September 16, 2013 by Los Angeles Loyolan

ESTABLISHED 1921 September 16, 2013

Volume 92, Issue 05

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De Colores sale to build homes Faculty voices abortion concerns

At the Faculty Senate meeting, attendees were upset about how the discussion was started. By Allison Croley News Editor

Leslie Irwin | Loyolan

Campus Ministry, Department of Public Safety and the LMU Bike Club are joining to host the 10th annual auction for De Colores’ trips to Mexico. The auction will take place on Sept. 24 on Regents Terrace during Convo hour and will consist of everything from bikes to cell phones. One hundred percent of the proceeds will help students build houses in Mexico.

The auction will include a range of items from bikes to cell phones to iPods to flash drives. By Sonja Bistranin Asst. News Editor

Buy a bike, help a Tijuana family in need. That’s what students can do at the De Colores bike auction and rummage sale during Convo on Sept. 24. Campus Ministry, Public Safety and the LMU Bike Club have joined together to sponsor this auction. According to Department of Public Safety (DPS) Chief Hampton Cantrell, the amount of abandoned belongings that Public Safety collects at the end of each year is a predicament, and the bike auction is a fitting solution. “LMU has a large problem with abandoned bicycles at the end of each academic year – an average of 50 per year,” Cantrell said. “Campus Ministry has been a big help in selling the bikes to those who need them. We are grateful for their assistance.” Patrick Furlong, minister of faith and justice at Campus Ministry, explained that Campus Ministry and Public Safety have been partnering

together to organize the bike auction for over 10 years. However, this is the first year the LMU Bike Club is also involved. “It’s the dream collaboration,” Furlong said. “The Bike Club is getting their name out there, and they’re also making the bikes better so more people are encouraged to have a bike culture around campus.” Robert Watchmaker, a sophomore marketing major and president of the LMU Bike Club, said the auction and sale are a win-win for students. “For the auction, the Bike Club is doing basic repairs on bikes that have been collected by DPS. We are hoping that these bikes will be much safer to ride and that more of the student body can use bikes around campus,” Watchmaker said. “We think students should participate in the auction because it raises awareness about De Colores’ goals and ideologies, as well as providing a cheap way for students to get around the Westchester community.” Already have a bike? There may still be something in the rummage sale that interests you. “We have bikes. We have iPods. We have flash drives and computer

RANKED THIRD – SO WHAT? Asst. Opinion Editor Devin Feldman argues that college rankings don't always tell the full story.

Opinion, Page 7

See Bikes | Page 4

INDEX

Classifieds..........4 Opinion.............5 Cartoon.............8 A&E...............10 Sports...........16 The next issue of the Loyolan will be printed on Sept. 19, 2013.

Has LMU been following the correct procedures in its evaluation of elective abortion coverage? That question was the main concern of the Faculty Senate meeting held on Friday in Von der Ahe Family Suite. The meeting aimed to cover three objectives: to answer questions about the potential change in health benefits, listen to concerns from faculty and staff and gather suggestions about how to bring the community together once the board makes its final decision, according to Faculty Senate President Jennifer Pate, an associate professor of economics and the chair of the economics department. However, the meeting only covered answering questions and listening to concerns. “There is still a fair number of people who are hoping that the Board will not reaffirm the decision,” Pate said. “They don’t want to think about what it would take to bring our community together, because that would mean that the decision had already been made.” About 100 faculty and staff members filled Von der Ahe Family Suite, most of whom came with questions and concerns. Many of these questions and concerns surrounded skepticism about the process by which the Board of Trustees will come to the decision.

See Faculty Senate | Page 3

via Chris Bengtsson

NBA stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh visit LMU Freshman business management major Chris Bengtsson (left) and freshman entrepreneurship major Hunter Hughes (center) pose for a picture with Dwyane Wade outside of Burns Recreation Center. See Page 16 for Sports Editor Kevin Cacabelos’ full story.

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RETURN TO DOMINANCE? With a victory over No. 8 Pepperdine, Managing Editor Dan Raffety examines how this win will affect the water polo program as a whole.

Sports, Page 16

September 16, 2013 Page 2

News Alternative Breaks & Ignacio Companions Trips

The Alternative Breaks program released its locations for this year’s excursions, with the mission of promoting “service and cultural exchange on the local, national and international level through hands-on, community based learning,” according to their website.

Winter: Dec. 29 -Jan. 11

Ignacio Companions, offered by Campus Ministry also feature a variety of geographic locations and focus on three pillars: faith, social justice and community according to Minister for Faith and Justice in Campus Ministry, Patrick Furlong.

Winter Break Jan. 1 - 10 Chile – Snapshots of Faith, Resistance and Hope

The Politics of Food and Faith in India – Bengladore, India Protecting the Spectrum: The Fight for LGBTQ Empowerment and Gender Equality – Mexico City, Mexico (Jan. 4 - 11)

Spring Break Feb. 28 - March 8 El Salvador – Faith of the Martyrs: Witnesses To the Church of the Poor

Spring: March 1 - 8 Prison Industrial Complex: An Inside Look at Incarceration and Restorative Justice Practices – California Prisons

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Argentina – In Pope Francis’s footsteps: A Jesuit Perspective On Social Justice in Modern Argentina Jamaica – Love Is My Religion

Community Empowerment, Food Security, and Sustainability – Cap-Haitien, Haiti

Summer Break May 12 - 23

Summer: May 13 – 27

Kenya – Harambee! Let Us All Pull Together For the Good of the Community

Sí Se Puede, Justice For Workers! – Central Valley/San Diego (May 13 20)

For the entire list of trips visit the Center for Service and Action and Campus Ministry websites.

The Forgotten: Refugees in Jordan Jordan (May 13 - 27)

Information compiled by Casey Kidwell, asst. News editor; Graphic: Mercedes Pericas | Loyolan

For the Record In the Sept. 12 issue of the Loyolan, it was mistakenly stated that Delta Sigma Phi fraternity won the men’s division of the Lip Sync/ Stroll-Off event. It was actually Lambda Chi Alpha that won the event. Additionally, the caption omitted the fact that Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. won the Stroll-Off portion of the competition.

N ews Senate submits resolution

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Faculty Senate from Page 1 The vice president of the Faculty Senate, business professor Thomas White, said that there was collective frustration with the lack of information surrounding the decision and the way the matter is being handled. “There’s a big question about the Board of Trustees and how their decisions relate to the whole University,” Pate added. There is a standard procedure by which decisions like this are made, including discussions within the Benefits Advisory Committee, according to White. In the case of potentially excluding elective abortions from University health care packages, the procedure was not followed. “From an organizational standpoint, I think people find that troubling,” White said. In the midst of faculty and staff voicing concerns, Vice President for Human Resources Rebecca Chandler said that Anthem, the health

care provider that excluded elective abortions from their benefits package in January 2013, will retroactively cover any elective abortions that took place in 2013. She noted that Anthem had inadvertently removed elective abortions from their benefits package in January and reinstated the coverage in July. This means that any faculty or staff who had an elective abortion in 2013 will be reimbursed for the procedure. Roughly a week before the meeting, the Faculty Senate composed and passed a resolution regarding the issue. The resolution will be sent to President David W. Burcham and the Board of Trustees before their meeting on Oct. 7. Essentially, the resolution asks that the University uphold its mission by respecting and valuing people of diverse backgrounds, cultures and religions. “Be it further resolved that Loyola Marymount University is an institution that strives

for the equality of all, recognizing our ‘wholeness as human persons’ and our individual and collective rights,” the resolution states. Pate has contacted both the Staff Senate and ASLMU, asking them to adopt or revise their resolution so that Burcham and the Board of Trustees can evaluate their final decision based on input from all three groups that comprise LMU. According to Pate, the Staff Senate will consider the resolution at their Sept. 18 meeting. ASLMU President Shawn Troedson has not yet responded to Pate’s request. Burcham and the Board of Trustees will make the final decision whether to exclude elective abortions from LMU health care packages at their meeting in October. Until then, the LMU community will continue to voice their opinions and concerns. “Ultimately, we are looking for a solution that will work for everyone,” White said.

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ESTABLISHED 1921 September 12, 2013

Volume 92, Issue 04

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University evaluates abortion coverage Administration decided to discuss whether LMU should offer elective abortions in health care packages.

By Allison Croley News Editor

LMU administration is considering excluding elective abortion care from all of its health benefits packages, according to Board of Trustees Chair Kathleen Hannon Aikenhead and President David W. Burcham. According to their letter, sent to faculty and staff in August, this change will be “thoroughly discussed” at the Board of Trustees meeting on October 7. Of LMU’s two health care providers, Anthem dropped its elective abortion coverage in January 2013, while Kaiser currently still offers elective abortion care in its health benefits package, according to Aikenhead and Burcham’s letter. Multiple factors triggered the reopening of this issue including the approaching implementation of the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as “Obamacare,” and professor of philosophy James Hanink’s inquiry to The Cardinal Newman Society, a Catholic organization dedicated to “promoting and defending faithful Catholic education,” according to its website. “From time to time over the past 30 years, LMU has inquired whether elective abortions could be dropped from our employer-provided health care coverage,” Burcham said in a statement to the Loyolan. “We renewed the inquiries late last year because of the approaching implementation of the new health care law.” The Cardinal Newman Society reported that LMU dropped its abortion coverage after Hanink brought it to both the Society

Steven Douglas | LMU Photo

LMU gathers to pray for Syria at vigil Campus Ministry, ASLMU, Center for Service and Action (CSA) and Resident Ministry hosted a candle-lit prayer vigil on Regents Terrace on Tuesday for the conflict in Syria. Members of the LMU community gathered to pray for and meditate on those directly affected by the violence occurring there. For more photos, check out our Facebook page.

See Abortion | Page 3

Senior studies migrant workers in Hong Kong

As the recipient of an Honors grant, Phillipa Adams spent her summer with migrant workers. By Kimmy Smith Staff Writer

Kevin Halladay-Glynn | Loyolan

Greek Life competes in Lip Sync dance competition Pi Beta Phi sorority competed against other Greek Organizations for the Lip Sync title last Saturday in Burns Back Court. Pi Beta Phi won the title for sororities and Delta Sigma Phi won for fraternities. For more photos, check out our Facebook page.

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As she walked into a small apartment in Hong Kong, China, senior screenwriting major Philippa Adams was surprised to find several women singing and dancing loudly to karaoke. This was a boarding house for Filipino foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong. The apartment, Adams explained, was extremely small by American standards but housed about 20 foreign domestic helpers, or migrant workers who help in homes, who were unable to stay with their employers on their day off. “They are a culture that is so fun. They are so warm and welcoming,” she said of the Filipino workers. This visit to the boarding house was

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just a small part of the research project Adams conducted this past summer in Hong Kong after receiving a grant from the University Honors program for $5,000. The main purpose of the research was to look at permanent residency in Hong Kong for foreign domestic helpers. “There was a lot of talk in the media [about] the permanent residency rights for workers,” Adams said. “Foreigners must live seven consecutive years before applying for permanent residency. Foreign domestic workers cannot apply at all because they are not considered naturally residents there. This was a big controversy starting a few months ago.” Hundreds of thousands of foreign domestic helpers come into Hong Kong. Most are from the Philippines, but others also hail from Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal and Bangladesh, according to Adams. These workers are

See Honors | Page 2

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via Bryan Rivas

Bryan Rivas encourages freshmen who may be interested in being a part of Arrupe to join because it helps “them explore creativity by offering them the chance to create their own service opportunities.”

11 BURNING QUESTIONS with Arrupe’s executive chair

This week, Staff Writer Kimmy Smith sits down with Arrupe Service Council President Bryan Rivas about his role in the new leadership group and his extracurriculars. 1. What is the Arrupe Service Council? The council is composed of the six FRESH Squad leaders of each of the freshman residence halls, and also a program coordinator and assistant program coordinator from CSA [Center for Service and Action] with intentions to promote social justice and leadership with freshman students. 2. Why should freshmen join? It’s a great opportunity for them to become student leaders on LMU’s campus. It can help them to explore passion through different types of service that we offer on campus and also helping them explore creativity by offering them the chance to create their own service opportunities. 3. How is this different from past freshman service opportunities? The council helps freshmen be in control of what they want to do and the areas of service in which they want to explore, along with teaming up with other organizations and leadership institutions on our own campus for special events throughout the fall and spring semester. 4. Why do you think this will work better and be more efficient for students? It is an ongoing process in which the executive board will explore and create new ideas with and for freshmen, rather than just one event where freshmen can participate. 5. What types of social justice issues will the Arrupe Service Council address? The three different aspects of service that we will be working with this year are homelessness, education and environmental sustainability. We chose these because it’s a very broad spectrum but also very distinctive from one another at the same time. These issues are three of the strongest social justice issues that we can address in the Los Angeles area. 6. Which social justice issue are you particularly passionate about? One of the social justice issues that I’ve honestly been involved with my whole life is education and working with younger students, whether it’s kindergarden or all the way up through high school, playing games, doing homework with them and inspiring them that they can do so much with their life and have so much potential. 7. What was your service experience as a freshman? I served on the executive board of CLC [Christian Life Community] as the service chair, so it was something really familiar to me. Whether it was raising funds for Relay for Life, participating in Special Games or going to Marycrest Manor, hanging out with the elderly and playing games with them. You don’t necessarily have to seek out service as a freshman, it seeks you out. 8. What is the goal of the Arrupe Service Council? We hope that we can help freshmen understand the deeper meaning of the LMU mission statement. 9. How can students get involved? Students can simply go to the Center for Service and Action located in St. Roberts [Hall] and anyone there can point them in the right direction. They can attend any of the Arrupe events on the calender that they got at their August Orientation or they can attend the Arrupe Open House on Oct. 1 in the Hill at 6 p.m. 10. What has been your favorite service experience? I like service where you can build relationships with a community, and for me that community was Cowan [Avenue] Elementary School’s 6th grade class. 11. What else are you involved in on campus? I was a leader on the First Year Retreat and I also serve on the leadership team for Christian Life Community, where the theme of the year is unity. We want to be one unified organization, one unified community and one unified LMU family.

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September 16 , 2013 Page 4

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Bike auction earnings to go to De Colores trips cases,” Furlong said. “You name it, we’re selling it.” The De Colores program consists of “social-justice based, weekend trips,” where students travel to Tijuana, Mexico, for two days of “cultural immersion,” according to Furlong. “One hundred percent of the proceeds from it go to De Colores trips,” Furlong said. Selina Roa, a senior biology major and a student leader for De Colores, encourages students to participate in the auction and sale because of

its charitable aspect. “I really think that students should participate in the auction, because not only do they get to buy a bike, an iPod or a camera for a really good price, but it’s also a great opportunity to give back to the community that we work with,” Roa said. “Where else will you have the chance to buy an iPod or a camera and have those proceeds going to a good cause?” For more information, students can visit Campus Ministry’s website and Facebook page.

Employment

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Bikes from Page 1

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Opinion Student Editorials and Perspectives

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BOARD EDITORIAL

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Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.

Allie Heck Managing Editor

Kevin O’Keeffe Editor in Chief

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Running advertisement the only choice

es, we know. The advertisement below is unexpected, to say the least. It’s definitely graphic. You can probably barely keep your eyes up here. Trust us, running it was not our first choice. But as defenders of the First Amendment, it was our only choice. Last Thursday, the Loyolan published our special coverage about the potential cut of elective abortions from faculty and staff health care. In both our Board Editorial for that issue and our Opinion section spread, we called for a civil conversation about a topic that for many otherwise intelligent, reasonable people can turn into bitter namecalling. This goes for both pro-life and prochoice advocates – “baby killer” and “woman hater” shouldn’t have a place in such a sensitive conversation. So this issue, we’re faced with this advertisement – the same type of “graphic image … that shock[s] the viewer into accepting their point” that contributor Danni Wilson mentioned in her column “Responsibility in both action and dialogue” last week. What is there to say about an ad so intense? The Loyolan will not take a formal stance on the content of the advertisement. How could we, as a staff, share an opinion on such a divisive topic? We currently employ 34 students on the editorial staff, each of whom has their own personal history and ideals. Do some of us think the graphic nature of the ad is too much? Absolutely. Are some of us

pro-life? Of course. So we couldn’t possibly comment on its content while representing everyone’s personal feelings on the subject. However, we can – and will – stress how important it is to run it. “Depiction is not endorsement.” Those were the words spoken over and over by First Amendment Week speaker and “Zero Dark Thirty” screenwriter Mark Boal, as well as by his creative partner and “Zero Dark Thirty” director Kathryn Bigelow, as they faced mounting criticism about including scenes of torture in their film. The words were true then, and they are true for us now. By running this ad, we are doing just that: running an ad. The Loyolan is not officially pro-choice. We don’t endorse anything about this, nor do we reject it. But the First Amendment right to free speech doesn’t just cover our editorial content – it also includes advertisers. True, we could have rejected the ad. Larger papers like the L.A. Times and USA Today have. We’d just have to give up what we believe: that the First Amendment applies to everyone. We’re aware that this ad will make continuing our civil conversation difficult. Yet just as we did last week, we’re appealing to LMU’s greater sense of reason. Abortion isn’t an issue leaving this campus any time soon. This ad won’t be the last extreme part of the conversation. The important thing is to keep a calm head, remember the maturity this subject requires and just keep talking.

Loyolan Staff

Kevin O’Keeffe Allie Heck Dan Raffety Tyler Barnett Michael Busse Allison Croley Sonja Bistranin Casey Kidwell Ali Swenson Chelsea Chenelle Eddie Estrada Devin Feldman Christopher James Mary Grace Cerni Marissa Morgan Kevin Cacabelos Sam Borsos Carlton Lew Carly Barnhill Khayla Golucke Ryan Johnson Kelly Kawaguchi Chanel Mucci KiMi Robinson Lauren Slack Sydney Franz Mercedes Pericas Jackson Turcotte Leslie Irwin Kevin Halladay-Glynn Matthew Balentine Kailey Strachan Edward Bramanti Ian Lecklitner Harrison Geron Brigette Scobas Jennifer Bruner Charles Riley Genesis Contreras Sabrina Budhrani Callie Douthit Katrina LIu

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Loyolan Editorial Policy The Los Angeles Loyolan, a studentrun campus organization, publishes a twice weekly newspaper for the greater LMU community. The first copy is free of charge. Additional copies are $1 each. Paid, mailed subscriptions can be purchased through the Business department. The Loyolan accepts unsolicited letters from students, faculty, staff and alumni, and press releases from oncampus and off-campus organizations, but cannot guarantee publication. The Loyolan reserves the right to edit or reject all submissions, including advertisements, articles or other contributions it deems objectionable. The Loyolan does not print consecutive articles by the same author that repeat/ refute the initial arguments. Opinions and ideas expressed in the Loyolan are those of individual authors, artists and student editors and are not those of Loyola Marymount University, its Board of Trustees, its student body or of newspaper advertisers. Board Editorials are unsigned and reflect the opinions of the Executive Editorial Board. Guest editorials are by invitation of the Executive Editorial Board and reflect the views of the author. All advertisements are subject to the current rates and policies in the most recent advertising rates and information materials.

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Opinion

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Rankings of universities don’t add up

everal years ago when I was deciding which colleges to apply to, you better believe I poured through rankings by College Prowler, Princeton Review and US News. I had to know which place was the best – which university would make future employers be all like, “Oh you went HERE!? Don’t Push My goodness, Mr. Feldman. Feldman ByDevinFeldman Here’s a job, here’s a comAsst. Opinion Editor pany car and here’s my most attractive daughter.” But no, that’s not how it works. No university exists that will make future employers into you like Paula Deen into a tub of butter. None. I applied to several colleges solely for their prestige and rankings. I wanted that dream job and company car. Looking back, I realize how foolish this was – very foolish. I mean, I definitely was not about to be let in to Stanford University, but hey, you never know. Those applications cost me some serious coin, money I could have put toward my overpriced text books, Sodexo’s finest foods or copious amounts of peanut butter and Frosted Flakes. I mean, LMU (that’s us!) ranked in the US News’ “Best Value” category. Best value. Think about it. Think. Best value. LMU. We ranked. Okay, moving on. What

else did we rank in? Well, we got an overall ranking of No. 3 in the West. Which is completely wrong, because we’re number one. L-M-U-U-UUU! Looking at US News in particular, you’ll see statistics about as legitimate as A-Rod’s home run records (that’s not

very legitimate, for those who don’t speak baseball). In short, these college ranking systems need to leave. Begone! Away with you. Now, you might be saying, “But Devin, what will prospective students look at and base their decisions off while

Be your best friend’s boyfriend’s best friend

’m lucky enough to live close to my best friend. It makes for easy visits, lunch dates and someone to share the summer with. H o w e v e r, what I didn’t expect to gain from our summer spent together was another best friend. It all started it’s casual. out when my By Eddie Estrada best friend’s Asst. Opinion Editor b o y f r i e n d decided to move from SoCal to NorCal to make sure they didn’t have to uphold a long-distance relationship. So he moved up there with his uncle, got a job and was ready to woo my best friend in a summer of romance. My best friend, on the other hand, didn’t have the same plan. Though wanting to share the summer with this newly relocated boyfriend, my best friend had internships, jobs, a family vacation and no time for romance. So my best friend’s boyfriend was stuck in a town with zero friends, knowing no one except me. At first, I was enlisted by my best friend to invite him wherever I went. Though apprehensive at first, I decided to invite my best friend’s boyfriend out to lunch. My best friend’s boyfriend and I had hung out with each other before, but not alone. It was a little weird at first because there is no manual on how to be one-on-one with your best friend’s significant other. What do you talk about? Do you do activities that he and your best friend do? How much hanging out is too much hanging out? As I was trying to wrap my head around the ‘rules

Jackson Turcotte | Loyolan

applying for schools?” Oh, I don’t know, how about THEIR HEART. If Cascada taught me anything in seventh grade, it’s how to grind at school dances and get away with it. But it also taught me how to listen to my heart when it’s calling for me. This is what I did – I

chose LMU over somewhere I thought would score me a highprofile job and swoons from my peers, primarily because I’m studying communication studies and I’m pretty sure there is no such thing as a high-profile job in my department, but also because I trust myself more than a list with ambiguous sources and arbitrary requirements. According to a study by Luke Myers and Jonathan Robe for the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, these rankings systems can affect how many students will apply for a school, the admission process and prices of tuition – not necessarily a good thing for students. A quick glance at the tuition prices of schools on top of college ranking lists shows a strong correlation: Princeton, $40,170; Harvard, $42,292; and Yale, $43,000. Is it possible these schools are just this expensive because they are actually the best and not because they’re ranked at the top? Yes, of course, but for smaller and lesser known schools moving up in rankings, the influence on tuition prices can be very real. Don’t worry about these lists, folks. We go to a fantastic school that ranks well, yes, but we don’t need no stinking rankings to tell us what we already know: LMU is the bee’s knees and I wouldn’t leave here for anything less than a Klondike Bar and at least $12.

This is the opinion of Devin Feldman, a junior communication studies major from Aurora, Ore. Please send comments to cchenelle@theloyolan.com.

NEED SOME ADVICE? Chelsea Chenelle Opinion Editor

Eddie Estrada

Asst. Opinion Editor

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and regulations’ for this hangout, my best friend’s boyfriend mentioned how I didn’t argue about the lunch place, like my picky-eater best friend would have. That’s where I realized our common ground: my best friend. We both knew about my best friend’s quirks and qualities and had memories and stories we could tell for days. The awkward lunch hangout soon turned into a BFF gossip fest. Soon we started hanging out more and my best friend’s boyfriend suddenly became my new summer buddy. Whether I was going to the city or just grabbing lunch before work, I started inviting my best friend’s boyfriend everywhere. Thus began the evolution from best friend’s significant other to simply best friend. As Mindy Kaling taught us, “Best friend isn’t a person: it’s a tier.” Now Matt – my BFF’s BF now turned BFF – and I talk as much as my best friend and I do. He even drove back down to L.A. with me. So much good has come from this

friendship. I gained a great new addition to my tier and my busy best friend couldn’t be happier. If they have a fight or issue, I hear both sides of the story – even when I don’t want to hear either side – and I am able to give my honest advice, which has undoubtedly helped them. Keeping both of their best interests in mind, I make sure that they know how the other feels and how the situation needs to play out to keep their relationship together. I’ve become the perfect mediator and unofficial therapist. Now with both abroad and in different countries, my Facebook inbox has been flooded with messages from the both of them. And though it is the coolest friendship I have, now they’ve put the pressure on me to find someone to date so they can have a new best friend, too. This is the opinion of Eddie Estrada, a junior communications studies major from Walnut Creek, Calif. Please send comments to cchenelle@theloyolan.com.

Devin Feldman

Asst. Opinion Editor

Get a Second Opinion. Send your struggles to letters@theloyolan.com with the subject Second Opinion to be featured in the Loyolan’s new advice column!

O pinion Teen girls pay the price: Sexualized media

September 16, 2013 Page 7

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n our culture, a woman’s worth seems to be determined by her sexual marketability. While this idea is not new, it has been on the rise throughout the decade, particularly in the media we consume. You could interpret this as sexual liberation for adult women, but in many ways, it has produced a generation of overly sexualized teenage Chenelle No. 5 girls. In trying to imitate By Chelsea their favorChenelle ite Disney Opinion Editor stars-turned“ S p r i n g Breakers” or the latest cover girl, these young women strive to present themselves as mini-adults rather than reveling in the carefree nature of adolescence. But in the immortal words of Hayley Stark in “Hard Candy,” “Just because a girl knows how to imitate a woman does not mean she’s ready to do what a woman does.” Young girls look to adult women for cues on how to act and dress, and as those signals have changed over the years, so have the resulting actions of young women. I was in middle school before I ever owned makeup beyond the childhood staple of body glitter. Today, however, it isn’t uncommon to see girls as young as 10 years old with their entire faces done up. Similarly, as hemlines recede in contemporary women’s clothing stores, so do they over at The Children’s Place. But I’m no prude. It is not the fault of the evolving fashion world, and I firmly believe that girls should be able to wear whatever they choose. The problem is how society digests these images. Instead of seeing a young girl playing

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As the lines between childhood innocence and sexuality become blurred, teen girls find themselves stuck in the middle of a cultural war, which can have disasterous consequences. dress-up, we are prompted to see a fully matured individual. This isn’t helped by the fact that girls are physically maturing sooner than they used to. A 2010 study published in “Pediatrics” found that 15 percent of girls in the U.S. hit puberty by age seven, and one in 10 Caucasian girls had started developing breasts by then. This

phenomenon, coupled with the overt displays of sexuality that children are exposed to daily, has created a hostile, damaging environment for young women to grow up in. The sexualization of teenage girls is nothing new, but it has amplified within the last decade. Most recently in Montana, Stacey

Dean Rambold, a 54-year-old high school teacher, was convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl who subsequently committed suicide. Despite being sentenced to 15 years in prison, the presiding judge reduced his sentence to 31 days. In his closing statement, the judge claimed that the victim was “older than her chronological age”

and that she had as much control of the situation as her rapist. When people who hold positions of power can make such abhorrent claims, we have collectively failed as a society. We have failed to live up to the American ideals of justice. We have failed to understand what it means to give consent. But most egregious of all, we have validated the rape of an innocent teenage girl by claiming that she seemed older than she was. Even if she had agreed to have sex with Rambold, it was his job as a legal adult and a person of authority to set the boundary for what is and is not acceptable. As a culture, we sell sex to children. Through American Apparel ads featuring naked and underaged models, through fake teeth on “Toddlers & Tiaras,” and through the very notion of what it means to be beautiful. For young women, being an object of sexual desire is the only way to achieve validity in this world. But with a culture based in sex comes the immense responsibility to set reasonable boundaries because, as adults, we should know better. There will always be young girls who act older than their age, but it is not their bodies or mentality that determine their ability to give consent. It is their age. Their actual, biological age. It is not our job to vilify the teenager who paints her lips red and wears too much eyeliner as if she is some Lolita waiting to happen, especially when that is the image she is forced to portray. Instead, we need to criticize our cultural values that have allowed for this expression of self. We need to ask what is more important: the innocence of childhood or the selling of a product.

This is the opinion of Chelsea Chenelle, a junior art history major from San Diego, Calif. Please send comments to cchenelle@theloyolan.com.

Letters to the Editor Re: Abortion special coverage, Pages 6-7, Sept. 12, 2013 Dear Executive Editorial Board: I wanted to express my appreciation and congratulations to you and the entire Loyolan staff on Thursday’s issue of the paper. Its inclusion of coverage on abortion was not only well done, but thorough and relevant to issues on campus. Tying the coverage to LMU’s administration’s upcoming decision made it timely and appropriate and at the heart of what the Loyolan is there for. I also want to pass my admiration along to both [Opinion Editor] Chelsea Chenelle and [contributor] Danni Wilson for having the bravery to tackle such a difficult topic in such a public forum. As a former Loyolan staffer, I remember the negative feedback I received on articles ... and I was just writing about sports! I can’t imagine the limb they went on. Kudos again to the entire staff on a job well done and to LMU for allowing its student-run newspaper the freedom to tackle these types of topics.

We’d Li

Julia Pine Class of 2010

The Lo

Re: Abortion special coverage, Pages 6-7, Sept. 12, 2013 Dear Executive Editorial Board: I understand the Cardinal Newman Society mentioned in Thursday’s Loyolan suffers under the impression that it’s the definitive word on the subject of the what and why of “the Catholic University,”having a 23-year-old Ex Corde Ecclesiae to support its position. It holds, white-knuckle, to the Catholic line that abortions are anathema to Catholic identity. The law of the land, however, represents the will of all of its people – not merely the faithful – and permits abortions as matters of individual conscience, regardless of any or no church affiliation. Catholic universities, Societies and Boards of Trustees may state maxims of conscience but they are not vessels of conscience. People are. Particularly in the narrow regard of abortions, the people regarded are women. I dare say, women ought to find it laughable that celibate men in long robes (and non-celibate men sans long robes) continue to make and implement policy on behalf of their bodies. But in the end, it is not funny as it perpetuates an institutionalized injustice. LMU, in accord with the tension inherent in its mission statement, invites“men and women diverse in talents, interests and cultural backgrounds to enrich our educational community.” This is a bold undertaking and defines not only a contract with students, but with the diverse faculty and staff that supports the University in its mission. LMU’s Administration should then bring transparency to these health care proceedings and listen to those affected by decisions already made in the dark. It should boldly seek a way to support those who have supported it. Should it not, then we should remember our American Identity. Taxation is an intellectual construct and yet this nation made “No taxation without representation!” a rallying cry. LMU’s employees should do the same with “Keep your Ecclesiae off my body!” Michael Robinson Senior English major

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Red Heads

Manly Pandas

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By Jackson Turcotte, Cartoon editor

By Ellen Czinski, contributing cartoonist

Arts & Entertainment Film, Literature, Music, Restaurants and Theatre

September 16, 2013 Page 10

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‘Me time’ beats the fear of missing out M

y roommates and I are entertainers. We love having people over at our house, for get-togethers big and small, and meeting new people both when we stay in or go out. Yet as much as I love it, hosting isn’t my favorite way to spend my Friday nights. My dream Friday night isn’t full of loud, generic dubstep that no one likes and gives me It’s K-OK! a headache. It doesn’t involve By Kevin the desperate, O’Keeffe sweaty search for Editor in Chief an address to a house party that will be rolled half an hour after I get there. It doesn’t require awkward averted glances when the time comes to designate a driver. All I want for my perfect Friday night is to be snug on the couch dressed in comfy clothes, with a glass of wine and some popcorn, watching some of my favorite movies. Is that so much to ask? Sometimes, in the collegiate environment, it feels like it is. I know what you’re thinking. “What a #firstworldproblem, Kevin gets too many opportunities to go out.” The truth is that I’m hardly the king of parties at LMU (not being in Greek Life will do that to you), but I’m lucky to have a fairly healthy social life with good friends who love getting out and trying new things – especially since turning 21 and being able to enjoy going out to bars. But with all of that comes a discomfort about wasting any time – as if by not going out, I’m losing the opportunities to make all of my best college memories. Yet what I’m quickly learning is

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that not taking time for yourself can be hazardous to your health. College doesn’t make relaxing easy, after all. While it may have been simple in high school to

stay in with the family on a Friday night, being surrounded by friends who seemingly never stop working hard or playing hard creates real peer pressure.

Plus, even if you get through the gauntlet of guilt often met when suggesting you’d rather stay in, you get drawn into a hangover of ‘didn’t go out’ regret when you

see the social media outflow the next morning. Facebook: “OMG, look at all these pics from last night’s house party!” Twitter: “OMG last night #actuallystillgoing #wecantstop #wewontstop” Instagram: “OMG look at this pic of our drinks #nofilter #LA #latergram #youngandbeautiful” OMG, it can make anyone hate the very idea of staying in. Why am I not partying right now? Oh, right, because “Clueless” just came from Netflix and I have a bottle of Malbec calling my name. Going out? As if! Ideally, it’s not even a new movie I watch – I’d much prefer one of the favorites, like “The Devil Wears Prada” or “I Love You, Man.” Something fun and funny that will give you the laughs and warm comfort you need after a rough week. You can find plenty of perfect choices in a Redbox or on Netflix Instant – and never forget that TBS shows “Mean Girls” a million times a weekend. It’ll recharge you and give you the energy to go out Saturday. See? You can have it all! Despite my love for the Friday night in, don’t take any of this to mean I hate parties. I don’t. I am, of course, going to go out again – probably this upcoming weekend, even. I’m just finally realizing the importance of taking a little time for myself, even if it’s just the rare Friday night. You should try it out, too, if you’re feeling too overwhelmed to breathe. Maybe even this Friday. “Mean Girls” is probably on TBS again, after all. This is the opinion of Kevin O’Keeffe, a senior screenwriting major from Austin, Texas. Please send comments to kokeeffe@theloyolan.com.

Be the change the film world needs

he movie industry as we know it is going to collapse. Why? Greed. When? Nobody knows for sure. Well then, what’s going to happen? Some absolutely amazing things, that’s what. And who’s going to do it? Film students that are graduating in the next few years. Let’s start with the curBy Conor rent state of the industry. O’Callaghan George LuContributor cas and Steven Spielberg gave a lecture in June, covered by Bryan Bishop for The Verge. Spielberg put the attitude of the studios in a nutshell. According to him, “A studio would rather invest $250 million in one film for a real shot at the brass ring” than make smaller, more personally interesting films. In essence, the studios want their money; they don’t want to tell personal stories. Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh, in his State of Cinema speech, defined this as the difference between movies and cinema. To him, cinema is “not about money; it’s about good ideas.” He recognizes that there are fewer executives in the business because they actually love movies. They’re in it for money, and that is what is killing cinema. What we need is a fresh group of filmmakers with a love for movies, not for money. That’s where we come in. And we come in on our own terms, with our tools and vision.

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Spielberg admitted that his award-winning “Lincoln” barely made it into theatres. The same goes for Lucasfilm’s “Red Tails.” Spielberg joked about “Lincoln” nearly being on HBO. Soderbergh’s Liberace movie, “Behind the Candelabra,” however, ended up on HBO and earned

critical acclaim. In fact, more and more of the niche-marketed entertainment is moving to TV these days, specifically channels like HBO, which have the room to do what they want. HBO currently has programming such as “Game of Thrones” and “The Newsroom.” Pushing

this new frontier even further is Netflix, with its new web-only series, “House of Cards.” This is the first web-only television series to ever be nominated for an Emmy award. Projects that are deeper, more personal and even more interesting are developing in

places like these. And Lucas and Spielberg are expecting it. They believe that new, more interesting entertainment will be available instantly. So how is that going to come about? The new generation of young filmmakers is going to push the envelope, according to Lucas. There’s nothing to stop them from doing what they want. As he puts it, “The gatekeepers have been killed.” Also notable are the tools that have become available. This is the age of iPads with cameras more powerful than the cameras that film many television programs. The age of constant access to almost any piece of information. The age of Kickstarter and Indiegogo. It’s possible for anyone to raise money and fund the project of their dreams. But what ties all the technology together is you. The future of cinema is currently sitting in class at a university, maybe even this University. The future of cinema is changing just as we are about to enter the real world and start down our career paths. If we take advantage of the tools we’ve been given, they can do anything. The next big thing is in film school somewhere and no longer has to be “discovered.” This is the time when you can make people notice you. You can do what you want, when you want, how you want and if somebody likes it, there’s a good chance you’re going to go places. And that is the future of cinema: freedom. This is the opinion of Conor O’Callaghan, a junior film production major from Pasadena, Calif. Please send comments to cjames@theloyolan.com.

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Arts & Entertainment

September 16, 2013 Page 11

Performance exhibit showcases ‘Dracula’ Exhibit Review By Josh Grega Contributor

efore vampires were fanged aristocrats dressed in black robes, they looked like what we today would call a zombie. This, at least, is according to Leslie S. Klinger, a leading authority on Bram Stoker’s 1987 novel, “Dracula,” who spoke about the changing image of the vampire for the event “I Bid You Welcome” in the William H. Hannon Library. The event, which took place on Sept. 12, was part of the library’s “Crossing Thresholds” fall exhibition on Gothic literature and began with a commentary by Klinger on Stoker’s novel and other depictions of vampires. The second half of the program featured performances of scenes from different stage adaptations of “Dracula” by LMU theatre arts students. “I Bid You Welcome” was likely more accessible to those familiar with the novel, but anybody who knows what a vampire is and has heard of the famous Count would have found it interesting and not without a good laugh or two. Perhaps to enlighten those unfamiliar with the story, Klinger first attempted to summarize the four-act structure of the Stoker novel. He explained that because the book covers so many locations in a rather short period of time, playwrights have found it a difficult story to adapt, introducing the different adaptations performed by students.

Three women dressed in black introduced each performance, providing background information about that specific adaptation. The actors used fake accents, sometimes convincingly and at times causing the audience to crack up. While entertaining, the performances were also the most inaccessible part of the evening. Klinger’s story summary did not completely remedy the fact that I was unfamiliar with the book. During the excerpts from different adaptations, I couldn’t really distinguish between the experimental version set in New York and the regular adaptation in Transylvania. Though I wish there was more context to the performances for those who were not familiar with the novel, the performances were entertaining enough even without proper explanation. On the other hand, Klinger’s lecture may not have had similar entertainment value, but was the more informative part of the evening. One fitting addition to the presentation was the dim lighting, with floor lights shining up at the speaker, perhaps similar to what one would find in a Gothic horror movie. Klinger began by describing an unfortunate European town visited by a man nicknamed “Uncle George” who had supposedly risen from the dead. When he was killed with a stake to the heart, the town returned to normal, and thus the first popular incarnation of the vampire was born. As mentioned earlier, this “Uncle George” version of the vampire was closer to a zom-

Archibald Constable and Company

Theatre arts majors performed interpretations of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” to represent the changing image of vampires at the event “I Bid You Welcome” as a part of the Library’s “Crossing Thresholds” fall exhibition. bie than our modern notion of a vampire, and Klinger said that he personally liked this grotesque creature better than what the vampire eventually became. This became evident when he spoke of the changing image of vampires through film. He expressed love for the

LMU student sings about modern dating in ‘Stalker’

F. W. Murnau silent classic, “Nosferatu,” and called the Bela classic Lugosi “Dracula” “the movie that caused the death of the vampire’s image.” He even made a short, obligatory statement on the “Twilight” franchise, saying, “Vampires don’t really sparkle.”

Overall, “I Bid You Welcome” was not consistently enlightening, but satisfactory nonetheless. This is the opinion of Josh Grega, a sophomore screenwriting major from Seattle, Wash. Please send comments to cjames@theloyolan.com.

Student Spotlight By Mary Grace Cerni Asst. A&E Editor

ocial networking is changing the way we date, and senior theatre arts major Blake Ward conveys this phenomenon in the song “Stalker’s National Anthem.” “The title may make it seem like it’s going to be a weird song,” Ward said, “But it’s supposed to be funny. It’s about how [social media] has changed the whole dating concept because everyone knows what you are doing constantly.” Blake co-wrote the song with Nikki and Zack Hexum, producers from Disney and Nickelodeon respectively. Nikki, a former voice student of Ward’s mother, reached out to Ward to record the track this past summer. “[Nikki and Zack] also wanted me to have writing credits on the song, so I wrote the rap,” Ward said. Since then, a music video for the song has been released on YouTube, and Ward’s agent is currently working on sending the comedic tune to Sony and Capitol Records. Ward’s connections in the music industry were sparked by his parents’ careers and have flourished since he started attending LMU. Ward grew up in a musical family. As a professional vocalist, Ward’s mother has worked with the Beatles and the Beach Boys, and his father was involved in musical theatre in L.A. “Music has always been a huge part of my life,” Ward said. “I started singing in the

YouTube | Blake Ward

Senior theatre arts major Blake Ward’s song “Stalker’s National Anthem” follows one guy who obsesses over a girl via social networks. first grade, and since then, I’ve picked up the saxophone, piano, guitar and a little bit of bass.” Although Ward was constantly surrounded by music growing up, his parents did not make him pursue a career in the arts. Ward got into music

on his own; he recognized his talent and decided to use his family resources to his advantage. “My parents said, ‘Blake, do what you want to do.’” Ward said, “Growing up in it makes things easier. I can pick up [music] more quickly.”

To read the full article and watch the video “Stalker’s National Anthem,” visit laloyolan.com. Graphic: Sydney Franz | Loyolan

September 16, 2013 Page 12

Arts & Entertainment

Sydney Franz | Loyolan

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Sydney Franz | Loyolan

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Sports

September 16, 2013 Page 13

Volleyball to begin conference play at home Sam’s Slam from Page 16 important leader for the team, defined the team’s strategy in terms of focusing on each point; essentially, not only is each game important for the team, but also each play. “We came up with this thing called the sniper mentality,” said Keil. “We’re working so hard that each play is sharp and to the point. We want to make sure we reach that goal. If you make a mistake, you drop it and move on. We’re going into conference with that mentality and making sure we don’t look back on the losses.” LMU will have to look out this season for BYU, University of San Diego (USD) (7-1), USF (4-6), Pepperdine University (6-2) and St. Mary’s College (4-3). Obviously, every game is important, but these are the games that the Lions are going to have to win – or at least take one of the two matches – if they want to come out on top in conference play. Another team to watch out for is University of the Pacific. This is the first year that the Tigers have ever been in the West Coast Conference, and they’ve already started off their season strong with a 7-4 record. With another foe able to shake things up in conference play, the Lions are going to have to be prepared to take on some tough competition this season. The Lions have a winning record going into 2013 conference play. The team begins its conference journey against USF on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Gersten Pavilion – last season, the Dons took both conference games from the Lions. If LMU can keep consistent energy and play every game with the same mentality, I think they can improve their 8-8 conference record from last year to a winning season. Tedrow sums up the team’s main goal appropriately. “We have this thing called ‘we

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The LMU volleyball team is focused on maintaining consistency throughout West Coast Conference (WCC) play this season. In July, the WCC added a new member, the University of the Pacific, expanding the number of teams in the conference to 10. play as a championship match every time’ so we take each match the same,” she said. “There’s not a game that’s more important than the other. I think our team is looking forward to getting after it in practice like we always do, killing it in the games, executing everything and moving on.”

This is the opinion of Sam Borsos, a sophomore communication studies major from Palo Alto, Calif. Please send comments to sborsos@theloyolan.com.

Senior defensive specialist Betsi Metter

LMU Athletics

collected her 1,441st dig of her college career against Seattle University on September 13, thus breaking the LMU record for most career individual digs.

Betsi Metter Tyler Barnett | Loyolan

Sports

September 16, 2013 Page 14

thlete J

enni Benger

Sport: soccer Class: junior Major: natural science Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado The LMU women’s soccer team started the season 3-1, but has since dropped two straight games against No. 3 Stanford and Long Beach State. The Lions are staying focused, despite setbacks against CSU Fullerton and No. 23 USC this weekend. Redshirt junior Jenni Benger is one of the top returning players on the Lions this season. The defensive midfielder sat down with the Loyolan to discuss her time here at LMU. 1. Two weeks ago, you scored a header during overtime against UCSB as time was winding down. Can you talk us through that play? Coming towards the end of overtime, we all decided that we had to put in that extra push to get it done. Jo[celyn Blankenship] had an awesome corner that I was lucky enough to get a head on. The keeper fumbled the ball, and we got it done in the last minute. 2. How did you get introduced to soccer? I started playing when I was four. My parents signed me up, and that’s how it all started. 3. When did you realize you had talent and wanted to play competitively? I’ve always been very competitive in everything that I do. I don’t think I ever realized I had talent; it was more of me just wanting to play. I started club when I was 11 and it just progressed from there.

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potlight

4. What made you choose to come to LMU over other schools? I knew that I wanted to get out of Colorado. When I came and visited LMU, I fell in love with the school. I visited the classes and loved the class sizes and academics. I spent time with the team and coaching staff and knew that it was the right environment. Everybody was very welcoming and I knew it was the right place for me. 5. As an older member of this team, what is some of the advice you give the younger players after a tough loss? Obviously losing isn’t fun, and we’re all out here because we are really competitive. We learn to take the negatives from those games and build on that. The feeling of losing is never fun, but it’s a good lesson. 6. Now that you’ve been here for four years, what is your most memorable moment at LMU? The atmosphere. When I leave this school, I’m always going to remember all the relationships you build, especially in the athletic community. In the UCLA game last year, we really felt that support when we had buses of the LMU students come out and it was probably the most exciting game for us. We tied the number one team in the nation at that point and had our whole fan section behind us. 7. Now that your time here at LMU is winding down, do you have any plans after college? Would you consider playing professionally? If the opportunity presented itself, it would be something I would definitely check out and see if I can play further. I think it would be really rough for me to just cut off soccer after I’ve been playing for so long. I also want to go to graduate school and check out physical therapy. 8. As a natural science major with a pre-physical therapy emphasis, how do you balance academics and athletics? It’s all about where your priorities lie. I put school and soccer as two of my top priorities, but in the free time that I do have, that’s where I like to do things that aren’t so stressful. Graphic: Mercedes Pericas | Loyolan ; Information compliled by Carlton Lew, asst. sports editor

NBA players utilizing LMU athletic facilities

Photos via Quan Ngo, Jeff Winsper

Junior management major and LMU head basketball manager Quan Ngo has had the opportunity of meeting several NBA players in his time at LMU. Ngo poses with Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (left) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (center). Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (right) relaxes after a workout at Burns Recreation Center. NBA Players from Page 16 members when a fire drill forced everyone to evacuate the center. Ngo and several other LMU basketball managers assisted in Wade’s workout last week. Unlike typical gymgoers, LMU’s men’s basketball managers sometimes have the opportunity to work with the players. “It was surreal to see a guy I was watching on TV in person,” Ngo said. Junior mechanical engineering major and LMU basketball manager Kyle Peerless also helped out with

Wade’s workout. Wade didn’t have time to converse, but extended a nice courtesy to Peerless. “He was focused on his workout,” Peerless said. “He said, ‘What’s up Kyle’ and ‘Thanks Kyle,’ but other than that he was all business.” LMU basketball manager and senior biochemistry major Armando Noriega remembers helping former NBA player Corey Maggette workout in 2010 during his freshman year. After fetching Maggette’s shoes from his car, Maggette tried to slip Noriega a $100 bill, but Noriega declined. “I was just trying to help out.

He’s a nice guy, but I wasn’t doing it for money,” Noriega said. The presence of NBA players on LMU’s campus is nothing new. During the 2011 NBA lockout, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant along with his then-teammate Metta World Peace used Gersten Pavilion as a place to hold open games with a slew of other NBA players. During the past few LMU basketball seasons, hall of famer Gary Payton has been spotted sitting courtside, while Los Angeles Clippers guard Matt Barnes has also attended a couple of games courtside with his family.

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Sports

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September 16, 2013 Page 15

Matthew Balentine | Loyolan

Men’s water polo downs rival Pepperdine Waves 10-9 in home opener LMU beat the Pepperdine University Waves 10-9 last Saturday at Burns Aquatic Center. The water polo team’s home opener draws a large number of students (upper left). Head Coach John Loughran addresses his team before the match (lower left). Junior utility Joe Ferretti takes a shot (right) during Saturday’s match. For full news, analysis and more photos of LMU’s men’s water polo team, check out laloyolan.com/sports throughout the season.

Water polo confident as tough schedule remains

Raff’s Rap from Page 16

integral in the process of returning to a dominant water polo program. But it doesn’t end there, becase no one will remember the victory over the No. 8 Waves if the club cannot build off this and win conference, making noise against national powerhouses in the process, like No. 1 USC and No. 2 UCLA, who both remain on the schedule for the Lions. The club will travel north for the NorCal Tournament next weekend and play CSU Long Beach, to whom they lost 9-8 last weekend. The team needs to harness this confidence, this swagger, and play with it the rest of the season. The players are no doubt young, but they are talented, and if they can learn to play together and understand each role, then this team can accomplish great things.

Once this team establishes itself as a confident program, the fans will return and fill the stands at Burns Aquatic Center again. LMU fans love teams that win. It won’t matter that they don’t have night games or that people don’t even understand the rules of water polo. If LMU can re-establish itself as a dominant water polo program, the support and energy that was felt on Saturday afternoon will return and even begin to grow. With more support behind this program, a confidence high and the players’ investment in Loughran’s system, the sky is the limit for LMU water polo, not only for the 2013 season, but for years to come. This is the opinion of Dan Raffety, a senior communications studies major from Eagle Rock, Calif. Please send comments to draffety@theloyolan.com.

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Lion Sports

September 16, 2013 Page 16

Lions use win as stepping stone Consistency key for LMU volleyball The Lions begin conference play this week against the University of San Francisco.

Matthew Balentine | Loyolan

Senior goalie Gavyn Wild recorded a career high 10 saves in the Lions 10-9 victory over No. 8 Pepperdine University Saturday afternoon at Burns Aquatic Center. The Lions improve to 2-3 on the season and head to Berkeley, Calif., for the NorCal Tournament on Saturday.

LMU’s victory over their rival Waves can propel the program to familiar success.

ne win doesn’t define a season, but it can sure help lift a program. The men’s water polo team (2-3) defeated No. 8 Pepperdine University 10-9 Saturday afternoon in the team’s home opener behind incredible goalie play and a stout defense. The stands at Burns Aquatic Center were at capacity on Saturday, with a Raff’s Rap cheering section that By Dan Raffety was loud from start Managing Editor to finish. Head Coach John Loughran told his team before the game, “We can get people here, but if you want them to

keep coming back, you have to put on a good performance.” That’s exactly what the Lions did on Saturday. Senior goalie Gavyn Wild played one of the best games of his career, recording 10 saves and making him the catalyst for the Lions’ defense. Freshman Corey McGee started at two-meter defender and shut down the Waves’ offensive attack. McGee also added two goals for the club. Sophomore attacker Milutin Mitrovic led the Lions with four goals. After the game, junior utility Joe Ferretti said that this was a win that could get the program back to a powerhouse level. “It brings the hopes of getting us back where we used to be,” said Ferretti. “This is one of the first big wins we’ve had in a while, the fans were out and hopefully we can keep it going.” This game won’t affect conference standings and will probably not make a huge difference in the NCAA national ranking. But this victory was one of the team’s biggest wins in the last two seasons, and will have a tremendous

impact on the team’s morale and confidence. After making four straight NCAA championships from 2007-2010, the Lions have been eliminated in the semifinal round of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Championships the last two seasons, both of which were upsets. This win against a rival doesn’t correlate to a postseason victory, but it generates excitement about a program that doesn’t get a lot of publicity. This was a game that the Lions may not have won the last two seasons, as it seemed like they found a way to give up games, rather than solidify victories. As the final seconds ticked down to zero with the Lions clinging to a one-goal lead after replaying the final minute and 34 seconds due to a call by the referees, the level of confidence on the players and coaching staff ’s faces lit to a level I had never seen. This was more than a win over a good team. Beating rival Pepperdine was

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or the LMU women’s volleyball team, this weekend was defined by sweeps. The Lions (5-4) suffered a three-game sweep by CSU Long Beach (5-4) last Thursday, and then took down Seattle University (210) and the College of Charleston (8-2) in three games each on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Coming up next for the Lions? Conference play. The team faces two backto-back conference Sam’s Slam games at home this By Sam Borsos week: the University of San Francisco Asst. Sports Editor (USF) on Thursday and Santa Clara University on Saturday. Last season, the team split its conference matches 8-8. This season, they can step it up. One of the Lions’ main strategies repeatedly used throughout this season and last is focusing on one game at a time. After last Thursday’s loss to Long Beach, sophomore setter Hannah Tedrow said that the team was focusing on its next two matches, rather than thinking about the all-important conference play coming up this week. “We’re stoked about conference but we’re taking it one match at a time,” she said. “It’s about what’s happening right now in this moment.” When it comes to conference play, it’s time to execute this mentality. For example, let’s say the team is playing Brigham Young University (BYU) (6-3), who went 13-3 in conference last year, in the same week they’re playing the University of Portland (0-9), who had a 1-15 conference record last year. The team needs to exert the same amount of energy for both games, rather than focusing on the bigger competition of the two. Junior middle blocker Litara Keil, an

See Sam’s Slam | Page 13

Dwyane Wade and NBA stars flock to LMU Miami Heat stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh worked out on campus last week. By Kevin Cacabelos Sports Editor

As head manager for LMU men’s basketball, junior Quan Ngo is used to rebounding for and working out with basketball players. However, last Wednesday, the management major found himself in brand new territory as he helped Miami Heat basketball player Dwyane Wade train inside Gersten Pavilion. Wade’s teammate Chris Bosh, along with James Harden from the Houston Rockets, were also spotted working out at Gersten Pavilion and Burns Recreation Center last week. According to LMU Assistant Basketball Coach Senque Carey, LMU basketball players are prohibited from participating in workouts with NBA players due to NCAA rules. “LMU players can say hello, but they can’t work out with the NBA Players because they are draftable athletes,” Carey said. LMU is a popular place for these professional athletes to work out at because of its location in Los Angeles. While UCLA and USC have much higher pro-

files in college basketball and larger facilities, LMU’s proximity to LAX helps draw in NBA players and their trainers. “I think those schools are just out of the way. LMU is so close to the airport – a mile and half away from the airport,” Carey said. “Why go all the way to UCLA or USC when LMU is right here?” Carey mentioned that many NBA athletes utilize LMU’s facilities to train in private and then play pickup games at the Los Angeles Clippers practice facility with other NBA players. The Clippers’ facility is located in Culver City, a short six-minute drive from LMU’s campus. According to LMU Burns Recreation Center Supervisor Tony Tabish, like all unregistered members of the gym, the NBA players must pay $5 to use the facility. LMU coaches sometimes gives a heads up to the center, letting them know that a player or a team will need to use one of the basketball courts. The week before school started in August, the Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets used the backcourt and weight room in Burns Recreation Center. “Most of the time we don’t have any idea that they are coming in,” Tabish said. As for interaction with LMU students and other gym members, most NBA players are courteous.

via Nicole Baghdasaryan

Sophomore biology major Nicole Baghdasaryan poses for a photo with Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade outside of Burns Recreation Center last Wednesday. “Most people leave them alone, and when they do approach them, it’s just a quick handshake and greeting,” Tabish said. “People don’t bother them too much.”

In early July, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant took photos and signed autographs for several gym

See NBA Players | Page 14