked see special

teams page 10

football

toward Williams. Williams had to leap in order to secure a high snap, and by the time he picked up his head and readied himself to punt downfield, Melton was already in his face.

The defense bailed them out with a nine-yard sack from Josh Black and Caleb Okechukwu, but that was only the start.

Rutgers nearly blocked another punt in the third quarter as well, with Williams punting from his own 5-yard line and multiple defenders in his face. Syracuse got flagged for interfering with the returner on that play, too.

“We hurt ourselves, turnovers, penalties hurt,” quarterback Tommy DeVito said. “We can’t make mistakes like that.”

In the second quarter, Pena backpedaled to field a long punt. He got into position and the ball hit both his hands, but he couldn’t secure it and it drifted behind him. As Rutgers’ coverage team

volleyball

Vasudevan: Errors catalyze loss Shemanova, Markova’s return to Syracuse

By Anish Vasudevan asst. sports editor

After rushing 20 yards for a first down, Tommy DeVito set up Syracuse’s no-huddle offense 41 yards from the end zone.

Head coach Dino Babers had his quarterback run again, but DeVito didn’t pick up any yards. After another incompletion, DeVito looked to the other side of the field as Anthony Queeley ran a comeback route, but he caught it out of bounds. With a fourthand-10, Babers sent James Williams out to punt, not taking the risk of going for it.

Boos, which had been saved for bad calls by the referees earlier in

the game, turned toward the home team as the offense was replaced by the special teams unit.

Along with three turnovers, Babers made multiple coaching mistakes that played a large role in Syracuse’s 17-7 loss against Rutgers. The Carrier Dome crowd disagreed with Babers’ decision not to go for it. DeVito said he had no say on the call. Fans took to Twitter, blasting the choice as one that ultimately led to Syracuse’s demise against Rutgers. But football doesn’t come down to play, or one controversial decision by a head coach. It comes down to a multitude of calls over 60 minutes.

Babers wasn’t risky during the first quarter, but he also switched

quarterbacks just as DeVito was getting settled in. And in the third quarter, he received his own penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, leading Rutgers to break a thenscoreless game.

Babers’ play call midway through the fourth quarter actually made sense, given the down and distance. He said if Syracuse was able to advance the ball even a few yards on the play before, when DeVito couldn’t connect with Queeley, he would’ve kept the offense on the field.

“If not it’s a fourth-and-10, if we had gotten 5 yards, 4 yards, 6 yard on the third down play, I would have definitely gone with it,” see vasudevan page 10

By Cole Bambini staff writer

After returning to St. Petersburg, Russia, for winter break, Syracuse outside hitter Polina Shemanova and middle blocker Marina Markova had one major problem. Visa complications left the pair’s return uncertain and ultimately caused them to miss the entire spring season. They arrived in the U.S. two months later than expected.

Syracuse finished with a 3-5 spring record without two of its strongest players on the attacking end. Shemanova, the 2018 Atlantic

Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, has recorded 1,165 kills to date, while Markova has 340 kills.

Markova said she barely unpacked her bag when she returned home. She sometimes sat on her luggage, hoping she’d soon be heading back to the U.S. For Shemanova, it was the constant feeling of uncertainty that bothered her, as she said she’s the type of person who always has her plans well-thought out.

Delays with the visa approval process at the U.S. embassy in Moscow, Russia, stalled the two. Obtaining the visa wasn’t difficult, but scheduling see training page 10