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CABRINI UNIVERSITY THELOQUITUR.COM
THURSDAY, NOV. 21, 2019
VOL. LXI, ISSUE V
Vaping: Is it really safer than smoking? BY GABRIELLE CELLUCCI Staff Writer Vaping is the new smoking. People are putting away tobacco cigarettes for electronic cigarettes, such as vape pens and JUULs, because some people believe vaping is safer than smoking. However, some people are unaware of the amount of chemicals used in vaping devices. Since vaping is still considered to be a relatively new alternative to smoking, scientists are not completely sure what the long term effects are caused by vaping. Electronic cigarettes were originally designed to help people who want to quit smoking to do so in a gradual process rather than quitting cold turkey. Now it appears to be the new smoking trend, especially for young adults and teens. Richard Ardizzone, freshman criminology major, explained how he used to be a chain smoker in eighth grade due to one of his buddies introducing him to Newport cigarettes. He eventually quit cigarettes because he said that he noticed how easily winded he got whenever he tried to play sports. Once he started to play basketball, he quit smoking altogether because he could not keep up with his teammates when they ran suicides at practice. He further explained how after quitting smoking he became curious about vaping and decided to try it due to his peers talking about JUULs. “When high school came around, JUUL came out…then as a sophomore, I bought one just to see what the f**k the hype was about,” Ardizzone said. “I would JUUL but not as often. I was fortunate because I would pick it up for a month, put it down for two months and then go back to it when I was stressed.” Ardizzone does believe that in some ways vaping is a healthier alternative than smoking, but also believes that smoke or vapor is not meant to be in people’s lungs. Ardizzone said it takes about six months for the lungs to clear up from vaping. Ardizzone decided to quit vaping about a month ago because he plans to join the military after college and did not want
the repercussions of vaping to come back and haunt him in the future. Ardizzone is more aware of the health risks related to vaping compared to Victoria Lepore, sophomore business major, who has never vaped before. “[I’m] sort of aware. Although, I haven’t really looked into it,” Lepore said. “I’ve never really been into stuff like that. I think it’s bad for the human body,” she said. She confessed that she never found vaping appealing or felt pressured to try vaping. According to the Kids Health website, the body becomes addicted to the nicotine found in e-cigarettes and nicotine can impair brain growth and development in teens. E-cigarettes can cause damage to the lungs and may cause people to want to smoke tobacco cigarettes. The American Lung Association has reviewed over 800 studies concerning the effects of vaping on the human body. Since vaping is relatively new, it is unknown what the long-term effects of vaping are and how long-term vaping affects the body. In one of the studies that the American Lung Association reviewed, it stated that e-cigarettes contain numerous harmful chemicals such as acetaldehyde, acrolein and formaldehyde; which are capable of causing lung disease and cardiovascular disease. Susan Fitzgerald, the nurse at the Student Health Center, believes that vaping negatively affects the lungs due to the chemicals in vaping damaging the lining of the lungs, which causes breathing problems and other lungrelated diseases to occur. “Vaping affects the lungs in a lot of ways that we’re not exactly sure about, but we know it causes damage,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re not exactly sure why some people experience serious illness and disease and even death from vaping, but there are a lot of chemicals in vaping that are hazardous to our health.”
Fitzgerald continues to say how vaping can trigger different types of diseases, such as asthma, wet lung, chronic upper respiratory infections and other types of diseases. Fitzgerald also comments that no one really knows the long-term effects of vaping due to vaping only being around for a few years and not much research has been put into it. In her honest opinion, Fitzgerald does not know anyone in the healthcare industry who believes vaping is better than smoking. She thinks that there were hopes that e-cigarettes would help stop people from smoking tobacco, but it has not played out how those people had hoped. Some people believe that the e-liquid in e-cigarettes is simply water mixed with nicotine, but is actually a mixture of a variety of chemicals that can be very harmful to the human body. The American Lung Association’s website mentions that the two main ingredients in the vapor for e-cigarettes are propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which are toxic to human body cells. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved of e-cigarettes or any other vaping device as a method to quit smoking. The pending question on everyone’s mind now is whether vaping is safer than smoking traditional cigarettes with tobacco. Though e-cigarettes have less chemicals compared to traditional cigarettes because of the absence of tobacco, e-cigarettes can still cause people to contract many of the same diseases that are caused by smoking, including lung disease and cardiovascular disease. It is also uncertain what the long-term effects of vaping can do to a person over time. Vaping is not safer than smoking.
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Women’s soccer team wins AEC title against Marywood BY LAYAL SROUR Staff Writer Hard work paid off for the women’s soccer team this season. After playing multiple matches against Marywood University in the past, they were able to pull through a win this time around in the championship. On Saturday, Nov. 9, the women’s soccer team played for the title of the Atlantic East Conference championship against Marywood University. However, this is not the first time both teams went head-to-head for the championship title along with several regular-season matches. In 2008, the Marywood Pacers took the win over the Cavaliers with a final score of 3-2. During an away game in 2009, Marywood took home another win against Cabrini in a 4-2 game. Cabrini retaliated and went home with a winning score of 2-1 in 2010. Again, Marywood won with a final score of 3-1 in 2011. In 2014, Cabrini had a two-game winning streak with the first gameending in 3-0 score and a 2-1 final score during the second game. In 2017, Cabrini had another two-game winning streak with both games ending in a 2-1 score. Marywood came back in 2018 with a 2-1 final score. Finally, in 2019, Cabrini won the AEC championship ending the game with a 2-0 win against Marywood. With a 15-3 record for Cabrini University, the Cavs were able to win with a final score of 2-0 against the 9-8 Marywood Pacers. During the first half of the game, the first goal was made by freshman Rebekah Cunningham, followed by another goal from senior Diana Vansickle, which brought home the win for Cabrini. However, had it not been for the goalie and her quick blocks, as well as the skills of the rest of the team, there might have been a different outcome. CONTINUE READING ON PAGE 8
The winners are in for this year’s Mr. and Miss Cabrini pageant BY LAUREN GIANNONE Staff Writer The Mr. & Miss Cabrini Pageant is one of the best-kept traditions on campus that brings the community together, says a director of campus activities and programming. “We truly treasure this event because it symbolizes the spirit of Cabrini as a whole. This [pageant] showcases what Cabrini does best, which is keeping our traditions alive and merging together our diverse campus community,” said Ixchele Ortiz, freshman pre-K to 4th-grade special education major and co-director of CAP (Campus Activities and Programming) Board. Every year, Cabrini students compete in a series of contests to win the title of Mr. Cabrini and Miss Cabrini. This year, the Mr. & Miss Cabrini Pageant drew a crowd of approximately 200 people Friday evening, Nov. 9. A panel of judges weighed in on the final vote. Mark Sowinski and Francesca Maslin were crowned as this 2019’s Mr. and Miss Cabrini. All of the contestants
supported each other, remaining on-stage for pictures and congratulatory cheers following the announcement. Some of the highlights of the night included the talent round and the interviews. During the talent round, each contestant was to perform and was scored by a panel of judges on their creativity and quality of performance. Following the talent round, attendees were asked to vote
CABRINI UNIVERSITY FLICKR
Junior accounting major Mark Sowinski was crowned Mr. Cabrini 2019
on their choice of this year’s Mr. and Miss Cabrini. Keziah Landis, sophomore writing major, started out the evening singing an original song called, “You don’t know me.” The audience was captivated and quiet as she strummed her ukulele and sang. Next, Noel Davenport, junior writing major, performed a step routine and spoken word piece. The crowd was still and attentive as she vocally and physically relayed messages about black injustices. The whole room was laughing during, Ka’ron Sheffield’s comedy routine when he said his aunt signed off on her text messages with the word “sincerely.” Sheffield’s routine was mostly about his experience as a Cabrini student. The audience was quiet as Julia Smith, junior criminology and sociology major showed an original horror film. When the film displayed its final scene, many people in the room let out a fearful gasp. Next, Kayla Hunt, junior writing major, said the song she would be singing was written by her and that the lyrics were painful for her to write. The whole audience was quiet while they focused on
CABRINI UNIVERSITY FLICKR
Senior writing major Francesca Maslin was crowned Miss Cabrini 2019
her singing her original song, “Epiphany.” Tariq Mines Jr., sophomore communication major, did a spoken word piece about black rights and injustices. When he stepped away from the microphone, the crowd leaned in deeper as he continued to speak about individual acts of injustices. The audience cheered loudly upon the end of his performance. CONTINUE READING ON PAGE 2
EDITORIAL
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WE ARE THE
LOQUITUR 2019-2020 Editorial Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AISLINN WALSH WRITING MANAGING EDITOR AMY KODRICH VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR HAYLEY THOMPSON NEWS EDITOR SIERRA DOTSON SPORTS EDITORS TROI PATRICK GRIFFIN HAYS LIFESTYLES EDITORS GREY STEPHENS KATHRYN TAYLOR PERSPECTIVES EDITOR ALEXANDRA MONTEIRO SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER MELISSA MENKENG ADVISER JEROME ZUREK
MISSION The Loquitur student newspaper and website are integral parts of the educational mission of the Cabrini communication department, namely, to educate students to take their places in the public media. Loquitur Media provides a forum of free expression. All members of the university community may submit work to the editors for possible inclusion. Publication is based on the editorial decision of the editors.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Loquitur accepts letters to the editors. The letters should be less than 500 words, usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini University’s campus or community area and are printed as space permits. Name, phone number and address should be included with submissions for verification purposes. All letters to the editors must be sent via email to loquitur@cabrini.edu
THURSDAY, NOV 21, 2019
Smoking can detrimentally impact the body’s overall health for decades The human body is a well-oiled machine that is heavily dependent on the fuel that is put in it. Making the decision to pick up a pack of cigarettes can only be compared to dumping a pound of sugar in the tank. Even the smallest encounter with the addictive habit can rattle your system and detrimentally impact your body for years. Since it’s introduction to the United States in 2006, many people think vaping is a “safer” alternative to cigarettes. But that’s inaccurate. Vaping still contains nicotine which is highly addictive. So far, 49 people have died and an additional 2,172 people have fallen ill as a result of vaping. Recently, the Center for Disease Prevention and Control revealed that Vitamin E acetate found in vaping products is one of the factors causing many young adults to have their lungs collapse or even die. According to Hopkins Medicine, research shows both cigarettes and electronic cigarettes are as addictive as cocaine and heroin. Those who smoke inhale about 7,000 other chemicals from cigarette smoke. Tobacco itself has been known to contain 70 cancer-causing chemicals. Within the first 15-30 minutes of a person’s first interaction with cigarettes, damage to your body will already become apparent. Smoking depletes your body of essential nutrients, displaces the oxygen in your skin and reduces your blood flow. The unnatural concoction of chemicals in the bloodstream can
cause your skin to become aged and discolored as well as causing your nails and skin to yellow. Many smokers also report an altered or dulled sense of taste. Smoking not only affects your outward appearance but also many critical bodily functions. According to the CDC, smoking doesn’t just affect one or a few parts of the body but in many unlucky scenarios, it can extend to all reaches of the body. Just a few examples of places smoking can cause cancer include: • Bladder • Blood • Colon/Rectum • Esophagus • Kidney • Liver • Throat/Tongue • Pancreas • Stomach • Lungs/Trachea
Smoking causes 84 percent of deaths due to lung cancer and 83 percent of obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking also increases the chances of heart disease, stroke, heart attacks and damaged blood vessels and arteries. The brain can develop an aneurysm, which can lead to a stroke. Those who smoke, increases their chance of having a stroke by 50 percent. Smoking also severely impacts the reproductive health of both men and women. Both sexes can experience can experience infertility and other related complications later in life. By reducing your smoke intake or quitting entirely, your body will then begin the recovery process. In as little as one day after quitting, your risk for heart attack and heart disease significantly decreases and the oxygen levels in your body begin returning to normal. However, depending on the severity of the intake and addiction, it many not be until 10-20 years after quitting for the body’s health to even be comparable to that of a non-smoker. If you or someone you know is looking to quit, on-campus resources are available to help. Health Services, located in the downstairs of Founder’s Hall is open Monday-Friday and can be reached at (610) 902-8400.
WIKIPEDIA
The winners are in for this year’s Mr. and Miss Cabrini pageant (continued) BY LAUREN GIANNONE Staff Writer
Grace Adams, senior social work major, graced the crowd with her expertise in puns. Her story of her time at Cabrini was weaved with puns. Amanda Cipollo, sophomore finance major, said to the crowd that she was not allowed to perform her archery skills onstage so she planned to show a self-made video of them. During the showing of the video, the audience cheered as Cipollo hit the targets with a bow. Next, Chris Giacobbe, junior communications major, performed a stand-up skit. Many people in the audience were engaged by Brielle Toff, senior digital
communication and social media major, performing “Let it go” in Italian. Many students stood up and waved their phone lights in approval. Sowinski and Maslin, this year’s winners, concluded the talent round. The curious audience was quiet and attentive as Marc Sowinski, junior accounting major, painted glue onto a blackboard for over two minutes. Finally, Sowinski stood up, propped the paper up and threw glitter on it. The board revealed a profile of a girl. The audience cheered in a thunderous applause. It is Sowinski’s first year living on campus and he said within two months of living here, he felt supported, securing his pageant win. “This means a lot to me. It means I
do have abilities and talents that I didn’t really think were as big as I thought…and it means I have a lot of people supporting me,” Sowinski said. Francesca Maslin, senior writing major, concluded the talent round playing piano and singing a cover of “Good Things Fall Apart” by Illenium. Maslin later commented on her win. “I actually did [the pageant] last year and coming back was an interesting experience and I was really nervous to see what the outcome would be, but I love this institution and it’s really exciting to be a more prominent face and name and represent a university in all that I do,” Maslin said. LGIANNONE@LIVE.COM
AMERICA LOPEZ-SANTIAGO
(From left to right) Grace Adams, Chris Giacobbe, Kayla Hunt, Tariq Mines Jr., Amanda Cipollo, Francesca Maslin, Mark Sowinski, Keziah Landis, Ka’ron Sheffield, Noel Davenport, Brielle Toff and Julia Smith.
NEWS
THURSDAY, NOV. 21, 2019
THELOQUITUR.COM | 3
Passing down Cabrini is implementing a new common a bad habit hour for the 2020 spring semester BY EVANS BAKER Staff Writer
BY MEGAN FEE Staff Writer
Why do people smoke? According to the CDC, 14 of 100 adults in the United States currently smoke. Every day people pick up some sort of smoking habit, but where do they learn to smoke? Parents play a part in whether kids do end up either smoking or vaping. Parents are the role models of a child’s life, so if they see their parents doing something daily, they are going to probably think that it is good. However, even if parents do not smoke and warn their kids about the dangers of both tobacco and vaping, students friends at school and at home can also cause them to start to smoke and or vape. Also, history shows that smoking has been a part of many cultures for hundreds of years so in many cases would be difficult to accurately gauge how far back addictions can go. “I admit I have an addiction,” Andrew Caraneo, a sophomore, said. “But I’m not as addicted to cigarettes as I am too coffee.” Caraneo said that what has lead him to smoking was not only the people he knew smoked, but his parents smoked as well. However, Caraneo knows that smoking is a bad habit and he would rather have a cup of coffee instead. Caraneo also said that in the future he does not want his kids to smoke but that is their choice to make. “Everyone around me was vaping so I thought I should try it.” David Tilton, a freshman, said. Tilton spent two years of his life vaping but gave it up because of all the dangers vaping can do to a person’s body.
Cabrini University is introducing a new campus-wide common hour on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., as a way for students to become more active on campus, participate in clubs and strengthen the community. The new common hour will be a time where clubs can have meetings, events, and activities without class conflicts with the purpose of bringing the campus community together. According to Dr. Chioma Ugochukwu, the provost and vice president for academic affairs, the idea of a common hour is not a new one when it comes to higher education, as many colleges and universities have common hours and set aside a few hours during the week in which no classes are scheduled. This will, however, be a new change to the Cabrini campus starting in the 2020 spring semester. “The point is that the common hour will be used to build a sense of community at Cabrini,” Ugochukwu said. “We will dedicate that time for employees and students to essentially ‘smell the roses,’ decompress, meet one another and for a shared purpose connected to Cabrini’s mission and without anyone, particularly our commuter students, feeling left out or being unable to participate due to classes or meetings.” Ugochukwu added that the vision for the common hour at Cabrini is that it will be a time for everyone to come together. She believes that this could be a time to schedule “friendly competitive field games, such as tug of war games” or as a time for everyone to “engage in a service project, take a walk as a community, or for mindfulness exercises.” “Other activities include picnics for the whole campus community or an hour
where people are given the opportunity to share their talents with everyone else,” she added. A lot of time and energy went into the thought process for this change. According to Ugochukwu, who brought the issue forward to the President’s Cabinet for student and staff feedback, there was a focus group discussion about the proposal in which those students revealed that they would like the hour to be used for the purpose of club meetings. The time slot from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m on Wednesdays was decided to be “the least disruptive hour.” “Our school deans shared feedback from their faculty members suggesting that some days would be better options than others to avoid disruptions to classes such as lab courses that require block schedules,” Ugochukwu said. “We also heard that using two hours a week instead of one might be difficult to achieve at this time.” Chardanay White, a senior double major in political science and history and advocate for the common hour, is a transfer student who had a common hour at her old school. White believes that the common hour will greatly benefit the Cabrini community because it provides students with time to have clubs since it can be challenging for students to come together to have a club meeting. White explained that this change will also bring about “a higher club retention rate” and “have higher attendance” since there will be no classes during that hour and that she hopes for more days to be added in future years. Dr. Raymond Ward, the director of the Wolfington Center, also believes that this change will benefit student involvement on campus by including commuters more.
“A lot of people have talked about the hectic pace of the day and it’s hard to really find the time when anybody can get together a whole group, especially for commuters,” Ward said. According to White, the only downside to the common hour is the fact that the common hour will be taking place on a Wednesday, which will prevent education majors that attend field from participating in it and the fact that some classes had to be moved if they previously took place during that time. “Just logistically, it is nice that the university is saying, you know, we need to do things besides classes and make new headspace for that,” Ward said. “I think it also sends a message thought that extracurriculars, cocurriculars, student clubs, guest speakers [and] all that stuff is a really important part of college life, of a college experience and the university is investing in that deliberately by making space for that in their schedules,” he added. According to Ward, the change was “drawn with a big eye towards students” and led in the administration by the provost. “There are definitely benefits for faculty and staff but I think primarily the beneficiaries that we are looking at are the students,” he said. “I am excited by the possibilities and truly believe that the common hour will be good for all of us at Cabrini,” Ugochukwu said. “It will enhance school spirit, raise morale, encourage mindfulness and healthy living and build community, which is one of Cabrini’s core values.”
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Cabrini Day speaker works to bring healthy food to urban “food deserts” BY TY DAUBERT Staff Writer
PIXABAY
Tilton said that while his parents do not smoke or vape, that if they did it would have also encouraged him to smoke as well because they are the people Tilton looks up to the most. However, Tilton said that he doesn’t want his kids to smoke or vape because of the danger they pose. “I was surrounded by a smoking environment. My dad never smoked in the house but in the car rides there was always the smell of cigarettes,” Leo Godefroy, a junior, said. Godefroy said that he does vape but before that he chewed tobacco. When a new supposedly safer and better-tasting product came out, he figured he would try it. Although Godefroy’s father was a smoker, he was against Leo smoking until he was 21 because his father didn’t think he should start a habit like that and just like his father, Godefroy does not want his kids to smoke or vape at all either.
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The problem of food inequity must be solved, not sustained, the CEO of an organization that helps to bring healthy supermarkets to low-income areas said Oct. 12, 2019. “Put yourself out of business,” Atif Bostic, the director of Uplift Solutions, said in a keynote address at Grace Hall on Cabrini Day. “Every day I’m working to put myself out of business because it’s about solving the problem.” The theme of Cabrini day was “food matters” and the keynote speaker helped hone in that idea. Bostic’s work with Uplift Solutions has made efforts to improve people’s access to quality food, healthcare and other social issues. Growing up in a low-income situation, Bostic was inspired to make change for people in the spot that he was once in. He was driven to improve people’s conditions because he understood what it was like to struggle financially. Bostic was aware that many lowincome families did not have access to supermarkets and were forced to shop at convenience stores. These stores had higher prices and lacked healthy options. As he began his work in making social change, Bostic helped develop a program that built more supermarkets in low-income areas for families to shop at. However, he realized that the people were initially not coming at all or still shopping for the same unhealthy items. “Just because you build a supermarket
CABRINI UNIVERSITY
Atif Bostic speaking in Grace Hall Atrium on Cabrini Day.
doesn’t mean people will come,” he said. “It isn’t Field of Dreams.” Bostic then spoke about the approaches his team had to take in order for people to use their new resource properly. They brought in healthcare resources into the supermarket. Families were given information about their diet and health. The supermarket also began to train and pay employees who could not get jobs elsewhere. This slowly brought in more people to shop at the supermarket like it was intended. With help from a system already in place in the city of Pittsburgh, Bostic was involved in the development of a food transportation system in Philadelphia. Volunteers could be contacted to take food to people who needed it. In a city where a million pounds of food goes to waste each month, this transportation system rescued 400,000
pounds of food in the last year with the help of 700 volunteers. Bostic spoke about how he believes life is all about helping people. He wants to make change throughout his life with his work and called others to do the same in his address. “What does your life and everything you do add up to?” he said. He believes that making true change and solving problems is what life is all about. Bostic wants to put himself out of business by solving the social issues that he is working to solve. “If I’m working to stay in business then I’m actually perpetuating the problem,” he said. “...I do challenge you to at the same time think about how every day you put yourself out of business in solving those problems.” TYDAUBERT@GMAIL.COM
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LIFESTYLES
THURSDAY, NOV. 21 2019
Some students are still struggling to understand the dangers of vaping BY FAITH PITSIKOULIS Staff Writer Vaping is the popular term for smoking electronic cigarettes, which were designed to help people quit smoking. E-cigarettes heat a liquid solution to a very high temperature that produces an aerosol. Teens are inhaling this aerosol in different flavors that normally contain nicotine, an extremely addictive stimulant found in tobacco products. Besides nicotine, flavorings can contain heavy metals and harmful chemicals linked to lung disease.A vast majority of students have tried vaping. However, new findings and recent deaths have turned some students away. Impactful experiences have also contributed to students not continuing to use e-cigarettes. “I don’t vape,” sophomore middle level education major Danielle Tyrell said. “I tried it at a party before. I have weak lungs and it hurt, so I don’t do it anymore.” JUUL is an example of a wellknown brand of vaping devices that can be found online, in stores and at many different gas station locations. The effects of the JUUL have hit young students hard, causing permanent health problems and serious addictions. E-cigarettes are just as addictive and bad for an individual’s health as traditional cigarettes. One JUUL pod is the same as smoking one pack of cigarettes. One study has shown that vaping can cause problems in the lungs such as lung disease and damage to certain immune system cells the body needs to fight
off viruses and illness. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an on-going investigation looking into any connections between illnesses and certain devices used to vape. “I used to vape,” sophomore marketing major Alexa Steiner said. “I started getting a lot of anxiety about what it was doing to my body. Also, my
FAITH PITSIKOULIS
ability to focus, which can lead to poor performance in school. “Yes I used to vape, but I don’t do it anymore,” sophomore exercise science major Danielle Miller said. “I tried vaping, because other people had their JUUL’s and I wanted to try it. I liked it but stopped, because it’s bad and a lot of people are dying.”
FAITH PITSIKOULIS
JUUL vaping device (left) and NJOY electronic cigarette (right) pictured above. friend went to the hospital, because she was unable to breathe and it really scared me.” E-cigarettes contain a lot of nicotine, so vaping can harm a young student’s developing brain along with causing lung problems, and addiction is another significant risk factor. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 30.7 percent of teens will start smoking within six months of using e-cigarettes. Addiction affects an individual’s
JUUL and other vaping devices have not intentionally targeted young students as their consumer audience. Their main focus was on older adults trying to quit their bad smoking habits, but students have made the mistake of using e-cigarettes as a dangerous pop culture trend.
AMANDA ZACHARIAS
FAITHPITS4@GMAIL.COM
The cost of smoking in relationships BY GREY STEPHENS Lifestyles Editor “They always said they would stop, but growing up I was fine until people started noticing. I’d go to school and get nervous that people were going to smell it on me and say something because I couldn’t smell it myself because I was so used to the smell,” Ariana Yamasaki senior digital communications major said. Yamasaki said that her parents have been smoking for over 40 years, but it has never affected their personal relationship. “Sometimes will be heavier than others with them smoking, if they are stressed about money or work but I have always encouraged them to stop because I want them around longer and not have to worry about the constant strain on their life,” Yamasaki said. Smokers are often encouraged to stop because of the prevalent health risks but, many don’t realize the effects it has on other parts of life like their personal relationships. People won’t usually consider stopping for their health because it is something that won’t affect them immediately. Major health risks are known to increase over time for long term smokers. The effects of smoking in a relationship can be sudden and help people quit more effectively because it can affect a person they care about. Smoking is often linked to the behaviors and patterns of others that surround you. This is a reason why people with parents that smoke usually end up picking up the same habit. These behaviors and patterns can create problems surrounding money, different emotions, and everyday life. She and her brother have been
fortunate not to pick up the same habit their parents had growing up. “Me and my brother vowed to each other that we would never smoke because we see what our parents go through and we know how dissapointed our parents would be to see us follow in that.” People with family members that smoke tend to be more accepting and supporting of the habit rather than people who are in romantic relationship. Smoking sometimes has more of a social cost that surround your relationship with romantic partners and close friends because they have a choice to be around you rather than a parent to child relationship when a child does not have a choice. Susan Fitzgerald, a nurse in the Student Health Services center said that smoking can have effects on your dating life and other relationships. “Smoking costs relationships in a lot of ways, some non-smokers would rather not date a smoker and there is also a lack of being included in activities that some may not think you’ll be able to participate in because you might leave and go have a cigarette or your health might not be where it needs to be,” Fitzgerald said. Another strong factor discussed was the strong effects of secondhand smoke that people consume during their relationships. According to the American Lung Association, Secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer and 33,950 deaths from heart disease each year. “Anytime a person is exposed to second hand smoke there are negative impacts on the nonsmokers health like increased respiratory infections, increased ear infections and we know you get exposed to the same
Smoking has a stigma surrounding fewer dates, worry, putting others at risk and friendship opportunities. chemicals the smoker does while there have also been links to lung cancers being exposed to secondhand smoke,” Fitzgerald said. Smoking has specific social costs that surround your relationship with partners or family members. Concerns about your partners health are of the biggest that put stress on a relationship because there is usually a misunderstanding between the smoker and the non-smoker in a relationship. Once there is a common understanding that smoking is an addiction and there is a certain dependency the smoker feels they need on a cigarette then there will be more of a balance. The smoker has to come to understand that cigarettes will not result in stress relief. “Nicotine is a stimulant, it increases your heart rate so the fact that smokers say they use cigarettes as stress
PEXELS
management just doesn’t fit,” Fitzgerald said. “Physiologically it cannot help you calm down, if it increases your heart rate it cannot help you calm down. Calm is associated with a lower heart and respiratory rate, smoking does the opposite. Psychologically though, people can make connections in their head about what smoking does for them.” Fitzgerald said. There are no proven benefits to smoking while in any type of relationship for either party. The best thing to do for couples and families is to receive help if someone they care about wants to quit. Pennsylvania has a free 24/7 quit line to receive counseling and services. 1-800-QUITNOW
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THURSDAY, NOV 21, 2019
LIFESTYLES
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Do tobacco and vape companies target a youth market? BY LEO MELANCON Staff Writer
Editor’s Note: Since this story has been written, the number of vaping related deaths has increased to 49. Since the late 1990s, tobacco companies have been restricted in how and where they can advertise their products. Vape companies, only around since the early 2000s, may soon face similar restrictions in the wake of hundreds of vape-related illnesses now being tracked by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and potential Congressional legislation restricting vape products. And yet, smoking is still glamorized through images in movies, television and streaming content, according to the Truth Initiative’s research. More alarming, the use of vape and e-cigarettes by younger people has increased exponentially over the past two years, as these companies have used social media and other new forums to market their products. According to a 2018 University of Michigan study, “the increase in adolescent vaping from 2017 to 2018 was the largest ever recorded in the past 43 years for any adolescent substance use outcome in the U.S.” Vape and e-cigarette companies such as JUUL, the leading manufacturer, claim to be marketing to adults, especially those who want to quit smoking traditional tobacco products. Yet there is a disconnect between their stated market and the demographic which predominantly purchases their products. According to the CDC, youth e-cigarette users increased by 1.5 million between 2017 and 2018. Several studies suggest this growth is due to the influence of
targeted advertising. The American Association of Pediatrics conducted a study that showed adolescents exposed to e-cigarette ads in retail stores were twice as likely to start vaping, and young adults similarly exposed were 25 percent more
tracked by the CDC already numbers 500 cases and 39 deaths across 49 states, with 40 percent of the cases affecting patients 18 to 24 years old. Also, Congressional hearings about the dangers of vaping, and FDA challenges about claims that e-cigarettes are safer than traditional
AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION/GENERAL SURGEON
Some of the risks of smoking cigarettes and e-cigarettes likely to start. According to the CDC, ads on the internet and social media use themes such as sex, independence and rebellion to appeal to the youth market. Young people are attracted by the packaging, the flavorings and statements that these products are for adults only. Social media has become a new frontier for tobacco and vape marketing. “I have looked at it from the perspective of essentially who [the vape companies] are actually targeting,” Tangi James-Boone, marketing department instructor, said. “They’re using media outlets that are targeted towards younger generations . . . who are the primary social media users of things like Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.” The current vaping health crisis being
cigarettes have already changed the way JUUL and similar companies are marketing their products. “I’m not particularly sure where the fallout will land,” James-Boone said. “I’m not too sure what’s going to happen from a marketing perspective or an advertising perspective.” “There’s been a lot of media attention, and for good reason, about the dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping,” Susan Fitzgerald, director of health services, said. “With the increased number of deaths of otherwise seemingly healthy young people because of vaping, I think it just draws attention that we don’t know all the risks. . . . We know that there are a lot more ingredients in e-cigarettes than people might be aware of, but obviously, a lot more research needs to be done
into the health effects of e-cigarettes and vaping.” Existing research has raised concerns about what is in e-cigarettes and vape juice. However, for many, not enough is known yet to justify cracking down on vape products and advertising. “I think less effort should be put on demonizing it and more put on understanding it,” Andrew Carnago, sophomore chemistry major, said. “My big thing is about understanding what you’re putting in your body and what it does. I think then you can make an informed decision on it, but there’s not enough information out there. I feel like it could be a more healthy alternative, but that’s not really where the focus is.” Smoking became popular in the mid-1800s when cigarette manufacturing became automated; it took almost 100 years for the deadly health effects of smoking tobacco to be proven. How long will it take for the potential dangers of vape and e-cigs to be fully researched? And how will the current backlash against vape and e-cigarettes play out in the marketplace? “I think one of the things that people aren’t talking enough about is how vaping or e-cigarettes certainly could be looked at as a gateway to tobacco and regular cigarette smoking, especially if the government starts to crack down on vaping and its legality,” Fitzgerald said. “Smoking-related illness is the leading cause of death in this country: half a million people every year die from smoking-related diseases, whether it be heart disease or lung cancer, and we’ve known that for a long time. So to see that young people might go back to cigarette smoking after we made such strides in getting them away from cigarettes is beyond disappointing.” LMEL0706@GMAIL.COM
Students explain why people tend to hop right into Christmas before acknowledging Thanksgiving BY ANGELINA HALAS Staff Writer Once Halloween is over, people tend to not mention Thanksgiving until the day of and just focus on Christmas the whole time. Sometimes even during Halloween, there are Christmas decorations set up in stores. Some people have even had their Christmas decorations out since the summertime, according to MSN. Sophomore psychology major Jennifer Morales believes that people tend to skip right over Thanksgiving and go right to Christmas because during Christmas it’s about giving and receiving, while on Thanksgiving, people just sit down and eat. “As a Christian, I go to church with my family for Christmas and it really brings us all together,” Morales said. Morales doesn’t think it’s wrong for those who tend to not think about Thanksgiving as much as Christmas. “I have a small family, so for me, Thanksgiving is just a regular day compared to Christmas,” Morales said. Morales thinks it’s okay for stores to start setting up their Christmas decorations before the holiday even rolls around because it’s a good tactic to bring people in.
According to the Cheat Sheet, the trend of Christmas decorations being set up before Halloween is called the “Christmas Creep.” This name is traced back to the mid-80s. The “Christmas Creep” describes how store owners slowly start putting out their Christmas decorations in small amounts. Sophomore health science major Jocelyn Ramirez considers Christmas to be more enjoyable to people but thinks that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just as special because you celebrate both with your family. Ramirez also believes that if there were Thanksgiving music, people might appreciate the holiday a little more. “There is Halloween music and there is Christmas music,” Ramirez said. “So if there were Thanksgiving music, and if it was exciting and upbeat, it might draw more attention to it and get more people excited.” Freshman criminology major Ryan Matsinger agrees with Morales and Ramirez and finds that Christmas is a more joyful holiday. “There are more festivities,” Matsinger said. “Also, Christmas is the time of giving. When I’m given something on
Christmas, it’s more special.” Despite Matsinger’s belief that Christmas is more special, he acknowledges that no one should skip over Thanksgiving. “I think it’s important to think about Thanksgiving before Christmas because Thanksgiving is all about what you are thankful for,” Matsinger said. Matsinger would also prefer Christmas decorations to be put up in stores after Thanksgiving. Matsinger understands why stores put them up earlier and doesn’t believe that having any sort of Thanksgiving music would really help people not skip over the holiday. Communication graduate and former writer for the Loquitur Katherine Brachelli wrote about her experience of how people rush into Christmas. “Halloween just disappeared and Christmas is rounding the corner in just a blink of an eye,” Brachelli wrote. “Yesterday I was staring at my little sister in her Halloween witch costume. Today, I am staring at the plastic Santa Claus on my neighbor’s roof.” Despite hating the rush to the new holiday, Brachelli acknowledges that she sometimes gets swept into being in the
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Target in King of Prussia stocked with Christmas decoration Christmas spirit before Thanksgiving. “Whether it be something as little as listening to that favorite Christmas song of yours in early November,” Brachelli wrote. “Putting those Christmas decorations up early or hitting up the malls with certain intentions of purchasing items and instead being enticed to buy that little Christmas item on sale, in one way or another it somehow catches up to us.”
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PERSPECTIVES
6 | THELOQUITUR.COM
THURSDAY, NOV. 21, 2019
A letter to my mom: You are who I strive to be BY JOANA CAINGLET Staff Writer Dear Mama, I just wanted to say thank you. From the moment I was born to this day, I have felt an overwhelming amount of love from you and because of you, I will continue to feel this love until the day I die. Thank you for giving my big brother, Jed, and I everything you can despite what is going on beneath the surface. Because of you, we have always been best friends and will always be. You gave me life and like a plant, you loved me, nourished me, and kept me in the sun so that I would grow up without any negativity. You gave Jed and me the roots of our faith and, with dad, you continued to teach us how to be good people following in His footsteps. You always pushed me to follow my dreams and to never back down when it comes to something I am passionate about. You were my biggest supporter and cheerleader in the stands watching me play basketball and because of my size, I have constantly been pushed around and have always found my way to the floor. No matter what, you stood by me. You didn’t want me to get hurt, but you knew I loved playing the game, so you pushed away your desires and you cheered me on. Because of you, I get back up. Because of you, I learned to love who I am and to never let anyone take me for granted. You are my rock and my role model. At the end of the day, you are who I strive to be. Your faith is so strong and even though you live through pain, you have so much trust in God that you let go
and let Him do what needs to be done. Mama, you are the reason why I am who I am and you are the reason why I strive to be the best version of me. Thank you for loving me and living with your heart on your sleeve. I love you with all my heart and soul. Mama, I love you forever and ever.
Type 2 diabetes is when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or rejects the insulin. Neurofibromatosis is an extremely rare condition where tumors are formed either in the brain, nerves or spinal cord. Ulcerative colitis is an intestinal condition in which the large intestine becomes inflamed.
Rosana Cainglet holding Joana Cainglet after birth
Background My dad got a job and moved to America from the Philippines in 1996. A year later, my mom followed, working at the same job as my dad. My brother was born in 1998 and I followed in the year 2000. My mom was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis in 1997. A few months before I was born, my mom was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Then, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2004.
JOANA CAINGLET
The tumors from neurofibromatosis can be cancerous and ulcerative colitis can lead to colon cancer. There are many symptoms of these chronic illnesses. For type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms are changes in weight, uncontrolled thirst, hunger or fatigue and others like blurred vision and poor wound healing. Symptoms from neurofibromatosis are pain areas, high blood pressure, pins and needles, changes in skin like discoloration or lumps, bone deformities, scoliosis and
seizures (just to name a few). Symptoms in ulcerative colitis are weight loss, scarring in the organs, anemia, loss of appetite, pain, diarrhea and bloody stool. In my mom’s case, she has lots of pain and many other symptoms. We are so blessed that none of her tumors are cancerous. Ever since I can remember, she has been taking a handful of medications, and just to add to what she already has, she has insomnia, which keeps her up all night. My mom gets an annual MRI for her neurofibromatosis, and for 10 years she has been going to the doctors for a Remicade infusion every six weeks for her ulcerative colitis. For those who don’t know, a Remicade infusion is a long process of slowly injecting medicine into a patient’s vein. My mom has gone through so much and doctors say it is a miracle she is alive and walking. She has suffered through so much pain and had three different surgeries for her neurofibromatosis. Two surgeries to remove the tumors, one of those was a month after her arrival to the United States, and one surgery to correct the scars. Her tumor is located in the main nerve on her right leg. If doctors attempt to remove it, my mom would not be able to walk again using her right leg. Recently, we were gifted another miracle. After 10 years of treatment, we learned that my mom no longer has ulcerative colitis and it looks as if she never had it. I love you mom and I am so grateful for what you do for me. I am so blessed to have you in my life and I am glad you are by my side through it all. JANACAINGLET@GMAIL.COM
How my family found Gunner BY FAITH PITSIKOULIS Staff Writer
My dog was one of my best friends. We got him when I was 6 years old, and he was the first thing I loved. My family and I had to put him down over the summer, and the house was very different without him until my sister came home with a surprise. My sister and her husband adopted a dog named Gunner at Brandywine SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). I go over their house and dog sit a couple of times during the week and Gunner comes over on the weekends to hang with me and my parents house. One night I was sitting on the couch watching TV with Gunner and I realized how many different places he had been before coming to us. He was dropped off
Faith’s dog Gunner
at Brandywine SPCA by a person with no home who could no longer take care of him. He spent four years of his life in so many different places and shared a special bond with his caretaker. Gunner is a very affectionate dog and he listens perfectly when someone tells him something, so it is obvious that his previous caretaker really loved him and Gunner loved him back just as much. He spent the next four months in an animal shelter with other dogs in need of home too. He currently spends most days at my sister’s house. Gunner visits my house a couple of times a week and goes on walks around the different neighborhoods nearby. On Fridays, my sister takes Gunner to work. She organizes outdoor fundraising events for the local nature preserves that are protected by Natural Lands. Gunner gets to visit all of these beautiful outdoor
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places, go on long walks and meet all of these new people who attend the events. He has lived a pretty cool life! Eventually, Gunner made his way to my family. He has shown us that there are so many animals full of love who are looking to complete a family. Gunner has helped our house feel more like a home again because we have a new best friend running around and watching TV with us. Hopefully, we have made our house feel like a home for him too. We understand the significance of animal adoption because we have been able to love Gunner over these past few months. Brandywine SPCA, located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, is the first nokill, open-admission animal shelter in Pennsylvania. Also, it is the closest SPCA shelter to Cabrini’s campus. Brandywine SPCA is dedicated to humanely treating all animals, regardless of how long they may be searching for a home. People can go to spend time with the animals, fill out an application and adopt a friend to take home. The SPCA gave $4,636,514 in veterinary aid to North America in 2018. They have advocated for dogs forced to participate in dog fighting rings and animals in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, supported the eradication of dog meat trade and donkey skin trade. They also created a special support fund for rescue animals from the Chernobyl Nuclear Exclusion Zone and set up a natural disasters relief fund for animals and a military support fund for soldiers in need of companions. Main Line Animal Rescue is another animal shelter located in Phoenixville, which is a 30-minute drive from Cabrini. Students can adopt, donate or even
FAITH PITSIKOULIS
ASPCA app on App Store volunteer to take care of animals at the shelter. Any students looking for a way to work with animals and help out should drive to Main Line Animal Rescue, or Brandywine SPCA, and take care of some fun-loving animals. Animal shelters can be found all over Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and pretty much anywhere in the U.S. Wherever students come from, there are so many animals that need a home. For me and my family, our home just happened to need Gunner. FAITHPITS4@GMAIL.COM
SPORTS
THURSDAY, NOV. 21, 2019
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Cabrini coaches and athletics administrators warn of the dangers of smoking BY MATT SANTANGELO Staff Writer A few of the members of the athletic department gave their opinions on how smoking can negatively affect a student athlete’s performance and overall health. Tim McDonald, the men’s basketball coach, talked about how smoking affects an athlete’s ability to perform at their absolute peak. It impacts the health of their lungs and breathing overall, not to mention their heart health. For college-age athletes specifically, the most noticeable impact would be on the athlete’s conditioning. “Basketball and, obviously, most sports are tough with a lot of conditioning,” McDonald said. “I think basketball is one that, if you were smoking, you would struggle to stay in the conditioning level that you would need to be able to.” In the 10 years that he has been the head coach at Cabrini, McDonald said there has been no issue to speak of with any of his athletes. It is something he feels would be fairly easy to spot, given the great negative impact it would have on the athlete’s performance. McDonald said that there are some sports that are not as physical as basketball where an athlete might be able to get away with smoking, but in basketball you are tirelessly running up and down the court so there would likely be a drastic drop in the athlete’s ability to do their job.
obviously not healthy so I don’t think that any athlete should be smoking.” McElroy also said that there have been no issues with smoking among Cabrini’s student-athletes to her knowledge. In terms of vaping, McElroy said that since it seems to be so dangerous for the average person to engage in, it would be even more detrimental to someone who is expected to perform athletically at a high level. Kate Corcoran, the associate director of athletics, warned specifically of the dangers of vaping. She said that since this practice is relatively new, there is really no way to know “what dangers it could hold.”
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Men’s basketball head coach Tim McDonald commands the huddle during a timeout On the topic of vaping, McDonald said that he wasn’t as well-versed with the science behind it. However, he does realize that it has become very popular in recent times and that it has side effects purported to be similar to that of smoking tobacco, especially in terms of the lungs. McDonald mentioned specifically that he had heard that vaping could potentially cause chemicals to negatively affect the lungs faster than traditional cigarettes. He also said that many believe
that this is simply a ploy utilized by big tobacco companies in an attempt to retrieve lost customers. In any regard, McDonald made it clear that he is against both traditional smoking and vaping because of the way both will undoubtedly negatively impact athletes. “I don’t think [smoking] positively affects [athletic performance] by any means,” Maggie McElroy, athletics office specialist and assistant coach for the women’s basketball team, said. “It’s
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Maggie McElroy (back row far left) is an assistant coach for women’s basketball as well as an administrator for the athletics department MAS864@CABRINI.EDU
Cabrini basketball split double-header at Eastern BY J. TYLER O’CONNOR Staff Writer The Battle of Eagle Road basketball double-header ended in a split on Nov. 12, at Eastern University. The first game was won by the Cabrini women’s basketball team, while the second game was won by the Eastern men’s basketball team. The women’s team played the first game of the double header. The Cavaliers had a slow start against the Eagles. Falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter, but the Cavaliers were able to rally back
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Junior Lexi Edwards paced the Cavaliers with 18 points on the night.
and narrow the score, finishing the first quarter down 12-9. The second quarter of the game saw a similar slow start, with the Cavaliers falling behind 17-9 with 5:27 in the quarter. The Cavaliers once against narrowed the score, finishing the half down by one with a score of 23-22. After half time the Blue and White started off strong with a three-point shot from Cassidy Gallagher to put the Cavaliers up 25-23. The Cavaliers kept the score tight throughout the quarter, wrapping up the third quarter with the Cavaliers leading 38-37. The fourth quarter also saw the score stay very close, with the Cavaliers trailing Eastern 52-48 with 3:12 left to play. The Cavaliers were able to rally starting with two good free throws from Lexi Edwards. Followed by a three point shot from Edwards with 1:30 left in the game. The Cavaliers would continue to widen the gap on the scoreboard through the rest of the game, leading to a 61-54 victory. The Cavaliers were led by junior Lexi Edwards scoring a total of 18 points. Edwards also tallied four assists and four rebounds. Freshman Katie Rodriguez posted her first double double in the first game of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Rodriguez also led the Cavaliers with three steals and four blocks. The women’s basketball season has since pushed their record to 3-0. They play next on the road at Elizabethtown College on Thursday Nov. 21. Tip off is at 7:00 p.m. The men’s teams played the second game of the Battle of Eagle Road. The
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Sophomore Voshon Mack had a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Cavaliers started off with a layup from Voshon Mack making the score 2-0. However, Eastern quickly rallied and brought the score to 2-7 before the Cavaliers began fighting back. For a lot of the first half the Cavaliers were down by at least 10 points. The Cavaliers were still able to fight back with 3:11 left in the half, bringing the score from 17-28 to 26-28 before the end of the first half. The Cavaliers were led by sophomore Voshon Mack earning a double double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Senior Keith Blassingale tallied a total of 12 points for the Cavaliers as well as three steals. Sophomore Ryan Byars
also scored a total of nine points for the Cavaliers. The second half saw the Cavaliers continue to struggle against Eastern, keeping the score close in the beginning but ultimately falling behind again. Throughout the second half Eastern continued to maintain a lead over the Cavaliers, leading them to a 6757 victory over the Cavaliers. Following Cabrini’s loss to Eastern University, the Cavaliers will play on Saturday Nov. 23 at home against Scranton University. The game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.
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SPORTS
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THURSDAY, NOV. 21, 2019
Brianna Blair awarded MVP for Atlantic East playoffs Coaches’ thoughts
BY TYLER SEABROOK Staff Writer Brianna Blair, junior early childhood and special education major, was just awarded the most valuable player of the Atlantic East playoffs. This is her third year with the women’s soccer team. Blair is from Haverford, Pennsylvania, where she attended Haverford High School. Before committing to play soccer in college she played for the club team 1776, based in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The overall opinion is that it was the best season that the team had while she was with the team. It shows because the team had the most wins in program history with a 15-4-2 record. Blair’s thoughts on the Atlantic East playoffs were that the team gained confidence after learning that they were given the third seed. That confidence was clear as they won each of their games by a score of 2-0. “Our best game was against Wesley in a semi-final game,” Blair said. “Wesley beat us in the regular season and we came out looking for revenge.” Blair’s strengths are her height and the ability to perform headers, as well as her talent for long-distance throw-ins. Blair was really surprised to have earned the MVP of the Atlantic East playoffs, because it usually goes to an offensive player and she is a defensive player.
During this soccer season, assistant coach Brittany Runyen’s impressions of Blair were that she was developing into a true leader for the team to look up to. This played into the way Blair would arrive at every single practice or game. Runyen thought that Blair’s strength by the end of the season was her leadership ability. Her intensity in games
Blair’s play during the entire season was MVP caliber. He also praised Blair’s ability to shut down her entire side of the field defensively while contributing to the team’s offense as well. The area that coach Prothero noticed in Blair’s play this year was her ability to consistently play at a high level for an entire 90-minute match. This shows due to her being one of the captains on the team. “She constantly joins the attack and can often be found in the offensive third of the field,” Prothero said. “She is a big target on corners and set plays.”
Teammates’ thoughts
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Blair giving her teammates high fives before a game set the standard for all of her teammates. “Brianna has been the centerpiece of so many of the team’s wins this year,” Runyen said. “So it wasn’t surprising that she earned the MVP award.” Runyen said that Blair’s teammates were all supportive when she got recognized as the MVP of the playoffs. Head coach Ken Prothero believes
Madison Rooney, sophomore marketing major, provided her thoughts on Blair’s season. The overall message that Rooney wanted to share about Blair is that she cares about each of her teammates and wants each one to excel. “So when Bri got the recognition she worked so hard for, I cried,” Rooney said. “I was just so proud of her.” Maria Hagan, junior early childhood and special education major, was proud to comment on Blair’s season, saying she was very proud of her season this year. “Bri deserves this award because of her constant devotion to our team and bettering herself,” Hagan said. Jess Ruk, freshmen criminology major, provided her remarks on Blair‘s play this year. Ruk’s thought is that Blair played 110 percent and that was the final result for being awarded MVP of the Atlantic East playoffs. “She is a leader both on and off the
HARRY PURDY
Blair getting ready to deliver a powerful pass to a teammate, with an opponent on her tracks field,” Ruk said. “We can go to her for anything.” Rebekah Cunningham, freshmen defender on the team, provided her reactions to Blair’s play this year. Cunningham echoes her teammate’s response to how Blair is there for each other. Cunningham also thought that Blair played really well in the championship game against Marywood. “She really deserved it,” Cunningham said. TYSEABROOK99@GMAIL.COM
Women’s soccer team wins AEC title against Marywood (continued) BY LAYAL SROUR Staff Writer Ashley Tutzauer, junior goalkeeper, emphasized the importance of winning the championships after suffering a loss of the same title last year during the semi-finals. “As a junior goalkeeper, this is definitely memorable and relieving because I could make one mistake and cost us a game,” she said. “We called this our revenge tour and our passion to succeed this year was from within ourselves as a team to reach our goal. This year our team defense was phenomenal and we dominated most games allowing little to no shots.” “The championship game was my best experience yet at Cabrini. Our team is like a family, which made the victory even sweeter and we may be a very talented team, but our love for Cabrini and each other made us champions,” Cunningham said. “As a freshman playing in the championship, I felt pressured but treated it like every other game.” Winning the championship did not come easy to these women and their season consisted of early morning preseason training and extraneous workouts to stay fit and in shape for the games to be played. During the off-seasons, the players tend to do their own training and workouts for the upcoming season, but during the season they practice for an hour-and-a-half every day along with training and lifting with the strength and
Women’s soccer team posing for a group photo after their win against Marywood conditioning coach throughout the week. Marissa Portelli, senior back position, weighed in on her last moments with her team and what the championship meant for her. “Winning as a senior was indescribable. We worked our butts off this year and it paid off. I am so proud of our team and the hard work and resilience this past year has taken. No one deserved this more,” Portelli said. “When that final whistle blew and you look around, knowing it will be one of your last games ever played in a Cabrini jersey, and you see 27 of your best friends running out on the field to celebrate, it doesn’t get better than that.” Jess Ruk, freshman forward position, was excited to win the AEC championships and is looking forward to the rest of the seasons she will be
playing. As a lacrosse player, as well, she is hoping to win the conference championships for this season. “The championships were one of the best feelings ever and our team worked so hard all season so winning made it all worth it,” Ruk said. “I think that we will only continue to get better and I am excited to see what we will do in our future seasons.” Besides the players, this win was also a huge accomplishment for the coaches and all the work they put in with the team to reach their goal of winning the championship. “All year we work hard to put our team in the best position possible to compete for the conference championship. Although we hit some highs and lows throughout the regular season, we were proud to see the
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girls playing their best soccer in the conference championship,” Brittany Runyen, assistant women’s soccer coach, said. Runyen also believes that the chemistry between the players and the way they interact with each other on and off the field plays a huge role in their performance during their games. “Chemistry is a big part of our program. From day one we are always working on how we can get the girls to really gel together,” she said. “The upperclassmen lead by example every day, and that set the stage for the rest of our team to follow along. We were able to create a system that hit on all of our strong points as a unit.” LAYALSROUR00@GMAIL.COM