11:8

Donald Trump Opinion

Hasan Minhaj

Soccer

Vine

Sports

Hasan Minhaj combines politics with comedy for a Homes with Hope fundraiser.

Trump’s birth control restrictions limit women’s freedom over their bodies.

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Soccer wins MAAC Regular Season Championship on Senior Day. Page 15

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THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of November 8, 2017

Vol. 43 Iss. 9

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Miscommunication Causes Bar Crawl Bus No-Show

By Connor O’Rourke Assistant News Editor

As seniors were getting ready to travel to the Stamford Bar Crawl, a dilemma arose when the buses that were meant to be taking them to the event Saturday, Nov. 5, never showed up at Veterans Park.

According to an email sent to the Class of 2018 regarding the event, from Beach Resident Advocacy Group member Jamison Wellman ‘18, “It was a result of a lack of communication with [Fairfield University Student Association] who agreed to sponsor the buses.” Buses were scheduled to leave Veterans Park at 9:30 p.m. and depart Stamford at 1:30 a.m.

This left many seniors in a tough spot because they had signed up and reserved one of the 160 seats available on the buses to Stamford, but ended up having to take other means of transportation to the event via Metro North’s New Haven train line or Uber.

As of right now, FUSA plans to reimburse students who reserved spots on the buses, although the bus was free of charge.

Students who were originally supposed to take the bus were told via an email by BRAG to keep their invoices from their trip.

This would allow them to receive a discount towards their Clam Jam ticket, according to FUSA President Cara Gibbons ‘18. She added that for those who do not plan on going to Clam Jam on April 28, “there will be alternate forms of compensation,” which have not been specified as of this time.

In terms of the role both FUSA and BRAG had in organizing the transportation, Gibbons noted, “when FUSA sponsors transport for an event they usually give money and don’t handle the organizing of the company. This was a detail missed on both sides so FUSA and BRAG would both agree that there was … a miscommunication about the finalizing of the transport itself.”

In regards to making things run more smoothly for transportation to the event, Gibbons pointed out that, “Next year, BRAG will be exploring multiple options, including not offering a bus at all.”

One of the students who was supposed to be on one of the buses, Rebecca Quillard ‘18, said that “while it was disappointing that the bus didn’t come, it wasn’t worth arguing or getting mad about it. We still wanted to go, so my friends just quickly got an Uber.”

Senior Beth McDonough said, “at first, I was upset with the buses not showing up, but it ended up working out because our Uber dropped us off directly in front of the first bar. My friends and I didn’t know how the buses would’ve fit on that busy street anyway.”

In order for FUSA to sponsor an event, Gibbons added that they implemented a co-sponsorship form that can be found on Orgsync for any group that wishes to have FUSA sponsor an event in some aspect.

Campus To Go Smoke-Free

By Jacob Buttiker Contributing Writer

Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror Sweet Harmony performed a couple of songs at the candlelit vigil that was held in solidarity with victims of addiction in the Dogwood Room due to rain.

Fairfield Goes Purple for Opioid Awareness

By Connor O’Rourke Assistant News Editor

the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, according to Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Anderson ‘97, With the projection for overdose-related deaths in Connecticut expected MBA‘02.

Lisa Arnold, the Clinical Director of the Collegiate Recovery Program, to reach a total of 1,078 in 2017, an expected 18 percent increase from 2016, according to Susan Birge, the Assistant Vice President and Director of Coun- stated “there’s two different kinds of info tables that we’re going to have set up; one is for Narcan administration, so students or faculty and staff seling & Psychological Services, Fairfield Universican come to the table and learn how to adminty devoted a day to bring awareness to this highly ister Narcan, which is a drug that can reverse prevalent issue in both the State of Connecticut and It’s a disease that people don’t an opioid overdose.” the United States as a whole. understand so well because the She went on further to point out that, Opioid Awareness and Prevention Day was hosted on Tuesday, Nov. 7 all across campus, with awareness of it is that you can stop “we’re also going to be giving out medlock pouches, which will be used to lock up medicaseveral informational booths in places such as the anytime you want, but that is simtions in the event that students are prescribed Dolan School of Business and the Lower Level of mood-altering substances and need a safe the Barone Campus Center being used to provide ply not the case. place to keep them.” students and the greater University community In addition to the informational booths with the knowledge of opioid overdose, how to seek Clinical Director of Collegiate that provided knowledge on the administratreatment and know how to call for help, as well as Recovery Program tion of Narcan, Arnold also noted that the othhow to administer Narcan, which combats the efer informational booth will refer students to the various resources on campus, fects of overdose.

Additionally, there were 917 purple flags placed on the green in the traf- resources in the community, as well as knowledge about many mood-altering fic circle, each flag representing one person who overdosed in Connecticut in substances that could affect one’s physical and mental state. Also, information regarding the collegiate recovery program, which is an on-campus program 2016, as well as purple ribbons being tied around trees on campus.

This day was made possible by a $10,000 grant for opioid awareness initiatives as part of the Statewide Healthy Campus Initiative, launched by Read University on Page 

-Lisa Arnold

Jesuit values encompass not just education, but all aspects of life, including a healthy lifestyle with hope of a long and happy life.

Fairfield University is truly practicing its Jesuit mindset with its ban on tobacco taking effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

In order to inform the Fairfield community of this decision, the University will be holding the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 16, in accordance with the national event. All members of the Stag community are welcome, with the goal being to educate as much of the student body as possible about the big change.

The Great American Smokeout is an event that is put on by The American Cancer Society.

Their mission is to aid others in leading a fully healthy life; whether it be hosting an event on a college campus to educate the younger generation or funding research for better treatment, The American Cancer Society strives for a cancer-free world.

The event will be held in the Daniel and Grace Tully Dining Commons, with Great American Smokeout representatives available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information and services will be provided for those students or staff who would like to stop using tobacco products, as well as tips on Read Fairfield on Page 

News

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

Page 2

EmergenSee App No Longer Operational

By Juliana Sansonetti News Editor

what we want to move forward with, so it might be a couple months for us to truly get a system up and running,” Ritchie added.

Students who relied on the protective features of the EmergenSee application were For a replacement system, Jenny Schwartz ‘18 suggested, “I think the idea of havdisappointed to hear on Oct. 31 that the app would no longer be in use. ing something like that is good but maybe it would be nice if there’s some way you Assistant Director of Public Safety John Ritchie comcould message a DPS officer and ask them to escort you mented on the app no longer being operational due to the back.” app provider going out of business.

The reasoning for EmergenSee going out of business, “We were shocked,” said Ritchie. “We didn’t expect according to Ritchie, is because the owner passed away rethat to occur one bit. The system shut off pretty quick. We cently. got the notice about 2:20 in the afternoon and by 5 o’clock, “We got a notice saying that the owner passed away the system was offline.” in the last couple of weeks and that the company was in a DPS informed the student body that the app was no transitional phase,” Ritchie commented. “Whoever was left longer operational at 5:27 p.m. decided not to maintain the business.”

Ritchie explained that DPS was initially impressed by Throughout the time EmergenSee was utilized by the EmergenSee because it provided real time video, audio, Fairfield community, for the past two years, Ritchie had no pinpoint locations of users by utilizing GPS, text messagcomplaints to report. ing and phone conversations.

However, Julie McCarthy ‘20 questioned the necessity The app also had a virtual escort feature, as well as an of having such a system. emergency alert button system.

“I had it for a little bit, but I ended up deleting it before DPS is currently working to find a comparable reit went out of business because I didn’t feel like I needed it. placement system for the Fairfield University community.

I never felt unsafe on campus.”

“I would want the replacement system to be very simRichie, however, had nothing but praise for the app. ilar [to EmergenSee],” said Ritchie. “I really like the map“I think it was an effective product,” Ritchie said. “It Wikimedia/Creative Commons ping system to know exactly where somebody is; it is critical was used all the time for the escort services and occasionally [for the new system to have this].” we got some tips on there, but I don’t think anyone has ever used the emergency button According to Ritchie, DPS has been examining various demos of potential re- for a true emergency.” placement apps for the student body to use.

Even though the app was “seldom used,” it was effective because it worked, accord“It’ll take us a couple weeks to really take a look at the different systems and decide ing to Ritchie.

Operation Hope Fills the Cart for Food Drive

By Juliana Sansonetti News Editor When attending school in one of the wealthier towns in the state, sometimes it’s easy to forget that there are many individuals struggling to put food on the table every day. In order to do their part to aid the less fortunate in the area, students gathered to help feed the hungry on Nov. 4 and 5 when they volunteered with Operation Hope at Stop & Shop.

According to their website, Operation Hope provides help for local families in need through their food pantry, affordable housing, shelters and community kitchen.

According to John Daniels ‘18, who volunteered at the event, Fairfield students who helped out at the event included members of the Accounting Club, Fairfield University Student Association and the Fairfield Investment Group.

Volunteer Manager at Operation Hope Donna Schmidt M’83 explained that both the Undergraduate Accounting Honor Society Beta Alpha Psi and the Masters of Science Accounting Students help Operation Hope.

“Fairfield University is an important part of the town of Fairfield community,” said Schmidt, “and we are very, very honored to have students involved.”

Daniels explained the purpose of the volunteers.

“We all gather to help the 600 families in need. Operation Hope right now has some empty shelves in their food pantry,” said Daniels. “We have all different members here because we want to give back to the community at Fairfield.”

“This August, I lived on campus and commuted to the city,” Daniels continued. “I had a lot of free time on weekends, so I decided to volunteer at Operation Hope, and I realized what a great organization it was. Then in August I worked with the manager of Stop & Shop, Mr. Vece, and we organized this.”

The food drive was initially organized in August because the slot needed to be reserved in advance.

Senior Monica Willson agreed with Daniels that volunteering at the organization is a good cause.

“It helps the people in need in the Fairfield community during an upcoming winter season, which is when people need food and shelter the most,” said Willson, who volunteered on Saturday.

Daniels believed from the start that the drive would be a “big success.” However, he did not foresee that the drive would come at such a crucially important time, when the shelves at the pantry are empty. He hopes to make this food drive twice annually, having one in the spring and another in the fall.

“There’s a big homeless population in Fairfield that we really don’t see,” said Daniels. “They’re marginalized a little bit, but Operation Hope helps people get back on their feet.”

Fairfield University President Mark R. Nemec, Ph.D. went to the food drive to help out and show his support.

“It’s such a great example of our students’ commitment to our core value of being men and women for others and being a part of this community,” said Nemec. “Operation Hope is a really important organization in the social service fabric here, and the commitment of the students to be part of that organization and its work is a testament not just to the students but to the University itself.”

Nemec explained that he believes that it is important for Fairfield students to learn not only in the classroom, but outside of it as well.

“I think it speaks to the fact that [Fairfield] is truly a holistic learning environment where we’re not just learning in the library and not just learning in the classroom, but learning through experiential opportunities such as this one,” said Nemec.

Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror President Nemec and Fairfield students helped Operation Hope with their food drive at Stop & Shop.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

News

Page 3

The Mirror Reflects on this Week in Social Media Compiled by Juliana Sansonetti Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

Friday, 11/3 12:07 a.m.

In Regis Hall, three students were found smoking marijuana. A resident assistant confronted them and by the time DPS got there, they had left campus, leaving behind paraphernalia. There is no suspect at this time; anyone with information is encouraged to contact DPS. 9:48 a.m.

A female student lost her StagCard. When she went to get a new one, she found that someone had used $24 on her card.

There is no suspect at this time; anyone with information is encouraged to contact DPS. 10:53 p.m.

There was a fight between two male students in the townhouses. One of the students claimed that another assaulted him. He gave a description and DPS was able to find the student based on his description. Both parties are being spoken to and referred to the Dean of Students office.

Saturday, 11/4 12:11 a.m.

A golf cart was stolen from outside of Dolan Hall. Two students were identified while driving the golf cart and were arrested for motor vehicle theft.

12:40 a.m.

Two male students were involved in a physical altercation in the Townhouse 14 and 15 block area. They were referred to the Dean of Students Office.

11:17 p.m.

DPS discovered two individuals in the townhouses in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. A non-student and a student were involved. The non-student was issued a criminal trespass warning and the student was referred to Student Conduct and both were referred to the Police Department.

Monday, 11/6 9:11 p.m.

RAs reported the smell of marijuana emanating from a room in Regis Hall. DPS discovered three students and a bag of marijuana. One of the three students took ownership and was referred to student conduct and the Fairfield Police Department.

THE MIRROR Incorporated 1977

Allison White, Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa, Executive Editor Catherine Veschi, Managing Editor Editors Juliana Sansonetti, News Connor O’Rourke, Assistant News Lexi Thimble, Opinion Alicia Phaneuf, Vine Cara Lee, Assistant Vine Claire Monahan, Coffee Break Alfredo Torres, Sports Daniel Montgomery, Assistant Sports

Online Bradley Nordstrom, Web Master Ariana Puzzo, Online Editor-in-Chief Pamela Kask, Online Opinion Editor Brendan Zimmerman, Online Vine Editor Kelley Ekert, Online Coffee Break Editor Business Department Email: info@fairfieldmirror.com Natalia Macchio, Director of Finance Phillip Sibert, Circulation Adviser Dr. Tommy Xie Contact Information Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road, BCC 104 Box AA, Fairfield, CT 06824 General email: info@fairfieldmirror.com

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

News

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University Spreads Addiction Awareness Continued from Page 

made up of students who are in recovery from substance overdoses, will be provided.

The overall goal of the day, in addition to providing awareness for this massive drug-related problem in our country, was to reduce the stigma of using drugs in favor of simply encouraging people to get help and know the signs of someone who needs help with overdose.

One of the students in attendance at the vigil, Marissa O’Donnell ‘18 said, “I have some relatives that were involved with drugs, so it’s just something that’s important to me.”

O’Donnell went on further, saying, “It’s nice to see that they recognize the opioid epidemic is something that is really widespread across the nation, so it’s nice to have an event like this to acknowledge that.”

Connecticut Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy had been invited to take part in the 6:30 vigil hosted by Campus Ministry in order to provide their perspective on the matter and to show solidarity with the victims of this epidemic, as well as to demonstrate the state of Connecticut’s commitment to fighting this overdose crisis head-on. While they were not in attendance, their presence would have helped raise awareness to this largely prevalent issue on a statewide, as well as a national, scale.

Arnold acknowledged that their pres-

ence would have provided “a more broad perspective of the epidemic itself in the sense that this is the worst drug epidemic to have ever hit this country and their support will help to reduce the stigma of using, because we do have politicians who are fighting this as well as people on campus.”

Sophomore Caroline O’Brien, went to the vigil because she felt “the opioid problem is a really big issue and raising awareness for it is really important because it affects so many people.”

Junior Caleb Blagys stated, “I decided to come to this because you never know who has family members or friends who are going through something that they keep to themselves and it’s good to think about those people even if they are not thinking about themselves.”

“I think that because we’re in the midst of the biggest drug epidemic in the country, it [Opioid Awareness & Prevention Day] will reduce the stigma and broaden the understanding that drug addiction is not a moral condition, but it is a disease,” said Arnold about the significance of the day.

She further added that, “It’s a disease that people don’t understand so well because the awareness of it is that you can stop anytime you want, but that is simply not the case in the sense that it is a disease and when people can’t stop they need to seek treatment for it.”

Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror A DPS officer shows a Fairfield student the proper way to administer Narcan, a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. This booth was set up in the Barone Campus Center at 12 p.m. and again at 5 p.m.

Fairfield To Host Great American Smokeout Continued from Page 

how to support a loved one who is trying to quit tobacco. Information will not be limited to just these topics, however, as Smokeout reps will be available to answer any and all questions attendees may have.

The ban on tobacco applies to all members of the Fairfield University community; faculty, staff, students and visitors alike. Beginning on Jan. 1, Fairfield University will join a group of 1,500 other schools, both jesuit and non-jesuit, country-wide in becoming tobacco free, such as Quinnipiac University and Plymouth State University.

However, not all student reactions to the tobacco ban have been positive. “I chose not to smoke tobacco but if their [tobacco users] actions aren’t affecting me, I see no need to take their rights away,” said Samantha Hettrich ’20.

The Great American Smokeout has set out to enlighten students on the danger of tobacco products that have been glorified by Big Tobacco. Educating the younger generation remains a priority of this organization, with hopes of a healthy, tobacco-free future.

“I think that the ban will face some resistance from students, however, the information provided from The Great American Smokeout will hopefully change the minds of those not in favor,” said Leopoldo Castillo ’19.

Major contributors to the Great American Smokeout event here at Fairfield University include the Wellness Committee, the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies and the Office of Human Resources with support from the Fairfield University Student Association, faculty and staff.

The Great American Smokeout and American Cancer Society hope to educate the younger generation on the serious health risks involved with tobacco products, as they envision a world free from tobacco use.

Teddy DeRosa, associate director of public relations & community relations, sees a bright future for a tobacco-free world. “In order for a world to be tobacco-free, there needs to be support and education,” said DeRosa. “With events like the Great American Smokeout and working with the American Cancer Society, Fairfield is helping to make that goal happen.” According to DeRosa, the University was awarded “Gold Status” by the Healthy Workplace Employer Recognition Program, which is a status reserved for workplaces that have made cultural and environmental changes to support employees committed to embracing a healthy lifestyle.

Some U.S. Universities That Have Become “Smoke-Free”: -Quinnipiac University, North Haven Campus -Northeastern University -Michigan State University -New York University -Brown University -University of California, Los Angeles -Boston University, Medical Campus -Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute -Johnson & Wales University

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

Opinion Editor Lexi Thimble » opinion@fairfieldmirror.com

Getting Opinionated with The Mirror

Restrictions on Birth Control Limit Women's Freedom

By Lexi Thimble Opinion Editor With all the rollbacks on Obama-era measures that the current administration have been implementing, the New York Times report on Oct. 6 about not ensuring that businesses cover birth control was no surprise. And more recently came the first appearance of institutions taking advantage of such changes. An NPR report on Nov. 3 cited the University of Notre Dame as the first major institution to not cover contraceptives for their students and faculty, going into effect this December. The Trump administration and Notre Dame alike are ignoring the multiple uses of contraceptives that are essential to women’s health, focusing on the issue with a purely narrow and religious perspective.

Contraceptives, birth control, “the pill” — they’ve been stereotypically synonymous with “sluts,” girls who are “easy,” who will hook up with anyone because they don’t need to worry about a potential pregnancy.

It seems that this is still the way women who use contraceptives are viewed by lawmakers and those with religious affiliations. If you went today to Catholic.com to learn about the Catholic church’s position on contraceptives, they will cite Pope Paul VI’s 1968 definition of contraception, which is “any action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal

act [sexual intercourse], or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible." It is therefore a sin to use not only the pill as a means of protection, but basic materials like condoms or any other methods during sex to ensure there is no chance of a pregnancy.

After the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, it became impressed on not just the gay community, but on all those who were sexually active, just how important protection during sex is. This isn’t solely about unwanted pregnancies, but about protection from life-threatening STIs like the HIV virus, and about preventing another epidemic like the one caused from AIDS. Today, condoms aren’t just about making sure girls don’t get pregnant, but about using a barrier to protect yourself if you have sex with someone who hasn’t

been tested for an STI or even has an STI. Condoms are protection to men as birth control is protection for women, so why are we limiting women’s access to contraceptives?

There is the argument that while both condoms and contraceptives offer sexual coverage, men don’t have condoms covered at their place of work, so why should women have that courtesy extended to them? And the plain answer is that the functions of birth control extend much farther than protecting against unprotected pregnancy. The FAQ of the Center for Young Women’s Health lists birth control almost as an afterthought, highlighting instead all of the different conditions that can occur during a woman’s menstrual cycle that birth control treats.

The birth control pill helps regulate hormones, treat conditions such as Primary Ovarian Insufficiency to make up for a lack of estrogen and to improve bone health, and to give help to

women who haven’t even begun menstruating yet. The site also states that those regularly taking the pill are less likely to get anemia, and that it “lower[s] your chance of getting endometrial (lining of the uterus) cancer, ovarian cancer, and ovarian cysts.”

It would also be one thing if lawmakers, to supplement the lack of birth control options given to women, in turn were prepared to offer more services for women with a pregnancy they were not prepared for. This could include assistance with finding and access to affordable childcare, or consistently effective maternity leave that does not penalize women for taking time from work. But these new measures just seem to offer problems without solutions, leaving women in the middle with fewer and fewer options.

In a Slate article from 2012, the focus was on providing contraception to women in developing nations, where maternal mortality is high. The emerging pattern with unintended pregnancies in places of poverty drive women to unsafe methods to terminate their pregnancy, which can in turn lead to their own deaths. Though things aren’t as extreme in this country, for some women, feeling trapped because of a pregnancy they are not prepared for, whether mentally, emotionally or financially, can put them in a similar situation. Religious freedom is an extremely important pillar of our democracy, but its infringement on free speech, on a woman’s ability to speak and choose for herself what her health care should look like, goes too far.

Creative Commons/Flickr, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons

Editorial Board "Give It To Me Short and Sweet" Allison White Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor Catherine Veschi Managing Editor

With the advent of Twitter in 2006, journalists around the globe found a new challenge in conveying their stories and messages in a social media format that would limit one’s prose to 140 characters. Since 2017, Twitter has reported 317 million active users on their platform, which has gone to include numerous actors and politicians, most notably President Donald Trump.

However, on Nov. 7, Twitter announced that it is expanding its character count from the initial 140 to a whopping 280 characters. While many have used the expansion as a way to convey their message in a more detailed way, it has also become an antithesis to why Twitter was founded: to create a platform that forces one to adapt to a more-concise format.

By doubling the number of characters a user is able to type in a single tweet, Twitter has essentially altered their brand as a result. As mentioned before-

hand, at its inception, Twitter marketed itself as a more concise form of social media than alternative platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, which don’t provide character limits of any sort. However, by expanding their character limit to 280 words, Twitter has essentially gotten rid of the aspect of their platform that made them unique from competing platforms. Yes, 280 characters is still a limit, but when one considers how many sentences one can write with 280 characters, it’s certainly more along the lines of a lengthy Facebook post than the brief tweets Twitter has been known for for years.

Not only does this amendment go against the brand image Twitter set for itself years ago, but it also takes away from the features the platform held that made it more advantageous for the target demographic it caters to. One group that has come to use Twitter quite frequently are journalists, who use

the platform to break news, tweet stories and stay in touch with consumers of their media source. The limited character count Twitter offered was perfect for breaking news, as these statements are meant to be brief and to the point so viewers can get to important news as quickly as possible. Another key demographic for Twitter has been the millennial generation, and a defining characteristic of this generation is that they like to get their news as quickly as possible.

Thus, Twitter’s character limit has made it possible for our generation to communicate quickly and concisely, avoiding the lengthy Facebook posts that have come to be mainstream on that site. So while the expanded 280 character limit may not seem like it makes a huge difference, this development essentially goes against the way Twitter has branded itself for the past 11 years, and will ultimately change the way the platform will be used for years to come.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

Opinion

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Gun Control is a Must for America's Future

By Katherine Klima Contributing Writer Sutherland Springs: a rural town in Texas most people have probably never heard of until now. That’s because this Sunday, Nov. 5, a man opened fire inside a Baptist church, killing 26 people. Instead of a quiet small town, it is now the site of one of the top five mass shootings in modern American history, according to ABC. A little over a month ago, 35 days to be exact, Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of people enjoying a country musical festival in Las Vegas. Fifty-eight innocent people were killed. It was declared, according to CBS, to be the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history since the Pulse Nightclub shooting, which only happened a little over a year ago.

These mass shootings in our country are happening way too frequently. We should’ve put our foot down years ago, yet here we are again. It’s only been a month since Vegas and suddenly, we find ourselves mourning more people who have fallen victim to another automatic assault weapon.

According to the Washington Post, the gunman was identified as 26-year-old former U.S Air Force airman, Devin Patrick Kelley. The shooting, as of now, seems to be domestically motivated, being that he targeted a family member who was in the church. This isn’t the first time Kelley’s been violent. It’s been reported, according to the Washington Post, that Kelley has had past violent issues. This includes domestic abuse to-

ward his wife and child, which lead him to spend a year in military prison.

Along with that, Kelley was also charged on the account of animal cruelty.

His extensive criminal record resulted him to be dishonorably discharged from the military.

Yet, he was still able to purchase a gun.

No matter what people label these actions as, terrorism, mental illness or hatred, the person that’s responsible for this and any other perpetrators from past countless massacres, clearly should have never been allowed to get their hands on a weapon of any sort in the first place.

These are people that we can’t always watch, but should have some sort of barrier to prevent them from having access to acquiring firearms.

Whether their acquisition of these weapons was legal or not, our country should have some sort of screening to prevent weapons from getting into the wrong hands.

In 1996, when a 28-year-old man from Australia opened fire on a crowd, killing 35 people, making it the worst mass shooting in Australian history, the country did something.

According to the Atlantic, after Australia cracked down in restricting gun ownership, their number of mass shootings significantly decreased. There are still people who own guns in that country and it’s still possible to own one, but the key fact is that mass acts of gun violence has notably decreased.

You won’t be able to prevent everything. It’s absolutely impossible to prevent every act of mass violence. Sometimes these awful tragedies happen and there’s nothing we can do about it. But with something like gun

violence, there is something we could try to do. We could crack down and gain better control. Not full control, but at least something.

I understand it’s our constitutional right to bear arms. There are responsible people who own guns and know the proper precautions. But having gun control doesn’t mean your guns will be taken away or that you won’t ever be able to buy a gun again. It just means decreasing the acquisition of guns, especially those that are being purchased illegally or being purchased without the proper background screening.

As an American citizen, just like many around me, we’re angry, upset, tired and distraught. Upset by our phones blaring with the notifications of another mass shooting, tired of our social media feeds clogged with what our relatives and friends have to say, angered that it seems each day something terrible happens and there seems to be no change. It’s growing to a point of desensitization -- becoming a common part of our culture to experience a gun massacre every year.

It’s time to put our differences aside about this because we’re all hurting. In the end, we’re all disturbed by these senseless acts and we’re terrified, terrified that it’ll happen to us or someone we love.

Finally, this is a plea, America, to find a solution. It may be difficult and it may never achieve it’s full potential, but something, anything, needs to be done to at least control the weapons in this country. If we’re going to start somewhere, even the slightest bit, it has to be with weapons; this way we can at least reduce those numbers so more people feel safe. So less people die. So, as a country, we can heal and grow strong. It’s time, America. Enough is enough.

Information compiled from Mass Shooting Tracker and Statista

Mass Shootings Should Be Mourned, Not Politicized As the small rural Texas town of Sutherland Springs grieves the loss of 26 of its residents, the cage match that has come to dominate mainstream political discourse could not spare a moment of reflection.

While the bodies were still warm, the maimed were in surgery and families were buying caskets, social media was awash with a brutish sort of political football. Half-baked policy prescriptions, profanity-laced tirades and false allegations of complicity are part and parcel of a culture that would much rather parade around in its own faux-virtue than just shut up, if only for a moment, and let families grieve.

Americans who disagree with me about the endemic problems of violence within certain strains of Islam do not root for a jihadist to go on a killing spree in an Orlando nightclub. There were likewise no conservatives cheering on Sunday when small children were being sniped under the pews in a Baptist church service.

Senator Chuck Schumer, who immediately called for gun control following the Vegas attack, bemoaned questions about the Diversity Visa Lottery Program that he had helped spawn in the wake of the deadly rampage of one of the lottery’s “winners,” lamented his critics by saying “I guess it's not too soon to politicize a tragedy.” See, it’s only too soon when an Islamist kills innocent civilians, but it’s never too soon to confiscate weapons from law-abiding citizens. As Chuck Todd said earlier this year on “Meet the Press” following the Vegas massacre: “If we wait until cooler heads prevail, we never talk about it.” While calm and rational discussion does have a way of derailing otherwise irrelevant legislative solutions that wouldn’t have done anything to prevent the preceding tragedy, it is remarkable that when someone yells “Allahu Akbar” and kills scores of innocents, it’s only acceptable to talk about hypothetical instances of Islamophobia by the

unwashed masses of Americans too dumb to be as tolerant as the chattering class that sneers down its nose at them.

A solution to avoid this obviously partisan outrage? Wait until the dead have been buried and the maimed are out of surgery before you try to use emotion to influence a seismic change in national policy.

The rush to score cheap political points against one’s ideological opponents in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy has to be the most telling sign of the toxicity of the current political moment. Actor Wil Wheaton had a fairly typical take on Twitter Sunday night in a response to Speaker Paul Ryan’s offered condolences: “The murdered victims were in a church. If prayers did anything, they'd still be alive, you worthless sack of s---.” Similarly, President Trump took the low road following the Manhattan Islamist attack, comporting Senator Schumer with some sort of moral culpability for the radical’s actions. Let these families grieve — whether they be victims of a firearm wielding assailant or a jihadi seeking to implement a global caliphate — and save the partisan bickering until “cooler heads” can truly prevail.

The Mirror welcomes the opinions and contributions of its readers: Letters to the editor must be timely and submitted by email to info@fairfieldmirror.com or Box AA. All letters to the editor that are appropriate will be published either in print or online. The Mirror reserves the right to edit letters and articles for content, length and grammatical errors. Letters should be free of obscenities and personal attacks and should contain correct and factual information, not exceeding 500 words.

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arts, entertainment, features Editor Alicia Phaneuf alicia.phaneuf@student.fairfield.edu

Quick Center Presents:

Hasan Minhaj

Comedy

Show

Photo Illustration by Alicia Phaneuf CreativeCommons/Pixabay CreativeCommons/Wikimedia

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

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'Daily Show' Comedian Blends Politics and Humor

By Katherine Klima Contributing Writer

he showed statistics he had a mathematician calculate about the probability, which is very low, of someone being killed in a terrorist attack. He brought this back to the discussion of the travel ban and poked fun at how ridiculous the whole thing actually is. The way Minhaj carried out his performance was almost like a homage to his normal gig on the “Daily Show” since the show tends to be formatted in the same way.

Minhaj also addressed the fact that not everyone in the audience would agree with what he had to say, but he gave his opinion and the audience respected that.

He ended his performance with a quick Q&A, where he answered some questions from the audience with a mix of humor and inspiring remarks about what it’s like being from an Indian immigrant family in the United States.

Overall, Minhaj gave an interesting, hilarious and compelling performance. As a comedian in this day and age, where tension in politics has never been higher, Minhaj was able to shed a humorous and satirical light on topics we’re all trying to figure out ourselves.

Hasan Minhaj gave a stellar performance for the 10th Annual Stand Up for Homes with Hope comedy show. Homes with Hope, the organization Minhaj gave the performance for on Nov. 4 at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, is a Westport-based organization that has dedicated the past ten years to ending homelessness in Fairfield County.

Minhaj is an up-and-coming comedian, actor and writer. He’s well-known for his work as a senior correspondent on “The Daily Show,” which he’s been a part of since 2014. Minhaj was also notably chosen to perform at the 2017 White House Correspondents’ dinner and debuted his own comedy special, “Homecoming King” on Netflix in May 2017.

The night began with a short introduction by Jeff Wieser, president and CEO of Homes with Hope and stories from the people who received help from the organization. This would all lead up to an “auction” of sorts where members of the audience had the chance to donate generous sums of money toward Homes with Hope.

Finally, Minhaj took the stage for his act. As a performer, Minhaj is a natural. He was able to connect with his audience by opening with a few light jokes about being in Fairfield and Connecticut. He joked about things like the stereotypes in Fairfield and, at one point, even compared the town to the popular hit television show, “Gilmore Girls.” This allowed him to get on a personal level with most of the people that attended the event before taking a big stab at his major jokes and points.

Most of Minhaj’s comedy is satirical, so there was a heavy focus on making fun of topics that are hot in our country now like inequality and prejudice. Within those categories, Minhaj really focused in on sexism, racism and terrorism. For example, he used Disney princesses as an analogy for all of these things, poking fun at the different characters and bringing them to use in present time.

The topic Minhaj talked about the most was the refugee crisis, especially what’s going on in Syria. He mocked how people are really scared of what these refugees will do, when they aren’t really dangerous at all. Minhaj also satirized the concept of the U.S. being built on this moral idea of being diverse and letting all immigrants alike into the country, when nowadays that doesn’t seem to be the case.

In an interesting twist, Minhaj brought awareness to topics that make so many people uncomfortable nowadays. Personally, I enjoyed the fact he used something he’s good at, humor, to discuss topics everyone needs to consider.

This comedy show also did something unique and that was by giving a presentation to the audience. I haven’t seen a live stand-up show do something like this before, so I was definitely intrigued by it. Minhaj, who was being both satirical and serious at various points throughout this, prePhoto Contributed by John Videler sented the audience with graphics, statistics and interviews he’s given on Hasan Minhaj performs a comedy show for the audience at the Quick Center. the “Daily Show” to help prove his points. In particular, this was seen when

Bite App to Improve your Tully Dining Experience

By Cara Lee Assistant Vine Editor

other information may have been incorrect on the Bite App, she and her team always ensured that the allergen information was correct. She then reported that she and the other member of the app team had “met to discuss the app and the validity of the information that it provided,” deciding afterwards to “[take] down the app and the information that it provides until we can figure out the kinks.”

New first-years, returning sophomores and even upperclassmen can easily take charge of what nutrients they consume by downloading one simple app — the Bite App. The Bite App contains menus from schools and organizations throughout the country but with a few simple clicks, Fairfield University students can “save” the menu for the Tully Dining Room and access it easily whenever they wish.

The Tully menu is divided by day with each meal, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night, separated by a colorful banner. These bannered sections are then further separated into each area of the Tully from the soup and salad station to the grill, gluten-free and chef ’s table, among others. For upperclassmen who have limited swipes and want a way to decide which days and meals to use them — this meal item list is undoubtedly the app’s most useful feature.

Despite this, there are some downsides that Sodexo needs to fix before the app can be used to its fullest potential. When foods are selected, a list of nutrition information appears which includes serving size, calories, amount of trans and saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, carbohydrates and protein. This enables the ‘Menu Controls’ button on the top right corner of the app to restrict the menu so it only shows items without the allergen the student user selects. Sadly, the nutritional information that appears on this menu is not correct as the app lists foods that are utilized by Sodexo at every location — not specifically for Fairfield. So, while the Tully may be serving that surprisingly decent grilled salmon, the calorie information and serving size on the app may not match what is actually in the Tully.

Realizing that this was a potential health risk, Sodexo workers unexpectedly deleted the Tully menu for several weeks during October. In response to questions, Campus Dietitian Mackenzie Gordon assured that while caloric and Part of the Tully breakfast menu for Wednesday, Nov. 8.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, the app went back into operation. While Fairfield’s Sodexo team could not fix the nutrition information during this period, they used the time to ensure that all nutritional signs posted in the Tully had the correct nutritional information, allergen content, serving sizes and calories. After much discussion and many requests from students wishing to know what is being served in the Tully before swiping, the Sodexo team then re-activated the app with the warning that students only use the app as a guide while relying on the signs posted in the Tully for accurate nutritional, allergen and caloric information.

After hearing that the app was back in operation, Emily Michelini ‘20 observed that, “I really enjoy using the Bite App ... Unfortunately, it has not always been correct, so I hope that with the improvements [that will be and have been] made it will not only be more accurate with the food being served, but also with what ingredients the foods contain. I have many food allergies and I hope that for the safety of myself, and other students like me, that these problems have either been fixed or that students will be warned about these problems.”

Despite its flaws, the Bite App is a very useful tool for all years, but it can be especially useful for upperclassmen with limited meal plans who don’t want to waste a swipe for food they can easily prepare in their own kitchens.

Students hope that, once the “kinks” that Gordon mentioned are worked out, the app, or whatever may or may not replace it, will become a life saver — especially for those students with allergies or dietary restrictions.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

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Sabrina's St�le: The Best Fashion Discounts

By Sabrina Musto Fashion Columnist

personal favorite go-to items from Charlotte Russe, including “going out outfits” and flannels.

As college students, it is easy to fall into a pattern of never buying new clothes at school because everything seems so expensive. However, what most students do not know about are the student discounts that many stores close to campus offer in stores and online. Here are some of the stores that try to help students out in remaining fashionable while also being able to save.

Club Monaco: Show your student ID to save 15 percent to 20 percent at store locations. While Club Monaco is definitely on the expensive side, they do have some great sweater options for the fall and winter seasons.

Amazon.com: Students can get free two-day shipping for six months, plus discounted Prime and other deals. Amazon is good for anything you might need, but they also have their own clothing line, Amazon Fashion, so this student offer could come in handy for clothing purchases.

J. Crew: 15 percent discount in stores when you show your school ID. J. Crew currently has amazing fall and winter styles in stock for both men and women, including the Perfect Winter Parka, which looks super cozy and warm.

Topshop: Students get 10 percent off online and in store, and Topshop genuinely has every kind of style one could ask for. It is extremely trendy and has shoes, accessories and beauty products that this discount can be used for.

Toms: Students get free shipping on all orders and they’ll donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you buy. Not only do you get a deal for yourself, but purchasing a pair of Toms is more enticing because you get to help give a young child a cute pair of shoes.

Midnight Breakfast.

One piece of advice I would offer is to always ask if a clothing store has a student discount, because it never hurts to ask and be a more informed shopper.

Kate Spade: 15 percent discount when you show your student ID. While I personally would use my discount on Kate Spade’s accessories and jewelry, the company also has great clothing options, especially as the weather gets colder. I am a sucker for comfortable sweaters, which Kate Spade definitely has.

Steve Madden: 10 percent off in store with your valid ID. I may be biased because Steve Madden is my favorite shoe company, but this is definitely the place I was most enthusiastic to find out that offered a student discount. I buy a majority of my shoes from Steve Madden and I would recommend that anyone who has never shopped here definitely take advantage of that student discount and buy a great pair of shoes.

ModCloth: Save 15 percent at ModCloth when you register.

Modcloth offers great vintage looks as well as plenty of Christmas sweaters for anyone who has begun planning what to wear to Photo taken from charlotterusse Instagram

Banana Republic: Take 15 percent off your full-priced purchase at Banana Republic stores with your valid student ID. Banana Republic is the perfect store to purchase clothing for a job or internship, and with a 15 percent discount, you will actually want to spend money on work clothes.

ASOS: Students enjoy 10 percent off all full-priced ASOS products in store or online, or students can shop ASOS through StudentRate.com to get free shipping on a clothing order. My favorite items from ASOS are their dresses, because I feel that they have super chic and fashionable dresses for every occasion.

Charlotte Russe: At participating Charlotte Russe locations, students can get 10 percent off all merchandise, so stock up on my

Photo taken from JCrew Instagram

Photo taken from katespadeny Instagram

The Mirror Abroad: The Art Sabina's Sightseeing Corner

By Sabina Dirienzo Abroad Columnist

Since Geneva is smack dab on the border of Switzerland and France, I also got excited when we spotOne of the pieces of advice I got for studying ted a crepe truck a few hours later. Crepes are one of abroad was, “try the local food everywhere.” I took it my favorite things in the world and through the food to heart, because I love food. In Geneva, Switzerland, truck window you could watch the entire preparation I was ready to use this approach because the local food process. I also got to order in French, which was paris both very different from Irish food and supposedly ticularly satisfying because it meant that the eight years I took French classes were at least slightly worth it! (Let incredible.

Before going to Geneva, my opinions on fondue me have this one.) I had a crepe de sucre et cannelle, were more or less the same as that of Steve Rogers in mostly because I could not remember what ‘cannelle’ “Captain America: The First Avenger;” that is, confu- means; it’s cinnamon. The crepe was so delicious that writing about it is making sion about the exact definime want it again; the cinnamon tion and appeal of fondue. was crunchy for the last few But since it’s a famous part bites and the crepe was the perof Swiss cuisine and because fect, just-made temperature.

I was trying to be adventurAfter eating the crepes we ous, I decided to try what is happened to see the Jet D’eau essentially an expensive pot go off. The Jet D’eau is a founof boiling cheese with bread tain in Lake Geneva that seems dipped in it. I couldn’t stop to operate on a “surprise” thinking, ‘but I don’t even schedule or at least on one like cheese that much!,’ but that is not easily available to I did it anyway. The fondue tourists. It went off for longer was actually delicious. I ate than an hour and we watched an entire meal of cheese it as the sun set over the masand bread in Geneva’s Old sive lake with the Jet in the Town and I don’t regret it. foreground and the Swiss Alps Try the fondue in Switzerin the background. It was alland, people; it’s really good most ridiculously picturesque, and you’ll finally understand the weird hype that Sabina Dirienzo/TheMirror with a bright pink sky and the blinking lights of boats on the real adults with mortgages Geneva's Jet D'eau framed by Lake Geneva and lake.

Can I go back yet? have about it. the sunset.

Wolf "This piece is called 'Wollf' and I originally drew it for my aunt."

Sophia Palmieri '20

Do you want your art to be featured in the Art Corner? Please email your drawing, photograph, or comic along with a quote about your piece to alicia.phaneuf@student.fairfield.edu.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

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Warehouse to Host First EDM Show with Pierce Fulton

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor With the influence of every genre from heavy metal to classical music at his disposal, Pierce Fulton has proven himself to be an unorthodox genius in the realm of electronic dance music and house music. Upon entering the scene in 2011, Fulton took the music sphere by the horns, earning a No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts as well as collaborating with the likes of The Killers and Dillion Francis.

In June, Fulton released his first solo record, “Better Places,” which turned heads in the EDM scene for its unique take on modern EDM music. But this month, Fairfield County’s own EDM prodigy is making his way to downtown Fairfield with the first-ever EDM show in Fairfield Theatre Company history. Fulton sat down with The Mirror to discuss his upcoming tour, as well as being a multi-faceted, EDM powerhouse.

Q: On your debut album, what was your goal when going into the studio to write and record these new set of tunes?

As a musician, what were some difficulties when heading into the studio to record your debut album?

A: My main goal was to finally gather all of these songs that I’d been holding onto for quite some time and put them together in one cohesive body of work. Some songs on the album were written a few months before release and others were several years old, I just held onto them until the time was right … to put out a song like “1-800 SUCCEED” or “The Sound” as a single would probably confuse some of my listeners that know me for my progressive house sound, so I was thrilled to find a place for songs like those on this album.

The only difficulty was when I finally said ‘OK I’m gonna do an album finally!’ and then I was like ‘oh wow, now I have to finish nine songs at the same time!’ The most I had done before that was like four songs at once for an EP and I also didn’t want to have any ‘filler tracks’ on the album just to make it album length — I wanted every song on it to serve a specific purpose and stand out individually as well as in the mix of the whole album.

Q: Going off the previous question,

how has your experience with a plethora of genres, from classical to metal, shaped the way you write and perform as an EDM musician? Do you often find intersectionality between EDM and these genres?

A: I really just take in everything I’m around, playing or listening to. I am so lucky to have been surrounded by so many people with so many different musical tastes, from my parents to my high school and college friends and on to people I’ve collaborated with on my music. In high school for example, I’d learn about something like chord cadences in my music theory classes, my friend would show me a new metal band he just discovered and I maybe found some new electronic artist that I was really into … all three of those things would somehow play into me creating my own music. I’d take some knowledge from my music theory classes, study the arrangement and builds/drops of metal music (which is extremely well arranged), and somehow apply that to whatever music I was making.

That’s how I’ve always been, I don’t see music split into genres really … I know it helps people categorize, but to me a good song is a good song regardless of if it’s Mozart or Lamb of God. I’m specific to the point where some song will not be very good, but the drums are really well recorded, played or engineered, and I’ll admire the song for simply it’s drums … even JUST the snare drum sometimes!

Q: You have described your upcoming

Jetting off of that, what is the funniest interaction you’ve had with a fan?

A: Yeah, I try to keep things pretty transparent with my listeners. I’m not gonna button myself up online and pretend that I’m someone else. I also try to reply to legitimately anyone who wants to ask me a question because I like to let my listeners know that I’m just a regular dude who happens to make music. I think people hear my music differently when they know who I am, in a very good way, so I’d like to be able to seem like a friend to most.

The funniest interactions are always at meet and greets — people can just sometimes be so shy. As a result I have been doing a meet and greet style contest called “Darts with Pierce” where I bring a dart board somewhere or meet Photo Contributed by Skyler Greene Photography at a place with one and play a game with fans. It’s fun because anyone can throw tour with NVDES as a brand new live show. a dart and not that many people know What are you delivering to fans on this tour how to play … and it adds a human element that differs from past endeavors? What are to the meet and greet. I always want everyone you hoping fans will take away from seeing to feel comfortable meeting me instead of it you on this tour and gaining an experience being a sort of awkward ‘let’s take a picture say that will stay with them for a long time? hello and goodbye’ situation.

A: I’ve been DJing as my main form of Q: You yourself are a Fairfield, Conn. performing for a long time now because that native, which is a rare occurrence for musiwas really the only way to tour given how cians playing at FTC. What is it about Fairhectic the travel is. Now that I had the op- field that allures you as a musician and what portunity to plan this Better Places fall tour makes playing at The Warehouse so special well in advance, I was able to totally change for you? how I perform my music. Now, instead of beA: Yep, I was born in Bridgeport, Conn. ing some of my songs and some big DJ songs Although I did move to Vermont as a child that work on EDM crowds, my show is 100 and grew up there, my whole extended fampercent my music. And instead of pressing ily is from Connecticut. Seeing such a quality buttons and dancing around, I’ll be decon- venue come to town was so special — my parstructing, live remixing and sometimes just ents, aunts/uncles and family friends have all straight up playing my own music. I wanted gone to amazing shows at The Warehouse and it to be sort of like inviting you into my studio Stage One and have dropped the hint for me that’s conveniently on a stage with cool lights to play in Fairfield for years now. I’m so excitthat I programmed to every individual sound. ed because it’s an all ages show so a lot of my I hope that people go home learning about cousin’s or friend's kids who have never seen some of my music, new or old, that they’d me play can come see this new exciting live never heard before or maybe are inspired show! The funniest part is I used to do karate themselves to pick up an instrument and start at a place just up on the bridge over the train messing around. That’s exactly how I got into station as a kid, so to be playing a show at a it all! beautiful venue next door is pretty surreal.

Q: You’re very interactive with your Pierce Fulton will be playing at The fans on social media, including Facebook Warehouse in Downtown Fairfield on Monand Reddit. How have interactions with day, Nov. 27 with NVDES. For tickets, visit your fan base helped you grow as a musician fairfieldtheatre.org. as well as inspire you to write new music?

Sam Smith's Soulful Album 'Thrills' Fans

By Alicia Phaneuf Vine Editor

A beautiful vulnerability radiated through my headphones the first time I streamed Sam Smith’s newest album, “The Thrill of it All.” The rawness and passion in Smith’s vocals provided fans with an indescribable emotional experience throughout all 14 songs. “The Thrill of it All,” was released on Nov. 3 and opens with the hit song, “Too Good at Goodbyes,” which I praised in an earlier article for The Mirror. According to Rolling Stone, “Too Good at Goodbyes” has reached over 120 million YouTube plays since its release and I’m sure the album as a whole will continue the same way.

With songs that encompass soul, pop and R&B, “The Thrill of it All” is an inspirational album for a variety of listeners. Smith has the reputation of encompassing what it means to be a sad and sometimes lonely singer and this album emphasizes this same theme. However, what stands out in Smith’s newest album is his resilience and determination to accept heartbreak, and assess how he can best conquer this loneliness. The second song on Smith’s album, “Say it First,” is a powerful song where Smith requests the love of his life to, “say it first.” He claims that if his partner really loves him, he needs to hear the words come from his partner’s mouth first. Not only is this a vulnerable, desperate state of mind to be in, but it’s one that is so relatable. Everyone in a relationship is always nervous if their feelings aren’t echoed by their partner and in this song Smith expresses just how frustrating this state of unknowing can be.

How does Smith create an album with the theme of heartbreak and loneliness without putting his listeners to sleep? Variety. Sure, the majority of songs in Smith’s albums are his typical slow songs that rely heavily on piano chords and the strum of an acoustic guitar, but a few hidden singles scattered throughout the album slide into that “pop”

category. For example, “One Last Song” and “Baby, You Make Me Crazy,” both showcase Smith’s rare ability to take a sad concept and create an upbeat song out of it.

Acapella is a risky skill to experiment with as a singer who is trying to reach top charts. The majority of listeners want songs with a beat and rhythm to dance to, workout to or walk to class to. However, Smith took a leap of faith, and his leap made him soar. “Burning,” is the fifth song on Smith’s album and the acapella start is both powerfully and beautifully executed. After his first verse, a piano joins him throughout the remainder of the song, yet his voice does not waver from his original, low acapella key. Smith sings, “Funny how time goes by/ Had respect for myself/ That river ran dry/ You reached a limit/ I wasn't enough/ It's like the fire replaced all the love.” This lyric,

paired with the faint accompaniment of the piano, was nothing short of pure emotion and vulnerability. If this song doesn’t send a chill up your spine, then I fear you have no soul.

Perhaps the most powerful song of the album and rightfully so given the album’s title, is “The Thrill of it All.” This single features Smith’s unmatched triple threat of musical genius, vocal prestige and lyric beauty. A spiritually moving piece for sure, “The Thrill of it All” will undoubtedly meet the top spot on the charts, as not only is it relatable, but it also includes the incredible dynamic of softness that rises to a powerhouse of piano chords and a rush of lyrics pouring out of Smith’s mouth. During the chorus of this single, Smith sings, “I guess I got lost in the moment/ I guess I got lost in the fall/ I guess I got lost in your heartbeat/ In the thrill of it all/ And I guess you were goddamn perfect/ ‘Cause every single time you call/ I remind myself of what I lost that night, my love/ In the thrill of it all.” Everyone has experienced the emotion of what it means to lose someone — whether it be romantically or not. The feeling of lying awake at night, racking one’s mind about what they did to lose someone so special, so, “goddamn perfect,” is a feeling no one takes pleasure in. Yet, what’s even worse is realizing that they weren’t worth your time in the first place, for it may not be you who lost someone worth loving, it could be just the opposite. This theme of respecting oneself first, owning up to who you are and then figuring out how to fit in within an imperfect society is difficult, and Smith not only addresses this difficulty head on, but he takes this concept by the horns and fully embodies this raw emotion for the world to see and hear, which is simply astonishing.

“The Thrill of it All,” scored a 4/5 stars from Rolling Stone and a 73/100 from metacritic. The album is available for streaming on Spotify and goes for $11.99 on iTunes, where it received 4.5/5 stars from customer reviews.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

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Page 11 Photo taken from U2 Instagram

Monthly Top 10 Provided By WVOF

By Chloe Lazar WVOF Music Director

this past Friday, Nov. 3 and it contains hit after hit. The album consists of their well-known pop sound mixed with more R&B beats than their previous albums. “Wait” is going to be everywhere soon with its soothing but danceable sound, which leaves you wanting to keep listening to it over and over again.

By Ryan Pomarico WVOF Station Manager 1) “The Blackout,” by U2 After the mass release of their album, “Songs of Innocence” back in 2014, U2 is back with new singles. “The Blackout” still has the quintessential rock vibes that U2 is known for, but also incorporates techno beats to bring a different sound.

2). “So Much More Than This,” by Grace VanderWaal Fresh off of winning “America’s Got Talent” in 2016, VanderWaal released her highly-anticipated album, “Just The Beginning” this past Friday, Nov. 3. Being only 13 years old means it is truly “just the beginning” of her career, and it will be exciting to see where she goes as an artist. The album consists of her well-known acoustic sound, via ukulele, but also combines strong pop undertones, as heard in “So Much More Than This.”

3). “Like Gold,” by Vance Joy Coming off his hit song “Riptide” back in 2014, Vance Joy took a little hiatus from releasing music. “Like Gold” is the second single he has released this year and shows how the short break hasn’t hurt his musical proficiency. Its intricate guitar and slow, meaningful lyrics keep in line with Joy’s musicality and is perfect for those rainy days.

4). “Wait,” by Maroon 5 Maroon 5 released their new album “Red Pill Blues”

5). “Ghostface Killers,” by 21 Savage, Offset, Metro Boomin, Travis Scott 21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin sent everyone for a whirlwind when they released their most recent album, “Without Warning,” by complete surprise on Halloween. The entire album is full of eerie cues, sounds and lyrics that perpetuate its Halloween theme. The opening song “Ghostface Killers,” pays homage to the prominent Wu-Tang Clan member and is perfect for a variety of activities, ranging from working out to studying.

6). “Lemon,” by N.E.R.D. and Rihanna “I pull up with a lemon; not 'cause she ain't livin'; it's just your eyes get acidic,” Rihanna raps effortlessly on N.E.R.D.’s first new track since 2010’s “Nothing.” Rihanna steals the show with her excellent bars, but it’s Pharrell’s bright and in-your-face production that make this comeback worthwhile. N.E.R.D.’s new album “No_One Ever Really Dies” debuted this past weekend at Complex Con in Long Beach, Calif.

7). “We Are Fire,” by Saint Raymond Callum Burrows (stage name: Saint Raymond) is a young British singer who was born and raised in England. Still a rising star in the world of pop, many people seem to compare his lyrics to Death Cab For Cutie and the sound of COIN. “We Are Fire” is a song full of energetic guitar and drums that makes you want

Inkwell Spotlight Itsy Bitsy

By Marina Lindland Co-Editor-in-Chief at the Inkwell It’s trying.

The color changes every time I look at it.

Jet black, and tinged red.

I don’t think it’s a black widow.

It bit me three times before I found it Dangling off the sleeve of my sweatshirt.

It has seven legs Not eight One missing on the right side.

I can’t stop watching it Scurry around the table Climbing over folders and pens Taking the same route over and over.

It’s a baby Still doesn’t know That it can drop its web Glide to the floor And be free.

It treads the edge of the table For the fifth time.

I started this.

I could try to move it Put it out of its misery Balance it on the tip of my pencil And set it on the table next to mine.

Instead I watch As it crawls toward my professor And disappear in the folds Of her fuchsia sweater.

CreativeCommons/Pixabay

to get up and move, and is a perfect mood booster.

8). “Hang Your Heart,” by Tokyo Police Club A small band from Canada, Tokyo Police Club released their new album, “Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness,” at the beginning of this year and it had much to live up to following their successful 2014 album “Forcefield.” Lead singer Dave Monks has described this album as a way to try out and explore new sounds. The soothing, but still upbeat sound, in “Hang Your Heart” is just one example of that new sound.

9). “Biscuit Town,” by King Krule King Krule, real name Archy Marshall, describes his new album “The OOZ” as “the stuff you do subconsciously.” It’s no surprise that on the album’s low-key opener “Biscuit Town,” Marshall’s vocals and guitar float through the mix like a dream.

The somber but catchy vibe of the instrumental and the lyrics are perfect for rainy day listening.

10). “Follow You,” by Zuli Long Island native Ryan Camenzuli is the mastermind behind the imaginative sound that is part of Zuli’s new album, “On Human Freakout Mountain.” The album opens with, “follow you,” which is full of guitar folk, rock, power pop and basically anything else in the kitchen sink. These combinations of sound are very similar to that of bands like Weezer and Vampire Weekend.

Don’t miss out on WVOF’s next General Meeting, Nov. 13 located in room 203 in the Egan School of Nursing.

De-stress with Freezing Dessert

By Alicia Phaneuf Vine Editor With the end of Halloween and the start of sweater weather, temperatures outside have reached those dreaded winter-lows. So how does one salvage the sweet feeling of summertime? Two words: ice cream. The town of Fairfield has numerous options for students to adventure off campus and re-visit those summertime ice cream flavors with the newest addition to the long list being The Freezing Moo. The Freezing Moo opened on July 2 and many Stags are still unaware of this hidden gem due to the fact that it opened over the summer. The Freezing Moo features Thai fried ice cream rolls — in other words, the cool kind of ice cream that they roll up and everyone puts on their Snapchat stories.

The Freezing Moo has 18 flavors, in addition to two seasonal ones (the fall flavors are Pumpkin Spice and Apple Cinnamon). On my venture to the Freezing Moo, I ordered the Cookie Monster, which is essentially vanilla ice cream with oreo pieces. The employees start off by pouring milk over an iced grill, where they then smooth it and roll it into three rolls. You then have the option to choose three out of 38 different toppings to add to your dessert.

I would give the Freezing Moo a 9/10 for experience and a 5/10 for actual taste and quality of the ice cream. If one is looking for a fun night out and doesn’t want to waste $10 on ice cream at Milkcraft, then the Freezing Moo’s $5.94 ice cream option is a great alternative. However, the taste of the ice cream is not nearly up to par with the rest of Fairfield’s ice cream locations.

A unique quality about the Freezing Moo, which is especially great to know about if you’re on the board of a club or organization, is that the Freez-

ing Moo caters. With a minimum of 20 orders, the Freezing Moo will bring their aesthetically pleasing and fun-filled flavors right to your residence hall.

With finals season right around the corner, this is a great option to keep in mind. Just form a group of 20 people and order ice cream for a perfect study break snack.

Don’t let those wintertime blues get you down — the Freezing Moo will be sure to raise your spirits through an entertaining night of choosing your flavor, watching your ice cream being made, selecting three toppings and adding that perfect Snapchat photo to your story that will be sure to have other Stags jealous of your night out on the town.

Alicia Phaneuf/Mirror

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

Coffee Break

Page 12

Coffee Break Editor: Claire Monahan

Hogwarts’ Newest Students, Sorting The Mirror Staff!

Have you ever wondered who are the people who bring you your news, commentary, entertainment, humor and sports? What kind of people are they?

What are their core values? This week, Coffee Break hopes to shed a small amount of light on the people behind this glorious institution.

Gryffindor Daniel Montgomery Connor O’Rourke Bravery, Nerve,

Slytherin Dr. Xie Andrew DaRosa Deanna Carbone

Chivalry and Daring Ambition, Resourcefulness, Cunning and Determination

Hufflepuff* Hard work, Dedication, Loyal, Unafraid of Toil and Tolerance

Cara Lee Claire Monahan Alicia Phaneuf Alfredo Torres Juliana Sansonetti Allison White Lexi Thimble

Ravenclaw

Catherine Veschi Intelligence, Wisdom, Creativity and Individuality

Creative Commons/ Wikimedia Commons

*Initially there was a lot of confusion as to why so many staff members were sorted into Hufflepuff, but after closer examination of Hufflepuff’s traits, it became obvious.

Sports

SPORTS

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

This Week in Sports:

Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

In Case You

Page 13

Notable MAAC Awards

Missed It: Wednesday, November 1st -Men's Soccer defeats Rider, 3-0 -Volleyball defeats Marist, 3-1 Friday, November 3rd -Field Hockey defeats LIU Brooklyn, 6-0 -Bridgeport defeats Men's Basketball, 88-86 Saturday, November 4th -Volleyball defeats St.Peter's, 3-0 -Men's Soccer defeats Niagara, 2-1 Sunday, November 5th -Field Hockey defeats Monmouth, 2-1 -Volleyball defeats Rider, 3-0

Photo Contributed By Sports Information Desk

On Thursday, Nov. 2 Erin Buckley ‘18 was named MAAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, sharing the award with Monmouth’s Julie Laszlo. Buckley played a huge part in Fairfield’s three shutouts in the Stags’ last four games of the season. For the year, the senior scored two goals and posted one assist for the red and white. She was also named to the All-MAAC First Team for the second straight season. Buckley and the Stags travel to Boston University on Wednesday for the opening round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament at 1 p.m. when they take on the No. 20 Terriers in a rematch of the 2015 tournament. Fairfield fell 6-1 to Boston University two years ago and hope that this year’s squad can reverse the luck.

Upcoming This Week: Wednesday, November 8th -Field Hockey at Boston, 1 p.m.

-Women's Volleyball vs. Siena, 7 p.m.

Thursday, November 9th -Men's Soccer vs. Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

Photo Contributed By Sports Information Desk

On Tuesday, Nov. 7 Megan Theiller ‘18 was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week after posting three consecutive double-doubles in Fairfield’s last three games. Theiller is the fourth Stag to win the award this year, joining Mayda Garcia ‘19, Manuela Nicolini ‘20 and Skyler Day ‘18. In the 10 sets she took the court this past week, Theiller averaged 4.50 kills per set and 4.10 digs per frame.

She highlighted the week by posting 19 kills in a 3-0 sweep over Rider on Sunday. With Theiller in the lineup this season, the Stags are 11-0 on the court. The senior leads the Stags back in action on Wednesday when they welcome Siena to Alumni Hall for a 7 p.m. start in hopes of winning their 17th straight game.

Friday, November 10th -Women's Basketball vs. Richmond, 7 p.m.

Saturday, November 11th -Women's Volleyball vs. Niagara, 1 p.m.

-Men's Basketball vs. Penn, 1 p.m.

Sunday, November 12th -Women's Volleyball vs. Canisius, 1 p.m.

In this week's issue...

- Volleyball Clinches MAAC Regular Season Title (Page 14)

- Men's Soccer Wins MAAC Regular Season Championship (Page15)

- Men's Basketball Falls to Bridgeport 88-86 in Exhibition (Page 15) - Field Hockey Wins MAAC Championships (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

Volleyball Clinches MAAC Regular Season Title

Contributed By Sports Information Desk Junior Taylor Rudeen (left) made her presence felt in the team's win as she posted 13 digs in the contest. Sophomore Manuela Nicolini (center) and Megan Theiller '18 (right) spearheaded the offensive effort.

By Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor For a staggering 17th time in the last 22 years, the Fairfield University volleyball team has been crowned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season champions. With their 3-0 sweep of the Rider Broncos on Sunday afternoon, the Stags won their 16th straight overall game and moved to 15-0 in conference play.

The red and white now stand at 20-6 on the year and need one more win to capture the outright season title and earn No. 1 in the upcoming MAAC Tournament.

Senior Megan Theiller led the way offensively for the Fairfield in the triumph over Rider as the veteran sent home 19 kills while also providing 11 digs on the defensive end. Junior Kaitlyn Fisher and Kaylie Butts ‘21 also added to the attack as they posted eight and seven kills, respectively, on the afternoon.

And as she has done remarkably all season long, Manuela Nicolini ‘20 controlled the pace of the game, dishing out 40 assists in the win to continue her fantastic playmaking run.

On the defensive end, Taylor Rudeen ‘19 had a team-high 13 digs to go along with Theiller’s 11. Nicolini and Sonja Radulovic ‘20 each added nine digs of their own in the game. Senior Skyler Day owned the court from the service line as she hammered home five service aces, matching a career-high for the reigning MAAC Player of the Year.

Fairfield returns to the court Wednesday, Nov. 8 in search of their 17th-straight win when they welcome Siena to Alumni Hall for a 7 p.m. start. The Stags then conclude regular season play this weekend when foes Niagara and Siena come down to Connecticut for a pair of weekend games.

Weekly 4x5 Because we have witty things to say ...

Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor

Allison White, Alfredo Torres, Daniel Montgomery and Andrew DaRosa

Aaron Judge is named the cover athlete for MLB The Show 18.

Thoughts?

The Field Hockey team won the MAAC Championships this past Sunday. What are your reactions?

Will you be in attendance on Thursday for Men's Soccer semifinal against Quinnipiac?

Volleyball won the MAAC Regular Season Championship already. Are you actually surprised?

Basketball season is set to start this weekend, are you excited to see some Fairfield hoops?

Reppin' New York, bby!!

Woo hoo!! An awesome win for an awesome group of gals. Happy hour to celebrate?

Might as well go since half the staff just inadvertently told me below that they're skipping critique to go!!

Field trip?

Absolutely not! Those girls rock!

Yes, maybe I'll actually make it to a game my last year!!!

It's Litt! All-Rise for the Judge! As he graces us with his prescence on the cover of MLB The Show. We didn't win the World Series, but this isn't a bad consolaation prize.

So happy & excited! Proud to see that the girls won it all again after such a crazy season. Shoutout to the seniors, ending their careers with a ring.

Playoff soccer at Lessing Field?!

Who would miss such a thing?

Sorry critique, gotta work.

Not at all, I would be surprised if we lost but I'm not worried about that at all.

Excited but sad because this will be my last year covering all the games : (

Biiiiig boy on the cover, he certainly deserves it.

Second time in three years, becoming normal for the Stags to bring the trophy back here!

Fur sure!! Stags are loaded this year with talent I can't wait to see them crush Quinnipiac.

Not even a little bit. The W's just pile up like nothing for them.

You heard it first here, Fairfield is headed to the NCAA Tournament this year ... not saying which team.

As a Red Sox fan who has been

WOOT WOOT! Another MAAC Championship under our helm.

Never thought Fairfield U would be this dominant in sports but kudos!

We got B-Issue to put out so sadly, Never, they work to their fullest Would it be bad to say I've never gone to we will all be in the Mirror office, potential and excel. This victory is a Fairfield Basketball game? But shoutout crying in pain. to Fairfield Club Hockey for their win this well-deserved.

Allison White Editor-in-Chief

Alfredo Torres Sports Editor

Your 2017-2018 4x5 Columnists:

Andrew DaRosa bred from birth to hate the YanExecutive Editor

kees, I give props to The Judge for his great year.

Can't wait to watch them tear it up as I direct the sports broadcast for my class tonight ... yikes, I know.

week and to my boy Ben Affenito for getting in two goals.

Sports

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2017

Page 15

Soccer Wins MAAC Regular Season Championship on Senior Day

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Before their massive victory over Rider, the seniors posed with their parents and were honored for their contributions to the program in their time at Fairfield. The seniors would lead the Stags to a 3-0 win on the evening.

By Christopher Lazzazera Contributing Writer On Wednesday, Nov. 1, a cold night at Lessing Field, the Fairfield University Men’s soccer team accomplished one of their preseason goals: win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season title. With a final score of 3-0 over visiting conference foe Rider, the Stags captured their first regular season crown since the 2011 campaign.

Before the game, the Stags’ seven seniors including Angus Hastings, Jordan Emsley, Charlie Reed, Jonathan Uy, Jack Robinson, Ben Wignall and Steven Valente were honored for their accomplishments and dedication to the program for the past four years. Wignall could not have asked for a better senior night. “It was very special. A lot of our parents traveled over from England for this game. The last few weeks everything has just gone right for us. Coming into tonight it couldn’t have gone any better,” said Wignall.

Offensively, it seemed as though the Stags couldn’t be stopped. They controlled possession of the ball often and attacked Rider at will. First-year Matt McGlinchey tallied the Stags first goal with a beautiful free kick from about 10 yards out. Fairfield took a 1-0 lead

into the locker room at halftime and continued to add to their lead early in the second half of play.

Wignall gave his parents something to cheer about, scoring on a deflection to put the Stags in front 2-0. The icing on the cake came in the 74th minute, when Don-Junior Bobe ’21 sneaked a shot inside the near post, all but ending Rider’s hopes of making a comeback.

Fairfield’s defense helped ease the pressure on the offense all night. Rider was never able to get the ball into Fairfield’s zone as they only had three shots on goal the whole night.

Head coach Carl Rees emphasized how his team played a complete game but stressed how there are still things to improve on. “We have to stay humble. We have to keep improving.

This season has been about development,” said Rees. “I think tonight was probably our best performance all year, which is a good sign.”

With the win, the Stags finish the season as the MAAC regular season champions. Fairfield will host the No. 5 Quinnipiac University on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. The Stags defeated the Bobcats 1-0 in their only matchup of the season on Sept. 27 in Hamden, Conn. and look for the same result come this Thursday, Nov. 9 at Lessing Field.

Stags Fall To Bridgeport 88-86 in Exhibition Game

By Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor On Friday, Nov. 3, the red and white faithful were privy to a dismal collapse as the Stags fell 88-86 to the Bridgeport Purple Knights, a Division II program, on a buzzerbeater in their final exhibition game before the season begins.

Fairfield’s offense looked promising in the first half as they finished the first 20 minutes of play up 45-35. The Stags shot 63 percent from the field in the frame and a 44.4 percent from beyond the arc while Bridgeport kept Fairfield star Tyler Nelson ‘18 relatively quiet. First-year Ferron Flavors Jr. led the offensive charge with 11 points, nine of which were from the three in the half.

With the offense running smoothly, it was up to the Stags’ defense to rise to the challenge. The man-to-man defense looked stout in the first half as they held the Purple Knights to just 40 percent shooting in the half. The red and white rebounded well and forced the visitors to take most of their shots from the three as they swallowed the Purple Knights when they ventured into the paint.

As the second half began, the Stags offense once again came out on fire. At one point in the half, Fairfield stretched its lead to 56-42, the largest lead of the game for either team. But Bridgeport would not quit, as they battled back to cut the lead to two points at 60-58 with 12 and a half minutes remaining.

With six minutes left, the Stags looked like they regained control after a Jerome Segura ‘18 three-point play gave Fairfield a 75-69 lead. Bridgeport then once again went on an offensive tear as they tied the game at 77 with two and a half minutes to play.

For the next two minutes the teams traded lead changes until a layup from Wassif Methnani ‘21 gave the Stags an 86-85 lead with under 30 seconds to play. Bridgeport then went to the charity stripe and made the first free-throw after a foul was called to even the game at 86. The Purple Knights then missed the second shot to give the Stags the ball and a chance to win the game.

Nelson dribbled the ball up the court and went to pass to Taj Benning ‘21, but his pass was deflected and stolen by Bridgeport as the Purple Knights charged down the court in the game's waning seconds and converted a game-winning layup as the buzzer sounded to win the game 88-86 and drain the hopes of Fairfield fans.

Flavor’s Jr. and Nelson led the way with 16 points a piece as Methnani posted a Alfredo Torres/The Mirror double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Senior Tyler Nelson (top) was for the most part held in check for the Stags as he had to work extremley hard to score 16 Fairfield opens regular season play this Saturday, Nov. 11 when they welcome points. Freshman Wassif Methnani was dominant in the paint for the red and white as he posted a double-double in just the University of Pennsylvania Quakers to Webster Bank Arena for a 1 p.m. tip off. his second game suiting up for Fairfield.

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of November 8, 2017

fairfieldmirror.com

SPORTS 16 Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

Field Hockey Defeats Monmouth To Win MAAC Championships

Contributed By Sports Information Desk For the second time in three seasons, Fairfield took home the MAAC Championship in thrilling fashion with a 2-1 win over Monmouth. The Stags begin NCAA Tournament play on Wednesday when they head to Boston University.

By Alfredo Torres Sports Editor It was a rollercoaster season filled with several highs and lows but ultimately, the Stags came out on top when they needed it the most as they captured the illustrious Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship this past Sunday, Nov. 5 after defeating top-seeded host Monmouth University 2-1. The win gave the Stags their second MAAC Championship in the last three years.

After finishing the season with a 4-2 conference record, the Stags were awarded No. 3 in the MAAC Tournament. In their first round matchup, the Stags had to take on No. 2 Long Island University Brooklyn, where the winner would advance to the MAAC Championship game.

Fairfield took care of LIU Brooklyn in easy fashion, as they would go on to dominate in a 6-0 blowout.

In the game for the Stags, graduate student Hannah Pike led the way as she set the tone early by scoring two quick goals in just the first 10 minutes of the contest to give Fairfield a 2-0 advantage.

Senior Andrea Soler followed up with a goal of her own, her team-leading eighth goal of the season, pushing Fairfield’s lead to three. First-year Danielle Profita joined the party as well, as she knocked in a goal to increase Fairfield’s lead to four as LIU continued to struggle to score.

In the 43rd minute of the game, Fairfield struck once again as Jamie Appelberg ‘18 connected on a pass by Jacklyn Gallagher ‘18 to give them their fifth goal of the game. Already scoring two goals on the game, Pike would strike once again for her third goal of the game with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game to close the game out for the Stags as they came out victorious 6-0 over LIU Brooklyn. Although the Stags dominated on offense, they also performed tremendous on defense shutting out LIU, giving goalkeeper Caitlin Gilligan ‘19 her fourth shutout on the season.

With the dominating win, the Stags earned a spot in the MAAC Championship where they were set to face off against No. 1 Monmouth University after they knocked off No. 4 Rider.

The only thing standing in the way for a Fairfield MAAC Championship and National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament birth was the defending MAAC Champions and host, Monmouth.

The start of the game saw the defending champions being the aggressor, as they were attacking the ball on every single possession. Monmouth’s aggression worked out for the better, as they struck early just seven minutes into the game, knocking down the game’s first goal off the stick of Josephine Van Der Hoop ‘20. The goal seemed to give Monmouth some momentum as they would continue their aggressive play through the first half of play, keeping the Stags on their feet. Fortunately for the Stags, they were able to weather the storm and limit the damage to just one goal heading into the halftime.

The start of the second half would see the momentum shift toward Fairfield’s direction as now the tables had turned as the Stags’ offense became the aggressors. In the 41st minute of the contest, defender Cassie Hughes ‘19 gained control of a ball on the Fairfield side and sent a long pass down the center of the field to find the stick of Pike, who skipped past two Monmouth defenders before knocking a shot just past the opposing goalkeeper. The goal tied the game at one for the Stags. "That play was a game changer," stated head coach Jackie Kane. "It was incredible vision for Cassie to see that lane and make that pass, plus Hannah's composure to finish the

play really made a difference in how this game played out."

Pike would not be satisfied with just one goal as she would strike once again, following a penalty corner for the Stags. With less than 14 minutes remaining in the game, Lilly Auch ‘21 passed the ball to the top of the circle reaching Pike, who hit a low shot just inside the post to give Fairfield a 2-1 lead. The goals from Pike would be all the offense the Stags needed as they would go on to shut down Monmouth’s offense for the remainder of the game, sealing the 2-1 victory and a 2017 MAAC Championship.

Following the game, Pike was named the MAAC Tournament MVP after a weekend that saw her score a total of five goals, three coming against LIU with the other two coming in the decisive championship game. Senior Erin Buckley, Gallagher and Hughes would also receive recognition for their performances throughout the weekend as they earned spots in the MAAC All-Tournament team.

Fairfield returns to the national stage when they travel to take on Boston University in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at New Balance Field on the Boston University campus. The winner of this game will advance to play the University of Connecticut in a first round game scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 11.

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror After a wild season, the Stags turned it on during the home stretch and are peaking when it counts. Making quick work of the MAAC Tournament field, Fairfield is ready for redemption when they play Boston University on Wednesday in a rematch of 2015's opening round of the NCAA Tournament.