Women come back to beat Misericordia after Alvernia loss

by Meghan Merkel assistant perspectives editor

The Lady Cavalier's basketball team fell to Alvernia College away from home last Wednesday. But they didn't go down easily.

Junior co-captain Gina Virelli explained, "We lost to Alvernia my freshman year. We came back and beat them last year. They have also been a rival to us."

Lady Cavs came out strong and were ready to play from the beginning.

So was Alvernia.

"We were confident but our shots weren't falling." Virelli added.

Coach Dan Welde was prepared for Alvernia's star, Theresa Brae, and put Virelli on her immediately. Brae ended up with only 11 points at the conclusion of the game.

At halftime, Cabrini was ahead by a jumper. "Second half we came out tired. We played hard, but it wasn't our night", junior Lisa Reynolds stated. It proved to be a tough defeat but also a respectable loss.

"Coach didn't mind the defeat. At the end of the game he focused on how hard we played instead of the score." Senior co-captain Jackie Pierangeli commented.

The loss put the Lady Cavaliers on the road for revenge. They started with their victory against College Misericordia Monday night with a score of 81-60.

"We came together and really made a team effort." Senior Erin Barney speculated.

The win will put the Lady Cavs on a bus to Wesley College on Feb. 19th.

"We're looking forward to the playoffs because we have a lot of tournament experience. Besides Unive~ity of Scranton and Johns Hopkins Unive~ity, we have the most experience in our division." Lisa Reynolds stated.

And so the team is preparing for the playoffs.

"We would really appreciate our fans making the drive out to help cheer us on. It could make the difference." Vrrelli concluded.

More information warns athletes about affects of drug use

by Terry Cipollini staff writer

Drugs have been used by athletes for centuries. In every sport from football to horse racing drug -·- use can be found. These drugs are used to either enhance performance or mask pain to allow the athlete to compete.

In an article printed recently on ESPN.com the history of steroids and their use by athletes is explained. The most common form of drug used is anabolic steroids, -even though the non-medical use of anabolic steroids is illegal and banned by most major sports or- ganizations. The issue regarding the use of these drugs revolves around the fact that anabolic steroids can cause serious physical and psychological side effects.

Anabolic steroids are a synthetic version of the natural male hor, mone, testosterone. The hormone helps the body retain dietary protein, which aids in the development of muscles. This is what draws the athletes to the drug. As the article explains, athletes believe that the increased muscle mass and strength will enhance their performances.

One serious aspect of steroid use is that the user may not show symptoms for years to come. The side effects from steroid use can range from acne to liver damage to premature heart attacks and strokes. Psychologically the use of these drugs can result in severe mood swings and violent behavior.

The most recent story, found in the New York Times, was about Mark McGwire using a diet~ supplement known as androstenedione. Andro is not a steroid, it is an over-the-counter supplement that can be purchased in any health food store. A new study just released in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that andro increases testosterone levels. The results based on short term use found "no significant adverse effects of androstenedione." More studies need to be conducted to determine long term effects. However, medical experts state that high levels of testosterone, like those produced by andro, cause the medical problems linked to steroids, not the steroid itself.

After the introduction of Andro to the public, junior Chris Nielsen tried the supplement for a couple of weeks. Nielsen explained that Andro did work, it allowed him to lift more weights, but their were side effects. "It gives symptoms you are not prepared for, it increased my heart rate and made me feel edgy," Nielsen said.

Every aspect of the human body is effected by what goes in it and on it. Even dietary supplements can have an adverse effect on the body. "I have told my friends about what I experienced and try to persuade them to just take things in their system that are natural," Nielsen said.