Fall 2022 Issue 13-14

Q Center hosts Pride March

The march celebrated National Coming Out Day, alongside other OUTober programming this month.

Tresa Karnati news contributor

Binghamton University students assembled on the Peace Quad on Tuesday to participate in a Pride March for National Coming Out Day.

National Coming Out Day is an LGBTQ+ awareness day. It was first introduced in 1988 as a way to commemorate the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, which took place one year prior on Oct. 11, 1987. The purpose of the march was to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and demand more funds be allocated to fight the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic. Since then, Coming Out Day has become an international celebration, with marches and demonstrations taking place all over the world on Oct. 11.

Accused Capitol rioter has BU background

Jon Lizak, former president of the College Republicans, allegedly entered the U.S. Capitol with four other men.

Hamza Khan editor-in-chief

Jon Lizak, former president of Binghamton University College Republicans, has been charged with breaching the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Along with a group of four others, Lizak had traveled to the U.S. Capitol and remained inside for approximately 35 minutes, according to court documents.

The group allegedly roamed through the building and entered the office of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Lizak is now facing misdemeanor charges, and was released on bond on Nov. 11.

Lizak was the only member of the group who was a former BU student, with the others having no known relation to the University. While four of the men face misdemeanor charges, one of them — Joseph Brody, 23, of Virginia — is charged with a felony for assaulting a U.S. Capitol police officer with a metal barricade.

“Brody’s associates watched as he assaulted this law enforcement officer,” the affidavit reads. “The group then watched the destruction of media equipment, which had been surrounded by metal barricades.”

For the past three years, Lizak has also been at the helm of a lawsuit against BU, claiming a violation of freedom of speech.

The lawsuit stemmed from the disruption of a tabling event in fall 2019 — organized by conservative activist group Turning Point USA and the BU College Republicans — by hundreds of protestors.

The semester following the tabling event, Lizak became president of the College Republicans, remaining at the post until spring 2022 — though the club had become dormant during COVID-19, according to its members.

In an email statement, the College Republicans denounced Lizak’s actions.

“His actions at the [U.S.] Capitol Building are not representative of this club or what we stand for,” the College

Republicans wrote. “Furthermore, we believe that conservatism rejects political violence and radicalism as a means for change.”

Investigators determined that the five men involved in the breaching of the U.S. Capitol, including Lizak, were part of America First, a group that advocates against demographic shifts in the U.S. According to the affidavit, the men had met at prior America First events, as well as at a

“Stop the Steal, March for Trump” rally on Nov. 14, 2020.

The group had allegedly traveled to Washington, D.C. around a day prior to the storming of the U.S. Capitol, gathering from across the East Coast. They first entered the building from the Senate Wing Door before entering various restricted areas, including the Rotunda and third-floor hallways, according to court documents.

Local elementary schools face shutdown

BCSD cites decreased enrollment, partly due to reduced family housing as a primary factor.

Celia Woodruff assistant news editor

Partly due to student housing crowding out single-family, low-income housing options, Binghamton City School District (BCSD) may close one of its elementary schools.

On Thursday, Sept. 29, BCSD

administration held their third of four community forums in order to discuss a “feasibility study” of their elementary schools, with a special focus on Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School. This study examined factors ranging from enrollment and student interests to asbestos in the ceilings and walls. Parents spoke with Board of Education (BOE) members and district leadership, voicing concerns over construction and the closing of a school. One of these concerns included the district’s declining enrollment.

Student housing is decreasing the supply of low-income family housing and detracting

from surrounding neighborhoods’ appeal to new, house hunting families, according to attending parents, residents and district leadership. This sentiment was echoed in a CNY Fair Housing study. According to this study, “with about half of Binghamton apartments marketed specifically as student housing and rising rental costs associated with the increase in the student population, families with children, particularly lowincome families are facing limited options available to rent.”

In a statement, the BCSD BOE described the declining enrollment.

“As the population has declined in the

City of Binghamton, the school district’s enrollment has also steadily declined during the past two decades,” the BCSD BOE wrote.

“This decline can be attributed to several factors, and municipalities across the state and region have experienced similar trends. While there is a shortage of family housing in some Binghamton neighborhoods, this is just one of several factors impacting a decline in student enrollment.”

Enrollments are expected to continue to decline throughout all grade levels, with an optimistic projection forecasting a decline in enrollment by 86 students over five years for grade-levels K-5, according to the

Men’s soccer earns 4-1 victory

Four Bearcats honored on senior day, tally highest goal total against AE opponent since 2014.

Aidan jennings sports intern

On Saturday, the Binghamton men’s soccer team continued America East (AE) play against UMass Lowell as the Bearcats celebrated senior day. The celebrations continued after the match, as BU earned a 4-1 win, its highest goal total against an AE opponent since 2014.

“Outstanding, fantastic result,” said Binghamton head coach Paul Marco. “I think the guys have taken a better responsibility in front of the goal. Their concentration has grown up a little bit. You have to be really committed. I think we can do a better job on set pieces with commitment in the box to try and will the ball, but overall [I’m] very pleased. Our frontrunners are finally on the scoresheet a little bit more, so that was great to see.”

BU (3-6-4, 1-1-2 AE) outshot UMass Lowell (2-8-3, 0-3-1 AE) 17-7 in what was an end-to-end affair from kickoff.

see soccer page 8

feasibility study. Another estimate suggests an enrollment decline of 383 students over five years.

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, was optimistic enrollment would rebound, suggesting ways the district could better advertise itself. According to this parent, they and their partner were told by their real estate agent that the “good schools” were in Vestal. Upon enrolling at BCSD, they were surprised at the district’s quality and parent satisfaction.

SHADES Vogue Ball delivers

From poised runway walks to sleek outfits, the students brought their best for the Vogue Ball.

Jamie H. Nguyen Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

Panel judges were picked from the attending crowd, guest performers competed in various categories and emcees also served as unofficial DJs. That’s what you missed at the Vogue Ball last Friday, Oct. 14 — an annual event by SHADES, an on-campus organization serving LGBTQA+ students of color.

This is the second installment of the Vogue Ball, which aims to connect the campus community to local drag and performance culture, as well as create a safe space to explore and enjoy the art of performances. The local drag scene was represented by two guest artists, Paris Lurux and Yvoni Amór. Lurux had been a welcomed guest at the last SHADES

event, the Sex Carnival. Although this was her first on-campus event, Amór also brought a mind-blowing performance with powerful dancing and all the splits, kicks and dips one can do. The show also had Derek Jorden, the resident director at Bingham Hall, as their main emcee.

The first category was Butch Queen Realness, which portrays “a gay male that is neither extremely feminine nor extremely masculine and can easily portray both mannerisms,” according to Jorden. Contestants walked from outside of the room to the crowd, before introducing themselves. They were made to “appeal” to the judges for an additional 30 seconds under the strong encouragement of the emcee.

The judges gave scores on a scale of 10, with the highest scorer deemed the winner and receiving a commemorated trophy.

Alumna returns to BU for jazz performance,

Students to showcase art at Harpur Edge Art Show,

Contributing columnist Emily Vega discusses the harms of social media,

Women’s soccer holds Maine to 0-0 away,

Women’s volleyball defeats UNH at home,

sourced from brody et al statement of facts pg. 13

Lizak (green) is pictured alongside one of the four other men that allegedly he entered the U.S. Capitol building with on Jan. 6.

megan patterson staff photographer

Senior forward Matthew Cozetti registered a goal and an assist in BU’s 4-1 victory against UMass Lowell on Saturday.

Word on the Street

“When I was younger, I would get nose bleeds every night, sometimes multiple times in a night. One night I woke up — [I] was like six years old — and I woke up gushing blood. Normally I wouldn’t freak out but there was a lady in the corner of my room with her head bleeding. I was like, ‘Oh that’s interesting.’ I turned on the lights and it didn’t go away, so I left the room to clean the blood off my face. I was going to check again to see if it was there but it was gone. When the blood was gone she was gone. That was my Bloody Mary, I didn’t need a mirror!”

“I swear I was being followed by a supernatural ghost or animal. I was with some friends doing some things we shouldn’t be doing. Like fun late or early teen stuff. We were on a forest trail and we decided to veer off trail because my friend thought he could lead the whole group. He ran into the forest and said, ‘Guys I saw a coyote and swear it’s coming straight for us.’ I was like, ‘Bro you’re stupid its not real.’ He thought it was real so he starts running. I hear something behind me and am like, ‘Oh shit I’m not gonna die.’ I start sprinting the other way too. The entire group starts sprinting one way down a forest. We all believe this weird thing is coming for us. We all dive down the hill into a thornbush and, lo and behold, it was just a dog walker and their poodle.”

BSU Fashion Show

Monday, April 3, 2017Thursday, September 28, 2017Monday, October 2, 2017Thursday, October 5, 2017

kai depalma staff photographer

The BSU fashion show consisted of four scenes representing Black affluence, community, art and self love. The whole show created an amazing presentation of the beauty of Black culture.

Akwasi osei-tutu a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law

What’s your Halloween costume going to be?

Kimora Turene a freshman majoring in systems engineering

Have you ever had a paranormal experience?

Wylie Deuber a junior majoring in mechanical engineering

“I have a couple, I have a doctor, I have a lumberjack and a taco. You can’t wear the same costume to more than one party. You gotta have different ones.”

Finn Marcus Love a junior majoring in environmental

planning

“I haven’t had an actual halloween costume in like 10 years, I’m hoping this year will be the year.”

Madeline Timerman a

senior majoring in business administration and English literature

“My friend and I will be going as Hades and Persephone, the Greek Gods.”

Allison Garippo a senior majoring in mechanical engineering

“My boyfriend and I wanted to do something cool. I wanted Steve and Blue from Blue’s Clues but he convinced me to do tequila and lime.”

Ex-College Republican arrested

Lizak had cut off ties with the College Republicans after spring 2022, according to a statement from the organization. Logan Blakeslee, interim president of the College Republicans and a senior majoring in history, wrote that he was “not surprised” by Lizak’s alleged actions.

“He was adamant in his belief that Donald Trump won the 2020 election, and he labeled Republicans who thought otherwise as [Republicans in Name Only],” Blakeslee wrote. “Lizak broke the law because of an unfounded theory about voter fraud.”

Following their fall 2019 tabling event, the College Republicans and the Young America’s Foundation (YAF), a conservative youth group, had hosted Arthur Laffer — former economic advisor to former President Ronald Reagan and former President Donald Trump. The event was disrupted by protestors, leading to Lizak and the YAF suing University officials, the Student Association, the College Progressives and local activist group Progressive Leaders of Tomorrow (PLOT).

Andrew Hruska, an attorney at King & Spalding LLP representing Lizak in the lawsuit, declined to comment on the impact of Lizak’s recent arrest.

Brody was the only member of the group accused of entering the

Senate Chamber, though Lizak had allegedly called him while he was inside. Brody and Lizak then left the Capitol 2:51:40 p.m., as all the men gathered on the U.S. Capitol’s North Side.

It was there that Brody allegedly assaulted a Capitol police officer, while the other men stood by. Then, Brody had damaged media equipment, according to the affidavit — which cited video evidence.

“Several open-source videos and images captured this incident, including Brody and his group both observing and participating in the destruction,” the affidavit reads.

Lizak and one of the other men had been arrested on Sept. 15., joining over 870 individuals arrested for breaching the U.S. Capitol and related crimes. The investigation remains ongoing, and Lizak will appear in court in Washington D.C. on Nov. 17.

The College Republicans denounced the events of Jan. 6 in their statement, describing it as in violation of the values of both the club and the country in whole.

“College Republicans have always supported free speech and the right to protest,” the College Republicans wrote. “However, what took place during the Capitol riots was an abuse of the freedoms we hold so dear.”

Pipe Dream was unable to verify whether Lizak has graduated, however Lizak is not listed in BU’s student directory.

The event, organized by the Q Center, began with members of the center setting up a table with signs and flags as attendees gathered and talked. Participants played music and made buttons, and were offered stickers and rainbowbeaded necklaces alongside other “pride merch” provided by the center.

Noah Zimmer, a senior majoring in geology, gave a speech at the beginning of the event about his perspective on growing up queer. Zimmer described it as a unique experience, with one constantly searching for “comfort, support, positivity and equality.”

“You see these gifts presented to those around you from their birth and wonder why you can’t be celebrated just like them,” Zimmer said. “Then you learn to forge your own path, giving yourself the things you need to grow. It’s difficult. It’s very difficult to feel held back by societal expectations, your peers [and] your loved ones. Sometimes you can even find that sliver of sunshine along the way, someone to admire and cultivate your true beauty. By being here today, you show that you are blossoming from the support you gave yourself, and the love from the community standing next to you right now.”

Attendees began the march by walking down West Drive, holding up handmade signs. They proceeded to make their way around the science buildings and past East Drive, ending back in the Peace Quad. Music was played throughout the event, with Zimmer describing the march as having “really great, positive energy” in an email.

The Q Center organized the march as a part of their larger

OUTober initiative, in order to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month. The month was created in 1994, after a Missouri school teacher, Rodney Wilson, proposed a month to celebrate and teach young people about the history of the LGBTQ+ community.

Lindsay Stone, the student manager lead at the Q Center and a senior double-majoring in philosophy and human development, discussed the significance of LGBTQ+ History Month and continuing to pass down this historical knowledge.

“It is important to acknowledge LGBT History Month and teach LGBT history to the next generation because LGBT history has so often been erased from conventional education systems,” Stone wrote. “LGBT history is intersectional and overlaps with several historical movements that

are vital to learn to best understand present sociopolitical and cultural issues. Teaching LGBT history to the next generation ensures that queer youth can access the knowledge and resources that will help them navigate their futures.”

Bo Schooley, a freshman majoring in integrative neuroscience, explained why they enjoy attending Q Center events.

“I really love the OUTober events because in high school, when I was totally out, I came from a really small town,” Schooley said.

“So, this is the first time I’ve met a large group of people that are just as out and as proud as I am.

I love the opportunities that they have and I love that they’re making multiple events out of it, instead of just keeping it one and then forgetting about it for the rest of the month.”

The Q Center will be hosting

several other events throughout October to connect LGBTQ+ students and honor LGBTQ+ History Month, according to the Q Center’s OUTober webpage. This series of events includes a Vogue Ball the Q Center will be co-sponsoring with SHADES, a Button Making event on Oct. 17 on the Spine for International Pronoun Day and a double-feature movie night of Jordan Peele’s “Nope” and the “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” in collaboration with Late Nite.

Stone described the Q Center’s intentions for their upcoming OUTober proceedings.

“We hope that LGBTQ+ students will enjoy these queeraffirming events that engage the community and provide some fun amid the mid-semester stress,” Stone wrote in an email.

Elementary schools to restructure

“Well that’s the problem we have, is that a lot of times, a lot of the single family housing is being converted into student housing,” the anonymous parent said. “And we try to counter that. I see it in my own neighborhood — houses bought and prepared to be rented. But there is progress being made, there are efforts being made, I think, to help preserve affordable housing, single-family housing until it builds back. So I am optimistic, and I feel that in that area fewer houses will be swallowed up by kids.”

There are three outcomes being considered, according to the BCSD BOE — rebuilding Roosevelt and keeping all elementary schools open, rebuilding Roosevelt and

closing either Horace Mann Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School or Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, or closing Roosevelt.

Roosevelt’s Summer Meals for Kids and Teens, teddy bear drive and its green space for children to play in, were all mentioned as parents expressed the potential impacts closing Roosevelt would have on their families.

In light of this news, some Binghamton University students raised the importance of knowing one’s surrounding community.

Wendell Denis, a member of the Center for Civic Engagement Youth Initiative and a senior majoring in English, suggested the University could have more community-

involved student programs. Denis said the University may not always realize its impact “on the lives of people that it would never directly touch.”

“I think there should be some kind of emphasis on the people that actually live here because it’s their home at the end of the day,” Denis said. “It’s like, you come in for a little bit of time and change up a complete structure, pretty much. You never want to keep a blind eye on that, you always want that the people that live here have their own voice, always heard in those situations.”

Sumeet Patil, a first-year graduate student in the Master of Computer Science program, offered an international student’s

perspective, describing how inexpensive rent off campus is a necessity for some students.

“We are also people who want to stay there just [because] it is cheap, because staying in the University is $1,000 and the food [is] extra, but staying outside [the University], it’s more like $400 a month plus food extra, so it goes $500, $515, not more than that,” Patil said. “We are saving a lot of money on that, we are not any potential threat [to competitors]. But [locally], the solution to this could be, the University could help us get some cheap housing. Or they [could] make some buildings, like there are for [undergraduates], that would be places for graduate students, as well.”

BU Libraries announce Strategic Plan

Binghamton University Libraries has unveiled a five-year plan to better position themselves as the “premier University destination” for academic resources.

The Strategic Plan for 2022 to 2027 will begin this November,

with the intention of aligning BU’s Libraries with the University’s mission of providing students with top-quality resources for research and academic achievement. The new strategy hopes to reinforce inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA), as well as to center the Libraries as areas of expertise, according to the Libraries’ Strategic Plan webpage. This will be accomplished by focusing on a set of three key, developmental goals and collaborating with the campus community.

Jill Dixon, interim dean of Libraries, described the plan’s role in bettering resources and opportunities for students.

“Having a strategic plan is like having a blueprint for building or working toward something greater,” Dixon said. “It helps us take a step back, look at the big picture and carefully construct a guide based on our priorities that we identified are important. Because the academic landscape is always changing, having our Strategic Plan will guide us in updating our practices and resources to best serve the community. For students specifically, that means updated spaces, better collections for research and more engagement opportunities with the Libraries.”

The first goal of the Strategic Plan is to improve IDEA. This

would include restructuring existing library collections by enhancing transparency and utilizing data-sharing resources, partnering with library stakeholders and collaborating with the greater campus community regarding their concerns and needs, according to the Libraries’ Strategic Plan webpage. To increase accessibility and inclusivity, the Libraries are also “decolonizing” and diversifying their collections.

Nancy Abashian, the Libraries’ senior director of public services, said IDEA can improve the library experience for students.

“However, IDEA goes beyond preservation to foster innovation essential for delivering responsive, dynamic collections, services and spaces where all community members feel welcomed, represented and experience a sense of belonging, ” Abaashian said. “Any student who comes to the University Libraries should not only be able to have a positive user experience, but be able to thrive in an environment that allows them to explore, learn, question and discuss in an environment that celebrates that.”

The second goal is to make the Libraries a “nexus of expertise” in support of University academia. This would be met through increased support of students

and faculty members, building a network of student ambassadors and furthering awareness about the libraries’ resources for students and instructors.

The third goal involves increasing the support of library employees. Plans for this goal include improved professional development for staff, recognizing employees for their achievements and supporting underrepresented employees.

David Schuster, the strategic plan committee chair, emphasized the part that library employees and staff played in creating the Strategic Plan.

“A group of faculty and staff members within the Libraries were selected and asked to participate on the steering committee to ensure we included representation from all parts of the library,” Schuster wrote in an email. “Classified and professional staff had representatives, library faculty and library administration were all involved. Monthly meetings were scheduled to allow staff to gather feedback, research information and be prepared for meetings. Workshops were held within the library for Libraries employees to ensure we were including everyone in the process and to ensure everyone was involved.”

With many of the plan’s implementations being catered

toward the interest of students, some BU students expressed support for the new changes. Nick Svolos, a sophomore majoring in economics, explained how he envisions the Strategy Plan will help students.

“I think this will benefit all students rather than students who are high achievers,” Svolos said. “I think this will allow students who don’t go to the library as much to now go to the library and use the resources. This will also help them become more comfortable with going to the library and asking for help.”

Ben Paoli, a sophomore majoring in biology, offered his view on how these changes may positively impact the entire campus community.

“I would be in favor of these new implementations,” Paoli said. “I feel like increasing representation is important. I think for students, it will benefit them to have access to materials that’ll further enrich them. As for staff, this will allow them to become more involved in the learning process.”

Students, faculty and staff can look out for activities and events related to the Libraries Strategic Plan initiative. Events will take place throughout the 2022-2027 academic years.

Celia Woodruff was a contributing reporter for this article.

jocelyn phipps staff photographer

Students marched across the Brain on National Coming Out Day.

Thiyasha Kodituwakku Staff Photographer

Several elementary schools are being considered for changes and closures by the BCSD BOE, including Woodrow Wilson Elementary School.

Fabitha Era news contributor

shutdown from

Maribela Dias Contributing Photographer

University administration and community members will be consulted on their space needs as upgrades to the Libraries continue.

Harpur Edge Art Show set to return

The Show will feature artworks from students of all backgrounds.

Victoria Stargiotti arts & culture contributor

Harpur Edge, in collaboration with the Q Center and the Binghamton University Art Museum, is expecting a huge turnout in their second-annual art show, scheduled for Nov. 17.

The Harpur Edge Art Show was created to showcase art from students of all majors, accepting digital submissions, submissions in traditional visual arts and written works until Oct. 23. The “Art Walk” will consist of submissions exhibited by the alumni-funded Harpur Edge — which aims to provide Harpur College students with academic and career advice — the BU Art Museum and submissions from the Q Center — an area that supports the LGBTQIA community on campus. The art show promises to provide any and all students with an interest in the arts with a space to create and view art.

Emily Low, a senior majoring in environmental policy and law who worked on last year’s Harpur Edge Art Show, is now one of the organizers of this year’s show. Low said the purpose of the show is “to help students showcase their art and their creations,” emphasizing the notion that students from all majors should have the opportunity to create art.

“You can be an artist without having to really study it,” Low said. “We’re gonna consider everything.”

Those working on the show find it important that they highlight the art of both students who have dedicated their academic careers to furthering their understanding of art, and those who chose a different path but still want to showcase their art. The show’s

purpose is to explore the creations of all students, recognizing artists that are not always able to explicitly express themselves.

Low explained that last year there were 80 pieces displayed at the Harpur Edge Art Show — and the collaborations this year allow Harpur Edge to create an even larger show. This means that more students will have the opportunity to present their art, and those who plan on attending will have more to view. The creation of an “Art Walk” allows more students to submit their work, and will elongate the night, giving attendees more to view during the show’s two hours.

“Break Through” is the theme of this year’s show. According to the Harpur Edge website, it is meant to represent the “Unconventional, Bold, Exploratory, Evolutionary and beyond,” supporting Harpur College students in their exploration of the arts. Low discussed the variety of perspectives that Harpur students can provide and the ways this theme aims to highlight these points of view.

“It’s cool too because you see artists come in and they’re like, ‘Wow this is my work,’” Low said.

“For some students, this might be their first time showcasing. This is why we’re doing this in the first place. For some of these artists, this is their first time showing what they made and I’m just glad to be a part of that process. I have no doubt that this event is going to be huge.”

Low said she is most excited to get to talk to artists and learn about their processes in creating these pieces. Organizers have already begun receiving submissions and said they are looking forward to receiving more. The entire Harpur Edge staff seems to be gearing up for a great night, during which students will be able to support each other and gain the support of the school as they display their artwork for the community.

Annual Vogue Ball delivers

The next two categories’ contestants were picked liberally from among the attendees. The first category, a catwalk focusing on outfits, was judged based on the crowds’ loudness. The final two favorites were split between an exacting handmade jumpsuit and a goth matrix-esque outfit, with the winner being the goth fit. Joskarly Fermin Rodriguez, winner of the category and a junior majoring in Italian, described how she prepared for her performance.

“I watched some vogue videos to get an idea of what I could do and the types of dances done,” Rodriguez said. “I listened to the song for my scene a couple times the night before and honestly I just vibed with the music day of. The Vogue Ball was different in the sense that everything was improvised, and no prior practice was really had.”

The Vogue category started with a WandaVision-themed performance, fitting for the Halloween season. An attendee from the crowd and the two guest performers also joined this category, with the attendee being the surprising hidden talent who snatched the trophy.

The Runway category was the closing competition, judged based on the participants’ ability to walk like supermodels. The first few contestants walked with a controlled magnetism and dramatic movements that drew attention to them and their personalities, regardless of their outfits. There was a lighthearted duo performance that

portrayed youthful love, and the last participant, who brought a competitive car racing outfit complete with a helmet. This was the only category where the judges gave 10s across the board. Rodriguez spoke about her experience post-show.

“I feel really great, appreciative of SHADES for letting me be a part of this,” Rodriguez said. “I felt like I was simply having fun with my performance.”

A closing lip sync performance was given by Lurux, in which the SHADES E-Board gave her the final trophy as a token of their appreciation. The Vogue Ball closed as a smashing success, especially in creating an intimate atmosphere with little separation between performers, attendees and staff. At any point, someone from the crowd could join the show and earn a trophy.

Harper-Leighton Scott, the vice

president of SHADES and a junior majoring in political science, shared her feelings after the event.

“I’m feeling great post-show,” Scott said. “It was a good turnout for the event, everyone enjoyed themselves and there was a lot of support for the student performers. Most of them are new to ballroom culture. It is great to see hard work pay off on something like this.”

Singer Camille Thurman dazzles

Thurman ,‘09, played at Chamber Hall with the Darrell Green Quartet.

Samra Ashe arts & culture intern

This past homecoming weekend saw the return of many Binghamton University alumni to their old stomping grounds, but the arrival of one former student was particularly exciting. On Saturday, Oct. 8, world-acclaimed saxophonist and vocalist Camille Thurman, ‘09, returned to BU to deliver a soulful, gorgeous night of jazz, backed by the Darrell Green Quartet.

As audience members — which consisted of students, faculty and Binghamton

locals alike — filed into the Chamber Hall, BU’s Director of Jazz Studies Michael Carbone educated the crowd on Thurman’s exceptional career.

The Darrell Green Quartet, of whom Thurman’s husband Darrell Green is the drummer, began the night, silhouetted by a colorfully lit background. After a few minutes, Thurman walked onto the stage in a glittering silver dress, eliciting applause from the audience as she picked up her saxophone and joined the band. Thurman, both an exceptionally gifted saxophonist and vocalist, alternated between singing and playing the saxophone throughout the night. Some of the numbers performed included “My Heart Belongs To Daddy,” “Love Vibrations” and “Despondents Flee.”

“We just wanted to perform

songs that we just love to play, but also a few numbers that we know the audience would love,” Thurman said. “But most importantly, the basis of the music that we pick is music that feels good and has a positive uplifting message. [In] all the pieces we picked we wanted it to be centered toward that.”

A particularly heartwarming moment came at the end of the night. After the show had concluded, Carbone pointed out Thurman’s mother in the audience. Thurman’s mother, a teacher, was the first person to introduce her daughter to music. While completing research for her thesis for a master’s in literacy and education, she educated herself and her daughter about the musical history and Black performers that originated from their Queens neighborhood.

“I fell in love with music because she had it around me,” Thurman said.

Another pivotal figure in Thurman’s musical journey was her middle school music teacher Mr. Archer, on whom the Disney-Pixar film “Soul” is based. Archer gave Thurman her first flute, and the rest, she says, was history. Thurman experimented with a few more instruments throughout middle school under Archer’s guidance, but discovering the saxophone was her “jackpot.” She gave up her lunch periods to teach herself the fingering and soon enough she was enrolled in a jazz band.

In high school, things took a turn for the worse. Under Archer’s encouragement, Thurman enrolled in a performing arts high school, but was faced with intense sexism.

“The guys literally did everything to stop us from playing, literally,” Thurman said.

After high school, Thurman was drawn to BU because it boasted both a strong academic program and involvement in the arts. It was there that she first caught the attention of Carbone.

“I saw this young woman with three or four instruments strapped around her back,” Carbone said. “I said to her,

‘Excuse me, do you play all those instruments?’”

When Thurman confirmed that she did, Carbone encouraged her to audition for the jazz ensemble. But Thurman’s negative experiences in high school had done a number on her confidence, and, on the night of her audition, she found herself unable to go. When Carbone later ran into her and asked why she hadn’t tried out, Thurman opened up about the treatment she’d endured in high school.

“He was so crushed to hear my experience,” Thurman said. “He looked up at me and said, ‘You know what, you just need a safe place to learn, you didn’t have access to that for the last two years.’ And that was the first time I ever felt anybody understood me.”

Carbone was able to convince Thurman to audition the next semester. By the time she graduated, she was at a crossroads between pursuing a career in science or taking the leap and going full throttle into the music world. Thankfully, she chose the latter and hasn’t looked back since.

Beyond being a spectacular night of music, the performance was a moment of pride for many of the faculty in BU’s music department, who delighted in seeing an alumni rise to such a world-class level of success.

“She just gets better and better every time I hear her,” Carbone said.

Laurence Elder, an adjunct lecturer in the department of music, was also at the show and loved seeing Thurman thrive in her performance.

“One of the most satisfying things about the job is steering someone in the right direction and helping them pursue their dreams,” Elder said. “To see it come to fruition at such a high level is especially a sweet moment.”

For Thurman especially, the night was a full circle moment and a true homecoming.

“BU is almost like a second home to me because that’s where I kinda was reborn musically,” Thurman said.

“That’s where I was kinda put back on track.”

michael golann photo editor

SHADES aims to connect the campus community to the local drag scene with their events.

declan buckley contributing photgrapher

Renowned saxophonist and vocalist Camille Thurman, ‘09, returned to Binghamton for an unforgettable jazz performance with her group The Darrell Green Quartet.

Kid Cudi’s new Netflix special shows huge promise

Sam Lillianthal arts & culture editor

Kid Cudi’s new Netflix special “Entergalactic” has inevitably drawn comparisons to “SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse” due to similar animation, but it feels much more like a grownup version. Instead of the main characters occupying a heroes and villains sphere, Kid Cudi’s world is fully seated in a reality where the relatable simultaneous fear and desire for love occupy the minds of the two leads.

“Entergalactic,” covered in multiple chapters, follows Jabari and Jessica Williams’ Meadow — neighbors in a lively New York City backdrop. Jabari is a rising graffiti artist who gets attention for his “Mr. Rager” character, while Meadow is a photographer with an upcoming gallery opening. These two leads eventually meet and find a connection with one another.

This special follows the typical romantic comedy formula filmgoers have seen time and time again. While that concept lies at

its core, the execution around it styles the movie into a beautiful piece of artwork. The opening shot sets this tone, with Jabari floating through a colorful dreamscape filled with rumblings of a banging Kid Cudi beat until he’s plucked down to Earth by the hollering of a moving company worker. These visuals don’t let up throughout, and intensify during later musical sequences. The sequences feel like a collection of Kid Cudi music videos, which are readily accompanied by songs from the “Entergalactic” album.

The songs that permeate throughout the special are some of Kid Cudi’s sweetest and most heartfelt tracks to date. The lyrics capture the emotions of Jabari and Meadow as they experience love, excitement, hurt and fear.

Kid Cudi singing “I got you, don’t worry love,” while Jabari and Meadow brush their teeth together and exchange a joint, shows how this special expertly captures real moments within the trippy atmosphere it often portrays. These songs never feel like too much and add to the multisensory phenomenon Kid Cudi creates.

Centering the plot on two artists in an animation style that mimics moving paintings feels like

an ode to art itself and how it can engross you. Almost every shot looks like a painting worth buying. A shot of the city sunset, Jabari standing on his balcony where the color comes from the reflections of windows across the street and a close-up of Meadow pressing her head against the window are more than just eye-catching. They are completely captivating.

Kid Cudi uses style to not only describe emotions but also comedic stories. Otherwise normal real stories are boosted by uses of different animation, such as an anime drawing style recounting of Meadow’s friend Karina — played by Vanessa Hudgens — having sex with a man in a Japanese restaurant bathroom. These scenes provide an exaggerated visual of the events depicted, which is where that boost from the dynamic animation really works well.

The special makes statements on technology, gender and race, which vary in subtlety. A fictional dating app “Stush” shows up on phone screens, billboards and other advertisements throughout the film, but its treatment feels one-dimensional at best, especially in one concluding scene. Statements that weave into the

characters work on a much better level, like Jabari casually telling his friend Ky — voiced by Ty Dolla $ign — to not refer to women as “bitches” during a friend-to-friend conversation.

The special falls back in line when it has to tend to typical plot beats near the end, but the characters have already been

portrayed well enough to excuse it. Style over substance is a statement used often by critics, yet there are cases in cinema where style can boost the substance.

Kid Cudi manages to achieve this feat by delivering a vibrant, trippy world while never forgetting what Jabari and Meadow are all about.

As Meadow describes at the end

of the movie, she likes the “ability to just pause a moment forever, in the hopes of the impossibility of just getting back to it.” Life never lets you pause at the most amazing moments, but sometimes works of art like “Entergalactic” can bring you back to the emotions you felt when you first experienced them.

Rating: 4/5

“Entergalactic”

sourced from okayplayer

Kid Cudi’s Netflix special “Entergalactic” achieves a stunning visual reality of complex emotions and what it means to be in love.

OPINIONS

Social media perpetuates harmful cycle of “FOMO”

Social media idealizes and motivates certain behavior, lifestyles.

Emily Vega Opinions columnist

If you’ve ever experienced a school drug-prevention assembly or if you grew up in the 2000s or even the early 2010s, you’ve probably heard about the dangers of peer pressure. These admonitory warnings against intense pressure from the people around you as you move through higher education always felt a bit far-fetched to me — as I’m sure it did to many others — and, after a while, I found myself with a feeling of personal satisfaction. Aha! They had been overreacting the entire time — peer pressure doesn’t really exist! Right?

Well, I was right in a sense. For the most part, the collegiate landscape doesn’t boast peer pressure in the form we were conditioned to recognize it as (incessant begging to partake in something you don’t want to, forcing drugs into your hands,

etc.). Instead, a more convincing and less suspect form of peer pressure is affecting the psyche of many young people today — fear of missing out.

Otherwise known as the FOMO, the term was first coined in 2004 to describe the intersection of two mental processes — the intense feelings of exclusion and the innate compulsion to feel a sense of belonging by fostering constant connection. The term adopted partial meaning from the older term “keeping up with the Joneses,” an idiom used “to show that one is as good as other people by getting what they have and doing what they do,” according to Merriam-Webster dictionary.

The new term also adds the implications of constant “neighborly” exposure due to social media. Social media replicates the idealized lawn that is always manicured, the house that is always clean and the idealized nuclear family of old by allowing the creation of what seems to be perfection through filters and scheduled

posting. We are no longer safe from these feelings of inferiority because there is no longer any degree of separation between perfect expectations and human reality.

It is no secret that social media’s role in the everyday lives of the general population has grown increasingly inseparable from reality. Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook — the purported use of these sites was to connect people, and this has turned out to be almost cruel in its truthfulness. We are more connected to others across the globe than ever before, but this constant exposure, combined with the human tendency to exclusively show off the positives of our lives, creates a cycle of feeling excluded, posting to try and eradicate those feelings and then generating feelings of exclusion in others. This phenomenon leads to both psychological and behavioral symptoms, including a deficit in self-competence, autonomy and relatedness. These deficits can manifest as lower selfesteem, boredom and loneliness,

but they can also manifest as fatigue, stress, increased screen time and binge drinking.

Chilling studies have shown that 69 percent of millennials self-report feeling FOMO and 33 percent admit to purposely trying to incite FOMO in their peers. The reason that FOMO is so pervasive and unanimously effective is the inclusion of “normalization” and “expectation” within its definition. Behaviors are normalized through their continuous presence online and, thus, create the expectation of what college students, for example, should do in order to have fun. Frat parties, drinking and constant social activity is normalized and idealized as the college experience. While these activities and behaviors can definitely be a great aspect of college, they fail to represent the many ways that fun can manifest in a normal student’s life. We are beginning to see the ramifications of this normalization in generationwide behavioral patterns as youth feel pressure to conform

to what is considered desirable or necessary.

I’ve had to delete Snapchat and Instagram due to the struggles I’ve faced with these issues. Seeing photos of my friends having fun, I began thinking, “Why wasn’t I invited? Why am I not doing anything right now? Am I liked less than other people?” I’ve seen people go through the mentally draining process of going to a party, drinking and hooking up in the pursuit of the most Instagrammable life, to the detriment of their own desires and individualism.

So what can you do about this complex emotional issue? Complete removal from the world of social media is ideal, but this is unfortunately an unachievable, drastic step for most people. One study published in 2020, however, presents a “FOMO Reduction’’ process. It is a lengthy study but elucidates three main tips — selftalk, expectation management and self-esteem enhancement. An initial step is to phrase what one will or won’t do through

a strong frame of perception. For example, “I do not need to respond swiftly” instead of “I am unable to respond swiftly,” to extract oneself from succumbing to compulsions. Expectation management requires one to not post with the expectation of likes, or walk through life with the expectation of excitement or even constant purpose. Finally, enhancing one’s self-esteem is not an easy task, especially if you did not feel you had any selfesteem issues in the first place, but it is important to self-reflect and discover — how much of your actions stem from personal desire rather than FOMO?

FOMO is a tricky and cloudy subject that has only recently begun to get the attention it needs. I urge those who read this to steer clear of FOMO-related behaviors in whatever way works best for you. And when you hear people arguing about the terrors of peer pressure, realize the true threat lies in the acronym.

–Emily Vega is a junior majoring in English.

Liss Truss’ economic agenda will worsen British economy

Inflation and poor economic management fuel the UK’s cost of living crisis.

Theodore Brita Opinions columnist

On the final day of a Tory Party conference in Birmingham, new U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss railed against an “anti-growth coalition,” which included the Labour Party, environmental advocates, trade unions and other groups. Truss’ speech was interrupted by protests against her government’s decision to remove a ban on fracking for shale gas. It was hardly an inspiring moment for the new prime minister, who is taking office during a difficult time for Britain. New reports have suggested that the British economy may not fully recover from its current malaise until 2024 at the earliest, as inflation and work slowdowns have led to families and businesses dealing with increasing costs.

While Truss has promised to break the “high-tax, lowgrowth cycle” by embracing free market principles, it is clear that Britain’s current economic conditions are not suitable for an approach governed by less government intervention. If Truss does choose to embrace economic policies influenced by supply-side fiscal economics and the unfettered spirit of the free market, average people in Great Britain will end up being those who bear the brunt of the cost.

Truss’ policies have already done more harm than good for the British economy. When Truss and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, unveiled a budget pledging tax cuts on top earners of up to $45 billion pounds (approximately $48 billion), the news sparked Britain’s largest currency and bond crisis since the early 1990s. Truss has made no secret of her desire to slash taxes, limit the power of trade unions and roll back

environmental regulations, but it takes a serious stretch of the imagination to actually believe such policies will ultimately benefit the British economy. There are alternative methods of increasing productivity, such as implementing green industry policies or property taxes. Furthermore, countries such as Germany and the Nordic states, which have implemented higher rates of taxation, maintain robust and successful economies. Massive tax cuts on the rich are also a recipe for increasing economic inequality. Although Truss did announce a £60 billion pound plan to guarantee energy prices for families and another similarsized program to limit energy costs for businesses, it is unclear how her government intends to finance these programs without sending the deficit into an unmanageable spiral.

The strongest negative effects of Truss’ plans will be felt by those who are already the

worst off in British society. Many analysts have warned of a cost of living crisis in Great Britain this coming winter, which may force large numbers of people to choose between heating their homes and having food in their refrigerators. A cost of living crisis has already led to a massive series of protests, which some organizers stated were the largest British protests in years. Many protestors burned their utility bills in anger over soaring prices in advance of winter.

Inflation and poor economic management have also increased the prices of other necessary goods, such as foodstuffs, with one protestor stating that “working people cannot afford to live.” So-called “warm rooms” are beginning to open up throughout Britain in order to provide shelter for those who otherwise could not afford it. Other increased costs will also place heavy burdens on hundreds of thousands of households. A recent study

found that the inflation rate for Britain’s low-income families is an astonishingly high 19 percent. Despite this, Truss’ government plans to increase benefits in line with wages without considering inflation, meaning that even a relatively large increase in benefits according to wage data may not be enough to prevent economic harm. A new analysis found that this decision could push as many as 200,000 children into poverty due to the massively high costs of living during the winter.

While it is unlikely that Truss will change track in any major sense, the Labour Party can implement serious improvements if they win the next general election.

Unsurprisingly, Truss is suffering poor approval ratings, with a recent poll reporting she is more unpopular than Boris Johnson at the height of the Partygate debacle. Provided the Labour Party wins the next general election, their economic

plans may offer some hope to the beleaguered British population. The party has plans for increased investment in multiple key areas such as public services, health, infrastructure and child care. Crucially, the Labour Party also plans to supplement this with more investments in private businesses in an effort to increase the size of a flagging workforce. Increased investments in the health sector are also vital, as British health services suffered massively in the wake of Brexit and the ongoing pandemic. Unlike the Tories, the Labour Party recognizes that the British economy can be revitalized through alternative mechanisms to simply implementing cuts at every level of spending. But as long as Liz Truss and the Tories remain in power, the British government will continue to pursue economic policies that let its population down.

–Theodore Brita is a junior majoring in political science.

Antonia Kladias Opinions columnist

I contracted COVID-19 for the first time two weeks after moving to Binghamton University this year. Very quickly, I became frustrated by the school’s lack of preparation for an outbreak. After waiting for over 24 hours after my positive test result, the school informed me there was no more isolation housing left, and that the only options I had were to stay in my dorm or isolate myself back home. Both of these choices were impossible. I could not rely on someone else to bring me food three times a day, nor could I use the communal bathroom without risking the spread of COVID-19 to the others on my floor. I also had a roommate I did not want to infect. Returning home, too, was not an option, as I would risk infecting my

immunocompromised mother. I felt stuck and overwhelmed by the situation. In the end, I went home, but my family and I had to take great precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. For many other students like me, the inability to stay in isolation housing made an already stressful situation even worse.

During a time when infected students are still expected to isolate for around five days, it seems illogical to have extremely limited isolation housing available. This may be due to decreasing urgency surrounding COVID-19, as many professionals have compared COVID-19’s current severity to the flu. However, while COVID-19 is becoming more normalized in our daily lives, we cannot normalize a lack of care for safety precautions and for those infected.

COVID-19 is obviously still affecting our community — as of Oct. 12, 2022, Broome County reported 399 new cases in five days. Ten people in Broome County died from COVID-19 in

September. We cannot ignore the need for diligence and competence in preventing the spread of COVID-19, as future outbreaks may require a large volume of students to isolate. Still, the school’s drastic reduction of isolation housing this year certainly does not reflect this prominent need. Last year, BU had 601 beds available in isolation housing, even making accommodations for sick students to stay at local hotels. The “isolation” page on BU’s “Fall ‘22 Guidance” website advises students to isolate at home, within their normal residential hall room, or at a friend’s house off-campus. The school also appears to have no desire to make any changes or meet the need for more isolation housing, with the Fall ‘22 Guidance page stating, “Should the need expand beyond available beds, students will be strongly encouraged to return home for their isolation period, or, if that is not possible, will be required to isolate in place where they reside on campus”

The isolation meal plan for students staying in their rooms was disappointing and subpar. Students had to place pickup orders a day ahead of time and go to the Appalachian Collegiate Center to pick them up. The school even suggested students order food from delivery services like DoorDash, with no mention of compensation for the extra expense this would create. For many students, these options were unrealistic, so resident assistants (RAs) took it upon themselves to start their own student-run meal delivery service for isolating students. This is something that the school should be responsible for, not students.

It is hard to believe that the school expected students to order so far ahead of time and walk the distance to the dining hall while sick. It was also challenging to rely on others to bring meals to your dorm. I felt like I was burdening those around me by asking them to bring me food and risk their health even after only one day

of isolation in my dorm. During the spring semester of 2021, the College-in-the-Woods Dining Center was closed on weekends to prepare isolation meals, and students isolating during their birthdays even got a cupcake and a phone call from President Harvey Stenger. In response to an outbreak that spring, meals were delivered directly to students and the school established a meal hotline for newly quarantined students who did not have the chance to order their meals ahead of time. It is surprising that such an effort was made previously in the face of rising COVID-19 cases when so little has been done this year.

The school has supplied little information on what to do when infected, and their lack of consideration of students’ circumstances is startling compared to the past. Not everyone has people around them that can bring them food, and not everyone has the option of going home. If the school still expects students to isolate

when they are infected with COVID-19, they must implement practices that accommodate students’ circumstances. The school should expand isolation housing and give students more options than just going home if they get sick. If more housing is not possible, a restructured isolation meal system that relieves responsibility from students should be implemented. The school’s diligent past responses to COVID-19 show what the school can do for students who get sick. The need for this diligence has not changed, but the school’s consideration and care for infected students certainly has. We all want to put COVID-19 behind us, but an effort has to be made to ensure we are taking the right measures to do so. Moving forward with negligence will only create more problems and set us back in the long run.

Kladias is an undeclared freshman.

Monday, April 3, 2017Thursday, September 28, 2017Monday, October 2, 2017Thursday, October 5, 20172017

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

–Antonia

Volleyball squeaks past UNH at home in five sets

Konopka records career-high 23 digs.

courtesy of a kill by junior outside hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva.

something we really need to work on.”

The Binghamton volleyball team hosted an America East (AE) matchup on Sunday evening against New Hampshire, in its second meeting this season. In its first matchup, BU won swiftly, shutting UNH out in three straight sets. After a long, hardplayed match from both sides, the Bearcats pulled away — winning the match in five sets.

“I knew that was going to be a hard match,” said Binghamton head coach Allie Yaeger. “I know it’s nerve-racking going five [sets] and when things are going back-and-forth … we need that experience so badly.”

The first set started off close, with both teams exchanging points. However, BU (13-6, 4-1 AE) quickly pulled away against UNH (14-7, 2-3 AE) in the opening set, with its timely blocking and error-free volleyball. After going down 14-7, the Wildcats burned their first timeout. Shortly after, the Bearcats refused to concede their lead and took the set 25-14,

“I feel like we still have work to do,” Yaeger said. “I just want to make sure that we are making the right decisions and doing the right things … I still feel like we are learning every step of the way. Every time we step on the floor we’re learning more and more about how to play together as a team.”

In the second set, both Binghamton and UNH struggled to get hot as they exchanged points for the majority of the set. After New Hampshire went up 15-14, BU called its first timeout. After the break, both teams stayed stagnant, continuing to go back-and-forth as the Bearcats trailed 19-18. This forced Binghamton to burn its second timeout of the frame.

Right after, the Wildcats took two straight points as the Bearcats’ deficit grew to 21-18. When the score reached 22-20, UNH took three straight points and won the set 25-20.

“That match was all about momentum,” Yaeger said. “We had it in the first, and they had it in the second. We have a history now, I feel, this season of really taking over in the first set and letting down in the second set, so that’s

In set three, New Hampshire quickly jumped out to a 5-3 advantage, but the Bearcats proved to be resilient as they took the lead 7-5. This forced UNH to burn a timeout, and the Wildcats slowly crawled back, tying the score at 1414. Although BU would soon trail 19-17, the home team promptly turned in an 8-0 run and took the set to lead 2-1.

“If we serve and serve receive better than they do, that’s usually when you’re winning sets,” Yaeger said. “So we really put a lot of emphasis on that. The girls really dug in, and they played really well at the end of the third.”

In the penultimate set, BU got off to a slow start once again as the Wildcats took an early 9-5 lead. The Bearcats continued to struggle to find their groove as they went down 14-9. Later, the Bearcats shortened the deficit to two, with UNH leading 22-20. However, this was the closest BU got, dropping the set 25-21.

“We talk all the time about how momentum is everything in this sport,” Yaeger said. “When you have it, it’s great. And when you don’t, you gotta find a way to get it back.”

In the fifth and final set, BU quickly applied pressure with an early 9-2 lead. The Wildcats began their comeback with a pair of points over four serves.

However, the resistance was short-lived as BU closed out the set and game to sweep the season series.

“I felt like we completely controlled that fifth set,” Yaeger said. “It wasn’t a panic moment.

We’re still learning so much as a group together … We had to match their intensity. If they were gonna make big plays, we gotta make big plays.”

Junior outside hitter Stefana Stan and Ilieva led the way on offense with 16 and 20 kills, respectively. Overall, BU had a 23.5 percent hitting percentage while UNH was kept to just 12 percent.

“Stan was outstanding,” Yaeger

Men’s soccer blows by UNH on Senior Day

Johnny Yang sports intern SOCCER

Both sides began the game with several chances to score, mostly coming early on from the River Hawks, when they forced senior goalkeeper Mats Roorda to make a point-blank save in the ninth minute. Roorda is coming off being named AE Defensive Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks.

“When we know we have those strong defenders in the back, it’s more confidence for us to do a little bit more of our own stuff,” said senior forward Matthew Cozetti. “We know that they’re behind us and they’ll be able to win the ball back.”

The scoreless drought broke in the 15th minute, however, as a misplaced pass was collected by sophomore midfielder Diego Vargas and instantly fed to senior back Devin Heanue, who finished the attack to make it 1-0. Heanue added an assist to his tally just five minutes later, finding graduate student forward Ethan Homler, who extended the lead to 2-0. In the last meeting of these teams, Homler was the sole scorer in a 1-0 victory for the Bearcats, making it two in a row for him against the River Hawks.

“It feels great,” Heanue said. “I’ve had one other [goal] this season, and it just felt great to

make a good connection and put one in the net.”

Despite the best efforts of Roorda and his defense, BU was unable to keep a clean sheet. With 10 minutes left in the first half, a misplaced header from a Binghamton defender fell to the River Hawks, who hit it on the volley into the woodwork to make it 2-1.

“It’s an unfortunate goal,” Heanue said. “Those are the types of things we’re always trying to clean up. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a clean sheet, but after that we were just really focusing on not letting anything up and keeping moving forward.”

The goals didn’t stop there,

as the second period saw more offensive action. Cozetti, one of four seniors honored during the pre-game ceremony, was at the center of the action. In the 69th minute, redshirt senior midfielder Parker McKnight, another honoree, was brought down in the box and a penalty kick was awarded to BU. Cozetti stepped up from 12 yards and made it 3-1 to the home side.

“I feel like these last five days of practice, we were able to execute a lot of attacking plays and we’re really getting a nice bond between the attacking players,” Cozetti said. “It seemed like we gelled perfectly today in the game and the stuff we did in

practice showed out today on the field.”

That wasn’t the end of Cozetti’s involvement. The Bearcat assisted on the final goal in the 82nd minute. His pass was collected by redshirt junior midfielder Anthony Lazaridis, who beat the River Hawk defender and secured the 4-1 win with a curled finish into the opposite corner.

“Cozetti steps up to take a pen, great goal for him,” Marco said. “[Lazaridis’] goal at the end was outstanding. I mean what a terrific strike, and [Homler] got a goal, so three of our guys get goals which is great.”

Binghamton’s unbeaten

said. “Her line was awesome. When you’re a player that only comes in for three rotations, it’s so crucial that you really make an impact on the game for those three, and she really did today.”

Binghamton will begin a twogame road trip on Oct. 21 against Albany. First serve is scheduled for a time yet to be announced at Robison Gym at the Kahl Campus Center in Albany, New York.

streak was extended to five as the seniors celebrated their third win after being honored in the pre-game ceremony.

“I think senior day is always a special day,” Heanue said.

“Looking to honor [the seniors], and we were just happy to get the win for them and to send them off the right way. I was really happy [redshirt junior forward Rory Anderson] was able to get on at the end of the game as he’s coming back from injury.”

BU will begin a threegame road trip, starting with a matchup against Cornell. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Berman Field in Ithaca, New York.

Women’s soccer draws with

on the road

Carbone assistant sports editor

The Binghamton women’s soccer team entered Sunday’s match at Maine with a 4-1-1 America East (AE) conference record, and tied with the Black Bears for the firstplace spot. After 90 minutes of action, neither the Bearcats nor the home team obtained a lead despite their combined 29-shot attempts. Both squads exited the weekend with a 0-0 draw and remain tied atop the AE standings.

“Today was a pretty good, competitive game,” said Binghamton head coach Neel Bhattacharjee. “Two very talented America East sides and both teams were tied for first on points coming into this. The match itself didn’t disappoint. Even though the score ended up 0-0, there were some chances for both teams.”

Up until this weekend, Binghamton (7-5-3, 4-1-1 AE) had avoided any draws within conference play after five AE matchups. Maine (7-2-5, 3-0-4 AE), on the other hand, earned its fourth conference tie after Sunday’s match and has yet to lose a conference game this season. The last time the two teams met was a year ago when they had another 0-0 draw that went into double overtime.

“Maine is a tough place to play,” Bhattacharjee said. “It’s a tough field and the turf is just a little bit more narrow. Maine does very well

on their home field too. They know how to use that environment well. We had some chances and just unfortunately couldn’t tuck it away at the end.”

BU had not had a scoreless game this season since the first of September, during nonconference play. Sunday’s match marks just the third time it has happened this season. The game started off slow, as the first shot of the match didn’t come until a Black Bear header attempt in the seventh minute. The Bearcats attempted their first shot nine minutes later, when senior midfielder Olivia McKnight sent a shot wide past the Maine net.

“I thought our backs did well,” Bhattacharjee said. “A couple times [Maine] did have some buildup play, but our backs were there to defend them overall. In the later stages of the game, Maine put some heavier pressure on us, and our backs did well in terms of standing up to them and not giving them clean looks at the net.”

Binghamton failed to find the back of the net with its final three shots of the half, while the Black Bears ended the period with a 6-4 shot advantage. Sophomore goalkeeper Kaitlyn Williams saved three shots in the first half and ended the match with nine total saves. BU’s final scoring opportunity of the half came in the 43rd minute, when junior forward Davia Rossi put an attempt on net that was saved by the Black Bear keeper.

“[Williams] did very well in terms of her decision-making,” Bhattacharjee said. “She knew when

to come off her line, [and] when she could come out for through balls. It was more of a challenging game for her in terms of decision-making rather than sheer shot-stopping. She did really well in that regard and helped us with the shutout.”

The second half showed a more offensive focus from both sides, as the two teams each exceeded their first-half shot attempts. Binghamton attempted six shots in the latter half while Maine peppered the Bearcats’ net with 13 second-half attempts.

Although BU was outshot by the home squad in the second half, the visitors made good use of their opportunities, with all six of their attempts being shots on goal.

Despite the scoreless showing from both sides, Binghamton earned itself a few final opportunities to take the lead at the end of the match.

Sophomore forward Peyton Gilmore gave the Bearcats life in the 90th minute. The sophomore forced Maine’s goalkeeper to make two game-saving blocks 50 seconds apart just before time expired, solidifying the draw.

“There were a couple of things we wanted to do toward the end,” Bhattacharjee said. “We knew Maine was sending numbers forward, so we needed to break that initial line of pressure.”

BU will continue conference play next weekend, returning home on Sunday, Oct. 23 to take on UMass Lowell for the first time this season. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

Michael

maribela dias Contributing Photographer

Junior outside hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva registered 20 kills in BU’s five-set win against UNH on Sunday.

megan patterson staff photographer

Sophomore goalkeeper Kaitlyn Williams tallied nine saves in a scoreless draw against Maine on Sunday.