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Ryan Lochte Opinion Athletes should be held accountable for their misdemeanors.

Bandaloop

Volleyball Sports

Vine

Stags look to carry momentum following the Fairfield Invitational.

Self-proclaimed pioneers of vertical dance grace Bannow with their gravity-defying skills.

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THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of September 14, 2016

Vol. 42 Iss. 2

New RecPlex Opens to Overwhelming Support

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Fairfield Ranked 2nd Regional School in North

By Juliana Sansonetti Assistant News Editor

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Top: The RecPlex opened on Sept. 2. (Top:) the outside of the RecPlex. (Bottom left:) the indoor track. (Bottom right:) the cardio machines.

This ranking recognizes the excellence of our academic programs as well as our outstanding faculty.

- Lynn Babington Vice President for Academic Affairs

By Juliana Sansonetti Assistant News Editor One year and $22 million dollars later, the Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Recreation Complex is finally completed. A mob of excited students, who were waiting for this moment since the project was announced in 2014, entered the new RecPlex for the first time as soon as it opened to the public on Sept. 2. Immediately after the opening, some students already in workout clothing began using the facility, taking advantage of the opportunity to be among the first students to use it.

The facility was met with almost unanimous support from students. Senior Kelsey Laforest couldn’t be more satisfied with the changes.

“The old gym [RecPlex] was horrible. My friends and I had to join The Edge downtown to use the gym up until now because we didn’t like going to the old one. The updated RecPlex is awesome and I love that we get to be a part of the new development even if it is only for one year.”

Last year, while the gym was being built, options to workout were relatively limited for students. The equipment from the entire RecPlex, including the cardio and free weight machines, were all relocated to one room in Alumni Hall. Fairfield also began a program called FairfieldFit where students instructed classes such as Zumba across campus. Although the gym could still be used, many students chose to exercise at other local gyms like The Edge or Planet Fitness. Students expressed their relief when returning to campus and having a gym in walking distance.

“Last year we had no gym, so this year it’s much better; it’s much more convenient than

Fairfield was recently ranked as the number two school in the North

by U.S. News & World Report in their regional college rankings.

The U.S. News and World Report college rankings have been reported annually for 30 years. According to their website, “U.S. News & World Report’s rankings and advice have served as a valuable reference when making life’s toughest decisions … U.S. News has been providing education rankings and helping parents and students find the perfect school.”

Fairfield came in second after Providence College with Bentley University following behind. Last year Fairfield was ranked as the sixth place school in the North for the 2015-2016 school year by U.S. News and World Report. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lynn Babington commented on the ranking.

Jesse Erickson/The Mirror

going to The Edge or another gym off campus,” said Shane Gregory ‘18. “There’s brand new equipment, which is definitely nice, a larger weight room and then there’s the track which is especially nice when it’s raining outside or it’s winter.”

Associate Vice President for Facilities Management David Frassinelli also commented on the positive responses he has heard about the RecPlex.

“The fact that the cardio is all organized in one space appeals to students,” Frassinelli said.

“A good amount of the cardio didn’t even have exterior windows [in the old RecPlex], so now they have exterior windows so that when you’re working out, it’s light and you can look out the window.”

The RecPlex is now three levels with the top floor being dedicated to cardio. Fairfield has added a total of 28 additional cardio machines, tallying for a total of 78 machines as opposed to

the 50 machines last year. The second floor, also the central floor, is where individuals can utilize the weight room, as well as the field house where there are courts to play basketball, volleyball and tennis. On the ground floor, there were huge changes in the layout. In addition to an updated racquet ball room, there are now five rooms for classes and free use by members.

Director of Recreation John Paladino has noted the overwhelmingly positive response of students to the new RecPlex. Students particularly enjoy the new equipment, the fieldhouse courts, exercise rooms, spin room and the elevated track, according to Paladino.

This year, Fairfield continued to go with the FairfieldFit campaign using the rooms for classes like 30-minute abs, Zumba, yoga and spin. In order to participate in the class, members can sign up through a site called IMLeagues that handles registration for intramurals, the fitness READ

MORE ON PAGE 4

“We are very pleased to be in the number two spot in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings this year,” stated Babington. “This ranking recognizes the excellence of our academic programs as well as our outstanding faculty.”

Babington continued, “As we continue to develop new programs, strengthen our existing curricula and bring excellent faculty to Fairfield, we expect to continue to rise in the college rankings.”

Babington also discussed the way Fairfield prepares its students for the future.

“The faculty at Fairfield University are constantly innovating for today’s students and helping to create strong leaders of tomorrow,” Babington added. “And they, along with our students, continue to prove they are of the highest caliber.”

This news is important to Fairfield as it indicates that the University is getting national attention from reputable news sources.

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THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

News

Illustration designed using Piktochart Information provided by Fairfield University Office of Admissions

Freshman Class Produces Record Numbers Across the Board

By Catherine Veschi News Editor As more students apply to colleges across the country than ever before, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, Fairfield continues to keep its prestigious acclaim with the Class of 2020.

This year, the University received the largest applicant pool in its history with 11,055 applications. Of these 11,055 applicants, the University accepted 6,795, maintaining an acceptance rate of 61.5 percent, a number that Dean of Enrollment Karen Pellegrino says is lower than it has been in the past five or six years.

“We admitted a smaller percentage of students, but we’ve enrolled the largest class in our history as far as I can tell at this point,” said Pellegrino, noting that there are 1,071 members of the Class of 2020, compared to 966 in the Class of 2019.

Not only is the size of the Class of 2020 larger than ever, but with the new freshman class, the Egan School of Nursing and Health

Studies has grown in size as well.

“We have a large number of nursing students this year; larger than we anticipated,” Pellegrino said. “[We have] 152 nursing students.

We’re usually somewhere around 120 to 125, so we were a very popular option for nursing students this year.”

For Emma Rybacki ‘19, “the expansion of the [Egan] School of Nursing is probably why more and more students are pursuing careers in nursing at Fairfield.”

Pellegrino added that the unexpected increase in nursing students may have impacted the ratio of males to females at the University, since the majority of nursing students are females.

She noted that 39 percent of the freshman class are males, while 61 percent are females.

Pellegrino acknowledged that the number of females attending Fairfield may be growing as the School of Nursing grows in size and popularity.

Another upward trend the Office of Admissions noticed in the freshman class is the increase in the number of international students

in the Class of 2020. According to Pellegrino, the Class of 2020 has double as many international students (41) as the class of 2019 (18).

Pellegrino attributed the increase to the University’s increased efforts in promoting Fairfield to students around the world.

“We’ve really made a concerted effort to do more international recruiting,” said Pellegrino.

“We actually currently have someone in India right now [recruiting students], so that’s helped create this big shift.”

Freshman Claire Monahan feels that having more international students at the University “really enriches everyone’s Fairfield experience. We can learn about other cultures as well as more closely examine our own.”

On a national level, Pellegrino noted that members of the Class of 2020 come from 23 different states across the country, including a student from South Dakota. This number varies over the years, Pellegrino said, remarking that the largest number of states represented at the University was 28.

While the University saw dramatic shifts

in different categories with the freshman class, some statistics remained relatively consistent as compared to previous years.

Pellegrino acknowledged that last semester’s “ghetto party” may have concerned some minority groups looking to commit to Fairfield, but saw no dramatic shift in the racial makeup of the freshman class.

“Approximately 14 percent of our students are students of color, which is fairly consistent with where we’ve been. We usually are anywhere from 14.5 to 15 percent, so pretty close,” Pellegrino said.

Pellegrino added that from an academic standpoint, the GPAs and SATs of the Class of 2020 closely resemble those of previous classes.

“The academic profile of the class is pretty similar to last year. The average SAT scores are just a little bit higher than they were last year,” Pellegrino said.

While academia is on the forefront of admissions, the Class of 2020 is shaping up to be one of the more intellectually-based classes in Fairfield’s history.

THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

News

News: In the United States

8.

Compiled by Juliana Sansonetti Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

9/6 5:36 p.m.

A car parked on Leeber Road by the Townhouses was vandalized sometime during the night. The passenger side mirror was damaged. Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Public Safety.

9/7 6:29 a.m.

DPS discovered damage to the northern Round Hill Road gate, which is also known as the Jogues gate. DPS believes it was hit by a car from off-campus. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward to Public Safety.

9/8 10:51 a.m.

In Jogues Hall, ResLife notified DPS of suspicious activity. DPS responded and found approximately 14 grams of marijuana in a student’s room. The student involved was arrested. She claimed that she was not aware that marijuana was illegal.

9:17 p.m.

DPS responded to a fight in the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. Theatre west parking lot. A student was assaulted by an individual who was selling narcotics. The drug dealer, who was not a student, sold the student an empty bag in place of promised drugs. As a result, a fight broke out. The drug dealer was identified, but the matter is still under investigation.

9/9 11:09 p.m.

DPS observed a group of males vandalizing a fence near Townhouses 10 block. Two students were identified and referred to Student Conduct.

9/12 10:18 a.m.

DPS responded to a fire alarm in Kostka Hall. The alarm was activated by steam from a shower. The steam was created by a student in an attempt to mask the smell of marijuana the student was smoking. The student was arrested for possession of narcotics and was referred to Student Conduct.

CAU TTIO N O I N U CA THE MIRROR Incorporated 1977

Jesse Erickson, Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa, Executive Editor Ariana Puzzo, Managing Editor Editors Catherine Veschi, News Juliana Sansonetti, Assistant News Kelsey Sullivan, Opinion Colleen O’Connor, Vine Brendan Zimmerman Assistant Vine Alfredo Torres, Sports Daniel Montgomery, Assistant Sports Allison White, Chief Copy Editor Online Bradley Nordsrom, Web Master Business Department Email: advertising@fairfieldmirror.com Steph van Fleet, Director of Finance Madeleine Sandie, Director of Advertising Marcus DeSouto, 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

By Catherine Veschi News Editor

2.

4.

3.

6. 7.

5.

1.

1. Alpine, Texas- Alpine High School was evacuated on Thursday, Sept. 8 after one person was killed in an “active shooter incident,” according to the Brewster County Sheriff ’s Office. Additionally, other schools in the area went on lockdown while the shooter was on the loose.

5. Pawnee, Okla.- An earthquake that hit Oklahoma on Sept. 3 was recorded as the strongest earthquake in the state’s history, with a magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale. The earthquake fueled growing concerns over seismic activity linked to a decade-long boom in oil and gas production.

2. Oakland, Calif.- After a sex scandal in June that involved a teenage sex worker and police officers, the Mayor of Oakland announced on Wednesday, Sept. 7 the departure of four police officers and seven other officials connected to the scandal. The officers are facing violations of attempted sexual assault, assisting in the crime of prostitution and failing to report a violation of the law.

6. Kansas City, Kan.- Lawrence John Ripple, 70, was arrested for robbing a bank. Ripple later claimed that he robbed the bank in order to avoid coming home to his wife. Ripple apparently told his wife that “he’d rather be in jail than at home” during an argument, according to Yahoo News.

3. Longmont, Colo.- Vanessa and David Hall were jailed on suspicion of abusing their 17-yearold blind and autistic son. Their son was hospitalized, weighing 88 pounds. Dr. Denise Hasson likened the boy’s condition to that of a concentration camp survivor.

4. Central Valley, N.Y.- An Israel-based rabbi, Aharon Goldberg and an Orthodox Jewish man, Shimen Liebowitz, were arrested in connection to a plot to kidnap and murder a man whose wife wanted to divorce him.

7. Riverview, Mo.- Police found the body of protest leader Darren Seals, 29, inside a burning car, five miles east of Ferguson on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Detectives have yet to determine a motive or identify any witnesses in the death of Seals.

8. Sudden Valley, Wash.- Northwest Washington was struck with a 3.2 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, Sept. 6 according to the United States Geological Survey. The earthquake briefly shook homes and rattled residents around 11:50 p.m.

News: Around the World

By Catherine Veschi News Editor North Korea- North Korea announced that, in potentially the most powerful nuclear test the country has had yet on the morning of Friday, Sept. 9, they have successfully detonated a nuclear warhead that could be mounted on ballistic rockets. State media said that the test would enable North Korea to produce “a variety of smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear warheads of higher strike power.”

Paris, France- Police found three radicalized French women, aged 19, 23 and 39, that were behind a recent failed terrorist attack near Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral. Police found that the women were linked to the discovery of a car loaded with gas cylinders that was parked near the cathedral.

Officials said that the women were planning a violent attack on Gare de Lyon station in Paris, but were stopped by police.

Syria- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, announced on Sept. 9 that the U.S. and Russia agreed to a tentative ceasefire deal in Syria. The ceasefire is intended to lead the way to a joint U.S.-Russian air campaign against the Islamic State and other extremist groups.

O Porrino, Spain- At least four people died and 48 were injured after a passenger train derailed in the northwest part of the country. The train crashed in O Porrino on the morning of Sept. 9 while travelling between Spain and Portugal. The train’s Portuguese engineer and Spanish ticket collector were among the deceased, as well as two passengers.

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THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

News

Page 4

DPS Improves Campus Security After Sexual Assault

By Juliana Sansonetti Assistant News Editor

In the wake of last semester’s sexual assault that occurred in between the Bannow Science Center and the Dimenna-Nyselius Library, the Department of Public Safety has made several changes to the on-campus security.

Last semester, according to the CT Post, a female student was punched in the face and sexually assaulted by a middle aged man as she walked from the library to Bannow.

According to Assistant Director of DPS John Ritchie, more lighting was added in the Townhouse area along with trees being trimmed back to create better lines of sight near Faber Hall in response to the event. Cameras were also added to all campus entry points and there is a University ambassador at the main entrance 24 hours a day who serves as both informational to campus visitors and as extra eyes and ears for the University. Additionally, Public Safety has purchased the EmergenSee App, an app that gives students direct contact with DPS if they feel endangered.

Ritchie commented, “We really want to push the EmergenSee app. We really want to push that students have to take the initiative to download the app in order for them to use it, and we want students to feel comfortable using the app. We’re expecting people to use it, so don’t be afraid to hit the button.”

Live video and GPS data is directly sent to the monitors at the DPS when the app is utilized. DPS can then dispatch officers to the location provided by GPS immediately to students who feel endangered and can communicate with the users of the app.

The app can be used for many different safety features. If users are alone and feel like they are in danger of being attacked, if users are in a fire or if users are having a medical emergency, they can immediately alert DPS. Additionally, the app works anywhere on campus, along with the downtown bookstore and the parking garage by the bookstore.

DPS is not eliminating in-person escorts when people are walking alone at night, but according to Ritchie, EmergenSee users can also use the Safe Walk feature on the app, where DPS monitors can virtually follow the walker with live video feed and GPS location services. Alternatively, the user can enter what time they should arrive at wherever they are going and, if the user does not press the button to indicate that they safely arrived at that time, an officer will be alerted.

Additionally, users of the app can send pictures of

suspicious people to Public Safety. Ritchie commented on the app and other new security measures being taken by Public Safety.

“It’s highly unlikely that we will ever be able to provide a 100 percent safe campus,” he said. “The bottom line is, we’re still an open environment, very welcoming to outsiders … so for us to lock out outsiders is an impossible task. It’s something that cannot be done for us to thrive as an organization and as a business.”

Ritchie used the example of when prospective students visit the campus with their families, they would be turned off by an unwelcoming atmosphere.

However, some feel that DPS is not doing enough to ensure the safety of Fairfield students.

“I feel a little bit safer, but I don’t walk alone at night anymore,” said Rachel Dolan ‘17. “I think [DPS] should have done more. I only saw an officer around maybe twice surveying the campus.”

However, Calli Kapetanos ‘20 said that she does feel safe on campus because of the small size of the campus and the security changes being made.

In regards to the sexual assault, Kapetanos commented, “I feel like something like that would not happen again. It wasn’t a flaw in the campus security, it was just something that could have happened anywhere.”

Junior Molly Martin agreed that the campus is a safe place, commenting, “I feel safer on campus now that there are a lot more lights and I see DPS virtually everywhere.”

Martin explained that she did not feel safe immediately after the assault, but now feels safer knowing that flaws in the security were addressed. Senior Morgan Sharp always felt safe on campus.

“I’ve never felt unsafe on this campus. Even when the assault happened. I’ve always kept my guard up, but I feel like DPS is doing what they can for the situation.”

Freshman Amira Ebrahim believed that the issue is not about security, but rather about people’s attitudes.

“The measures are helpful,” commented Ebrahim, “but the main cause is ignorance. These measures don’t treat the main cause of sexual assault, which is people not respecting each other.”

Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas Pellegrino added, “While we will continue to review and enhance our security systems, a few common sense measures like walking with a buddy or being aware of your situation will also go a long way to ensuring your safety. We encourage our entire community to say something if you see something by calling DPS at 203Photo Illustration by Jesse Erickson 254-4090.”

Using the EmergenSee app, students can submit tips to the Department of Public Safety.

More Space and Advanced Equipment Highlight New RecPlex Continued from page 1

classes and sports clubs. On IMLeagues, which is available both on the desktop and as an application, individuals have up to 72 hours beforehand to register for the class before spots fill up. According to Jenny Schwartz ‘18, in order to teach these classes you must be Aerobics and Fitness Association of America certified.

Schwartz teaches cardio, kickboxing and strength, and is also Zumba certified.

“I love it this year because last year I was in Alumni Hall gym,” said Schwartz. “There were no mirrors or weight equipment.

It’s easier for me to teach with mirrors so I can make sure everyone has proper form.”

However, not all of the responses were completely positive.

Junior Matthew Marchand commented, “The RecPlex is pretty nice. They’re missing a few things like ten pound plates.

Every gym but this one has ten pound plates. They’re also miss-

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Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Father Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J. spoke at the RecPlex Grand Opening.

ing foam rollers, which are essential. But overall, it’s pretty nice.”

After only two weeks since the opening, the RecPlex will continue to improve. The Director of Recreation, John Paladino, listens for student opinions on the RecPlex.

Paladino has noted the overwhelmingly positive response of students to the new RecPlex. Stu-

dents particularly enjoy the new equipment, the fieldhouse courts, exercise rooms, spin room and the elevated track, according to Paladino.

“Feedback has been great.

It seems that most people entering the facility really are amazed.

Even though they’ve been seeing images for a long time, they are still amazed at the final product.”

Mondays at 7 p.m.

Brainstorm, pitch stories and talk to editors.

Thursdays at 7 p.m.

Critiques from the EIC and Mirror adviser Dr. Xie. We’re looking for a new online editor and crime beat reporter!

Page 5

THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

Opinion

Opinion

Editor Kelsey Sullivan » opinion@fairfieldmirror.com

Creative Commons/Wikimedia.com

Athletes Should Be Held Accountable For Their Actions

By Ariana Puzzo Managing Editor

Even if you are unfamiliar with the details surrounding the Ryan Lochte scandal during the 2016 Rio Olympics—he misrepresented what he described as an “armed robbery”—you probably saw the trend “Lochtemess” on Twitter, as well as the subsequent internet jokes. As reported by CNN, what Lochte claimed was an armed robbery was in fact two armed security guards at a gas station confronting him and three other Team USA swimmers—Gunnar Bentz, Jack

Conger and James Feigen—after an act of vandalism occurred.

It was formally announced on Sept. 8 that the United States Olympic Committee and USA Swimming suspended Lochte for 10 months, and the other three swimmers will also face punishment for their actions.

I applaud both organizations for taking the actions and subsequent fabrication presented by these men seriously.

These men, along with other athletes, are considered role models and representatives of our country and as such, they should be held

to a certain standard and not be dismissed when they lack better judgment. Moreover, I hope that the organizations’ actions against the swimmers are a message that allowing athletes to remain untouchable despite bad behavior is no longer an acceptable practice.

When we are young, one of the first things that we are taught when we go anywhere new is that our actions represent not only ourselves, but also where we come from.

Throughout our lives we are constantly reminded of this lesson. Whether we represent our families when we meet new people, our schools when we go on class trips or our countries when we visit foreign nations, the same principle applies: set the proper example.

Lochte and his teammates failed to do so and as a result, reflected poorly on Team USA and our nation, and distracted the world from the great accomplishments that were made by numerous talented athletes.

Perhaps even more troubling is that the four swimmers clearly thought that they would be able to get away with lying about what truly occurred at the gas station and I think that is an indicator of the much larger aforementioned problem: athletes thinking that they are invincible. The problem is not only on the Olympic level though. Student Creative Commons/Wikimedia.com athletes in particular have fallen under the

Ryan Lochte lied about being robbed during the 2016 Summer Olympics.

spotlight more frequently over the past several years, not for their talent, but because of the culture surrounding them that feeds the notion that they are in some way superior.

The problem is largely identified on college campuses. The recent case of Brock Turner, a Stanford University student athlete who sexually assaulted a 22-year-old female, is an instance of college rape culture—in addition to male and class privilege—lessening the severity of his crimes.

Turner, who was sentenced to six months incarceration—an already absurdly short sentence—only served half of his sentence before his release on Sept. 2. Even though Turner will be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life, and although the actions of Lochte and the swimmers are by no means deserving of equal punishment to Turner, we must take these athletes off of their pedestal and acknowledge them as humans who when they err in judgment, must be given consequences.

I hope that Lochte’s suspension shows people, particularly young people who follow sports, that their actions matter. More so, I would also hope that the consequences the swimmers encounter show that no matter what your athletic abilities are, they will not protect you if your actions are illegal; you will suffer the consequences of your actions.

Interning Can Prepare You for the Real World

By Danielle Saitta Contributing Writer

Working in a professional environment is great and productive, but the glamor of it all eventually fades, especially if it is an unpaid internship. There are do’s and don’ts that go into each internship. Whether you are given a lot of work or if you are simply the coffee person, it's important to remember that everything you do in that unpaid environment is monitored. The interns that go into work and treat it like an actual job are the ones that have the glowing recommendations for future internships and potential careers.

My first two internships while in college were unpaid. I will admit that I had some rollercoaster weeks while I interned. Some days would be very busy and productive and then other days I would find myself staring at the computer. I would ask for work as often as I could without seeming annoying. I remember one girl I interned with was constantly on her phone in the office and didn’t do anything productive.

Note to anyone who is about to have an internship, do not do that. Being on your phone is the rudest thing that you can possibly do. I know that the temptation to look at your phone and talk to your friends is hard to resist, but take it from me, it is noticed.

If you don’t believe me, I promise that you’ll get an email about being on your phone. You don’t want to be that intern that gets directly talked to by your supervisor’s boss. That reflects badly on not only you, but on your supervisor as well.

Editorial Board United We Stand Jesse Erickson Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor Ariana Puzzo Managing Editor

It’s so easy to want to slack off at an unpaid job and most students will forget that experience cannot be bought. Experience from an internship is priceless because most companies will only reserve their internships for students. They do this because a company can teach the student and mold them into the employee that they need. This is a lot harder to do with older people.

If the work is minimal and the days are slow, try your best to do the work at a normal speed, check it over and then bring it to your supervisor. What I did was stay patient and ask for work every two hours if there was nothing to do.

Sometimes if there’s nothing that the supervisor can give you, chances are that there is always another person in the office who could use your help. Help as many people as you can in that office because you never know who will give you their card or write you a recommendation for your next internship or job.

Another important thing to remember is that you should not take advantage of your supervisor. If they tell you to go on your lunch hour, don’t be gone for two hours. Most days I would have way less work than two other interns and it frustrated me. My supervisor would tell me to take my time at lunch, but I was careful not to.

One day, I went to my supervisor and told him that I desired more responsibility. After I finished my little speech as to why I deserved more work, he gratefully gave it to me. I was relieved, but I was also a bit annoyed at myself for not doing this sooner.

One of the controversies that has been discussed over the past few weeks is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to not stand during the national anthem. Backlash followed Kaepernick’s action to take a defiant stance regarding racial injustice in the United States. Other players throughout the NFL followed and stood in solidarity with Kaepernick, including various players on the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs, as well as players on Kaepernick’s own team.

As a board consisting of three members, we naturally have different perspectives on current events and the stance taken by these men during the national anthem is no different. While we understand that it is their right to freely express themselves and should

exercise that right about something they feel passionately about, we also feel that the timing is tricky. There were players who knelt and others who raised their fists during the national anthem on September 11, which is seen as disrespectful toward the individuals who lost their lives during one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent memory.

Alternatively, we continue to live in a society where people of color are disrespected every day and if they choose to stand in solidarity against racial injustice, we feel that they should take advantage of that liberty. We are also aware that we cannot expect people to only take social action “every other day” or when it is convenient for the people who disagree with them. Kaepernick, along with any other player who chooses to follow his actions, should not be con-

You have to make it a known fact to your supervisor that you are there to work.

If you are an intern that just sits at a desk and takes up space, your time is being wasted. Apply yourself and don’t be afraid of your supervisor. Remember that anything you can do for them is extremely appreciated; a small task goes a long way.

Try to treat your internship like a real job. Yes, those hours may be long and the work may be boring, but do the best that you can. That supervisor may open a door for you after you finish those tedious hours of work at the end of the summer.

By the end of it all, you’ll walk out of there with something more valuable than a weekly pay; a great experience.

demned, especially not by people who are in positions of power and do not understand the systemic racial inequality in our country.

One of the opposers to athletes refusing to stand during the national anthem was Ted Cruz, who slammed their action taken on Sept. 11 by tweeting: “Here's a peaceful protest: never buy another shoe, shirt, or jersey of rich spoiled athletes who dishonor our flag.”

However, the controversy also generated approval from President Obama, who, according to NY Daily News, said, “I think he cares about some real, legitimate issues that need to be talked about.”

Though we live in a political climate marred with varying viewpoints that seem to attack one another rather than resolve the central issue, we must remember that as American citizens,

Creative Commons/Pexels.com

we have the freedom to speak on the issues that affect our daily lives. We simply cannot stand on the sidelines and not take any means of social action. On the other hand, respect is warranted to the individuals who are directly affected by the current social issues, we must keep a steady heart and mouth, and learn that the easiest alternative may not always be the best.

So to Kaepernick and those who stand in solidarity, we know that you’re hurt, though we may not understand the affliction you’re facing. As American citizens, our duty is to our country and if we divide ourselves in hopes of conquering societal issues, nothing will ever be accomplished. We must stand together as a country to combat these issues rather than belligerently mudslinging one another.

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THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

Opinion

How to Make the Most of Your Freshman Year

By Michaela Conlon Contributing Writer You are only a freshman in college once, so make the most of it by doing something new every day, whether it's joining a club or meeting someone different.

Please don’t wish freshman year away.

I know communal bathrooms aren’t fun and having dining hall food isn’t as nice as having a beach house with your own kitchen.

However, it flies by and one day you’ll be wondering where your freshman year went.

If I could go back and do it all over again, I would.

Right now I remember being an extremely anxious freshman because everything was new, between the classes, schedule, friends and distance from home.

Transitioning to college was easily the biggest adjustment that I have yet to face, but there’s good news — it all falls into place and you will find your way.

Some people may find that the college they choose isn’t their destiny and that’s OK. For others like me, you’ll look back on your college years with your friends and reminisce on all the freshman memories that you won't forget.

To make the most out of your fresh-

man year, my best advice is to get involved and put yourself out there.

I know it sounds cliché and many people roll their eyes at that statement, but it’s true.

For starters, open your door. My best friends turned out to be my floormates.

All of us left our doors open so it was more welcoming to meet up and spend time together.

Another way to put yourself out there is to go to the dining hall with people that you know.

You never know if you will meet even more people when you go.

One thing I cannot stress enough is to stay out of your room.

You aren’t going to meet new people scrolling through Instagram while laying on your bed cooped up in your dorm.

I remember feeling the most homesick when I was alone in my room, so get out there.

The FYE events that they make you go to are there for a reason. They are free opportunities to get involved with others and participate in Fairfield events.

Go to sporting events and all that they offer because in four years, you don’t want to look back and regret that you did not take advantage of all the opportunities that you had.

It is best to join as many clubs and activities as you can.

Contributed from Fairfield.edu Regis Hall (above) is one of the four housing options for the freshman class.

The more you get involved, the more people that you meet.

Yes, focusing on the academics is important, but experiencing college with your new friends around you will bring so much happiness.

You need to be able to take a break from the schoolwork and have fun with your friends.

Additionally, try not to stress too much and remember that everyone else in your class is in the same boat as you.

You are all new to college life and having friends at your side as you go will

make it unforgettable.

I will never forget a quote that an NSL for my class said at summer orientation: ”The next two days will feel like four years, and the next four years will feel like two days.”

I carried myself around orientation feeling like it was dragging on forever.

I had thought to myself, if this is how college is going to be, I do not want to go.

Looking back as a sophomore, I am wondering where my freshman year went and how scary it is that the NSL’s statement is turning out to be true.

The Political Left Should Be More Open-Minded

By Johnny Hirschauer Contributing Writer The Modern Left is a unified body of ideological hegemony that embeds its principles into every aspect of culture.

Anyone who considers this news was either born yesterday or detached from the hip from modern political discourse.

One would be mistaken to attribute the undying leftism of academia and Hollywood to an anachronistic nostalgia for the progressivism of the 1960s. The modern, progressive Left has little interest in squabbling over policy positions or defining their own principles outside of their comparative “tolerance.”

Moreover, as Harvard Law graduate Ben Shapiro observes, their paradigm of discourse finds its gravitational center around a sort of churlish virtue signaling.

To be opposed to the principles they set forth is to be called a bigot; to present the conservative argument against racial tribalism is to be thrown in league with former KKKlegacy David Duke, an American white nationalist.

It is intellectually easier to dismiss one’s opponent as a bastion of hate and backwards thought than to acknowledge the possibility that there are intelligible individuals who disagree with the progressive Left.

To the reader up in arms with the sentiments expressed in the previous paragraph, clutching at their pearls to deem this author an unfeeling dogmatist, you can now empathize with the collective weekly experience of The Mirror’s conservative readership, as they’re assured that “[Donald] Trump ... isn’t as racist or offensive as he likes to make himself seem.”

According to last April’s Mirror article “The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Trump Himself,” we’re told that

Creative Commons/Flickr.com

“Trump [used to be] a Democrat ... making it clear that he can’t be as terrible as he [seems].” Moreover, as we all know, it is definitionally impossible for our friends on the Left to be “racist” or “offensive.” Those unfortunate monikers are reserved for evil, scary Republicans like Jeb Bush. We’re also reminded that Trump’s supporters, or as the author tolerantly and tenderly describes them, “racist hate mongers,” support him not out of “fear,” but because he embodies the myriad “racism, sexism, xenophobia and Islamophobia that many Americans feel.”

As a constitutional conservative, I cannot stand the European ethno-nationalism of Donald Trump. However, to call all Trump supporters “racist hate mongers” is nothing more than a ringing example of the sort of undying hatred Leftists hold toward individuals who disagree with them on policy. It is this nose-in-the-air, high-minded, moral superiority complex that leads to enough outrage to support candidates like Donald Trump.

To understand the remarkable divisiveness of the political landscape, one would be remiss not to discuss the very powerful tactics of media outlets like NowThis, Mic and Attn:, and the remarkably clear paradigm they set forth: germane conservatives are nothing more than the political manifestations of your grandmother’s racialist id, and ought to be fought with the political unanimity of tolerant millennial minds.

These outlets engulf the social media feeds of most young folks, where half-baked, two minute rundowns of current events are presented with the guise of objectivist awareness-raising. The videos are often centered around topics like the obscurantist, irrelevant reaction of Twitter’s outrage faction to a double-speak interpretation of the tweet of a Republican senator, or two-minute shorts on the policies of the Nordic countries with a sort of pubescent lust one associates with a hormonal teenager.

Doused with a feigned objectivity and mocking spirit, the videos project that it is not simply that those political figures depicted therein have perhaps the wrong view on policy, it is a larger moral failure attributable to ignorance or bigotry that the dissenters hold the positions that they do.

Anyone who has had a discussion with a millennial leftist understands the blithering, self-righteous paternalism with which they treat dissenting viewpoints and the root of this self-aggrandizing certainty is unmistakably found in the blind intelligence of these subversively partisan videos.

The danger of the NowThis movement is not solely their implicit claim to present the full story of a contro-

Creative Commons/Wikipedia.com

versial topic in two minute segments, but moreover the snarky, yellow boldfaced text, and the cutaways to celebrity reaction .gifs that reassure the viewer that they sit fully entrenched on the right side of history, giving them license to mock the know-nothing imbeciles who dare disagree with the hip, relevant policy prescriptions of Attn:.

These videos and all they stand for — the mainstreaming of Jon Stewart-style conservative-mockery — is not productive if a country is truly interested in unity despite political differences. Jonah Goldberg of National Review perhaps makes this point most astutely — when the media cries wolf often enough and joins in the malarkey of the ever-tolerant Joe Biden who claimed to a black audience that Mitt Romney wanted to “put y’all back in chains” — when the wolf in Trump’s clothing comes along and you level these same claims of intolerance, you may finally be right. However, not a single soul will be listening.

Moreover, if progressives despise Trump as much as it seems that they do, avoiding a repeat of the ethno-nationalist populism embodied in Trump can only be done by ceasing to call actual constitutional conservatives homophobic, racist, sexist or some other -ist resting upon the unfounded claim of bigotry simply because they disagree with the Left politically.

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 error. Letters should be free of obscenities and personal attacks and should contain correct and factual information not exceeding 500 words.

The Vine

arts, entertainment, features Editor Colleen O'Connor vine@fairfieldmirror.com

BANDALOOP D e f

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y t i i e v s a Gr

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THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

The Vine

BANDALOOP Brings Vertical Dance to Fairfield

By Colleen O'Connor Vine Editor

formed on mountains, even taller buildings than the ones on campus and water towers all around the world.

“My artistic vision was modest when I began [BANDALOOP] — to make experimental dance and share reflections about the world we live in through the medium … we activate public spaces with the work and bring people together for the sole purpose of sharing an art experience — often in a location they would not expect to find one,” said Rudolph.

Gliding around, dancing on walls, falling with style — the members of BANDALOOP do it all. The world-renowned troupe visited Fairfield on Sept. 9 as the start of the '16-’17 season for the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

“We were really looking for sort of something to kick off the season with a celebration and get people out of the Quick Center into the community and do something different,” said Executive Director of the Quick Center Peter Van Heerden. “[BANDALOOP is] an amazing company.”

And a celebration it was.

The flawless choreography smoothly bridged dance and aerial jumps to create a coherent, well-rehearsed number that made the dancers appear as if they were defying the natural laws of gravity themselves. The dancers, though few in number, brought about a whole new view of the term dance, as their quick steps and arabesque jumps left the entire audience in awe of their immense talent and fearlessness.

“We take dance out of what can be a somewhat elite and cloistered place and bring it to the streets literally and figuratively,” said Amelia Rudolph, the artistic director and founder of BANDALOOP. “What we do is statistically much safer than driving.”

Besides their awe-inspiring performance on the side of the Bannow SciColleen O'Connor/The Mirror ence Center, BANDALOOP has also per-

Rudolph originally started the company “to bring together the worlds of climbing and dance [and] to celebrate the power and vulnerability of natural spaces and to bring dance to new audiences.”

As the years have come and gone, though, “this vision is still at that core of what I do as an artist, but now the work has social, political and environmental elements that have burgeoned from the practice of doing the work experience, often in a location they would not expect to find one,” said Rudolph.

However, members of the company do more than just perform at dizzyingly terrifying heights.

“When I founded the company, I did not know that twenty five years later we would be performing and teaching regularly all over the world.”

“I have taught and choreographed with Destiny Arts Center in Oakland for 20 years, bringing challenge, bravery, grace, discipline and joy to Oakland youth, many of whom are underserved,” said Rudolph of her other accomplishments. “The work we do in the mountains [also] continues to define BANDALOOP.” The group’s performance brought together both the town and the University, as many Fairfield residents in addition to University students were in attendance.

“If you look out on the lawn there’s a couple hundred people from the community sitting out here [watching BANDALOOP],” said Van Heerden. “They’re on [the] University campus, so it’s a beautiful thing.”

Lockn' Festival is for Music Lovers

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor It’s difficult to summarize festival experiences, as they are multi-faceted and allure to the senses with grandeur and camaraderie. I am a firm believer that music festivals are the pinnacle of auditory and visual experiences, and this point couldn't be more accurate than with the Lockn’ Music Festival in Arrington, Va. Running from August 25-28, Lockn’ brings together over 30,000 music-loving fans to Oak Ridge Farm for a celebration of the art of jam bands and simplicity of life outside the technological landscape. Since 2013, the relatively modern festival has already boasted a diverse assortment of musicians, ranging from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and the Allman Brothers Band to Furthur and the String Cheese Incident.

However, Lockn’ exhibited the strongest lineup in the festival’s brief history this year, which included the likes of Phish, My Morning Jacket, Circles Around the Sun and Gary Clark Jr. Couple the lineup with the vast array of interactive charity exhibitions and colorful head shops, and you have an acid-soaked hippie dream.

Day One played out as a preview of the festivities with music not starting until 7 p.m., allowing all campers, including myself, time to meet their neighbors and set up their temporary home for the next four nights. Vulfpeck, one of the most vivacious up-and-coming jam bands on the market, kicked the night off with an otherworldly set that gave the audience a taste of their funk rock brand that would return again the following day.

Umphrey’s McGee followed almost immediately due to the new rotating stage implemented this year. To call their set pure fire would be an understatement as they ripped through their hour and half set, which featured a rendition of their classic “2 x 2” segued into a masterfully executed “Speak Up,” which debuted last December.

Notably, Gene Ween joined the stage to ignite the “God Boner” collaboration with an unexpected cover of Billy Joel’s “The Stranger,” generating equal parts laughs and applause from the audience.

Minutes later, Gene Wene came back onto the stage with his endearing brainchild, Ween. The group, known for their profane and comical satirization of commonalities, brought just the right amount of energy to their headlining performance but alas, campers left in clumps after a long day of travel, which worked against the flow of energy being supplied to the group.

Friday was a day bathed in treasure as the schedule consisted of triumphant returns and explosive premieres. Both Ween and Vulfpeck played repeat sets with greater energy than that of the day before, especially Ween. Dean and Gene Ween bursted out a fan-serviced set with enough highlights to make any fan paint the town brown, especially “Roses are Free” and “Buckingham Green.”

White Denim made their Lockn’ debut in an indie-tinged 13-song set that even included a cover of Roxy Music’s “2HB.” Much ado is also to be made of Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, who played under two outfits in their mid-afternoon set. Bradley, aged 67, belts harmonies better than most singers half his age and still manages to command the stage without staggering or losing pitch.

The kings of the evening though were the seminal jam band, Phish, who surprisingly have not graced the Lockn’ stage until this year. The band that drew me to the festival in the first place unloaded a hit heavy first set that begun with a “Wilson” that meandered, but found composure as the song concluded. “Down with Disease” fell a bit as bassist Mike Gordon tackled with some technical errors, but that didn’t stop the Vermont Quartet from playing a great first set, which was capped off by an a cappella cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.”

The second set proved why Phish is so revered in the jam band community as the group started off with “Punch You In The Eye,” which was only the second time the group played the number this year and included snippets of “The Landlady” throughout the piece. The set reached ultimate transcendence as lead guitarist and singer Trey Anastasio lead the group through the triad of “Ghost,” “Bathtub Gin” and “Backwards Down The Number Line,” all of which segued into a 40-minute improvisational extravaganza. To cap off the night, the group launched into the revered “You Enjoy Myself,” complete with trampolines and falsettos.

However, the best day of music came Saturday as the night was capped off by the three most anticipated performers of the festival, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Phil Lesh (of the Grateful Dead) & Friends and My Morning Jacket.

The afternoon proved pleasant as Twiddle and Galactic soaked up the 102-degree heat with funk-jazz improvisations that kept the crankiness at bay for a few hours of time. However, Moon Taxi highlighted the afternoon as they deviated from the typical jam rock sounds that surrounded them by infusing elements of indie rock that worked to their advantage, especially on “All Day All Night.”

After a much needed mini-nap, I returned to the field in time to catch Phil Lesh & Friends, with guests Jon Fishman and Page McConnell of Phish, Joe Russo, Anders Osborne, and the Infamous Stringdusters. The group channeled the bluegrass sounds of the early 70’s Dead, but faded into psychedelic majesty with their run of “Shakedown Street” and “Terrapin Station” that closed out the performance, which almost didn’t occur as Lesh ran late due to a delayed plane.

I still hold onto the fact that the Tedeschi Trucks Band, comprised of bandleaders Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, held the coveted spot of set of the weekend. The yearly festival staple brought fire to the stage with a variety of covers that ranged from George Jones to Miles Davis and left the audience with mouths agape as their two-hour set passed too quickly.

TO READ THE REST OF ANDREW'S ARTICLE, GO TO WWW.FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM/VINE/LOCKN

Andrew DaRosa/The Mirror

THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

The Vine

Summer 2016 Brought Fun and Nostalgia

By Brendan Zimmerman Assistant Vine Editor

As the leaves begin to change color and the homework begins to pile up, one thing becomes crystal clear: summer is over and the school year is in full swing. Reflecting back, Summer 2016 was loaded with plenty of pop culture news, including the rise of internet memes about a deceased gorilla, more Kanye and Taylor Swift drama, and enough nostalgia to make people think it was the 90s. Now that summer is in the past, it’s time to take a look back at all of the pop culture moments that defined the past few months.

Television

“Game of Thrones” was the standout show for the beginning of the summer, as the show’s sixth season premiered and continued to defy the possibilities of dramatic storytelling on television. The story this season follows the Stark and Lannister families as they continue to struggle with the politics and danger found within the fantasy realm of Westeros. By having dozens of memorable characters, jaw-dropping set pieces and moments that could make even the hardest of people tear up, “Game of Thrones” retained its spot on the top of the list of must-watch television. Nonetheless, an unexpected, yet pleasant surprise came in the form of Netflix’s new original show, “Stranger Things” in July. The show revolves around a group of kids in a small town in Indiana who become embroiled in a terrifying supernatural plot when their friend disappears and a strange, silent girl with telekinetic abilities arrives. The show won the hearts of viewers with its memorable characters and a nostalgic showcase of 80s culture, from Stephen King book references to its moody, synth-laden soundtrack.

Movies The summer was packed with a mixture of remakes, sequels and more superhero movies. From the controversial remake of “Ghostbusters” to a somewhat unnecessary “Independence Day” sequel, there was plenty to see. Some of the big releases included “Finding Dory,” the aptly titled sequel to Pixar’s classic “Finding Nemo;” the latest entry in the Jason Bourne franchise; and even the latest Star Trek film. The rivalry between Marvel and DC comics also continued this summer, as both released their latest blockbusters in the form of “Captain America: Civil War” and “Suicide Squad.” While the former was lauded by both critics and audiences, the latter struggled to garner good reviews in a similar vein to DC’s “Batman v. Superman,” also released earlier this year.

Summer 2016, while not the most original in recent years, still had enough to satisfy moviegoers.

Books Harry Potter returned to bookstore shelves with the release of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” the long awaited eighth installment in J.K. Rowling’s beloved series.

However, the new release left many readers surprised, as Harry Potter’s latest adventure came in the form of a script instead of a standard book. The play is actually divided into two separate parts, but both parts are contained within the released copy of the play. Taken directly from the stage adaption of the same name, the play follows Harry, his friends and their Hogwarts-bound children 19 years after the last book took place.

Having such a time difference, the play takes on an even more mature tone and analyzes the changes that come with raising kids and entering adulthood. Despite the time gap and the different writing format, which naturally focuses on dialogue as the means of giving exposition and details, all of the magic and wonder of the original series can still be found in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”

Music From the Chainsmokers to Drake, the summer of 2016 was full of catchy dance music all vying for the Song of the Summer. However, the standout album of the summer came from Frank Ocean, who rewarded fans with his long awaited follow up to 2012’s “Channel Orange” in the form of “Blonde,” a laid-back and contemplative album that demands multiple listens. The album’s method of release was unusual, as Ocean had been teasing fans for nearly two years over its release date. Every so often, Ocean would post a vague date regarding his new album’s release, only to continuously disappoint fans when the album had not arrived as promised. However, a few days before it was officially released through Apple Music, Ocean released a completely separate visual album, similar to Beyoncé’s “Lemonade,” titled “Endless,” to supplement the release of “Blonde.” While often times slow and atmospheric, the songs are still reminiscent of classic Ocean as they take on a personal direction and transcend standard pop infused R&B into something more unique.

Creative Commons/Public Domain Pictures

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THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

The Vine

ashionably

by Nicole Funaro

airfield

Creative Commons/Pixabay

Fall Fashions Move-in day came and went and with it went Labor Day, bringing about the unofficial start of autumn. Besides pumpkin spice lattes and cinnamonscented everything, autumn also ushers in a host of new fashion trends. Sorting through all of these fresh finds doesn’t have to add to the stress of starting a new school year because Fashionably Fairfield is here to help. Read on to learn some of the biggest trends in men’s and women’s fashion for Fall 2016.

Clothing: One of the most popular trends this season for both men and women are bomber jackets. This collarless, military-inspired piece typically comes in olive green tones, but this fall you’ll be able to find it in a variety of colors and textures, ranging from canvas, to quilted sateen, to suede and even denim.

While trends can be fleeting, a bomber jacket is a worthy investment because of its easy-to-wear style that will not only help you transition into sweater weather, but its classic silhouette will last far beyond Fall 2016, making the trend a worthwhile purchase. To start building up your stock of bomber jackets, be sure to check out Express and Banana Republic for a well-rounded selection of the bomber style.

Shoes: Sneakers are another shared trend between men and women this fall. However, the sneakers that are in style this season are unlike any athletic shoe you’ve ever seen. These “fashion sneakers” are available in a range of styles, including slip-on sneakers in everything from animal print to embossed leather, Adidas lace-ups in the ever-popular Stan Smith silhouette and even high-top kicks in leather and suede. These styles not only amp up a wardrobe staple, but they also make your look incredibly en vogue without compromising comfort. Sneakers like these are the ideal trend for Fairfield students to invest in this season because they add to your style while also ensuring that you’re comfortable on your walk to class. If you’re ready to try out this trend, stores like DSW and Nordstrom are a great place to start your search for the ultimate fashion sneaker.

Accessories: While there are hundreds of accessories available in men’s and women’s fashion respectively, there is also one major shared trend between the two: chrome. First surfacing via the “Manus x Machina” theme of the May 2016 Met Gala, chrome is proving that it’s here to stay for Fall 2016. While a shiny chrome finish can be hard to pull off in tops, bottoms and even jackets, a good place to try out the trend is through accessories. If you’re feeling bold, guys and girls alike can give a metallic sneaker or sandal a try. If you’d rather test out the metallic trend in small doses first, girls can incorporate the trend through chrome nail polish, metallic makeup (like eyeshadow) or even a chrome clutch purse. Although some of the other accessories require a bit of searching, if chrome and metallic makeup sounds like something that’s right in your wheelhouse, check out H&M’s new fall metallic makeup line, which Creative Commons/Public Domain Pictures offers not only metallic eyeshadow, but also metallic lip color and brow tint.

Album Spoiler: 'Schmilco' by Wilco

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor

boisterous and snidely bitter “Star Wars,” which was released unannounced last year to critical acclaim. Where “Star Wars” symbolizes a road-worn effort at modernization, “Schmilco” opts for a silent testimony that characterizes their roots in Chicago, a city known for its nurturing twang yet rebellious attitude.

“Locator,” the first single released prior to the record, offers a bass-fueled glance at the blend of western alternative rock and southern country that Tweedy seamlessly strings together, even though the lyrical composition is the simplest on the record.

Escape is the established theme of the record, woven

Age is simply a persistence of time and development of one’s self through both the highlights and lowlights. For Jeff Tweedy and Co., “Schmilco” provides the antithesis to this progression; settling down with their “dad rock” identity that provided their genesis back in 1995 with “A.M.” In their tenth record, Wilco crafts a sonic image that pays homage to the youthfulness of society and harkens a much simpler time where one went home when the street lights went out and biking was the only way of getting around.

This message couldn't be more evident in the record’s opening track,” Normal American Kids,” which alludes a folkcentric tone backed by a lightly strummed electric guitar courtesy of guitar virtuoso, Nels Cline.

However, Tweedy brings a dimension to this song that makes it a highly symbolic opening track, alluding to a past he will never get back, “Shaft in a sling, head for the bus/ I knew what I liked was not very much/ High at the time, tied to the grid/ Always afraid of those normal American kids.”

Creative Commons/Eventosyentradas Wilco’s mostly-acoustic approach counters the

throughout every piece despite Tweedy’s attempt to evade this unknowing past, leaving the listener with questions as to exactly what he could be running from. The escape though comes to an end as Tweedy relinquishes himself in the hallucinogenic “Just Say Goodbye,” in which Wilco’s fearless leader proclaims “I fight to stay awake/ Here I lie, come and take me/ I'll go/ I will go so far just to say goodbye.”

Additionally, acclaim must be placed on drummer Glenn Kotche for his masterful drumming, which is one of the prime attractors for the Wilco fanbase. On “Cry All Day,” Kotche provides a meticulously executed rhythm that bounces with each strike of the snare and deliverance of the chorus. Kotche also ushers in his signature flair on “Nope,” a piece that will have any listener clamoring for more of that country attitude.

The standout track though is found with “If I Ever Was A Child,” which boasts the gentlest sounding Wilco that any listener has heard since “Sky Blue Sky” and one of the best mixed compositions since their 2002 hallmark, “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.”

Tweedy places the lyrics together like puzzle pieces, spawning a piece that is greater than the sum of its rhythmic and lyrical components.

“Schmilco” is in fact a return to form from the guys over at Wilco. If you were a fan who dropped off after “A Ghost is Born” or simply have never heard of Tweedy and Co., this record is the ultimate trip down Wilco’s rabbit role.

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THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

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Heard It Through The GrapeVINE

By Alicia Phaneuf Contributing Writer The fall semester is in full swing and a great way to cope with the stress of a new workload is by listening to music. The GrapeVINE highlights a few favorite songs of Fairfield students in hopes that their musical interests will bring new tunes to your own playlists.

This week’s “Heard it through the GrapeVINE” spotlight is Sean Stiso ‘19. Stiso loves sharing his appreciation for music whether it’s singing for Glee Club or curating different playlists in his room. In addition to numerous rehearsals and performances for Glee, Stiso also admits that singing R&B in the shower is where his voice truly shines. However, Stiso’s love of music did not evolve until he attended his first live concert.

“My real appreciation for music probably came from Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 World Tour. It was the first time I truly appreciated the art form and saw the amount of effort that is put into creating the music I enjoy every day,” said Stiso. “Plus JT is the man and his concert was one of the best experiences of my life.”

“Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake “This is just my absolute favorite song ever. I find it so catchy and you can't go wrong with classic Justin Timberlake.”

“Mine” by Taylor Swift “What can I say, everyone has a guilty pleasure song or artist, and Taylor Swift is mine. She's just awesome, I love all her music and especially this song.”

“Miss Independent” by Ne-Yo “This is my go-to shower song. It’s so catchy and if you’re just looking for a song to sing in the shower this is the one.”

“It's Gonna Be Me” by *NSYNC “Everyone has to love boy bands. This is easily one of my favorite songs to jam to.”

“Oops I Did it Again” by Britney Spears “You can't go wrong with Britney. I listen to this song on repeat all the time because it’s just one of my absolute favorites.”

Contributed Photo Sophomore Sean Stiso (above)

Check out Stiso's playlist on The Mirror’s Spotify @thefairfieldmirror

Do you want to be featured in this section? Please email a list of 5-7 songs that tickle your fancy and also a picture that we can use for the column to vine@fairfieldmirror.com.

Cooking with Colleen: Eating Healthy on a Budget

By Colleen O'Connor Vine Editor

Creative Commons/Flickr

Welcome back to another school year Stags. As summer slowly turns into fall and classes begin to dole out more and more work, a healthy, active lifestyle becomes more and more important in order to keep stress levels from skyrocketing. Although eating healthy can be difficult in college for many reasons, monetary reasons shouldn’t be one. Here are some ways to get the most out of your food money without sacrificing health.

Inkwell Spotlight 'Resilient'

By Marc Lee Co-Editor-in-Chief at The Inkwell

1. Freeze fruit for later The cheapest way to store fruits like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries is to purchase them in bulk while they are in season and then freeze them. This keeps the fruits fresher for longer amounts of time, saving you from buying subpar choices of fruits during offseason for exorbitant prices. Alternatively, if you don’t have a lot of room in your freezer, you can always find bags of pre-frozen mixed fruits in the freezer aisle of most grocery stores that are much easier to fit into the micro fridges that reside in most dorm rooms.

From the warmth and certainty of a true home, Into a new world of uncertainty and blank pages.

From friendships hard fought for, and the peace of a second family, Into a flurry of names and faces that refused to align.

I came in hopes of finding meaning and connection once again.

2. Don’t be afraid to shop store brand Many stores, like Stop and Shop, offer store brand items for many products like pasta, bread, cereal and milk that are usually significantly cheaper than their name brand counterparts. According to Forbes, you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice quality when you switch to store brand either, as many of these value store brand items are of equal or higher quality than their corresponding name brand product.

Through small joys onto greater ones, Through hardship and confusion, Through new discoveries of self and the world surrounding, Through the knowledge that it all would end, I came to find a way to live in and to love this new home.

3. Whole grains are your friend Yes, the white bread and the regular pasta does taste better to many, but does it have the same nutritional value as whole grain bread and pasta? Not at all. Products made from whole wheat flour have higher fiber contents and higher levels of vitamins B-1, B-3 and B-5 when compared to products made from white flour, according to SF Gate, a healthy living and news website based out of the Bay Area in California. So although it may taste better, it is best to avoid products made with only white flour.

Nothing about it was ever simple, But, nothing about it was ever boring, either.

It was hard, but it was real.

It hurt, but in so many different small ways, it became worth it.

And the life I lived here, taught me more than I thought I could ever know.

4. Prepare meals ahead of time This suggestion applies more to juniors and seniors with kitchens who may not be relying on a meal plan. The best way to prepare meals ahead of time is to have in mind what you want to eat for the whole week when you go food shopping. That way, you can take into account sales and utilize as many coupons as possible to make the most out of your week’s worth of groceries. The United States Department of Agriculture also encourages consumers to eat before shopping, as food shopping on an empty stomach can lead to unhealthy impulse purchases.

For those underclassmen who count on Sodexo and the Barone dining hall for most of their meals, there is a link on the my.fairfield homepage that brings up the menu for the week, which can be used to find the healthiest options possible.

Creative Commons/Wikimedia

Many lessons taught to me were bitter to the taste, But the bitterness has taught me how to appreciate the sweetness of the rest.

Much of my time was spent fighting for the cause, fighting till exhaustion, But the fights led eventually to peace.

So, I learned to be a soldier fighting for something more than myself, and learned to accept that.

I do not want to go, But, what is the want of one person compared to the incessancy of time.

I may not want to walk the path that I stand before, But I will walk its length fully and live well as I travel along it, If only to spite the world that has put me upon it.

THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

Coffee Break

Page 12

Coffee Break By: Jesse Erickson, Editor-in-Chief

How to Love The Mirror like the Editor-in-Chief Loves The Mirror An advice column based on real-life situations What happens if you lose your debit card and driver’s license at one time?

If this happens to you, your first thought should definitely not be “How am I going to get into the Grape tonight?” but if it is, your passport is probably somewhere in your car because that’s the kind of person that you have become.

If you lose your debit card, you should immediately call the bank and cancel that card because someone might’ve picked it up and now they might have access to your funds.

Of course, your funds might be minimal, but everyone could use five bucks for a coffee. Waiting 13 days to call the bank to get a replacement debit card is not a wise idea because during those 13 days, you will have exceeded your student credit card limit.

When you exceed that limit, you are poor.

If you lose your license, remember that the purpose of a license does more than just admit your 21-year-old, unstoppable self into the bar. In fact, you must have your license to operate a car. You might continue to operate your car because you think you are unstoppable and that is a risk you are willing to take. Drive slow, stop running people over and don’t try to use your camera to check your eyeliner.

What happens if you’re at work and spill your salad dressing all over your dress?

A huge mistake was made from the very beginning. Never eat salads. Like I once read in the Bible, “this salad tastes like I’d rather be fat.” If, while picking the cheese off of the salad, you look at a text from your sports editor and you start to feel a cool sensation on your thigh, it’s not the hand of the boyfriend you’ve been looking to find for three years; it’s just your balsamic dressing running in between your legs and all over your dress. Your first reaction should not be to eat another piece of cheese knowing you have to go back to work in 11 minutes, it should be to get a napkin. In the heat of the moment, you drive to the Walgreens down the road and run in for a Tide- to-Go pen. You wait patiently in the line as — what feels like — everyone stares at your dress covered in dressing, which makes you even more insecure because not only are they looking at your dress, they’re now probably wondering if you’re pregnant, which reminds you to quit the drinking and go to the gym.

When you get into the car, don’t eat another piece of cheese before using the pen. Immediately dab your entire dress with the pen and speed back to work because your half hour from hell is coming to an end. When you get out of the car, you may realize that the pen was no help to your dress, so pull the large bag from the back of your car and put it in front of you even though your other large bag is already inside.

Stags Trivia

What do you do if it’s your first official issue week back to being Editor-in-Chief for The Mirror?

Well, there’s a couple of things to do here. Remember, the town of Fairfield has some really inviting happy hour specials. Five dollar coco-rum rita’s are attractive to someone who may be on the verge of insanity.

Sit in your bed and think about why you decided to take on this responsibility. As the creepiest hours of the night roll around and the wind starts to pick up, your previous thought of a possible ghost in your new beach house may be confirmed. The ghost possibility can go either way.

Either you run away or you talk to the ghost about what it’s like to be you. Do not let your new roommates hear you talking to yourself — or the ghost — at 2 a.m.

They will think you are weird.

When you finally go to sleep and have a stress dream that all of your teeth fell out, you might not wake up feeling refreshed the following morning. Remember that you are only 21 and life will without-a-doubt get much worse, so smile through the pain as you arrive at work. Sit at your desk and if for some reason one of your section editors texts you and unfortunately has to leave The Mirror due to other commitments, don’t get frazzled. Start rubbing your eyebrows and decide that really only all of this could happen to you. Think about how you now have to fill a section with information you don’t have and then come up with this column idea.

What do you do if you prepare a well-written email for the first pitch meeting of the year just to find out that only a handful of people come?

Take the time to applaud those people and make sure to give them extra special attention because they might be the only writers that you have for the remainder of the year.

Then, put on your investigator hat and ask if anyone — other than your staff — got the email. If they tell you that they did not get the email and only came because they remembered from last year, press the off-button on your job as Editor-in-Chief and then vote to impeach yourself.

If your staff does not let you impeach yourself, come to terms with the fact that you did not successfully add the 51 new contacts to the new email list and that is the reason only 12 people were at the first meeting.

Come to terms with the fact that yes, in fact, there are eight large pizzas in the office for 12 people.

When you’ve come to terms with all of this, decide to email those 51 people and tell them that you messed up the email and you will be having another meeting in 20 minutes. Most people will not come, but three of them might so make a good impression and tell them how incompetent you are and seem fun so that maybe they’ll attribute the screw-up to your bimbo, I mean fun-loving, mindset. If only three of the 51 make it to the meeting given with 20-minute notice, reschedule the meeting until tomorrow. Always run from your problems.

As you sit on the couch with your head in your hands the aroma of eight large pizzas filling your nose, eat a pizza yourself and then accept a hug from your assistant news editor. Then, go home and start the homework assignment that was due six hours ago. If you find that it’s 2 a.m. and you’re listening to “Swimming Pools” by Kendrick, turn it off, go to bed and wake up ready to conquer like Kanye.

Play some...sudoku

1. How many seniors are living on the beach this year?

2. When was the first edition of The Mirror?

DM us on Twitter @FairfieldMirror with the correct answers to these questions to win an exclusive Mirror giveaway.

How to play: Complete the puzzle by filling in numbers one through nine (with no repeats or missing numbers) in column, row and 3x3 square.

Sports

SPORTS

THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

September Stag Stars:

Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

In Case You Missed It: Sunday, September 4th

Page 13

Men’s soccer forward Dominic Marshall ‘17 garnered MAAC Player of the Week on Sept. 12 after posting three points in a week where the Stags went 1-1. Against Fordham, the senior striker assisted forward Ben Wignall ‘18 to give the Stags their lone goal of the match in a 2-1 overtime loss. In the

-St. John's defeats Women's Soccer 5-1

following match against Northeastern, Marshall scored both of Fairfield’s goals in the 2-0 victory.

Monday, September 5th

Marshall is now second on the team to Wignall in points with five tallies on the young season and

-Fordham defeats Men's Soccer, 2-1

looks to add his total on Saturday when the team squares off against Temple in Philadelphia.

Thursday, September 8th -Drexel defeats Women's Soccer, 1-0

Former Stags basketball star Maurice Barrow signed a contract on Sept. 12 with DK Kloster-

Friday, September 9th

neuburg, a club in Austria’s best professional basketball division. This is Barrow’s second stint

-SHU defeats Volleyball, 3-0

in the Austrian Basketball League after spending the 2014-2015 season with WBC Raiffeisen,

-Volleyball defeats James Madison, 3-1

before moving to Australia to play for the Geraldton Buccaneers in the 2015-2016 season. In

Saturday, September 10th

his days as a Stag, Barrow won MAAC Sixth Man of the Year in the 2013-2014 campaign.

-American defeats Field Hockey, 4-2 -Men's Soccer defeats Northeastern, 2-1

On Sept. 6 outsider hitter Megan Theiller ‘18 and libero Mallory Bechtold ‘19

Sunday, September 11th

won MAAC Player of the Week and MAAC Libero of the Week, respectively after

-California defeats Field Hockey

going 4-0 at the Crusader Classic. Theiller totaled 52 kills and only 12 errors in the

-Syracuse defeats Women's Soccer, 3-0

wins over Brown, Holy Cross, Bryant and UMASS-Lowell, while Bechtold posted 57 digs during the tournament while manning the back row.

Photos Contributed by Sports Information Desk

In this week's issue...

Upcoming This

- Kicking Off The 2016 Season: What To Watch (Page 14) - Stags Look To Defend MAAC Crown (Page 15)

Week:

- Syracuse Shuts Out Stags 3-0 (Page 16)

Wednesday, September 14th

2016 NBA Hall of Fame Induction

-Volleyball vs. St. John's, 6 p.m.

Friday, September 16th -Cross Country at Br. Doyle Meet of Champions, 10 a.m.

--Field Hockey vs. Penn, 4 p.m.

Saturday, September 17th -Softball vs. Sacred Heart, 10:30 p.m.

-Volleyball at St. Peter's, 12 p.m.

-Women's Soccer vs. Canisius, 1 p.m.

-Men's Soccer at Temple, 2 p.m.

-Softball vs. Hartford, 2:20 p.m.

Sunday, September 18th -Softball vs. LIU Post, 10:30 p.m.

-Field Hockey at Columbia, 12 p.m.

-Volleyball at Rider, 1 p.m.

-Softball vs. Stony Brook, 2:20 p.m.

By: Dan Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor Greatness was celebrated and legendary status was cemented on Friday, Sept. 9 when 10 NBA basketball icons were inducted as members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, Yao Ming, Sheryl Swoopes, Zelmo Beaty, Jerry Reinsdorf, Darell Garretson, Tom Izzo, John McLendon and Cumberland Posey were the names introduced as NBA immortals.

The most notable names of the evening to basketball fans were undoubtedly O’Neal, Iverson, Ming and Reinsdorf; all people who had an enormous impact on the NBA landscape in the 90s and 2000s.

O’Neal, also known as the “Big Diesel” or “Shaqtus,” is considered one of the most dominant big men of all time. The 7-foot-1-inch 325-pound center utterly manhandled other bigs on his way to four NBA titles, three with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat.

For his career, the Diesel averaged 23.7 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per contest, winning three NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards, one regular season MVP award and racking up 15 NBA All-Star game nods in the process.

During his 19-year career, he played four seasons for the Orlando Magic, eight seasons for the Lakers, four seasons for the Heat and one season each for the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

Iverson, more commonly known as the “The Answer” to NBAers, is arguably the best player six-feet or under to ever play in the association. He piled up otherworldly stats as the

main cog for the Philadelphia 76er teams of the late 90s into the mid 2000s.

He led the league in scoring four different times and won an MVP award in 2001 when he lead the 76ers to the NBA Finals where they would lose to O’Neal’s Lakers. He posted career averages of 26.7 points per game and 6.2 assists per game, earning 11 NBA All-Star game appearances. Iverson played 12 seasons with the 76ers, two seasons with the Denver Nuggets and one year with Detroit Pistons.

Yao, known as the “Great Wall” in NBA circles, has single handedly created a love of basketball in China. An even greater ambassador of the game than a player, the monstrous center was among one of the most popular players to ever put on an NBA uniform.

On the court he was no slouch though, as he averaged 19 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game on his way to eight NBA All-Star games in an injury plagued career. Yao played his entire nine-year career as a member of the Houston Rockets organization.

Reinsdorf, the owner of the Chicago Bulls since 1985, was influential in the Bulls dynasty of the 90s where they won six NBA titles. He brought together the group of Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and Bill Cartwright to team up with John Paxson and Michael Jordan. Additionally, Reinsdorf brought on a young Phil Jackson to coach a team that would dominate the world of basketball for nearly a decade.

In their own way, each inductee changed the game of basketball for the better. Whether it was their incredible talent on the court, the sideline or in the executive box, every person is now part of basketball’s most distinguished fraternity.

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

Kicking Off the 2016 Season: What to Watch

By Dan Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor September could not have come faster. It has felt like an eternity since we last turned on the tube to obsessively watch the most violent, yet entertaining sport in the world.

That being said, the 214 day NFL offseason did not lack in excitement as the crazy storylines piled up.

The most newsworthy event of the summer was unquestionably San Francisco 49’s quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protest of the national anthem throughout the preseason.

Instead of standing up to honor the United States, the sixth year signal caller chose to kneel down during the anthem, citing that he will not stand up for a nation that oppresses people of color.

His actions sparked immediate backlash from people across the country with naysayers expressing that Kaepernick is being disrespectful to the people who serve and protect our nation and enable him to play the game that he loves.

Despite all the negative reaction, numerous players have sided with the Nevada graduate in his protest, including the Seattle Seahawks’ Jeremy Lane and 49er’s teammate Eric Reid. Expect Kaepernick and an increasing amount of players to continue the protest throughout the season.

Shifting focus to another quarterback, Tom Brady will not begin the season as the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback for the first time since the 2002 campaign.

The four-time Super Bowl champion will serve his four game suspension for his supposed role in the infamous “Deflategate” incident of the 2015 American Football Conference Championship game.

Jimmy Garoppolo will take the reigns of the offense for the first four weeks and look to quietly manage the offense until number 12 triumphantly makes his return against the Cleveland Browns in October.

Dolphins and Bills fans rejoice; they only have to face Brady once this year.

Continuing with the quarterback theme, Teddy Bridgewater of the Minnesota Vikings will miss the entire season after he gruesomely dislocated his knee and tore his ACL in practice.

The incumbent starter was poised to have his best season yet for the Vikes after finishing a 2015 season in which he tossed 14 touchdowns to only nine interceptions.

Sam Bradford, a player who is now becoming somewhat of a journeyman in the league, will most likely become the guy who hands the ball off to Adrian Peterson 65 times each game.

In other news, Johnny Manziel is now officially out of the NFL, as the Cleveland Wikipedia/Creative Commons Browns made their first smart move since 2007 and cut ties with the Texas A&M Quarterback Colin Kaepernick will most likely continue his protest of the national anthem through product. Not to be forgotten, Tim Tebow, the NFL’s favorite man to scrutinize, has the 2016 NFL season. Kaepernick recently kneeled during the national anthem this past Sunday, signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets of the MLB. September 11.

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

Jesse Erickson, Alfredo Torres, Dan Montgomery and Andrew DaRosa

What was your favorite offseason How does it feel to be back at move?

Fairfield?

How's your team looking as we head closer to October?

What are your expectations for Fairfield Soccer?

How do you feel about NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem on 9/11?

I made a move on this Italian man I'm a big bad senior living on the beach right next to The Grape right next to the ocean right up the street from Firehouse Deli decided against and I am still just a soooooo life back at Fairfield is want-to-be Italian wife. fire.

This question is so broad. What team we talkin'? We talkin' baseball? Football? Hockey? My newspaper team?? Because that team is looking fineeeee even though it's 2 a.m. and we're still here.

Cassidy Boegel is my hero!!!

For once in my life, I am at a lack of words.

Kyrie Irving winning a championship. Kyrie Irving winning gold at the Olympics and all the moves the Magic made ... Victor Oladipo you will be missed.

Good to be back in my own house, don't miss the work though.

THE YANKEES! The Baby Bombers, you know we got this. We'll shock the world and make it all the way to bring one back to the Bronx.

Men's are going to do their thing as always, but this year it's going to end on a winning note with a MAAC title. Women's Soccer has to step it up after a slow start to the season.

Sucks that it was 9/11, but they have the freedom to do what they want, don't forget this is America.

Feels really nice. I have been apart from Barone for too long.

Yankees are looking great right now. Let's hope they can continue their winning ways down the stretch.

Both teams have played tough non-conference schedules to start the season so they should be more than ready to kill it when MAAC play starts.

Do whatever you want, but show some respect on 9/11. That's the least you can do.

It's so nice to finally be in my apartment, where I can cook for myself and know what I'm eating. Drawback is that we have eight guys, so game days get rowdy in Meditz 205.

With a two game lead over the Blue Jays and Orioles, it's safe to say the RED SOX are comfortably safe in 1st. Bring the championship back to BAWSTON.

Would it be bad to say I don't follow Fairfield soccer?

I say Freedom of Speech though, it did come at an unfortunate time.

Respect is warranted for those who experienced a loss due to 9/11 though I understand their standpoint.

Jesse Erickson over the summer. He was willing Editor-in-Chief to wife me up and I was willing (Italian EIC) to be wifed-up but ultimately I

Alfredo Torres Sports Editor

Your 2016-2017 4x5 Columnists:

Dan Montgomery Johnny Manziel going back to school at Texas A&M. I cannot Assistant Sports Editor wait to see what crazy stories come from this.

Though it was recent, I was happy

Andrew DaRosa to see Tim Tebow picked up by Executive Editor the NY Mets minor league team.

Kid is a hell of an athlete and I'm happy to see him end up at a sport I think he will excel at.

Sports

Page 15

THE MIRROR | Week of September 14, 2016

Contributed by Sports Information Desk After a non-conference schedule filled with some of the country's top programs like Idaho, the Stags are ready to begin MAAC play and take the league by storm in their title defense.

Stags Look to Defend MAAC Crown

By Christopher Lazazzera Contributing Writer Women’s volleyball has had its fair share of success over the past five years and they expect to keep that success rolling this year. The Stags were selected as repeat champions in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Poll. This should come as no surprise to anyone who followed the women’s volleyball team as they won their eighth MAAC Championship in 2015.

Fairfield has 10 student-athletes returning from last year’s team. Most notably coming back are Skyler Day ‘18 and Megan O’Sullivan ‘17. Day earned MAAC Preseason Player of the Year honors and her stats show why. She led with 420 kills and sent home 3.59 finishers per set a year ago. Day also contributed 2.94 digs per frame resulting in a team-leading 18 double-doubles.

O’Sullivan was named to the Preseason All-MAAC team after a stellar junior campaign. She averaged 2.73 kills and was second in the MAAC with a .306 hitting percentage.

O’Sullivan contributed on the defensive side as well with 0.93 blocks per set.

Two players to keep an eye out for are Manuela Nicolini ‘20 and Sydney Buckley ‘18.

The duo should have a successful year piling up assists for the Stags, as well as increasing

the team’s hitting percentage.

Head coach Todd Kress, the 2015 MAAC Coach of the Year, will surely have the Stags ready for another successful season.

The Stags have not gotten off to the start they would have liked to, as they have started the season 6-5. The Fairfield Invitational was this past weekend at Alumni Hall in which Sacred Heart, James Madison and Villanova visited town.

In their first game, the Stags lost 3-0 to Sacred Heart. Day had 10 kills and 9 digs, but a strong Pioneers attack ultimately outplayed the Stags. Fairfield quickly turned things around though, beating James Madison 3-1 in their second game.

Day and Sydney Williams ‘19 each posted double figures in kills, while Nicolini and Buckley combined for 49 assists between the two of them.

In the final match, Villanova outlasted Fairfield 3-0 to claim the top spot in the 2016 Fairfield Invitational. Junior Megan Theiller was named to the All-Tournament Team due to her fantastic play throughout the weekend.

The Stags will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 14 as they defend home court against the Red Storm of St. John’s. Fairfield looks to build momentum before the start of conference play when they visit St. Peter’s in Jersey City, New Jersey at 12 p.m.

The Hunt for October: MLB Teams Make Final Playoff

By Patrick Getz Contributing Writer It’s that time of the year again; September call-ups, teams entering their final stretch of their season and numerous teams fighting for a wild card spot.

The month of September will show what a team can do when it matters most.

No team can allow these crucial games to slip away and cost them a playoff spot.

One team that is exemplifying this is the New York Mets. Despite losing Matt Harvey earlier in the year, Jacob DeGrom going through his recent struggles and possibly looking at a disabled list stint, Jay Bruce not producing like the Mets had hoped and Noah Syndergaard plus Steven Matz both dealing with bone spurs in their elbows, the Mets now possess a spot as the second wild card holder.

These Amazin’s are receiving unlikely production from the likes of Robert Gsellman, who has a 2.87 ERA during his brief stint with the Mets, Seth Lugo, who has a 2.38 ERA in his stint with the Mets and Bartolo Colon, who has put together a 13-7 record with an impressive 3.22 ERA. Furthermore, over his last seven starts, he has dazzled with a 2.25 ERA with only seven walks.

Not bad for a 43-year-old throwing his fastball around 70 percent of the time.

If you want consistent pitching on every fifth day, he is the guy that you want on

the mound. That’s a 2.82 ERA among those three starters; not too shabby.

These steady pitching performances from all three unlikely sources are giving the Mets a chance to win these vital games.

Additionally, Yoenis Cespedes carries this offense along with Jose Reyes, the latter being spark at the top of the lineup, which the Mets needed all year.

The duo also helped the team win eight of their last 10 games.

On the other side of town, the Bronx Bombers, despite trading away Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran for top-ranked prospects, are still 2.5 games out of the wild card at this point in September.

Along with the arrival of Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin, nicknamed the “Baby Bombers,” the unsung hero who is doing it all is the rookie catcher, Gary Sanchez.

He possesses an average of .339 to go with eleven home runs, which is spectacular since he has only had 107 at-bats in his young career.

He is simply knocking the cover off the ball and the Pinstripes hope that he keeps it going.

On the other hand, one team that has shown that they are crumbling under the pressure of the push to the playoffs is the Miami Marlins. To start off the year, they were a pleasant surprise and were six games over .500 at the All-Star Break.

However, the team lost Giancarlo Stan-

ton to injury for the second straight year on Aug. 14 and with that, lost all momentum.

In August alone, they went 10-18 with a .367 slugging percentage, which is a substantial drop off from .422 in July, so that displays how much he means to the Fightin’ Fish. Plus, they have only won two of their last 10 games and dropped to five games out of the wild card.

In general, all the division leads are insurmountable because division leaders are ahead by five games or more in every division besides the AL East where three games separates three teams for that division crown: the Red Sox, Orioles and Blue Jays. At this point in the season, teams like

the Mets, Tigers, Astros and even Yankees are making that push for a wild card spot.

That poise for October baseball genuinely shows fans what a team is all about and whether they believe they are making the postseason. Peaking at the right time can be just enough for any of these teams to clinch the wild card and ride that momentum all the way to the World Series just like the Royals accomplished in 2014.

Baseball is a game of poise, momentum, pitching and also timely hitting, especially at this point in the season, so any team that combines all those key aspects will be a dangerous force come October.

Wikimedia/Creative Commons Bartolo Colon leads the Mets pitching staff down the stretch as they vie for a playoff spot.

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of September 14, 2016

fairfieldmirror.com

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

Syracuse Shuts Out Stags 3-0

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Sophomore Elena Santos made a run upfield in the Stags' 3-0 loss to Syracuse. The Stags hung tough with the Orange for most of the game, but some defensive errors were the difference.

By Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor A delightful Sunday afternoon at Lessing Field was the setting for the Stags’ final non-conference game on the 2016 slate as they took on perennial Atlantic Coast Conference power Syracuse. In a game that was certainly closer than the score indicated, Fairfield fell to the Orange 3-0, going to a record of 1-7 on the year.

The game’s first 30 minutes were played quite evenly, with both teams threatening often on the offensive end.

The Stags controlled possession well, effectively putting together nice passing sequences and sending dangerous long balls into the box.

However, in the 32nd minute, Syracuse struck first after a Fairfield foul yielded the Orange a free kick in the attacking half. A lofty ball was sent to the far post, where a Syracuse player corralled the ball and knocked a precise pass across the box where a teammate was waiting to tap it in to make the score 1-0.

Four minutes later, another set piece

crippled the Stags when a scrum in front of the goal gave the Orange an easy goal to make the score 2-0 heading into the half.

Fairfield finished the first 45 minutes with two shots on goal, but they did not come easy.

“The first half was a challenge because of the wind,” said head coach Jim O’Brien.

“We couldn’t change the point of the attack like we wanted to because we did not have the ability to drive the ball into the wind like that.”

Once the second half began, Fairfield started to put together some of their best offensive runs of the season. In the 79th minute, forward Brenna Brown ’17 sent in a cross to midfielder Holly Habyan ’19 and the sophomore volleyed the ball out of the air and rocketed the shot just over the crossbar.

It was clear that Fairfield was unafraid of the Orange’s big back line as they attacked time and time again, finishing the second half with five shots, two of them coming on goal. Although they failed to finish their chances, their offensive performance was certainly encouraging.

In the 72nd minute, the Stags had a defensive breakdown when a defender lost the ball past the midfield line and a Syracuse attacker took advantage of the breakaway and slid the ball past goalkeeper Jenna Pike ‘18 to make the game 3-0, which would be the final score.

Fairfield has played a grueling nonconference schedule, playing some of the top teams in the country the past few weeks. The extremely physical schedule has undoubtedly prepared the Stags well before they begin Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play next Saturday against Canisius.

“Every team we have played so far is a top level program,” O’Brien said. “Their losses have come to the likes of Boston College, Penn State, some of the top teams in the country. So we are excited for next week.”

Stag fans should be looking forward to the Canisius matchup as Fairfield looks to begin to turn their season around when they welcome the up-state New York Alfredo Torres/The Mirror school for a 1 p.m. kick-off on Saturday, Sophomore Jenny Jacobs battled off tough defense as the Sept. 17 at Lessing Field.

Stags struggled to knock down a goal finishing s

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Sophomore Sarah Plowman crossed the ball into the box and hoped that a Fairfield attacker could get a foot or head on the ball to direct a shot on goal. The Stags will look to defend home turf this Saturday.