Fairfield Mirror 4/3/19

Men’s Baseball

New Zealand Attacks

Russian Ballet

Opinion

Vine

Sports

New Zeleand Mosque attacks inspire hope.

The Russian National Ballet Theatre performs at the Quick.

Fairfield conquers conference rival Iona.

Page 5

Page 8

Page 16

THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of April 3, 2019

@FairfieldMirror

Follow us!

FairfieldMirror.com

Vol. 44 Iss. 20

Fairfield Relay Raises $40,000 for Cancer

By Julia Crews Assistant News

The Fieldhouse of the Leslie C. Quick Jr. Recreation Complex was full of life on Friday, March 29 for Fairfield University’s annual Relay For Life, the fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. The Fieldhouse was packed with tables for every team with games, food and fun surprises for attendees to keep them occupied and entertained for a long night of raising money and awareness for cancer.

“It was just something I was really involved with in high school,” said Lily Rancatore ‘21, one of eight co-presidents of Fairfield University’s Relay For Life Club. “And I really wanted to continue to be involved in college. What I love about Relay is that it forms a community because everyone’s been impacted by cancer in some way, and it gives these people the opportunity to talk about their stories and walk all night to raise money for a great cause.”

Attendees included Lucas the Stag and Bailey, the Campus Ministry therapy dog at a “Kissing Booth” accompanied by Kathleen Byrnes, campus minister for social justice and community engagement. The Bensonians performed to kick off the evening, and other performers followed throughout the night.

At 10 p.m., there was a ceremony to commemorate those lost to cancer in which the lights were turned off and participants lit the room with glow sticks.

The event was carnival-themed, with many activities that aligned with that theme. “Last year, our theme wasn’t evident upon walking into the RecPlex, but this year I think everyone at the event could tell we had trans-

formed the gym with games and decorations,” said Rancatore. “I also think our schedule was more stacked, with popcorn and cotton candy, carnival games, hula hoopers, along with a hypnotist and contortionist later in the night.”

In the middle of the room, safe from the determined walkers around the track, there were games of bean bag toss and spike ball. In one corner was a bouncy house, and a photo-booth in another.

“When there was an event focused on cancer, we knew we wanted to be a part of it,” said Grace Cannon ‘20, public relations and media coordinator for the Love Your Melon club on campus. Love Your Melon is a company that sells hats and other products to raise money for cancer. “I think we all pretty much know someone who’s been affected by cancer, whether it’s someone here from Fairfield or someone from their family,” continued Cannon. “Working with other people who have also been affected can be really encouraging and create kind of a camaraderie that’s very unique.”

At the Love Your Melon table, participants could guess how many gummy watermelons were in a jar. At another table for The Point Magazine, the club organizers had set up a cupcake decorating station.

“We’re a new club on campus, and we always do Relay For Life anyway so we wanted to do it as a new club at Fairfield, and show our support for Relay,” said Liza Rozenberg ‘20, co-creative director of The Point Magazine.

Rancatore considered this year’s Relay For Life “a success,” having raised “just under $40,000.”

But Fairfield’s Relay For Life club doesn’t plan on resting upon their laurels. “My hope for future years is to increase attendance—we always have a great turnout, but I would love to have more people stay throughout the entire night…. I can’t wait to keep working with my fellow Co-Presidents to plan another amazing events in years to come!”

Creative Commons/Flickr

Fairfield Goes Orange

By Andrew Murphy Contributing Writer

Photos taken from FUSA OrgSync Page

Students dance together to the DJ in the Oak Room in the John A. Barone Campus Center.

Halfway to the Beach Half-Empty

By Daniel Messier Assistant News

The state of Fairfield University’s Halfway to the Beach still seems to be in transition.

Students from the sophomore class came together in the Oak Room on Saturday, March 30 for a night of food and dancing as a part of Fairfield University’s second annual Halfway to the Beach formal. The program is marketed as the last time that the sophomore class will Read Halfway on Page Two

Members of the Fairfield University community distributed orange bracelets to students heading out of the Daniel and Grace Tully Dining Commons to their next destinations. On Tuesday, March 26, scenes like this occurred across Fairfield’s slightly more orange campus as a result of the school’s Suicide Prevention Day initiative.

Behind a table filled with various pamphlets stickers, a video about awkward silences played on a screen in the background. Student-made notes on orange paper used the hashtag #imhere as part of their messages, which filled two nearby walls.

Counseling and Psychological Services joined with Campus Ministry, Fairfield University Student Association and the Student Health Center to organize these information tables. With locations next to Einstein Bros. Bagels, at the bottom entrance of the Tully Dining Commons and in the front foyer of the Dimenna-Nyselius Library, these stations enthusiastically distributed orange bracelets with the message #imhere in order to convey their message about suicide prevention.

“I’m wearing mine because it says I’m here and I want all my friends and everyone on this campus to know that I’m here for them if anyone needs anything,” said Mary Eliseo ‘19, one of the many students who actively participated as part of this campaign.

Sophomore Kevin Kryzwick expressed similar motivation behind his choice to wear the bracelets.

“I think sometimes it’s hard for someone to approach you and talk about their mental health, but there’s a clear sign that you’re there to listen,” said Kryzwick, who helped work the table next to Einstein’s.

These tables around campus centered around the same slogan which was written on the hundreds of bracelets distributed: #imhere.

The initiative both informed students of the importance of suicide awareness and encouraged them to continue to spread this awareness on their own.

Junior Lauren Paidas, an advocate of mental health on campus, helped coordinate Read Suicide on Page Two

News

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Page 2

Halfway to the Beach Leaves the Beach Annual formal met with low ticket sales and turnout

tion. The turnout wasn’t that good, I feel like there could have been a lot more students from our class to show up,” continued Cyr. “I thought Halfway was really fun, I thought it would have been better if it was at the beach, but I understand that wasn’t a realistic thing to happen,” said Nicholas Colorito ‘21. “I feel like the people that did show up really wanted to be there and made it a good time.”

Going forward, it seems as though the location of Halfway to the Beach will continue to be prevalent.

“Moving forward, we plan to change the venue to make the event more attractive to our students,” said Boutros when asked about the future of the event.

“I completely understand that the Oak Room was not the most appealing location, and we are looking to find a more suitable venue for the Class of 2022 to keep this tradition going strong.” However, a new venue would likely come with

Continued from Page One

all be together until graduation.

However, the sophomore class did not all turn out for the event, as about 120 students were in attendance. As of October 2018 there were 1,043 students in the sophomore class, meaning approximately 12% of the class attended the event. Low attendance at the event could be due to changes made from last year’s Halfway to the Beach, which consisted of the location change from the Penfield Beach Pavilion to the Oak Room.

Halfway to the Beach was originally a boat cruise that took sophomore students around the Long Island Photos taken from FUSA OrgSync Page Sound. However, problems Students pose with beach-themed props in front of a blue, glittery background in the Oak Room on Saturday night. arose during the event in 2016 when the captain of the boat refused to leave port due to the severe level of intoxication of students on board. The boat cruise returned in 2017, but with available tickets cut in half from 300 to 150, causing a movement away from the boat cruise all together. Halfway to the Beach was then introduced in its current format in 2018 at Penfield Beach Pavilion with 200 available tickets that sold out on the first day. This caused an issue as many students were not able to purchase a ticket. This year, the event was moved again to the Oak Room, which caused many students to skip the event entirely.

“I didn’t go because Photos taken from FUSA OrgSync Page I didn’t know how it was Balloons and lights in the shape of a shark stood as a backdrop to the event and place for students to take photos. going to go being in the Oak Room,” said Jack Campbell ‘21 ticket prices as inexpensive as possible. So the event was increased cost. via email, “and I thought that 7:30 was too early to start then brought on campus because outside venues such as “The ticket price would be subject to increase more and 10:00 was too early to end.” banquet halls would have been too pricey. The Oak Room than the $10 charged this year,” said Director of Program“There were a lot of circumstances that led to was not our first choice of an on-campus venue, but due to ming Olivia McEvoy ‘19. “As long as people are okay with the event being held in the Oak Room,” said Associate availability of spaces on campus, it was the best we could that moving forward, FUSA is more than happy to try Programming Director Thomas Boutros ‘20 via email. do.” to accommodate. Our goal is to make this event into an “Throughout the year, we had looked for new venues The Oak Room was set up with tables for students to annual tradition. Through our experiences from year to because Penfield Pavilion simply was not a sustainable sit at, with a DJ and a photobooth along with props to take year, we believe [we] are closer to getting to that perfect location. For last year’s event, a very small percentage of pictures. There were also buffet tables that boasted a wide iteration of Halfway to the Beach.” the Class of 2020 was able to go and we wanted to include variety of options for food from burritos to s’mores. For more members of the Class of 2021.” some students who attended, the event was still fun, even if Boutros also explained that ticket prices were the venue was not their first choice.

Editor’s Note: Executive Editor Claire Monahan is also the important in deciding the venue. “A survey was sent out “I liked the venue, I thought it was set up nicely,” FUSA President Elect. She did not have access to this story for to the sophomores asking about their preferences for the said Brianna Cyr ‘21. “I know originally it was supposed to resporting or editing purposes logistics of the event such as location and pricing, and be at the beach, so I was looking forward to that, but since there was an overwhelming amount of concern to keep the it wasn’t at the beach I feel like this was a good second op-

Suicide Prevention Day Provides Hope Continued from Page One

Andrew Murphy/ The Mirror

Wall with notes left by students in support of Suicide Prevention Week.

this initiative with Counseling and Psychological Services. Paidas further explained the importance of Tuesday’s event.

“I try to be open about it [mental health] because one, I’m comfortable sharing my story, but then also because I hope to give other people the realization that, ‘Okay, I’m not alone if some else is struggling.’”

Paidas further explained the point at which she would consider the initiative to be a success; “if someone else who doesn’t struggle realizes that there are a lot people struggling, especially on college campus.”

The videos which played at each of the three tables also shared a slightly more specific theme: seize the awkward.

Mark Celano, assistant director of Counseling and Psychological Services, stressed the campaign’s emphasis on this idea on breaking the stigma about mental health by taking advantage

of its various awkward interactions.

Celano further explained how by trying to promote greater social connection, the #imhere campaign hoped to offer one at least one way for untrained people to help others who may be feeling suicidal.

“Increasing social connections actually reduces the incidence of suicide,” explained Celano.

This empowerment of ordinary students as potential helpers in suicide prevention explained the campaign’s focus on the color orange.

“We hear over and over again from students who are at risk for suicide or suicidal behavior that they feel very alone and they don’t have anybody to talk to,” said Campus Minister Katie Byrnes, “so the idea is to have the whole campus go orange today, so that students can see there are a lot of people to talk to and there are a lot of people here.”

The wristbands distributed at the tables of Tuesday’s event will serve as physical reminders of this campus-wide effort to remind students that they are never alone.

News

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Page 3

The Mirror Reects on this Week in Social Media Compiled by Julia Monteleone Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

Saturday, 3/30 12:05 a.m Underaged students in Loyola Hall appeared to be intoxicated and in possession of alcohol. The students were referred to student conduct.

12:29 a.m Minors found bringing beers into the Levee. The students were referred to student conduct.

12:39 a.m There was an incident of students harassing Resident Assistants at the townhouses. The students were referred to student conduct.

11:30 a.m A student in Loyola Hall was found visibly intoxicated.

The student was referred to student conduct.

11:59 p.m A student was found in possession of alcohol outside townhouse. Student was referred to student conduct.

Sunday, 3/31 12:03 a.m G-Force found a student had ripped off a sink in The Levee. The student claimed it had fallen off on its own.

The student was referred to student conduct.

12:28 a.m An underage student was found in possession of alcohol in the Levee. The student was referred to student conduct.

1:25 a.m A non-student was found asleep and intoxicated in his car outside of the Regina A. Quick Center. The person was escorted off campus by Fairfield Police.

Monday, 4/1 9:24 a.m A motor vehicle accident occurred between a student and non-student. Fairfield Police were called to the scene.

To see the full list of crimes visit fairfieldmirror.com

THE MIRROR Incorporated 1977

Lexi Thimble, Editor-in-Chief Claire Monahan, Executive Editor Katherine Klima, Managing Editor Editors Sheila McCombs, Chief Copy Julia Monteleone, News Julia Crews, Assistant News Daniel Messier, Assistant News Catherine Santangelo, Opinion Gracianne Eldrenkamp, Vine Molly Lamendola, Assistant Vine Julia Lanzillotta, Sports Editor Business Department Email: info@fairfieldmirror.com Michael Homan, Director of Finance Advisor Professor Matt Tullis Contact Information Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road, BCC 104 Box AA, Fairfield, CT 06824 General email: info@fairfieldmirror.com

News

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Page 4

Muslim Student Association Remembers Christchurch

By Daniel Messier Assistant News Editor

Pictures of the victims of the March 15 attacks on the Christchurch mosques adorned the stag statue on March 26 as a part of a memorial for New Zealand Mosque Attack Victims organized by the Muslim Student Association. The memorial was arranged as a drop in event, for students to come pay their respects in their own way any time between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

However, the memorial remained empty for most of the day, with most students walking past the memorial on their way to class or the quad. The memorial featured the pictures of the victims and a display that gave examples of Islamophobic statements from public figures like President Donald Trump and Ben Shapiro.

“We have found that it is hard to get many people at our events because of scheduling but also because there seems to be an impression that we are only catering to Muslim students; and while it is true that catering to Muslim students is a big part of our role in campus educating and interacting with students of other faiths or no faiths is also a large part of our club goals,” said MSA President Amira Ebrahim ‘20 via email.

“By having it be more in a drop in manner in the middle of campus it allows better flexibility with time and shows that feeling sad and angry about the event is not limited to just Muslims, but should be a concern to everybody. Part of the plan was also to have a board for people to write their thoughts but I did not anticipate how windy it would be [that day] so that didn’t quite work out,” continued Ebrahim.

There was no formal vigil for the attack victims and no statement was sent out to students regarding the attack from the University. Some students feel that the university could have done more.

“I just feel like Fairfield University as a higher institution of learning really didn’t put out the message that they’re there for their Muslim students, whereas Sacred Heart had a prayer vigil,” said Ali Haidar ‘21. “It’s a shame, Fairfield University, being a Cath-

olic institution with a minority of Muslim students, could have really used this opportunity to have held some sort of discussion about it. I really hope that Fairfield University gets their act together.”

Sacred Heart University held an event on Monday, March 18 that involved a prayer service led by religious leaders from multiple faiths.

Daniel Messier/The Mirror It is clear that the events in New Zealand The Stag was decorated with photos of the victims. have had a profound effect on the students on campus. When asked how she personally felt about the attacks, Ebrahim said, “I’m angry and saddened for the families but what’s probably the most upsetting is the fact that I can’t say I am surprised.”

Ebrahim continued to talk about how the tragedy has affected students on campus.

“A lot of Muslims on campus have come to me saying that they feel scared, especially after hearing about the mosque that was set on fire in California. I’ve answered them the same thing that I have been telling myself; that its ok to feel upset but you can’t stop there- and that you can’t let anyone make you feel that you should be afraid. Whatever you can do to show people what a Muslim really believes and what Islam really preaches than do it, even if you are scared.”

Ambassador to Israel Visits Quick Center definitions of acceptable outcomes. Eventually, the deal was passed - although Trump would later withdraw the U.S. from it - despite Netanyahu’s talk.

When he was four years old, Daniel Sha“That was a very tough moment,” Shapiro piro’s family traveled to Israel. This was 1973, explained, “Because it really embodied a breakthe same year as the Yom Kippur War between down of communication and trust between allies.”

Israel, Syria and Egypt.

While at times he faced significant chal“We lived through this experience, we lenges, Shapiro also experienced very successful spent the nights in the bomb shelters,” explained moments of diplomacy as ambassador. In 2013, Shapiro, “We saw how Israelis were fighting for President Obama visited Israel and gave a successtheir country, and it developed a strong bond ful talk to Israeli young people. The emphasis of between our family and Israel.”

Obama’s talk was that “Peace with Palestinians is In 2011, Shapiro was appointed Ambasjust, possible and necessary.” sador to Israel by President Barack Obama. He Additionally, during this visit the adminisheld this role until 2017, and now works as a trations launched negotiations that led to a 10-year Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Tel Aviv Unimilitary assistance deal between the U.S. and versity’s Institute of National Security Studies.

Israel, signed in 2016.

Shapiro’s position as ambassador was the culmiNow, Shapiro works at the Institute for nation of a process spanning multiple decades.

National Security Studies, which is headed by a At ages five and six he was a peacemaker former Israeli general. He characterizes the think and a problem solver on the playground. tank as being populated by academics and other “My parents tell me that they could idenCreative Commons/usafe.af former military, intelligence and diplomatic offitify the qualities of a diplomat in me even as a cials. Shapiro is the first visiting fellow who is a young boy,” Shapiro explained.

Daniel Shapiro was named Ambassador to Israel in 2011 by Obama. former senior American official, which allows him An internship in the state department to bring an American perspective to the institute. that job my whole life.” while Shapiro was in graduate school let him to Shapiro intended to focus on the security, political This appointment had Shapiro and his family moving pursue diplomacy and policy development. He was a policy and economic dimensions in the relations between Israel to Israel with his wife, Julie Fisher, and their daughters advisor for Congress, worked for the Clinton Administraand the United States, as well as stories about the relations this led to the largest culture shock he experienced. tion and then met Senator Barack Obama. Shapiro worked between the countries’ leadership from Obama-Netanyahu “Israeli parents gave their children far more freedom with Obama through the 2008 campaign, and then was the to Trump-Netanyahu. of movement, of speech maybe, freedom of devising their President’s Middle East advisor.

The Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic own social schedules, than American parents,” said Shapiro.

“It was only while doing that job, which had sort Studies hosted Shapiro in the Regina A. Quick Center for His daughters started to ask, “Why are you such of been the dream job when I was in grad school,” said the Arts on March 26, 2019. Shapiro explained what he American parents?” until the Shapiros changed their methShapiro, “...that I started to think that I could make an even aimed for students to learn. ods.

Thus, Shapiro characterizes the biggest cultural difgreater contribution.”

“I hope they will appreciate the value to the United ference as being familial, especially because he had known As Middle East advisor, Shapiro developed a positive States of the U.S./Israel security partnership,” Shapiro said. relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanya- Israel very well before becoming ambassador.

He elaborated, “I hope they will take away that this is Shapiro’s most difficult moment as ambassador came hu. Due to his ability to speak Hebrew and Arabic, he could a complex alliance between very close allies.” It is, Shapiro when Netanyahu decided to speak to Congress against the try to explain Obama administration policies to the Israeli described, an economic as well as a security partnership, Iran Nuclear Deal. The United States had coordinated very public.

Shapiro explained, “It was only when we reached that closely with Israel on the deal, but as negotiations with Iran and “also a relationship in which disagreements arise, and leaders have to find a way to manage those disagreements.” became serious, the United States and Israel had different point that I understood that I’d really been preparing for

By Sabina Dirienzo Chief Copy Editor Emeritus

Make Your Voice Heard!

Want to share your thoughts in Fairfield’s Independent Student Newspaper?

Become a Contributing Writer for The Mirror Email info@fairfieldmirror.com with story ideas.

Opinion

Opinion

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Page 5

Editor Catherine Santangelo» catherine.santangelo@student.fairfield.edu

New Zealand Attacks Motivated by Hate But Answered by Hope

By Zahra Kallo Contributing Writer

Muslims gathered at the Christchurch Mosques in New Zealand in preparation for the congregational prayer like they do every Friday. Moments before the prayer could start on March 15, 2019, a white man – who’s name is not being released to the public – approached the mosque with a semi-automatic rifle in his possession, with the intention of killing everyone inside. “Hello, Brother” was how he was greeted by his first victim. He proceeded to shoot everyone including men, women and children. He then moved on to another nearby mosque where a second shooting occurred. At least 50 people were killed in both of these shootings. The man has been taken into custody and is being charged with murder. The man was seen smiling and using a white supremacy hand sign in court to show that he was proud of himself for the terrible actions he had taken.

This situation begs many questions: Why would someone do this? What could lead someone to do something like this and be proud of it? More conservative members of the media has been saying that the shooter was a “curly-haired” and “angelic-boy” who was bullied, but his use of violent video games led him astray. Contrary to what the media has been spinning, video games and being a victim of bullying do not create murderers; hate creates murderers.

Jan Fran, a journalist for The Feed, said, “It’s easy for us to say that Muslims come from an inferior culture, a violent religion, a broken society, that they’re full

of hate. But we can’t quite say that about the white ones, because to do so would be to say we’re just the same.” It is hard for white conservative media outlets to admit that white terrorism exists because it would be contradicting everything that they have trained themselves to believe.

The Christchurch shooter’s goal was to scare Muslims enough to leave New Zealand because he felt like they didn't belong there. This makes him a terrorist. He documented his hate in a 72 page manifesto where he admits that he moved to New Zealand for the purpose of prepar ing and training to do the attacks. In the manifesto, he also says that he saw Trump as “a sym bol of renewed white identity and common purpose.”

This led to some people believing that Trump inspired the attack, but I don't think this is true. Trump is someone who has tried to limit the immigration of Muslims into America because he believes that his race is supreme. This belief of white supremacy is what motivated the shooter, not Trump. Trump is another example of the outcome of white supremacy, but he is not the sole reason for the shootings.

Trevor Noah, the host of The Daily Show, makes an amazing analogy between Trump and climate change to illustrate this effect, which is that you cannot blame any single storm on climate change, but you have to admit that “climate change has an effect on increasing the probability of the storms.” I think this is the best way to put it,as Trump had nothing to do with the attacks directly, but his hatred of Muslim countries and immigrants has made it more acceptable for people to be vocal about the groups they hate.

The people of New Zealand showed their unity by having a nationwide moment of silence so that the call to prayer and the prayer could be completed the following Friday. Non-Muslim women wore Hijabs, and thousands of people attended funerals, guarded the Mosques and mourned together. New Zealand banned the video taken by the shooter, the manifesto, and all military style semi-automatics and assault rifles. The support and togetherness of New Zealand after the attacks shines a light on “one of New Zealand’s darkest days,” as stated by the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

“Hold firmly to the rope of God all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of God upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your Pictured: Christchurch Mosque in New Zealand hearts together and you became, by His faCreative Commons/Wikimedia Commons vor, brothers” (Qur’an 3:103).

Mueller...Mueller...Where's the Truth?

By Ali Haidar Contributing Writer Over the last two years, the American public and political sphere have been haunted by the ghosts of 2016. The Mueller investigation, which was tasked with determining if the Trump campaign had colluded with the Russian government’s efforts to influence the 2016 election, has been lingering in American politics. However, on March 22, 2019, the Special Counsel office concluded its investigation, and submitted its final report to Attorney General William Barr, who then delivered a four-page letter to Congress detailing highlights from the Mueller report. With Barr’s summary, one would hope that the American public’s questions would finally be answered. The report concluded that the Trump campaign, and anyone associated with it, did not collude Russia, but unfortunately Capitol Hill is far from satisfied with these results.

One should be furious that the Special Counsel’s investigation has dragged on and has culminated more fuel for the hyper partisanship divide that we have seen over the last decade. There was nothing wrong with the purpose of the investigation, but the problem is that it leaves more questions than answers.

The Mueller investigation, unlike the narrative that some have been pushing, was completely warranted. From President Trump asking the Russians to hack his opponent’s email servers, to his son attending a questionable meeting in the Kremlin and to the countless indictments, it is clear that Pictured: Special Counsel Robert Mueller the investigation Creative Commons/Flickr brought to light the

Editorial Board "Who Are You Picking Up?" Lexi Thimble Editor-in-Chief Claire Monahan Executive Editor Katherine Klima Managing Editor

As college students, we’ve all probably had our fair share of wild Uber or Lyft rides. As crazy as these stories can be, I don’t think we really dwell upon the ones that are truly terrifying.

Around 2:00 AM on March 29, Samantha Josephson, a 21 year old student at the University of South Carolina, thought she was getting into an Uber, but instead got into the car of Nathaniel D. Rowland. Hours later Josephson’s body was found, and in the wake of her murder, the safety of riding in Ubers has become a huge topic of discussion.

Unfortunately, this sort of thing has been happening for a while. In the past, Uber has been notorious for its various sexual assault cases by their drivers, and also for random drivers posing as Ubers. In July of 2018, a similar case of a fake Uber driver occured when a young woman had entered a car thinking it was her Uber. Instead, she found herself fighting for her life when she was forced to jump out of the moving vehicle to avoid abduction.

In Nov. 2018, the Today Show even put out a report demonstrating how many people actually get into

unusual character of the campaign. While most indictments did not stem directly from the campaign, they do illuminate the shady individuals who held important positions in the campaign and in the Trump’s administration. Those indicted include Paul Manafort, a former Trump campaign chairman, Michael Flynn, a former campaign adviser and former national security advisor, and Michael Cohen, longtime personal attorney to Trump and his family. Although it is clear that the Mueller investigation was able to uncover and bring to justice those who had violated federal laws, there is much left to be clarified.

For instance, the Barr summary states that Mueller did not find evidence that the President or his campaign colluded – something that Trump would quickly take to Twitter as he would state, “No Collusion.” However, the Mueller report did discover that there were two major efforts by the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. The Kremlin used the Internet Research Agency, a Russian organization, that was “Designed to sow social discord.” Russians also used government actors, the very same ones who are responsible for the 2016 Democratic National Convention hacking, to reach out to the Trump campaign in order to offer them their services - all of which were rejected by officials working on the Trump campaign. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the Mueller report, as relayed

by Barr, was that Mueller did not a draw a conclusion as to whether Trump’s actions as President led to an obstruction of justice. Instead, Mueller laid out the arguments for both sides of the question and stated that, “While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” Mueller spent over $28 million dollars in the two-year long investigation, yet could not conclude if the President committed this crime or not.

The reaction from either side of the aisle convey that the discussion of Russian collusion is far from being over. The President’s son, Donald Trump Jr., immediately criticized media outlets such as CNN, MSNBC and Buzzfeed by touting that they had pedalled “More than two years of non-stop conspiracy theories.” Also, Scott Dworkin, co-founder of the Democratic Coalition super PAC, tweeted that the Barr summary is “propaganda.” However, it is clear that the majority of Americans, according to an NPR/PBS/Marist Poll, want to see the full report be made public. The full report should be released, but instead of endlessly dragging on the Mueller investigation, we should be focused on possible egregious violations of the American Constitution. Solid arguments have been made that Trump is violating the emoluments clause with his web of business holdings overseas.

We have come to the end of an investigation that has persisted over the last few years, and which has left us with more questions than answers. It is known that President Trump is very controversial, and that the Mueller investigation is evidence of that. However, it seems that both parties are locked onto the investigation, and that the ghosts of 2016 will continue to haunt the American public.

an Uber without really checking if it’s their driver. These fake Uber drivers are primarily preying on people leaving bars due to the fact they’re probably intoxicated and most likely not paying close attention to their surroundings.

This is absolutely aggravating. Uber and Lyft are supposed to be systems that are there to help those who are under the influence in order to keep them from getting behind the wheel of a car. People like Josephson were doing the right thing by calling a ride, but the fact that there are people taking advantage of this system and using it to harm others is disgusting and terrifying. It’s especially horrifying for young women who are traveling by themselves due to the fact that they have a higher risk of being sexually assaulted by their abductor. It’s bad enough that we as women have to be cautious of leaving our houses alone late at night, but the fact that we can’t even rely on using a car service to avoid walking around by ourselves is even more frustrating.

As easy and convenient as Uber and Lyft are, we need to stop blindly trusting them. As college students, we want to go to bars and make sure our late nights out are as safe as possible. This includes not riding in an Uber

alone if you’re intoxicated and making sure that you are entering the correct car. Knowing who you’re getting into a car with could potentially save your life, and it’s also so important to pay attention to your surroundings when you are in an Uber or a Lyft.

Uber and Lyft both list safety tips on their websites about how to deal with this kind of issue. Some tips that I personally use when I ride alone in an Uber or a Lyft, tips that we should all use, are that I double check the license plate before getting in the car, and I share my location with my mom or a trusted friend. Also, when approaching the car and speaking to the driver, I always ask who they are picking up and make sure they say my name before getting in. On the ride, you can also double check your location to make sure the driver is going the right way.

I cannot stress enough that there needs to be more caution when getting into an Uber or a Lyft. As much as we wish we could always depend on driving services to get us safely to where we need to go, we need to make sure that whatever stranger drives us to our destination is one we can trust.

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Opinion

Page 6

Loughlin's Privilege Can't Save Her from Her Fraud but more importantly, has cheated a deserving student of their rightful spot. Your money may have bought you a spot at a university, but it can never buy you the intelligence and eloquence that the deserving students have. The victims in this case are not the disgraced Beloved TV personality Lori Loughlin stole our hearts as Aunt Becky on “Full House,” parents or their children, but rather the students who were wrongfully rejected from these and now she is stealing students’ spots in top-tier universities. On March 12, 2019 news schools. headlines were overwhelmed with commentary on the recent college cheating admission This scandal not only discredits a university, but its students as well. Attending a uniscandal that was released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This scandal charged over versity where admission can be easily bought invalidates the hard-work and determination 50 parents in the elaborate scheme to bribe their undeserving children’s ways into top-tier that the rightful students have achieved. No longer will a university have the prestige of universities. The deceptive techniques involved forging test scores, bribing coaches, or as considering itself one of the top schools in the nation, but rather it will be known as a school Loughlin did, post her daughters as recruits for the crew team when neither have ever par- where the rich, white kids can get in with their parent’s money. The selfishness of only caring ticipated in the sport. about your family’s reputation has negatively impacted the rightful students’ success.

While there have been dozens of universities involved, University of Southern CaliUndermining the hard-work of other students in order to further the fornia and Loughlin have faced heavy reputation of your undeserving chilcriticism due to her family’s public dren is inexcusable. The privipresence, alongside her daughleged children who cheated ter, Olivia Jade’s, now disgraced their way into school can Youtube success. Jade found drop-out and still have her own fame by creating a the comfort of relyYoutube Channel, @oliviing on their parents’ ajadebeauty, that promoted a money. However, those luxurious lifestyle filled with students who were extravagant gifts and vacastripped of admittions. She attempted, but mistance and come from erably failed, to appeal to her first-generation and middle-class audience in prolow-income families moting more affordable brands do not have that luxsuch as her recently dropped colury to fall-back on. lection with Princess Polly.

These students Although Jade has apparwere left questioning ently blamed her parents for why they were “[ruining] her life,” this is not “good not the first time she has enough” to sparked controversy. In get into such a video that has since prominent been deleted from her universities.

Youtube Channel, Jade They worked tireis recorded saying that lessly to have the privilege she “doesn't really care of receiving a higher educaabout school” and only tion, to better their families wants to go for the parand their future, yet your ties and game-days. The privileged and selfish agenda ignorance and privilege stripped them of their rightthat this family exudes ful admission because you is disturbing. If you had value your reputation more enough money to pay for than you do morality. your daughter’s admission, To these families, stop why did you not have enough undermining deserving stumoney to pay for a tutor? dents’ success because they The deceptive actions of have what you could only these parents has not only poorly Pictured: Lori Loughlin (middle) with her daughters Olivia Jade (left) and Isabella Rose (right) Giannulli dream for your children to Photo taken from Twitter.com/KTLAMorningNews affected their children’s future, have.

By Kallan Hook Contributing Writer

Legalization of Marijuana Would be Dope

By Maria DiGregorio Contributing Writer

The issue of whether or not to fully legalize all uses of marijuana has been a major debate facing the United States in recent years. Marijuana has been illegal in all states for decades under the Controlled Substances Act, until California legalized medical marijuana in 1996. Then, in 2016, Colorado became the first state to legalize marijuana recreationally, and since then nine other states have followed.

This has provoked the issue among Americans of whether

Photo taken from Twitter.com/7news Creative Commons/Wikimedia Commons

or not to legalize recreational use of marijuana across the country. I believe that all states should legalize the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana because it will boost the economy, be more safe for consumer use and free up police resources to focus on serious crime.

Currently, lawmakers in Connecticut are considering a bill that would establish a framework for a legal marijuana industry in Connecticut. Lawmakers are going to set provisions that only allow the sale of marijuana to people who are 21 years of age or older. Also, there will be penalties for driving under the influence of marijuana, and criminal records will be erased for individuals who were arrested for possessing one point nine ounces of marijuana or less.

This new bill will also be particularly beneficial for minority groups. The bill includes provisions designed so that minority entrepreneurs have an entry point into the multi-million dollar marijuana industry by granting them first access to cultivation and other types of licenses. Kebra Smith-Bolden, who is a marijuana entrepreneur and member of the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana, stated her support for the legalization of marijuana by saying, “I know firsthand the effects the war on drugs has had on communities of color...Because of the failed war on drugs, which was really a war on people, restorative justice is

not just the right thing to do, it is necessary to do in order to repair the damage that was done to countless communities as a result of the prohibition on cannabis.”

The current marijuana industry in the United States could exceed $24 billion in revenue by 2023. In states where marijuana is legal, like Colorado, it brings in three times more tax revenue than alcohol. In the first two years of sales, the state raised $220 million. This money goes to funding the police, drug treatment and public schools. The industry would also become another source of jobs, therefore decreasing unemployment rates and drastically helping our economy.

Another reason for legalizing marijuana is that if it were regulated by the government it would be much safer than what is currently being distributed by drug dealers on the street. People buying marijuana on the street have no way of knowing whether it is contaminated with other harmful substances that could kill them. Therefore, if the government regulated it they would be able to enforce laboratory testings and regulations to ensure it is safe for use.

The government spends between $1.19 billion and $6.03 billion annually to arrest people for use of marijuana.

These costs include police, judicial, legal and corrections expenses. Instead of wasting money and police resources on arresting people for marijuana, they should be focused on using resources for more serious crimes like sexual assault, homicide and robbery.

There are reasons as to why the legalization of marijuana could be a negative decision, but there are solutions to these problems. If marijuana were to be legalized, it should be regulated just the same as alcohol and tobacco are. For example, you should not be able to smoke indoors or around children.

There has been a long fight for better laws regarding drugs in the United States, but hopefully with this new bill in Connecticut, it will pave the way for all 50 states to follow in Connecticut’s footsteps. Legalizing marijuana would not only help the country and Americans economically, but it will also add to what it means to be an American. Being an American means having the freedom to choose, so why should choosing what goes into your body be any different?

The Vine

arts, entertainment, features

Editor Gracianne Eldrenkamp gracianne.eldrenkamp@student.fairfield.edu

'Swan Lake' Sweeps Audiences Off Their Feet

Photos Taken contributed by Alexander Daev CreativeCommons/Pixabay

The Vine

Page 8

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

'Swan Lake' Twirls into the Quick

By Molly Lamendola Assistant Vine Editor

ted

bu

tri

v

ae

rD

de

an

lex

:A

by

Seems out of place in this time of year. Nevertheless, it could kill some people to try seeing things in a different way.

on

By Brandon Robles '22

oC

Love Tint

ot

The Art Corner

Ph

During a usual event evening the crowd enters the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts in a soft trickle. The handful of students required by professors to attend and Fairfield County Natives hoping to spend their evening watching something other than Jeopardy reruns, find their seats in a less than rushed fashion. But this night, March 29, was special: the parking lots were filled, the stage was set, the seats were left with an elbow in each arm rest and the Russian National Ballet Theatre was ready to perform Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” for their crowd of eager onlookers.

It’s a story that’s been told extensively, a story that I could’ve given you the general gist of, if given the chance, before the dancers even came out on stage. Basically, a prince falls in love with a swan who’s held under the control of an evil wizard, but the two jump all hurdles to be together and defeat the wizard… done. Story told. It’s a relief, really, that I was able to understand all the intricate plot points of the story enough to shift my focus from the question, “Which one’s a swan?” to all the talent spread across stage.

It all began with the large grouping of female dancers who opened the show. The ensemble dancers, familiar faces I could pick out from multiple scenes throughout the evening, easily seeing through a quick succession of costume changes.

Though truly, the Jester (Eldar Sarsembaev) was the real star of the show, garnering the heaviest of applause in the opening number, with his unbelievable amount of consecutive forte turns, that typical ballerina spin that all try to replicate where the leg extends to keep the dancer moving like a top across the stage. He’d always seem to come out, and no matter the caliber of the dancer in front of us, he’d steal the show. Popping out in a painted smile, he’d spin enough for the room to break out into thunderous applause.

The dancers followed him, all jumping and leaping together as a unit. The female dancers’ white and then pink skirts fluttering across the stage as the Jester grinned in multi-colored face paint, breaking the rigid formality that seems synonymous with a ballet, all in an effort to introduce the prince (Siegfried Aidos Zakan).

The Prince: a Russian hunk with a jaw that could break chestnuts, was talented in his own right, jumping across the stage in outrageously tight tights.

Though for much of the performance he seemed to struggle behind the overwhelming talent of the twisting and turning Jester, he really dazzled against the evil wizard, Rotbart (Evgeniy Ermakov), just before coming across Odette (Hanna Zimovchenko and Maria Klueva).

This moment acted as foreshadowing the eventual conflict. As the Prince, at the front of the stage, leaped and twisted and turned across to the roaring orchestra, the shadowy Rotbart is matching his every move; there’s a tension here. The fog surrounding Rotbart and his glimmering black wings, and the glowing moon behind them all used in an

effort to pull the breath from our lungs. Breath that seemed to be expelled completely once the beautiful swans enter the picture, the darkness giving way to the pure unfiltered light of the moon, revealing to us Odette.

Odette is the love interest of the Prince, the aforementioned swan he falls in love with. This is something we discover as the larger group of swans, drenched in white, swoon and swoop around the stage, showing us the very moment the Prince falls in love with her. It’s a beautiful scene, possibly the pinnacle scene of “Swan Lake” that would lead to an automatic recognition.

Which really is unfortunate, as though the scene seems to stun with all the pristine bleach white ballet skirts and the perfectly pointed toes of Odette and all the lifts and turns that come with it, this wasn’t the stand out performance of the night. Neither was it the Black Swan scene, another “Swan Lake” number that could’ve been picked out of a lineup just due to the prominence given by Natalie Portman’s portrayal in the 2007 movie, “The Black Swan.” Nor was it even the final dance where the Prince defeats Rotbart and frees the swans from his terrifying rage and eyebrows. All of that seemed a bit expected, and those that were listed and meant to have talent and be excellent dancers, were, fine.

In reality, it was the ‘ensemble dancers’ – all those dancers from the opening number – that proved to be the most entertaining, specifically during the dance of the Brides in the beginning of the Third Act. As just after intermission, we were welcomed back with a stunning number from the Prince’s possible suitors: The Hungarian (Elena Galushka), Spanish (Julia Stukonga), Italian (Valeria Mala), Polish (Daria Lednikova), and Russian (Elena Khorosheva) brides.

Each bride had a beautiful costume, where though the glitter and jewels in the white tutus of the swans seemed lacking before, the need was fully met in this number. The stage seemed to sparkle with eloquent hair pieces and dresses combining to make closest to the edge of my seat all night. I was entranced.

Thus, even knowing that the Prince would end up with Odette, I was pulling for one of the other dancers to steal his heart away.

Always hoping for a twist ending.

Black Swan and Prince on stage.

The Vine

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Page 9

'Hadestown': A Greek Tragedy with a Musical Twist

e Mirr ble/Th

him Lexi T or

By Lexi Thimble Editor-in-Chief Musicals and plays that are more off the beaten path than others have always held a special place in my heart, and Rachel Chavkin and Anaïs Mitchell’s “Hadestown” has firmly cemented itself as a forever favorite of mine. “Hadestown” is a musical rendition of the famous Greek tragedy of the lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, and the intertwining of their stories with Hades, God of the Underworld, and his wife Persephone.

As the legend goes, when Eurydice goes to the Underworld and is unable to back, Orpheus attempts to rescue her. He is

then told by Hades that as long as he doesn’t turn around to make sure she’s following him out, the two of them are allowed to leave of their own free will. At the very end of the path, however, Orpheus turns, and loses Eurydice at the last moment, sending her back to the Underworld forever. “It’s a sad song, it’s a sad tale, it’s a tragedy,” the entire company sings at the beginning, but you can’t help but hope throughout the duration of this show that Broadway has managed to turn this ageold ending into something more positive. No such luck.

This show has been in the works for a number of years, beginning as a concept album in 2010 by singersongwriter Anaïs Mitchell, developing into an off-Broadway show in 2016 and now becoming a fullfledged Broadway production as of March 2019 under director Rachel Chavkin, who previously directed Dave Malloy’s “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.” The life and energy of this production, with the music reminiscent of New Orleans jazz and classic folk, reflects the passion and soul put into this story with blinding clarity.

The Walter Kerr Theater, where “Hadestown” is being housed during its run, is a small, intimate affair; the doors where one enters from the sidewalk of New York City lead directly into the house of the theater with no lobby to act as an intermediary. Even seated as I was towards the back of the orchestra section on the lower level, I could see every part of the stage and every person on it, and as Kay Trinidad, who played one of the three Fates, said to those of us gathered at the stage door afterwards, “You guys were right there with us the whole time.”

With shows I’ve gone to see before, the initial interest for me lies in how connected I feel with the cast recording ahead of time: which songs I love, which I’m interested to see how they’ll be choreographed, learning about the cast and whose voice I like

the most, etc. With “Hadestown,” there’s only an off-Broadway recording from two years ago, with just two of those same actors (Amber Gray as Persephone and Patrick Page as Hades) who have continued on to this official Broadway cast. I therefore went into this performance with no knowledge of what this new cast sounded like nor if the story had shifted at all from that previous recording.

The fact that these details didn’t even matter to me is a testament to Chavkin’s direction and story development, and the phenomenal talent of this new cast, the members of which are instantly and easily likeable. Eva Noblezada, who has previously played prominent characters in Broadway and West End productions of “Miss Saigon” and “Les Misérables,” brings palpable strength, humor and vulnerability to the role of Eurydice that makes her a standout from her first to last moment on stage.

Her tomboyish, worldly personality gives way to beautifully emotional moments, revealing the complexity of her character as the story progresses. She is then superbly contrasted with the nervously earnest Orpheus, who is portrayed in this same genuine by Reeve Carney. He softens her hardened exterior with his gorgeous, atmospheric tenor voice and hopeful naivete, and she grounds him with the strength of her independent spirit.

This younger couple finding their footing in their new relationship is then juxtaposed with the wearied marriage between Hades (Patrick Page) and Persephone (Amber Gray), who are individual forces of nature. Gray, who, like Chavkin, was also previously involved in “Great Comet,” was someone I was looking forward to seeing again, and her Persephone was a clear highlight for everyone in the audience. As the one responsible for bringing spring back to the world every year, Persephone appears in bursts of joyful energy, humor and drunken revelry, and Gray’s playful, gravelly voice in addition to these moments made her the obvious comic relief of the show. Page’s Hades is the darkness to her light; the most defining aspect of his performance is his voice, which without exaggeration is the deepest I have ever heard in my life. A girl at the stage door likened him to “a murderous Leonard Cohen,” which comes pretty close to describing the low, scraping sound he can emit; many of his vocal parts drew audible gasps from the audience (with good reason).

It’s early days for this production, but it only took one performance of “Hadestown” to reassure me of my love for its music and story. I’m excited on behalf of all the future audiences who get to see this musical, and am even more excited for when, if the American Theater Wing does its job right, it gets all the Tony nominations and wins it deserves.

'Shazam!' Is a Must-See For Superhero Fans

By Tyler Zikias Contributing Writer “Shazam!” is directed by David F. Sandberg, stars Zachary Levi, Asher Angel and Jack Dylan Grazer and is a comedic take on the superhero genre based on the original Shazam! stories by DC Comics.

Keeping the plot as vague as possible, the film follows Billy Batson (Angel), who is running from foster home to foster home trying to find his family. He finally is placed in a home with a group of other foster children, including Freddy Freeman (Grazer), a superhero fanatic that Billy doesn’t seem to fully understand. Billy then encounters a wizard named Shazam (Djimon Hounsou), and is given the powers of the wizard to battle an unknown enemy. Billy is transformed into an adult (Levi) with incredible abilities like lightning, strength and speed. For me, DC films have been on a cold streak as of late. I enjoyed “Wonder Woman” from 2017, but “Justice League” and “Aquaman” were both incredibly disappointing. However, “Shazam!” might be my favorite of the whole lot.

The key component to what makes this film work are the performances by the three main leads of the film: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel and Jack Dylan Grazer. Zachary Levi as the adult version of Billy Batson, or Shazam, is the perfect choice for this role. While he may have the physique of an adult, Billy still has the mind of a child and oftentimes doesn’t use his powers in the way that Freddy advises him or the way a superhero should. These moments are often the funniest parts of the film because of Zachary Levi’s effortless charm and charisma. Asher Angel is a great Billy Batson. He is searching for this certain person and has been carrying the weight of their absence his entire life. Billy is just searching for a purpose and Angel portrays this fear of not belonging perfectly.

Jack Dylan Grazer steals the show as Freddy Freeman. Freddy is a superhero enthusiast, owning several collector’s items of famous events from the previous DC films. When Billy initially gets his powers, Freddy is beyond excited that he is finally up close and friends with an actual superhero. However, Grazer slips so easily into another side of Freddy when he sees that Billy isn’t using his powers the cor-

rect way. Freddy has a physical impairment that affects his ability to walk, which leads him to question why it was Billy who got the powers. It’s an emotional and powerful turn from a child actor and might be one of the strongest performances I have ever seen from a child.

The film, overall, is such a blast to watch. I can’t remember having such a fun time at a superhero movie since the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” film. One moment, you’ll be laughing hysterically, only to be swept into an emotional moment about the film’s core themes minutes later. Some of the jokes don’t land and may require prior knowledge of the DC films, but a lot of it is comedy gold. The family that Billy and Freddy live with have their own unique quirks and personalities that make them a huge part of the comedy. But, they also play a huge role in conveying the main theme of family throughout “Shazam!.” The film is truly about finding your place and the importance of family, and there are a few scenes in the climax of the film that are incredibly thematically satisfying for what the film is built to.

If I were to identify a major flaw with “Shazam!,” it would have to be the film’s first act. There are a lot of mystical elements that have little development and are eventually gotten rid of anyways that I feel could have been cut from the film entirely. The introduction of the villain, Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), takes up about 10 minutes of the film’s opening and feels like a poor start, especially because Sivana isn’t a great villain. I would have rather started the film with Billy’s introduction, rather than an extended sequence that could have easily been provided through subtext later in the film. “Shazam!” doesn’t entirely gain its footing until about the half hour mark, but once it does, it’s a satisfying joy ride until the very end. I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves superhero movies or just well told stories. It feels like a throwback to the original “Superman” films from the 1970s that were overall just a lot of fun and not concerned with building a cinematic universe.

Grade: A-

The Vine

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Page 10

Cris Jacobs To Perform at Stage One

By Gracianne Eldrenkamp Vine Editor Cris Jacobs’ music is hard to describe accurately. It is a mixture of Americana, rock, soul and folk paired with powerful lyricism and a smooth singing voice, but even that doesn’t describe the experience of listening to one of his songs. His newest album is called “Color Where You Are.” The album is an intimate look into Jacobs’ recent life. Since most of the songs were written specifically for the album in a short period of time, they all follow his thoughts and emotions during that period of his life.

“The whole ‘Color Where You Are’ theme is a meditation on the present and the beauty of the present situations we find ourselves in,” Jacobs said.

“Color Where You Are” is about life in the moment. It covers themes like love, salvation, political tension and finding peace. Often times, when he writes, themes just come to him based on things he hears about and sees on the news.

“I don’t intend to write political songs,” Jacobs said, “but I can’t help inspired, angered, confused, and working things out in real time while I write.”

Jacobs says what makes this album different from his previous ones is his growing connection with his band. His band made up of Todd Herrington on bass guitar, Dusty Ray Simmons on drums and Jonathan Sloane on guitar. The trust and chemistry they’ve formed after performing for a few years together is evident through the balanced musicality of the instrumentals and vocals on each individual track. The group has a bond that only enhances the music they create.

Inspiration came in many different forms for this album. Most importantly, he was inspired by his two year-old daughter and wife. Having a family has caused him to see the world in a brand new way that has affected his lyricism for the better.

The stand-out song on the album is definitely “Painted Road.” It has a funklike sound that’s fleshed out with a strong piano bass line and twangy lead guitar.

Jacobs’ singing is melodic and original. It’s an all-around good song that’s reminiscent of the classics while still encompassing his individuality.

The album is also self-produced, so the band was closely connected to the finished project. You can hear the difference in the album; the music created for the album is raw and emotional in a way many music producers would just cover up. Despite the the lack of a producer, the music production is technically flawless.

“The album is a more civilized version of our live show,” Jacobs said, “We improvise a lot. It’s a very dynamic show.”

Jacobs will be performing with his band at Stage One on Friday April 5.

Photo Taken from @cris_jacobs Instagram Cris Jacobs posing for a picture.

The Mirror Abroad: Kickin' It with Kat After Van Gogh, we headed to the Heineken Experience. The Heineken Experience essentially is a brewery tour in the old Heineken factory in Amsterdam. Like the Guiness Factory or the Jameson Distillery here in Ireland, the Heineken Experience had their own take on showing the public how their famous beer is made. I enjoyed it because it was a lot different than the tours I had previously been on. They even had a horse stable. Even if you don’t like beer or don’t even drink, the Heineken Experience is a really fun time and has plenty of fun options for those of you who don’t drink the signature Dutch beverage.

We would spend the rest of Amsterdam checking out some scenes like the Anne Frank house, which we unfortunately couldn’t get tickets to, but got to check out the front of.

However, it would lead up to our pizza cruise which would take us all around the canals of Amsterdam. Doing some sort of cruise or boat tour in Amsterdam is a must, due to the fact the city is primarily made up of canals and it’s the best way to experience the entirety of the city.

Overall, Amsterdam is a city composed up of beautiful scenery and chill vibes. There is so much about the city that is extraordinary, like their signature tulips when they’re in bloom and the fact everyone practically bikes there. Our trip to Amsterdam was a ton of fun and we definitely hope to go back soon.

The last week here in Galway has been wild. To begin, St. Patrick’s Day past and St. Patrick’s Day in Galway was a massive celebration. People were going to pubs at 10 o’clock in the morning and partying until late that night. Secondly, it was spring break for Fairfield University and the Fairfield students studying abroad in Florence– so, that meant many of our friends from school flooded our apartment complex for a good week. Vine Editor Gracie Eldrenkamp ‘20 and former Fairfield Student, Julia Chamberlain, visited me during this week. After they got their taste of Ireland, on March 22, we spent the final days of their vacation going to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Our trip to Amsterdam started off a bit rocky. To begin, our plane was delayed by two hours even though we were already on the plane (thanks Ryanair– you’re always such a joy).

However, it put a major dent in our schedule because once we got there it was a mad dash to make sure Gracie and Julia made their tattoo appointments. Luckily, we got there in time and Gracie and Julia both got their super cool tattoos. So, not even two hours into Amsterdam, two thirds of us were freshly tattooed and we were ready to take on the city. An iconic way to start off Amsterdam.

After the tattoos, we planned to go on a pizza cruise, but after the company sent us the wrong address and we went on a wild goose chase through the city, we missed our boat.

This then lead to a whole debate and long story short, we were able to get tickets the next day. However, it allowed us to check out the city and wander around the streets of the city center. I ended up getting some sweet clog slippers.

However, on our first day in the city we were able to end the night off with and accomplish one of the big things on my list: the Ice Bar XtraCold. The Ice Bar is a must do in Amsterdam. You have to buy your tickets to go to it, but it’s totally worth it. The Ice Bar is what it says– it’s a bar entirely made of ice. Their speciality drinks are placed into glasses made of pure ice as you’re chilling (literally) in -9 degrees or about 15 degrees. I ended up getting a flavored vodka shot and chilled beer, which were all super good. My favorite drink had to be the speciality cocktail I got in the regular bar after the ice bar, which was the Amsterdamned. It consists of genever, peach liqueur, cranberry juice and squeezed lime.

It’s also run by this guy dressed as a pirate who basically brings you a journey that’s a knock off version of Pirates of the Caribbean, but it’s worth it. I even got a free shot from the pirate. However, I did end up freezing my fingers really bad to the point I used Gracie’s extra pair of gloves so I wouldn’t get frostbite. Despite that minor setback, 10/10 would recommend.

The next day we got up early to head to the Van Gogh Art Museum. The Van Gogh museum has the largest collection of his work alongside artwork from his time or artwork that was inspired by the late modern artist. The museum has work of his like his popular “Sunflowers” painting and the painting “Almond Blossoms.” Quite contrary to belief, and with a lot of gift shops promoting this painting all throughout the city, his renowned piece “Starry Night” is actually in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Despite that, it’s a must-see and a rather educational and chill experience. It was one of my favorite art Gracie, Kat and Julia in Amsterdam museums I got to see so far on this trip.

Katherine Kilma/The Mirror

By Katherine Klima Abroad Columnist

The Vine

Page 11

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Inkwell Spotlight Cloudy Mirrors

CreativeCommons/Google Images

By Bronwyn Kelly Co Editor-in-Chief at The Inkwell

cloudy mirrors are wiped down to erase two dry eyes sitting on a damp face dilating to the beat of my bass

'Jump Force' is Fun, Yet Lacks Substance

By Joseph Titone Contributing Writer from Video Game Club Video games based on popular manga and/or anime have always been a bit of a dicey situation for Western audiences. Certain anime series, such as “Dragon Ball” and “Naruto,” have created several successful game franchises adored by fans both in Japan and the United States. And due to the popularity of characters from these franchises, namely Goku and Naruto, crossover games featuring characters from not only the aforementioned series, but from other popular shōnen anime.

The first game that featured this type of crossover was the Japan only “J-Stars Victory VS,” published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.This game received a lot of attention from Western audiences and was eventually adapted for a North American release on the Playstation 4. In February of this year, Bandai Namco released a spiritual successor to “J-Stars” titled “Jump Force”, the name being a reference to the “Weekly Shōnen Jump,” a magazine that releases different chapters of popular shōnen manga in various languages.

The game itself is more or less similar to “J-Stars Victory” in both fighting mechanic and style of gameplay.

There are a few minor differences between the two games such as, which characters appear in the game, updated graphics and some basic formatting. The main difference between the two games is the inclusion of a main story and unique character customization in “Jump Force.”

As a huge fan of classic anime series, I could barely stop myself from attempting to play it. I found playing the split-screen multiplayer fighting mode with friends to be exciting and fun. The combat system is a bit interesting as the game heavily relies on character balancing. The con-

trols are also a bit vague as I found myself not knowing basic blocks and counters about three hours into gameplay.

However, the fights feel very fluid and the grandiose spectacles that come with ultimate attacks make the game an exciting experience. An aspect of the gameplay that I found beyond fun was the use of playable support characters. In the split screen game mode, players choose a team of three characters that the player can cycle through during the match. But, not only can you switch between these playable characters, they can be used for supporting attacks when not being directly controlled by the player.

Though, the combat does have some issues that come along with it. The biggest problem I had with it was the fact that one could use a basic block during an ultimate attack and negate around 90% of the damage. This made for some rather frustrating matches that made me feel as if I had been cheated out of a victory.

Other than that, the gameplay is pretty solid and makes for a fun fighting game. While “Jump Force” is an all around fun game to play, it is really lacking in the main story. The character creation and use of that custom character in the story was very cool, but the story itself was not very well made. The story was dry with your character teaming up with popular anime characters to defeat an evil organization that seeks world domination. I found myself mindlessly completing missions and not really caring about major plot developments. “Jump Force” is a very fun multiplayer fighting game, but its story mode is lacking in depth, content and general enjoyment. Final score: 7/10.

warm hands move through the misty space wrapping around my torso and to trace landing solidly on his toothbrush case curved lips smacking act as my ace my mind walks into a familiar place blackening my vision is the saving grace hinges are sticky so the window stays sandy hair is soaked and limp when it lays the moon is cycling into a new phase

The Healthiest Bites Near Campus

By Sabrina Trueheart Nutrition Columnist Finally it is warming up outside, and the semester will come to an end sooner than you think.

While many students might feel stressed with end-of-semester obligations, April is also a time to enjoy the warmer weather and all of the food restaurants in Fairfield have to offer. One of the reasons I chose to study at Fairfield was because the town is hip and has a lot of healthy eating options, including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, which offer so many vegetarian and vegan-friendly foods. Fairfield has more than a few restaurants that serve organic, healthy meals. However, some select restaurants have stolen my heart, and will make it difficult to leave Fairfield when I graduate. Here are four of my favorite healthy eateries in the Fairfield area: Freshii Freshii is not located in Fairfield anymore, but it deserves to be on this list. With that being said, if you have a car on campus or use Uber, the restaurant is located in Westport, which is an 18-minute drive from the University. They serve delicious wraps, bowls, smoothies and salads. There are a plethora of options for vegetarians and vegans as well! Bonus: the whimsical pictures on the walls and bright green wallpaper are great for taking Instagram-worthy photos with your friends.

Yahalla Organic Hummus & Grill While working in Fairfield last summer, somebody at my internship recommended Yahalla Organic Grill to me. I had never heard of it (even though I had been living just five minutes away from it for two years). I decided to try it, and good thing I did because it was bomb. You have the option of choosing between a pita, wrap, salad or bowl, then you choose your base, protein, toppings and sauces.

Organika Organika Kitchen is technically located in Southport, but it is under a 10-minute drive from the University, straight down Post Road. It’s one of those places that I was dying to try as a freshman at Fairfield because it is so trendy. Their slogan is “because we kale,” and we all know how I feel about kale. They serve everything you could think of, from breakfast to pizza to smoothies and juices. And everything is just… healthy. I haven’t been to Organika in a while, but suddenly I feel compelled to eat there again soon.

Panera Bread If you order the right foods and drinks, Panera Bread is actually not all that bad for you. Located on Black Rock Turnpike, the eatery offers a variety of salads, soups and sandwiches. One of my personal favorites is the lentil quinoa broth bowl. Panera is also a great place to take your laptop and work on your studies while you eat.

Photo Taken from @freshii Instagram Patron enjoying Freshii smoothie.

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Coffee Break

Page 12

Coffee Break Editor: Tobenna Ugwu tobenna.ugwu@student.fairfield.edu

Roommate Ads for U Here are some totally real ads for all those in search of roommates:

Are you searching for a perfect roommate, who is neat, quiet and extremely fun?

Search no more because such a person does not exist.

Does your roommate invite random strangers to spend the night, and make you go to breakfast with them the day after?

You and your roommate both need new hobbies.

Does your roommate threaten you in their sleep, therefore making it very awkward in the morning?

Visit a psychic to summon their other subconscious.

Does your roommate clip thier toenails at odd hours of the night while watching The Bachelor?

Call 555-1234 and get a new roommate today before a new season airs.

Does your roommate create a maze of laundry all over the room?

Try Stags Laundry Services today!

April Word Search • • • • •

Bunnies Easter Spring Fools Registration

• • • • •

Rain Sunny Roommate Pranks Flowers

wordpuzzle.discoveryeducation.com

Sports

SPORTS Sports Editor: Julia Lanzillotta julia.lanzillotta@student.fairďŹ eld.edu

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

This Week in Sports:

Page 13

Weekend Update

In Case You Missed It: Wednesday, March 27th -Baseball defeated St.John's, 4-3 - Women's Lacrosse defeated Quinnipiac, 9-8 Friday, March 29th -Women's Tennis lost to Hofstra, 4-3 Saturday, March 30th - Women's Lacrosse defeated Niagara, 13-10 Tuesday, April 2nd - Baseball defeated UConn, 10-3

Photo Contributed by Sports Information Desk

Senior Jonathan Kasibabu is not retired yet, as he was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference team which will play in the 2019 Dos Equis National Championship Tournament. This will be the second season in a row in which a member of Fairfield University men's basketball program clinched a spot on the team, following in the footsteps of Tyler Nelson '18. The tournament is scheduled at Bloomington, Minnesota's Mall of America for April 5-7. As the reigning MAAC Defensive Player of the Year he recorded 1,006 points during his four-year tenure at Fairfield. He averaged 7.4 rebounds and 10.6 points in his final 31 games. The champions of this tournament will earn an opportunity to compete in the 2019 USA Basketball 3x3 Open National Championships.

Upcoming This Week: Wednesday, April 3rd -Baseball vs Brown, 3 p.m.

-Women's Lacrosse vs. Manhattan, 3 p.m.

-Softball at Rhode Island,

Photo Contributed by Sports Information Desk

Junior attack Dylan Beckwith netted his 100th career point as a Stag at their Colonial Athletic Association opener against Delaware on Sat., April 30. This feat makes him the 17th Stag to do so, and ranks him 16th on the all-time points leaderboard. Additionally, he is the ninth Fairfield Men's Lacrosse player to tally 50 career goals and 50 career assists.

Beckwith is currently Fairfield's leading scorer with 46 points, and is tied for 15th in the university's history. The former Fairfield University Male Rookie of the Year will hit the turf next on Sat. April 9th at Rafferty Stadium to conclude their three-game homestand.

3 p.m.

Saturday, April 6th -Men's Tennis vs. Monmouth, 12 p.m.

-Softball vs. Manhattan, 12 p.m.

-Baseball at Siena, 12 p.m.

In this week's issue...

- Behind the Scenes With Fox Sports Producer (Pg. 14)

- Men's Lacrosse Falls to Delaware in CAA Opener(Pg. 14)

- Stags Softball Misses the Mark at Marist (Pg. 15)

- The Case for Bringing FairďŹ eld Hoops Back Home (Pg. 15)

- Baseball Conquers Conference Rivals, Iona College (Pg. 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Behind the Scenes With Fox Sports Producer cast.

By Mimi Loughlin Contributing Writer

During a live game, the producer is in the TV truck talking to the announcers and to all the people who are in the truck with him.

“I need people to work with me. As a producer- you’ve got to be firm and you’ve got to treat people with respect,” Morison said.

Morison uses a diverse set of communication skills throughout his job and throughout the production of live games. With the announcers, he is as calm he can be, and with the people he is with on the truck, he is more urgent.

A sports producer is trying to tell the story of a particular game through the broadcast by making the right decisions at the right time and working together with camera people, replay people, audio people, statisticians and announcers to create a good show.

Morison’s favorite part of being a sports producer is the live element of the games.

“You can’t match that excitement in any other job. Unless you’re playing! There’s nothing better than this,” Morison said.

At the time of the interview, Morison just finished covering College Hoops. This summer, he is looking forward to working on the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Sometimes, people ask Morison why he still cares so much about sports. His answer is always the same.

“If I stopped caring, I couldn’t be good at what I do. You’ve got to have passion for whatever you do,” Morison said.

When Fran Morison was in college, he never expected to be a sports producer.

Morison, now a sports producer at Fox, majored in history at Fordham University. He planned to become a history teacher and a soccer coach.

Everything changed during his senior year of college. One of his classmates asked him if he wanted to take an internship at Channel 2 in the sports department, and Morison said yes.

During his internship, he began to learn how TV was made and fell in love with it.

“There is no substitute to watching how it gets done,” Morison said.

After his college internship at Channel 2, Morison began working at CBS Sports, where he met his first mentor, the legendary Bob Stenner. He continued working with Stenner when he moved to Fox Sports in 1995.

Morison, who grew up watching Stenner’s work on Super Bowls and other games, was ecstatic to work with and learn from a top tier producer and a good person like Stenner.

Through his internships, work experience and the influence of his mentors, Morison learned to balance his creativity, organizational skills and communication skills.

Being a producer is almost like being the head coach of the show, Morison said. Producers must plan for unexpected events, work with the announcers and control the overall flow of the broad-

Men's Lacrosse Falls to Delaware in CAA Opener

By Caroline Rocha Contributing Writer

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Edior Fairfield University men’s lacrosse team (5-5, 0-1 CAA) lost to the University of Delaware (8-2, 1-0 CAA) at 1 p.m. on Sat, March 30. The Colonial Athletic Association matchup took place on Fairfield’s Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium.

Fairfield played a primarily defensive game regardless of their offensive advantage, upending Delaware in faceoffs 13-12.

The stags fell behind early in the game, and after the first quarter were down 5-2.

At the start of the second period, Fairfield’s attack Brendan Dreyer ‘22 was able to intercept a pass in the defensive zone and run the ball up the field. He proceeded to pass it to Patrick Drake ‘22 who continued to score his eleventh goal of the season.

Drake tallied a hat trick, but his efforts alone were not enough. This seemed to restore momentum in the game with Delaware up 6-3, but such hope was short lived.

By the third period, the Stags lost their grip and succumbed to the presPhoto taken from Sports Information Desk sure of a 6-goal deficit. They fell apart and gave up another six goals, ensuring their The Stags faced consistent, heavy pressure by Delaware's offense which contributed to their defeat. defeat.

In the fourth quarter the team rallied, scoring two goals, but a pair of points in the last 15 minutes of the match were not nearly enough to give the Stags the slightest chance in claiming a win.

Fairfield finished on the losing end of a 15-7 game, but have a thirst for redemption when they face Towson University on Sat, April 6 at 1 p.m. to wrap up the three-game homestand, and hopefully pick up a victory before going on the road.

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

Claire Monahan Executive Editor

Alicia Phaneuf Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

Julia Lanzillotta, Lexi Thimble, Claire Monahan & Alicia Phaneuf

Who has drawn your attention this baseball season?

What have you been playing on loop lately?

What are your thoughts on the South Townhouses (SOTO)?

Are you doing anything interesting on campus this weekend?

How do you feel about fallclass registration being the same time for everyone?

Aaron Judge, of course. All Rise!

Ben Platt's new album! It is a true work of art.

The more townhouses, the better!

It is a good alternative for seniors who do not get released from their housing contracts.

I'll be volunteering at the Suicide Prevention Walk on Sunday!

Register to sign up at afsp.org/ fairfield to participate!

I am picturing it to play out about as well as the Hunger Games.

I technically root for the Sox but the only person I know is Mookie Betts so I guess I hope he's doing well (?)

It's been a weird mix of Brandi Carlile, Hozier's new album and the cast recording of "Hadestown', so bops all around

I'm living in one next year, fingers crossed they're good but I'm excited for them!

Funny you mention it! Come to the Levee at 10 pm for Gender Whatever, it's being put on by Alliance and it's gonna be a blast!!

Listen,,just get me into marketing classes and we'll be fine. Just. I need it to happen. Please

The mascots, isn't it hot in there?

I'm a sucker for you, say the word and I'll go anywhere blindly...

I'm amazed at how fast they're going up.

Mentally preparing for registration.

Fearful.

GO SOX!

SO CLOSE- come to Dance EnI think they'll be super nice but I'm Can't wait for my parents to visit semble's showcase next Friday to see a a sucker for history and am a little on Sunday and treat me to a nice small group dance to this bop! sad Sturges Barn got torn down :( lunch from Centro!

Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor

Lexi Thimble Editor-in-Chief

Your 2019-2020 4x5 Columnists:

WOAH WHAT!? Breaking news to me... thank GOD I don't have to deal with that!!

Sports

THE MIRROR | Week of April 3, 2019

Page 15

Stags Softball Misses the Mark at Marist

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor The Fairfield University softball team (12-12) extended their losing streak to seven games following a double header visit at Marist College (15-14). It was a rough outcome for their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match-up of the season on Sat. March 30.

Fairfield was at-bat first, hungry for a win to kill the negative momentum looming over the team since their last win on March 20. After an 8 game victory streak earlier in the season, the Stags became aware of their capabilities to succeed as a team. Fairfield’s Amanda Ulzheimer ’20 walked to first before a bunt grounded out by Alisha Marshall ’22 helped the junior advance to second. The top of the first concluded leaving Fairfield scoreless, and Marist was up, hoping to beat their adversaries to the scoreboard.

Marist’s Caroline Baratta struck out swinging, but made it to first base on a wild pitch and then managed to steal second. Her teammate Ali Milam hit a fly ball which allowed her to take third. Brandi Coon completed the scoring chance beating out a single between shortstop and third base, and sending Milam to home plate.

The second and third innings were slow on

both ends and the score remained stagnant. Excitement picked up again for Stags fans in the fourth when Mikayla Rubin ’21 scored off of a single to centerfield by fellow sophomore Lauryn Rhinehard, knotting the score at 1.

Marist regained the lead again in the fifth, this time answering back relentlessly. Coon drew a one-out walk and made her way home at the next at-bat when Claire Obendorf homered to left field.

Madison Lee drew a walk, then Morgan Gianelle shot a rocket over the right center field fence sending two Red Foxes full circle, cementing the score in their favor at 5-1. Fairfield had the second game of the doubleheader to atone for a sub-par performance in the beginning of the day.

The Stags were off to a strong start, leading Marist 2-0 at the start of the fifth inning. At the bottom of the fifth, Marist managed three hits and capitalized on a fielding error, sending four athletes home.

Marist had another successful inning, recording another four runs to double their score (8-2). Fairfield was left with a single inning to deplete a six-point deficit. They failed to accomplish the nearly unassailable challenge, and left Poughkeepsie, NY looking to redeem themselves at the University of Rhode Island facing another MAAC team on Wed, Apr. 4 at 12:00 p.m.

Photo taken from Sports Information Desk Stags were dominated in a double header, contributing to a 7-game losing streak.

The Case for Bringing Fairfield Hoops Back Home

By Caroline Mahar Contributing Writer The rhythm of squeaking shoes, the steady dribble of the ball across the court and the hum of metal clanking as each team attempts to score a basket creates a symphony of music.

Fairfield University men’s basketball team fights in the final half against the Manhattan Jaspers on February 24th. With both the Jaspers and the Stags battling for victory, the crowd remains on their feet, cheering to create a chorus of noise. Applause echoes throughout Alumni Hall as the Stags beat Manhattan 72-59.

Several weeks’ prior at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn.., the Stags faced the St. Peter’s Peacocks. As compared to the 2,017 guests who attended the Jaspers/Stags game at Alumni Hall, only 786 were in attendance for the Peacocks/Stags game at the arena. The same rhythm of squeaking shoes, the dribbling ball, and the clanking metal occurred, but this time the chorus of cheers were missing – causing the symphony to fall flat.

While it is true that Webster Bank Arena has a capacity of up to 10,000 fans, state-ofthe-art technology, and an endless supply of hotdogs and beer, these factors do not make it the better option to host Fairfield University men’s basketball games. Unlike the arena, Alumni Hall creates an unmatchable energy that can only occur in a fully packed stadium. Not to mention – it is conveniently located directly on campus.

At the arena, even if a big crowd of 2,000 guests shows up, it still feels small amongst the 10,000 seats. However, when the same amount of guests come to Alumni Hall with a capacity of only 2,479 seats, the room is filled and booming.

“Alumni Hall is smaller so it has a more intimate feel that is better catered to our small university. The arena is so big that it never feels full which creates a less exciting atmosphere,” said cross country team member Emma Unterkoefler ’19 (Editor’s Note: Unterkoefler is a contributing writer for The Mirror).

It is clear that Fairfield University men’s basketball games should be played on campus, as the crowd is what makes the game and the crowd is always stronger at home.

This past season, the number of people attending the games at the arena in Bridgeport compared to the games at home were much lower. In recent games, the average number of guests attending games at Alumni Hall nearly doubled the amount in attendance at the arena.

The last two games of the season against Marist College and Manhattan College had over 2,000 people in attendance, where as the two most recent games played at the arena only had slightly over 1,000 guests in attendance. This trend began at the start of the season, with one of the Stags’ lowest attended games being held at the arena.

Students prefer Alumni Hall because the location is convenient. Traveling to Bridgeport is a hassle that no student wants to take on. Many students admitted to never going to any games off campus because of the transportation issue – which is especially inconvenient for underclassman without cars.

“When the stands are full at Alumni the atmosphere is awesome and the basketball teams are able to pick up energy from the crowd’s energy,” said Unterkoefler.

To the players as well, Alumni Hall is the better choice. Most of the team’s practices occur on campus making it feel more like their home court, as opposed to the arena, which explains why many players admit to feeling more comfortable playing at Alumni.

“I believe it is very important that Fairfield basketball games are played on campus. I think playing games at Alumni Hall would enhance the school spirit and present us a better opportunity to get more fans and supporters to our games,” said Fairfield Basketball player Matija Milin ’19.

When it comes down to it, the players feed off of the crowd, which is always more lively and rowdy at the home court.

Matija stressed the importance of the fans whom he believes often create the atmosphere.

“I prefer playing at Alumni Hall. For me it means a lot when we have a lot of fans to cheer for us during the game. Whenever we play in Alumni Hall it is usually completely sold out and the fans are like a sixth player for us, and I don’t think that is the case with the Webster Bank Arena.”

Not only is Alumni Hall more accessible to students, but the tickets are cheaper for non-students too, with general admission costing $10, compared to $15, as well as $5 for children 12 and under as compared to $9.

It is clear that the environment at Alumni Hall, as well as the convenience of its location, and low cost tickets make it the best place to host Fairfield University men’s basketball games. The court is ultimately better at fostering Stag pride because it is closest to home in more ways than one.

Photo taken from Sports Information Desk The stands of Fairfield's George Bisacca Court are filled to its 2,479 person capacity by loyal Stags fans at Alumni Hall.

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports

Week of April 3, 2019

fairfieldmirror.com

SPORTS 16

Sports Editor: Julia lanzillotta » julia.lanzillotta@student.fairfield.edu

Fairfield Conquers Conference Rival Iona

Photo taken from Sports Information Desk First-year pitcher Michael Sansone pitched his first full game, allowing a single run and striking out three in the opening game of the series, leading the Stags to their first conference series victory.

By Michael Hoffman Chief Financial Officer The Fairfield University Stags are riding high, after taking two of three against their conference rival Iona (6-20, 1-2) Gaels last weekend, and then going 2-0 against the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (10-9, 3-3) and the St. John’s Red Storm (12-10) during their mid-week homestand.

Fairfield kept took that momentum into their second conference series of the year, taking two out of three from the Marist Red Foxes (10-15, 1-2).

In game one, Fairfield kept its late-game heroics going with their second comeback win in as many games, erasing a 5-0 deficit in a 9-6 victory. Junior Austin Pope started the game on the mound for the Stags, throwing 5 innings, striking out 8 giving up 6 hits, and allowing 4 earned runs. Pope gave up two home-runs that allowed Marist to jump out to a 5-0 lead. The Stags came roaring back in the 6th inning, putting up a nine spot to take a 9-5 lead, a lead they would never relinquish.

Center fielder Dan Ryan ‘20 drove in the first and last runs of the inning, as he got the scoring started with a an RBI triple and finished it with an RBI single, driving in shortstop Jack Gethings ‘19 both times. With those two runs scored Gethings, who drove in the goahead run with a bases loaded walk, pulled within three runs of the program record.

Senior Anthony Boselli further padded his team lead in RBIs, as he punched a single into left field, driving in two more runs after the Gethings walk. The Fairfield bullpen

shut the door, allowing only two hits and giving two runs over five innings pitched, as Nick Grabek ‘21 picked up his fourth save of the season when he shut the door in the ninth inning.

In game two, Fairfield got a big time pitching performance from Michael Sansone ‘22, who continued his hot stretch of pitching with a 7 inning complete game. Sansone gave up a two-run homer to Marist catcher Gene Napolitano in the second inning, but then shut the Red Foxes down for the next five innings. Fairfield was able to tie it up at two when Giacomo Brancato ‘21 launched his second home-run of the season over the center field wall, evening the score at 2-2. Boselli, again, showed up with a big at-bat when he put Fairfield ahead with an RBI double in the third inning.

In a rain-postponed game three, the Stags got a poor start from Trey McLoughlin ‘21, leading to a 11-2 loss, snapping their six game win streak. McLoughlin pitched four and a third innings, giving up 8 runs on 10 hits, including a grand slam by Marist left fielder Frankie Gregorie that put Marist up 4-0 in the third inning.

Marist starter Alex Pansini picked up the win on seven and two thirds innings pitched and only giving up two runs. The Fairfield bullpen did their job, giving up zero runs over the final five and two thirds innings.

On a brighter note, Gethings scored his 140th career run, placing him third all time in program history, and pulling him to within two of the program record.

Fairfield will look to keep the momentum going this week with games against instate rivals, the UCONN Huskies (17-9, 4-2), and the Yale Bulldogs (10-13, 4-2), and then will continue conference play with a weekend series on the road against the Siena Saints (7-16, 3-3).

The Fairfield University Baseball team played in their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series of the season in New Rochelle, NY against their rival, Iona College for a three-game stretch.