Point Park Globe Fall 2017 Issue 12

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@PPUGlobe November 8, 2017

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Alumni revisit forgotten Greek life organizations from 1960s and 70s Carrie Reale weighs in on why downtown residents are hungry for a grocery store Men’s and women’s soccer teams end seasons with tough playoff losses ppuglobe.com

Celebrating 50 years of covering the world of Point Park University news

Issue 11

Volleyball coach USG Vice President resigns, replacement to be announced fired ahead of RSC tournament USG

By Hannah Walden

By Josh Croup

USG Beat Writer

Co-Sports Editor

Mike Bruno was fired Friday as the head volleyball coach, the Athletic Department announced. Officials declined to comment on specifics of the decision and players approached by the Globe declined to comment on the details of what led up to the firing.

Bruno has coached at Point Park since 2005 and is the all-time winningest coach in program history.

He was named River States Conference Coach of the Year in 2016.

Bridget Bielich, who served as the assistant coach under Bruno for the last three years, is the interim head coach and will lead the team at the conference tour-

Sam Robinson | Point Park Athletics Former head coach Mike Bruno.

nament this weekend. Bielich did not return a request for comment.

The Athletic Department released the following statement: “Point Park University volleyball head coach Mike Bruno has been relieved of

Vice President Davion Heron resigned from his position on Friday, Nov. 3, effective immediately.

According to a press release from the United Student Government (USG), Heron cited personal reasons, and has declined to comment on the issue. He served as a senator, recording secretary and

vice president during his four years at USG. “Though we will miss Vice President Heron, we understand and support his decision to step down and are grateful for his many accomplishments over the past four years,” President Bobby Bertha said in the press release.

President Bertha has until Friday to replace Heron.

President Bertha will present his nominee to the senators, who will then vet and vote for or against the nominee

during the following USG meeting on Nov. 13.

President Pro-Tempore Daniel Murphy held this week’s meeting and will continue to do so until a new vice president is elected.

While President Bertha has not received any nominations, he said that he knows of “a few people who have an interest in the VP position.”

The meeting started with discussing last week’s budgeting allocations, as senator Samiar Nefzi moved to recall

USG page 2

CROSS COUNTRY RUNS AWAY WITH IT ALL

BRUNO page 2

“Trump whisperer” Christopher Ruddy to speak at Playhouse

By Nicole Pampena Co-News Editor

Right-wing media pioneer Christopher Ruddy will speak tonight at the Pittsburgh Playhouse about his company Newsmax Media Inc. as well as his experiences as a friend of President Trump.

The event is the second installment of the TalkBack Series sponsored by the Center for Media Innovation (CMI), a speaker series that showcases “newsworthy and noteworthy” media entities, according to Director of the CMI Andy

Conte.

Ruddy, who is not charging an appearance fee, agreed to appear upon the CMI’s request. Conte cited two reasons behind seeking out Ruddy for the series.

“He’s somebody who’s starting to figure it out [in the media business,]” Conte said.

“His business is making money. Newsmax is growing; it’s a profitable news organization.

The other part is he’s close to the president. He has the ear of the president and talks with him frequently.”

Nicole Pampena | The Globe

Students met on Nov. 2 to make signs for the silent protest and write on post-its why they are against Ruddy speaking.

Kelly Parsley | Submitted The Women’s Cross Country team won the River States Conference title this past weekend. The team is set to compete at the national championship meet in Vancouver, Wash. Nov. 18. See the full story on page 7.

Ruddy founded Newsmax in 1998, a “multimedia publishing company that publishes online and offline content in the fields of news, politics, health and finance,” according to the company’s website.

Since it’s conception, Newsmax has received repeated mention in mainstream media including profiles in the New York Times and Bloomberg Business and reaches a monthly audience of 50 million.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Ruddy spent his earlier days in his journalistic career at the New York Post and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

At the Tribune-Review, he covered the Clinton administration under then-editor-in-chief Richard Mellon Scaife.

According to Conte, Pittsburgh is “uniquely situated” to host a speaker such as Ruddy, describing the city’s geopolitical location as a “a blue dot surrounded by red.”

“Our goal is to bring important, interesting people to campus and expose our students,” Conte said. “Because you’re in Pittsburgh or because you grew up here, doesn’t mean that’s where your imagination should end. You should be able to access people from all over.”

The event has stirred interest in the Point Park com-

RUDDY page 2

Wood Street Subway to close this December

By Sarah Gibson Copy Editor

For certain Point Park students, it will soon be time to start looking for a new place to dine close to campus.

The Subway at the corner of Wood Street and Fourth Avenue is closing its doors for good in the near future.

Sunnat Gulmetov is the general manager of both the Wood Street Subway and the Market Square Subway, the next closest franchise store

to campus. He said that the closing was inevitable.

“They sold the building,” Gulmetov said. “The building is going to be a hotel.”

Gulmetov explained that the building is going to be turned into a Garden Inn and will no longer be able to house the Subway location.

The contract for the Wood Street Subway was set to last until 2024, but was terminated early once the building was sold.

SUBWAY page 3

Pioneer Pantry event inspired by “Chopped”

By Kelsey Wolfe Copy Editor

School of Communication students enrolled in Camille Downing’s Special Events Planning course are raising awareness about the new Pioneer Pantry this semester.

Each semester, students who take the class are required to work as an “agency” and plan an event for a nonprofit organization. With the opening of the Pioneer Pantry, Downing saw this as an op-

portunity that would not only work for her class, but also help a campus organization.

“We’ve had a couple different nonprofits and this time we decided on the Pantry because it was just opening,” Downing said. “We decided that this would be more of a launch party, getting to know about the Pantry and what it’s all about.”

Heather Starr Fiedler, director of the Department of Community Engagement,

PANTRY page 3

Weather Forecast Today: Partly Cloudy H 51, L 34

Thursday: Partly Cloudy, H 49, L 30 Friday: Partly Cloudy, H 36, L 24 Saturday: Partly Cloudy, H 45, L 33

Sunday: Cloudy, H 48, L 38 Monday: Mostly Cloudy, H 48, L 37 Tuesday: Partly Cloudy, H 51, L 39

Point Park

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Assistant coach temporary replacement from BRUNO page 1

LOCAL Secondary education freshman Lexy Wozniak was struck by a car Friday morning while crossing the intersection of Boulevard of the Allies and Wood Street. Wozniak, a member of the cross country team was headed to the team bus when the incident occurred.

According to Wozniak, she had the right of way to cross the street when a car proceeded to make the turn and strike her while crossing.

“I don’t remember actually getting hit,” Wozniak said. “I remember waking up on the ground so I blacked out.”

Wozniak was diagnosed with a concussion and was unable to compete in last weekend’s Cross Country meet.

---Point Park was recently ranked the sixth best dance school in the country by College Magazine. The publication cites the George Rowland White Performance Center and the Pittsburgh Playhouse as major factors in the decision. Along with facilities, the publication noted guest speakers that the dance department brings in as something else that sets Point Park apart from competition. On the list, Point Park was among schools such as New York University and Juilliard.

Earlier this year, the school was ranked as the eighth most represented school on Broadway.

---Gregory Vogt, a junior cinema production major, won an international award at Spooky Empire’s Horror film festival last week. At the three day event in Orlando Fl., Vogt was nominated and won the award for Best Special Effects in his short film “Something Within”. Vogt told the University website that the festival experience was eye opening as he got to meet idols of his in the horror and filmmaking community. Vogt was the youngest person nominated in the special effects category. He was also nominated for Best Short Film at the Festival and was the runner-up.

his duties at the school. He was the head coach of the Pioneers the last 13 years.

As a matter of established policy, Point Park University will not comment further on this personnel matter.”

Bruno’s final game was last Tuesday at home for senior night against Carlow.

Point Park won the match 3-0. Bruno declined to comment on the details of his release, but spoke to the Globe about his time as the head of the Point Park volleyball program.

“I want to move forward,” Bruno said in a phone interview Monday. “I have a lot to offer and it won’t be at Point Park anymore. I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my life.”

His career at Point Park included a 304-195 record and four trips to the national tournament in the last six seasons.

“Dan Swalga has been

a really great man to work for,” Bruno said. “I enjoyed growing the team under his direction. I’m proud of the body of work that we’ve put into it over the years.”

“I don’t want to focus on the last week of my career; I want to focus on the whole body of work.”

Mike Bruno

Former Head Coach, Point Park Volleyball Bruno plans to continue his career in the health and fitness field while also promoting charity work done by Team Cassie and the Pittsburgh Foundation. Team

USG updates budget allocations to clubs from USG page 1 the budget for the IT Student Organization and to then allocate them the $300 additional dollars on top of their previous funding of $763.

The motion was passed, bringing the total to $1,063.

Senator Matt Bauman brought up a question regarding the Criminal Justice Club’s funding. The club asked for funding for two cakes that are gifts to two police districts in Pittsburgh during Christmas. Bauman motioned to amend the budget, however, that motion failed to pass.

“We had a good funding period, I only had one appeal come in,” Treasurer Josh Croup said during the treasurer’s report. “We had a couple club leaders come in and thank USG for their service and for funding their events. Overall, club leaders were happy.”

Pinnacle Productions requested additional funding of $102 for programs for the next three shows. The motion passed, changing their $884 budget to $986.

Senators then discussed student concerns brought to their attention, such as students needing permission to

film in the library. Dean of Students Keith Paylo offered the solution of contacting the library director, Liz Evans, who will be speaking to USG in a meeting either before the winter break or at the start of the next semester.

Another issue was the pedestrian walk signs on the corner of First Avenue and Wood Street have disappeared.

“At one time, the desire was to have electronic signs that hang on poles that you see on other parts of the city,” Paylo said. “It could be that the signs are being replaced, because they were hit, that could be a possibility.”

There will be another Student Concerns table outside the Point Cafe on Wednesday Nov. 8 from 12-3 p.m.

The meeting concluded with President Bertha thanking senators for attending the women’s basketball game in the North Side, and encouraged senators to attend more games as a group to show support to student athletes.

Disclosure: USG Treasurer Josh Croup is co-sports editor for the Globe.

Hannah Walden hwalde@pointpark.edu

Cassie was founded 10 years ago to help enrich the lives of the special needs community and is named after his youngest daughter.

“I’m pretty confident that my next career move will also be a platform to continue promoting awareness, acceptance and inclusion and fundraising,” Bruno said.

He said he will not pursue other coaching opportunities at this time.

Entering this season, only Jeroen Walstra had a longer active head coaching tenure than Bruno at the university, leading the women’s soccer team from 200309 and the men’s team from 2009 until the present.

This marks the third time in the last year that Point Park has made a coaching change. The men’s basketball team named Gabe Bubon the new head coach officially during the summer after he served in the interim last season.

Additional reporting contributed by co-sports editor Dara Collins.

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu

Students planning silent protests for event in resistance ater denouncing Ruddy being on campus.

“We have to use our voices,” Winder said. “And it wasn’t necessarily that I wanted to stop him from coming because you can’t take away someone else’s freedom of speech if you want it yourself. But what I wanted to…form was a group of people who wanted to voice why we don’t like things that he believes in.”

Conte wants to “stress that [the event] is not an endorsement or a celebration of one candidate or ideology, but an opportunity to have an honest, open, intelligent discussion with somebody who is close to the President of the United States.”

Ruddy will appear in the Rockwell Theatre of the Playhouse Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. The event will begin with a short presentation followed by a Q&A session moderated by Conte. Tickets are free for students and available to the public for $25. Seats are reserved through purchase online at pittsburghplayhouse.com or at the door.

from RUDDY page 1 munity, some of which is negative. Senior costume design major Amelia Benson and sophomore stage management major Princess Winder expressed these sentiments.

“Truthfully, my initial reaction was primarily frustration because I felt like the subject of the email we were sent on this matter was meant to rile people up,” Benson said.

“If they wanted this to be an educational experience, they should’ve listed his credentials first.”

Such credentials include developing a leading conservative news organization and kindling conspiracy theories surrounding the suicide of Vincent Foster, a Deputy White House Counsel during the first six months of Clinton’s presidency.

In response to Ruddy’s appearance as well as outcry from other students on social media, Benson and Winder were inspired to lead a silent protest during the event.

They hope to attract the attention of both Ruddy and the audience by hanging sheets from the balconies of the the-

Nicole Pampena nmpampe@pointpark.edu

CR do IME notR EcPr OoRss T Monday, October 30

Correction In last week’s edition, we mislabeled the opinions section as news. We apologize for this error.

7:41p.m.

Theft Student Center Under investigation

---In last week’s brief on the Campus Activities Board’s national graphic design award, Meghan Welch was not credited towards the winning design.

Welch served as head designer for the Hocus Pocus project.

He left his post as the men’s and women’s golf coach, opening the door for Graham Hoffman to assume the role as head coach for both teams.

Bruno is turning his attention to his family and his career after coaching.

“I don’t want to focus on the last week of my career; I want to focus on the whole body of work,” Bruno said. “I will value my time and look back on my days at Point Park and smile. I’ve worked with so many great coaches who I will miss dearly.

I’ve developed some great friendships over the years. I wish them all the best, and I wish the athletic department continued success.”

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Friday, November 3 8:28 p.m.

Harassment Lawrence Hall Cleared

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Student discount to remain Res Life, CAB, Rugby team and students to at Market Square location compete in cook-off from SUBWAY page 1

“There was absolutely no way for the Wood Street Subway to stay open,” Gulmetov said in an interview at the Market Square Subway.

For some students, the student discount available at the Wood Street Subway was very helpful. A sign displayed in Subway reminds students to use it for 10 percent of the original price of the order. Students must present their Point Park ID to qualify.

According to Gulmetov, students will still receive a discount at the Market Square location upon showing their Point Park ID to the cashier. He further elaborated, saying that “we are going to make some coupons for Point Park students.”

He did not mention when or where these coupons would become available.

According to Nathan Nicklas, a freshman cinema production major, most of his meals are split between the Point Cafe and the Lawrence Hall dining. When he does go out to eat, he uses his Point Park student discount at Subway. Nicklas said he doesn’t mind the closing of the Wood Street loaction because of the Market Square Subway.

from PANTRY page 1

Mary Anne Doggett | The Globe

Scaffolding surrounds subway on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Wood Street. Subway is supposed to close in late December.

“You can take a 5 minute walk and get pretty much anywhere,” Nicklas said.

Keera Frye is a freshman broadcast reporting major who also regularly ate at the Wood Street Subway. Frye expressed her own disappointment with the news of the closing for her own reason.

“I just wish that we had more healthy options that were close to us, because that’s the main reason that I go to Subway,” Frye said in an interview in Lawrence Hall.

Frye also used her student discount at the Wood Street

Subway fairly frequently. When presented with the news that the Wood Street location was closing, she said that she would consider going to the Market Square location.

The Market Square Subway can be found between Winghart’s and Primanti’s. While it is a longer walk from campus compared to the Wood Street location, the prices at the Market Square location are currently identical to the prices at the Wood Street location.

Sarah Gibson sagibso@pointpark.edu

YOUNG AMERICANS FOR LIBERTY

Elizabeth Shaffer | For the Globe

Brennen Burke of the Young Americans for Liberty stood at a table on Nov. 2 with information on surveillance of government and American citizens’ rights prescribed by the the Constitution. The Point Park organization is one of over 90 across the United States.

spoke to the Special Events Planning students at the beginning of the semester, giving them details on the Pantry, but no clear instruction about what they should plan as an event.

“We started from scratch in this class,” junior public relations and advertising major Carrie Reale said. “We started with ‘You’re planning an event for the Pioneer Pantry,’ to developing an idea, looking at the budget, looking at our sources and what we have on campus.”

After a lot of brainstorming, the class came to the final decision of creating the first-ever Chopped: Pioneer Pantry Edition competition.

Based on the Food Network show, the culinary event will feature four teams competing against each other to be named the best in dorm room cooking.

Teams of students will include Residence Life, Campus Activity Board, the rugby team and a fourth team of miscellaneous students.

“We wanted to find teams of people that are recognizable on campus,” Reale said.

These teams will be using food found in the Pantry to make both a main dish and a dessert with college limitations. With only a microwave to cook with, the teams are expected to get creative.

“It’s up to them to decide with the materials they have, with the food they have, what they can make realistically,” Downing said. “Part of the challenge to us from Heather was to know that there are certain limitations if you’re living in a dorm room to being able to cook and use the food that’s in the food bank.”

Senior public relations and advertising major Gigi Hoffman was part of the logistics team within the class.

She says the set up of the event will be fun, but will also send a great message to students

about food insecurity.

“There’s only going to be like three items in the teams’ baskets, and they’ll have about two hot plates and three microwaves,” Hoffman said. “They’re just going to have to figure out a meal with that. We’re not telling them what to make.”

“Celebrity guest judges” will judge the team’s’ creations and decide winners. Among those judges is Fiedler and her sons, as well as professors Helen Fallon and Bob O’Gara.

Aside from the main competition, information tables about the Pantry will be set up and raffle drawings will be taking place throughout the duration of the event.

Students can enter the raffle for free and increase their chances by donating nonperishable food items, signing up to volunteer, answering trivia questions or visiting other tables.

A pre-event booth was set up outside of the Point Café Oct. 18 to provide information about both the event and the Pantry. Students who stopped by the booth were able to receive donuts and coffee donated by Dunkin Donuts.

Students of Downing’s class all said the same about the goal of the event. While it is fun, at its core, it is about raising awareness about food insecurity and the Pioneer Pantry.

“A good bit of Point Park students both on and off campus are food insecure,” Hoffman said. “Students need to be aware of that and need to understand this is an issue. It’s not embarrassing to get food from the Pioneer Pantry, it’s helpful.”

Chopped: Pioneer Pantry Edition will take place Nov. 18 from 5-7 p.m. in Lawrence Hall Lobby and is free for all students.

Kelsey Wolfe kjwolfe@pointpark.edu

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Frats, sororities part of university past

By Nicole Pampena Co-News Editor

In October 1966, Ed Meena decided to join Point Park’s Alpha Delta Iota (ADI) fraternity, reasoning that “it was something to do.”

Early 1970s alumni Charla and Greg Chiappelli met with a group of their old Greek life friends only a few weeks ago.

Darlene and Angelo Spagnolo credit their 42 years of marriage back to the day she asked him to a sorority semi-formal.

Each of them reminisced and referred to those days as “simpler times.”

Throughout the 1960s, over a dozen Greek life organizations were alive and well on Point Park’s two-building campus. Although their presence disappeared by the late 70s after declining finances and interest, the impact and lifelong friendships remain.

Online Extra: Check out archived footage from Tau Theta Phi’s annual canoe race, from more than 40 years ago, on our website: PPUGlobe.com “Why were fraternities created in the first place?” said Meena, a current professor of history and 1970 graduate. “Well, the name says it all. It was a fraternal organization where you developed relationships with other men that you went to school with that lasted a lifetime.”

According to Phill Harrity, the university access services and archival coordinator, the earliest records

of Greek life date back to the medical fraternity Mu Sigma in 1960. By the school’s second birthday, three more groups were added.

While the numbers fluctuated through the years, each group had an estimated 20-40 members.

Pledging one sorority, Sigma Delta Sigma (SDS) was as easy as paying regular membership dues and saying the Greek alphabet three times on a match then lighting it.

ADI held an induction ceremony and celebrated afterwards at a pub on Third Avenue; if members wanted, they could pay $15 for a Letterman jacket.

What they didn’t get was their own housing.

“Frats in our day were basically a certain table at the snack bar,” Mr. Spagnolo said, a 1976 alumnus and member of Sigma Tau Gamma.

The Spagnolos were both commuters who found a sense of belonging by participating in Greek life.

“It was basically a way for us to mesh with the college,” said Mrs. Spagnolo, a SDS member who graduated in 1975. “Every frat had its own table.”

Even how the Spagnolos first met was simple, and it began at that same place in the basement of Academic Hall.

“When I first saw my wife, [it] was in the snack bar at Point Park College,” Mr. Spagnolo said.

He recalls wanting to ask her out, but never actually going through with it because he “heard she turned down other guys.”

When a semi-formal dance came around for SDS, she

Nicole Pampena | The Globe A letterman jacket for the fraternity Alpha Delta Iota preserved by the university archives.

ended up asking him.

“The girls asked the guys; we hung out together,” Mrs. Spagnolo said. “I wasn’t taking anyone seriously and I thought he was cute.”

On top of these events, being an active member could have meant dressing up during rush week and eating fancy desserts at a tea party or playing pickup football at Schenley Oval, where the losing team bought the winners a half a keg.

“They would hold their events, not so much community service back then,” Meena said. “They did have a tradition. They pushed the dean of students around in a bathtub around town collecting money for the old Newsboys Fund, which was some kind of local charity and people would throw money in the bathtub.”

As for the party scene, 1972 graduate and SDS member Charla Chiappelli summed it up: “College was college and people had their way of finding alcohol.”

“You drank Iron City and IC Light because it was the cheapest, not necessari-

ly because it was any good,” Meena said.

Back then, Meena described things as “looser” with “less rules and regulations.” Back then, $20 took care of the entire evening and a half a keg wasn’t a lot of money.

But back then, there were no hazing issues. “College was college,” but the rules were seldom abused.

“I think you can have people doings things, but I don’t think you can have people doing things with lethal alcohol levels,” Mrs. Chiappelli said.

“We never did that,” said Greg Chiappelli, an ADI member from the class of 1972. “Nobody forced us to drink that much.”

Mr. Spagnolo has mixed feelings regarding Greek life today.

“Things have changed in our society so much,” Mr. Spagnolo said. “You have a great prevalence of drug use and hazing to the point where people have lost their lives.”

Meena mentions his experiences with ADI going to the University of Miami three years in a row for

spring break. They stayed in the frat houses down there and went to the beach, but nobody got in trouble or hurt or arrested.

“You’ve got to use [your] common sense,” Meena said. “It’s not a measure of someone’s manhood depending on how many boilermakers, whiskey and beers, they can drink.”

It was common sense.

It was simple. It was “just fun.”

For Charla Chiappelli, joining a sorority meant being with her friends— friends she and her husband still keep in touch with today.

“I was probably the last to conform, so to speak,” Mrs. Chiappelli said. “It became the thing to do…I knew everybody; I felt that it was neat to belong to something.”

And as for Darlene Spagnolo, her favorite memory from four years in a sorority is as simple as the times back then: “Meeting my husband.”

Nicole Pampena nmpampe@pointpark.edu

Student begins independent pet-sitting business

‘Auntie Alex’s Pet Sitting’ makes busy pet owners’ lives easier

By Carley Bonk

Co-Features Editor

Pets have always been an essential part of Alex Trybus’ life.

Growing up with Australian cattle dogs - Nicki and Jolene - helped her develop a desire to not only

love and care for her own animals but for others as well.

As a student, Trybus needed a job that fit her busy schedule yet allowed the opportunity to dive into something she was passionate about.

Auntie Alex’s Pet Sit-

Carley Bonk | The Globe Alex Trybus, owner of Auntie Alex’s Pet Sitting, takes Lincoln, a beagle mix, out for a walk in Mount Lebanon on Oct. 25.

ting, an independent business that fills 12 to 15 hours of Trybus’ week, developed out a dream to spend her free moments with furry friends in the neighborhood.

“I usually take them on little half-hour walks to get them some exercise,” Trybus said in an interview during a pet visit on Oct 24.

“Sometimes I’ll give them lunch or dinner or I’ll just play with them.”

Aaron Comport, Trybus’ boyfriend, usually tags along on her house visits once or twice a week. A dog owner himself, his black Labrador retriever / Great Dane mix is named Sheldon, after a main character in the television show Big Bang Theory.

“I think Alex loves my dog more than me sometimes,” Comport said with a laugh in a phone interview on Nov 1. “She had the drive to start her own business and I’m so proud of her for that.”

Trybus started her path to pet sitting by volunteering at the Western PA Humane Society in the West End. “I walked dogs, played with them and made sure they were [social],” Trybus said. “I really, really enjoyed that.”

Wanting to branch into

dog-walking professionally, Trybus signed up with Rover, a website that connects walkers with owners that need their dogs taken care of while they are out.

After working with Rover for a few months, Trybus was ready to take the leap and open her own business.

“A lot of my clients followed me from Rover, so that was really nice,” Trybus said.

“I think Alex loves my dog more than me sometimes.”

Aaron Comport

Graduate Student Criminal Justice Dept.

One of those clients is Brandon McCleary, a certified public accountant who resides in Moon Township with two dachshunds named Pepper and Tucker.

“She has a good relationship with the dogs,” McCleary said in a phone interview on Nov 1. “When I moved from Carnegie to Moon, I didn’t have enough time on my lunch break to go home to see them she’s a great person to have around when you’re work-

ing all day.”

Trybus was nervous at first, because the app tracked where she would walk clients’ dogs.

“I was worried that it wasn’t going to be long enough or the right route, but I sent it over to them and they loved it,” Trybus said.

The job has its fair share of “feel-good moments,” according to Trybus.

“I have some lovely stories,” Trybus said. “I pet sit for one family that just adores me; they sent me a little Christmas card from the dogs and cats as a thank you.”

Pet sitting isn’t all puppy kisses and Christmas messages though - it’s a lot of responsibility, according to Trybus.

“His brother is one that likes to wander,” Trybus said gesturing to Tucker, a docile black Labrador retriever laying across her lap. “One time Ryder saw a deer in the woods and took off after it. It was winter, and I had to go get him and bring him back.”

When she’s not walking dogs, volunteering, in class or with her own pup, Trybus markets her business at vendor shows throughout the area.

PETS page 5

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Film student nets awards, film fest entries

By Kimberly Keagy For The Globe

Kelly Tran was astonished when she received first place at the first film festival she ever entered.

“You Will Love Again” led Tran to a nomination for a Teen Indie Award.

Tran was the second freshman in the festival’s history to be entered in Point Park’s LA Showcase.

These events make up the success story of the sophomore cinema production major already thriving as she pursues a career in the film industry.

Tran began writing and producing short movies at an early age in her hometown of North Huntingdon, Pa. Music has been a passion of Tran’s her entire life.

“I always considered music to be my first love and something that was the thing that I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Tran said. “And filmmaking and television in general was always a comfort for me. So, I always considered that to be like my best friends [filmmaking] compared to my loves of my life [music].”

During her senior year, Tran’s mom told her music was not a steady enough career field to pursue. Struggling with a backup plan, Tran’s dad suggested she should be a director.

“I was like yeah, okay, I could probably do that,” Tran said. “Once I set my mind to something I do it the best ability that I can. Since I made music and wrote songs, it felt like another medium of storytelling.”

Tran spent her summer vacations watching at least two movies a day. Other than picking and watching movies that received Oscar nominations, Tran had no technical production experience.

“Just from watching

from PETS page 4 “I sell little handmade dog treats [flavored] like peanut butter, banana and apple; people love them because they’re homemade,” Trybus said. “I have safety brochures too with tips on walking your dogs and keeping them safe and healthy.”

Auntie Alex’s Pet Sitting is an endeavor that

those movies, I learned how to shoot and what I wanted my style to be,” Tran said.

“And making more movies is how you get the experience.”

Tran created “You Will Love Again,” for her college portfolio and entered it into the Carnegie Mellon International Film Fest, her first film festival ever. Tran won a $15,000 scholarship to Point Park University, but most of all, the support of her parents for her new career path.

“My 17th birthday wish was that I would figure out what I was doing for the rest of my life because I knew I wasn’t going pursue music anymore I said, ‘Please God, give me a sign,’” Tran said.

“And when I won that contest and another one three months later I knew this is what I was supposed to do.”

“The feeling of being nominated was just like a hug...”

Kelly Tran

Cinema Production Major, Point Park University

Tran received an email that “You Will Love Again,” was selected for Steeltown’s Take a Shot Film Festival Entertainment in the high school division.

Tran could not attend the festival due to a previous commitment, but found out later she had won Best High School Film and was invited to attend the Ellie Awards.

“When I found out I won first place I was just blown away because I felt like this one had more combrings Trybus one step closer to her dream.

“I think the end goal is owning my own dog boarding house,” Trybus said as Tucker licked her cheek.

“I just love the idea of being with dogs and helping out when their owners are away.”

Carley Bonk cmbonk@pointpark.edu

Accompanying video online at ppuglobe.com

petition than the first one because the first one [film festival] had only three entries but this one had 50 to 60, and it made me feel special,” Tran said. “I got a check for $1,500 which was fantastic because I thought wow, ‘I’m making money doing this now.’”

Tran’s films, “You Will Love Again” and “Conflict of All Ages” were official selections for The All American High School Film Festival which led to a nomination for a Teen Indie Award for the best experimental award for “You Will Love Again.”

“The feeling of being nominated was just like a hug, like someone saying, ‘Good job girl, you’re working, you’re grinding and it’s all worth something and because making art is a lot it is for you, but you hope people notice too,’” Tran said.

During the spring semester of her freshman year, Tran had two films selected to be a part of Point Park University’s LA Showcase, “Coffee” and “Love & Goodwill.”

Five to seven films are chosen by faculty and outside professionals to be screened in an hour-long showcase in Los Angeles where industry professionals and Point Park alums are invited to watch, according to Noel Schermaier, assistant to the chair of cinema and digital arts.

“She’s the second person to ever be a freshman to get into our showcase in the history of running that, not only to have one film but two films. That was pretty exceptional,” Schermaier said. “I think for her she had really good technical skills but it was really what was at the heart. Both stories had so much heart to it, that’s what people really reacted to.”

Laura Boyd, an assistant professor of the cinema arts

Carley Bonk | The Globe Kelly Tran is currently working on her newest film, “Nail Salon Dreams.”

department, believed Tran had the ultimate win for a filmmaker by her second film of film school, “Love & Goodwill.”

“As a filmmaker, you’re trying to get people have an emotional response and crying is the ultimate, and laughing is one thing, it’s easier to get people to laugh. If you have people having a genuine emotional response to your films, then you figured out how to hit the nerve, you figured out how to connect with people through filmmaking and get that emotion.” Boyd said.

“And she figured that out by her second film in film school.”

Lauren Balint, a sophomore cinema production major, really thinks Tran’s sense of humor is what makes her stand out as a student and a friend.

“Working with Kelly, it’s great. She’s a very good director and a competent one. She really knows what

she wants,” Balint said.

“She is a great support system.”

Academically and professionally, Tran hopes to find a balance in all of her work.

“My main motto is to find a balance between heart and humor because I think doing something has to have both of those in it,” Tran said. “And to filmmakers –do not to take yourself so seriously, but make art like yours matter.”

Tran is producing her seventh film currently, “Nail Salon Dreams.” She interns at the Pittsburgh Film Office and she interns at the Pittsburgh Film Office and worked as the former photographer and videographer for the Point Park Honors Program.

Kimberly Keagy kakeagy@pointpark.edu

PIONEER PUBLIC

Jason McCune

By Matt Petras

Co-Features Editor

Jason McCune decided he was no longer going to act full-time after he started a family in Los Angeles. He applied to Point Park University’s MFA program and the Culinary and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. He was accepted to both.

“I had a choice to make and I chose the MFA,” McCune said in a phone interview Friday. “So if I chose the other one maybe I’d be a chef right now, I don’t know.”

McCune now teaches part-time at Point Park while still maintaining an acting career. “I can’t give up or quit being an actor,” he said.

The professor has per-

formed in a wide variety of roles, including those in film, television, plays and musicals. Recently, he played a recurring character in the television series “Outsiders” in both 2016 and 2017. He also had a role in “Fathers and Daughters,” a 2015 film starring Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried.

In 2013, he was part of the musical “1776” staged by the Pittsburgh Public Theater. The last time McCune, who graduated from Hanover College in 1992, did any musical acting was in high school.

He had to rack his brain when thinking back to high school. “Gosh,” he said.

“That was a long time ago.”

Still, he was able to re-

Gracey Evans | The Globe

member what it was like acting in high school.

“It’s funny, I don’t remember being nervous or scared,” he said. “I remember being excited and thinking, even back then, ‘this is great.’”

It seemed to him, at the time, that he found his calling.

“It was also the first thing I tried my hand at that I seemed to have any talent doing,” he said. “I was kind of a skinny kid. I was relatively coordinated but I wasn’t an athlete. This was something I just sort of naturally gravitated toward.”

Matt Petras mapetra@pointpark.edu

Check out the “Pioneer Public” video online at ppuglobe.com

6

OPINIONS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017

THE

GL BE’S POINT

Where are all the voters now?

Yesterday was Election Day. Across the nation, people voted for their local council members, district judges and mayors.

Odds are you didn’t vote in that election. Perhaps you didn’t know it was even happening.

We at the Globe understand the basic civics concept that government starts at the smallest level - your local officials drive the decisions that impact you the most daily.

Exactly one year ago, droves of people headed to the polls to vote in the 2016 presidential election. Or at least they were mad on Facebook about it, seeing as 70 percent of registered voters voted in Allegheny county last year.

That turnout is pretty good - but that’s only 70 percent of the registered voters, not the total amount of eligible Americans.

When the primaries were held in May, the Post-Gazette headline read “Allegheny County voter turnout for primary races among lowest in a decade.” That turnout rate?

17.2 percent.

That’s a referendum that does not paint a pretty picture.

It says the most base level decisions are being made by an incredibly small percentage of people. Elections are based on a majority rule - and when you parse that 17.2 percent out, it means you only need 8.6 percent of people to elect someone.

The most basic way to have a say in the governance of this country is to vote. It costs nothing, yet we find time and time again the majority of voters only bother to show up every two or four years.

Let’s look at this inaction and use it as motivation to get out to the polls in May and November every year.

We see fairly often in these opinion pages people passionate about supporting causes they believe in.

Wouldn’t it be great if we remained loud and let our elected officials know what we believe in?

This isn’t a call to run for school board, but rather to keep tabs on how the borough council or county council is using your taxes. If you didn’t vote in the election this go around, you can still hold those elected officials up to the light.

The Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu.

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Dear Pittsburgh, feed your residents Downtown residents hungry for a grocery store

By Carrie Reale For the Globe

We need to talk about how the neighborhood of Downtown Pittsburgh is trying to starve its residents. But not all of its residents, just the ones that can’t afford the $7 grape package at Market Street Grocery, conveniently located in the heart of Downtown.

It’s safe to say that any establishment that contains a coffee bar, a wine bar, gourmet lunch options and in-store macaron samples is not a functional grocery store for students, not to mention it is so small that you can’t even use a grocery cart.

Don’t get me wrong, Market Street Grocery is a nice place. I love going and entering the raffle to win free macarons for the 53rd time (and never winning), but that’s the extent of my experience in the tiny, well-lit store.

What I need (and what we need) as students and residents of the Golden Triangle is a full-functioning grocery store that is within walking distance of where we live. Whether you live on or off campus, I would hope that we can at least agree on that fact.

I’m tired of relying on public transportation for this. I’m tired of carrying heavy groceries to the bus stop, on the bus, then back to my apartment. I’m

tired of having to pay someone (or something) to take me to the grocery store. And while the shopping shuttles are a gift from the university, they’re only offered at specific times every week.

The reality is that Downtown Pittsburgh is a growing, expanding area, both culturally and residentially. According to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), the population of the Golden Triangle in 2000 was 2,576. However, as I’m sure we can can guess, that number has increased over the past 17 years. As of 2016, the most recent report done by the PDP, the estimated population of the Golden Triangle is over 5,000 residents.

Considering that my tiny central Pennsylvania hometown of 8,104 people needs three large, fully functioning and separate grocery stores to keep it running, I think one grocery store for 5,000+ residents would be worthwhile.

Don’t you think?

Take some time and day dream with me for a second.

It’s 4 p.m. and you’re done with classes for the day. You start thinking about dinner, and you think about what is in your cabinet. Maybe it’s a can of soup, a box of mac n’ cheese or a piece of bread. You think about what’s in your freezer, and then quickly turn away from the thought.

You decide to make the short walk down to the corner of Smithfield and Forbes where the four-story tall Macy’s department store once stood.

Now it’s a two floor grocery store...with an escalator. You get what you need and return back to campus or the place from which you commute, eager to make yourself a nice, non-expired dinner.

But wait.

That dream is far from a reality, because instead of turning that space into a grocery store where the 5,000+ Downtown residents can buy food, it is a complex of fancy restaurants, luxury apartments and chic office spaces.

I’m not saying that if we added a grocery store in in this very moment that it would be a bustling business. We can’t know for sure how well a grocery store would be received

by Downtown from a business perspective. All I’m saying is our neighborhood is on the rise.

It’s slowly but swiftly migrating towards being a residential area that will hopefully, someday, stay open later than 7 p.m.. As more and more plans of luxury apartments are made, when are wishes for a grocery store going to become a reality?

Carrie Reale ckreale@pointpark.edu

Hollywood needs to take allegations more seriously Spacey allegations bring sexual harassment to light again

By Lauren Ortego Co-Copy Desk Chief

Over the past month, accusations against Hollywood bigwig Harvey Weinstein have been what seems to be an ever-constant flow. The multitude of allegations have brought to light the systematic sexual harassment that women in the industry face, and have faced for decades.

With that being said, last week, Anthony Rapp, best known for his role in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Rent,” recounted a story involving Kevin Spacey, a party and a life of agonizingly watching his predator rise to fame.

Following Rapp’s story, Spacey tweeted a short, two paragraph response in which he both denied remembering coming on to the then 14-year-old Rapp and came out as a gay man.

If you Google “worst times/ways to come out,” this story should show up at the top right after “your mom finding and reading your Grindr messages at the start of cuffing season.”

Sexual harassment is nothing to take lightly, es-

pecially the sexual harassment of a minor. Spacey was 26-years-old when he had the encounter with Rapp.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 63,000 children are sexually assaulted, abused and harassed every year. That equals out to one in nine girls experiencing sexual assault and one in 53 boys.

It’s inexcusable. Even if you were drunk.

I’ve been drunk, and I think a fair amount of people in this country can say the same, and many of us don’t suddenly feel the overwhelming need to sexually harass anyone, especially minors. And trust me, I’ve done some pretty ridiculous things when drunk, including splitting my dining room table in half more than once.

On top of excusing his own behavior, Spacey decided this was the best time to finally address what has been speculated for years his sexuality.

It was a manipulative move.

Spacey knows that for as long as he’s been in the public eye, people have

wanted to know how he sexually identifies, and for the same amount of time he has claimed that his private life is just that - private.

But he came to the conclusion that now was the right moment to finally say out loud that he is a gay man. I have no problem with that. I have a problem with him making this announcement to distract from the real problem of him sexually harassing a minor.

“We should take accusations seriously, but when it’s a beloved person, we never want to,” Lauren Ortego Copy Editor

What’s even worse? It kind of worked.

The media obviously hopped on to this story,

but the focus for many was Spacey being gay, not being creepy towards a young teenager. That highlights the problem, and why so many victims don’t feel like coming forward with their stories.

There are always arguments when someone with a name that holds weight is accused of anything like sexual assault, drug abuse, rape, etc. Arguments about whether or not the person making the accusations is telling the truth, or trying to get a nice chunk of change from a lawsuit. And that’s bad.

We should take accusations seriously, but when it’s a beloved person, we never want to, and that’s especially true with celebrities.

It took a lot for Rapp to tell his story; it’s been something that has haunted him for most of his life.

It became increasingly worse as he realized that Spacey was not going away, and in fact gained fame as the decades went on.

I know there are people out there who ask why victims don’t come forward as soon as it happens, or wait long periods of time. The bullying that comes after-

wards, the people trying to invalidate your experience, having to face your harasser or abuser, all of it can be overwhelming.

Hollywood has a problem, and no, it’s not cocaine (okay, maybe it’s cocaine).

Sexual harassment needs to be addressed. Rapp expressed in the Buzzfeed News article that broke the story that he hopes coming forward can help others who have had similar experiences come forward, as well.

And it worked.

Eight people have now told stories mirroring Rapp’s experience with Spacey, and society did its job.

Since then, Spacey has been dropped by his publicist, filming for his Netflix series “House of Cards” has been suspended for the time being and a Netflix original film he was involved with has had its release postponed.

Spacey was essentially shut out of Hollywood following the stories, and it has been both shocking and refreshing.

I can’t wait to see Kevin James replace him.

Lauren Ortego leorteg@pointpark.edu

Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967 Editor-in-Chief: Alexander Popichak Editor-Elect: Emily Bennett Business Manager: Autumn Barszczowski Faculty Adviser: Dr. Steven Hallock Administrative Adviser: Dean Keith Paylo The Globe board consists of Alexander Popichak, Emily Bennett and fellow editors. Opinion articles, letters to the editor, columns and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the position of the newspaper or editorial board. The Globe reserves the right to refuse advertising and edit all submitted articles and letters to the editor. Letters to the editor must be signed and include author’s contact information. The Globe offices are located in rooms 710 and 712 Lawrence Hall.

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Carmen Amadio, Copy Editor Robert Berger, Co-News Editor Sabrina Bodon, Online Editor Carley Bonk, Co-Features Editor Lauren Clouser, Copy Editor Dara Collins, Co-Sports Editor Rania Draklellis, Layout Editor Josh Croup, Co-Sports Editor, Editor Emeritus Gracey Evans, Photo Editor Shelby Fink, Copy Editor Sarah Gibson, Copy Editor Casey Hoolahan, Social Media Coordinator Nick Horwat, Co-A&E Editor, Copy Editor Allison Hritz, Staff Photographer Eva Humphreys, Copy Editor Chloe Jakiela, Staff Photographer Madison Kelkis, Copy Editor Nikole Kost, Photo Editor Mary Moses, Copy Editor

Kayla Novak, Copy Editor Hannah O’Toole, Social Media Coordinator Isabelle Opsitos, Graphic Designer Lauren Ortego, Co-Copy Desk Chief Sarah Pais, Copy Editor Nicole Pampena, Co-News Editor Heather Peloza, Copy Editor, Delivery Assistant Matt Petras, Co-Features Editor Veronica Rodriguez, Graphic Designer Allison Schubert, Copy Editor Zac Seymour, PR and Marketing Coordinator Jordan Slobodinsky, Co-Opinions Editor Kayla Snyder, Co-Copy Desk Chief Michael Stinelli, Co-A&E Editor Mike Turk, Staff Writer Beth Turnbull, Co-Opinions Editor Hannah Walden, Copy Editor, USG Beat Writer Kelsey Wolfe, Copy Editor Alexa Yanyanin, Public Relations Coordinator

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

CROUP’S CORNER

By Josh Croup

Sports Columnist

Proud Pioneer after the first “last” of year

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017

7

XC CHAMPIONS

Women race to RSC title, men finish 2nd to claim spot at NAIA nationals

By Emily MacIntyre For the Globe

I knew my senior year was going to be full of “lasts” before it began, but I don’t think I was ready for my first big last moment on Saturday.

The soccer season officially came to an end Saturday as the men’s and women’s teams fell in the River States Conference (RSC) quarterfinal matchups.

The women hosted Ohio Christian in a rematch of last year’s RSC Championship in front of their home fans under the lights at Highmark Stadium.

The 8 p.m. start time was the latest on the schedule this season for Point Park due to four high school championship games that preceded the RSC playoff game. Two of those games went into overtime, so Point Park’s game didn’t get underway until close to 8:40 p.m., which was by far the latest start time for a game that I have covered in my four years.

110 minutes of soccer later, there was no score.

We haven’t seen a similar game played by Point Park since 2013. The last time the Pioneers were scoreless through two overtime periods was during the 2013 conference semifinals at Carlow. Point Park won 5-3 in a shootout.

Everyone in the press box and in the stands waited anxiously for that first penalty kick to try and decide the game. The teams huddled and slowly made their way out to midfield with the game’s two goalies waiting by the net.

Only those two goalies stayed in front of the net for the start of the shootout, with Point Park’s sophomore goalkeeper Ashtyn Webb lining the ball up to take the first kick.

Webb had the game of her career, making 10 saves throughout the 110 minutes, some acrobatic, some easy and some daring, but all kept Point Park in the game.

Why not let her take the first shot?

She scored.

It seemed like the first step towards what would be a magical ending to Point Park’s grueling battle with Ohio Christian, which bested the Pioneers 3-2 during the regular season. Instead, Point Park was on the wrong side of the decisive shootout, dropping the game 4-2 on penalty kicks.

The amount of heart and fight shown by Point Park Saturday was remarkable. No, the Pioneers won’t three-peat as conference champions, but they let the rest of the conference know that they’re not going away anytime soon.

There are few words to describe the pain felt by a season-ending loss. Even though Point Park didn’t win, I was so incredibly

proud to be a Pioneer on Saturday.

As I prepared to sign off from the broadcast on the Point Park Sports Network, it hit me. That was my last time covering a soccer game for Point Park.

The soccer teams hold a special place in my Point Park journey. When I was a freshman, I got a text from an upperclassman asking if I was available to run a camera for the broadcast.

The game was starting in 20 minutes.

I ran to Highmark Stadium from my Thayer Hall dorm room hoping to arrive on time and to make a decent impression. The next thing I knew, I was broadcasting games regularly, interviewing players on the field after games and putting together highlight packages of games.

One of my fondest memories came during my sophomore year.

Point Park had an amazing run during the regular season that eventually led to another RSC Championship appearance.

The Pioneers went back and forth in a scoreless game against West Virginia Tech that November afternoon and won on a penalty kick towards the end of regulation.

I was on the field shooting video of the entire game and was with the team as it celebrated the program’s first conference title on the field. I captured the postgame huddles, the coach’s water cooler bath and several interviews with gleaming players afterwards.

It was the only championship I got to cover firsthand during my four years at the school and I’ll never forget that afternoon.

I’ll never forget the press box memories, the walks to Highmark Stadium with way too much equipment or the mistakes that I made on the air that ultimately made me better in the end.

The soccer teams here really gave me my first shot in broadcasting. When I signed off at the end of the game Saturday well past 11 p.m., a flood of all those memories had rushed through my mind.

The end was not ideal, but the journey was amazing. I’m glad that my last game I had the privilege of covering at Highmark Stadium was one where the players showed the heart, fight and passion that it takes to wear a Point Park uniform.

That tradition is something that will never have a “last” moment.

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu

Last weekend the Pioneers came out on top at the 2017 River States Conference (RCS) Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championship at Asbury University in Kentucky.

The women’s team were the champions of the meet, coming in first place of 12 teams. Junior Anna Shields took first place with a time of 18 minutes, 22 seconds in the 5K, setting a new course record. Shields also won RSC’s Runner of the Year, while head coach Kelly Parsley won RSC Coach of the Year.

“I’m very proud of the team; I think that they handled the conditions well and didn’t let it intimidate them,” Shields said. “Kara Rohlf fell, and still finished 12th for an All-Conference spot.”

Junior Kara Rohlf was one of four other runners to earn all-conference honors, along with Shields, placing in 12th with a time of 20 minutes and 47 seconds. Just after freshmen Alyssa Boyd in ninth place with 20 minutes and 22 seconds and Kayla Roberts in 10th place with 20 minutes and 33 seconds and was followed by freshman Kylie Archibeque in 14th place with 21 minutes.

“For myself, I was reminded of why cross country is a world away from track.”

Shields said. “Different runners are advantaged and disadvantaged by different courses. I’m much better on firm ground. I think the team as a whole ran better than ever, and it was a good day to do it.”

The Men’s team came in second place of 12 teams, also earning them a spot at nationals. Sophomore Xavier Stephens lead the team as the top runner coming in fifth place with a time of 27 minutes and 42 seconds followed by Chris Hunt in 10th place with a time of 28 minutes and 23 seconds and Desmond Marrow in 13th place with 28 minutes 27 seconds.

Kelly Parsley | Submitted Photo Junior Anna Shields was named RSC Runner of the Year and All-Conference First Team at the RSC Meet. She also placed first in the competition.

“It feels good, I did a lot of training in the summer and have improved a lot this year,” Xavier Stephens said when asked about being top runner.

“The course was pretty wet and muddy, a few people fell in the race,” Stephens said.

“I think the team as a whole ran better than ever, and it was a good day to do it.”

Anna Shields

Junior, Point Park Women’s Cross Country

Conditions that day were unanimously declared not ideal by the runners.

“It was raining leading up to the day of the race, so the course was very muddy in parts, but thankfully the course wasn’t too torn up,” freshman Cole D’Alicandro said. “Obviously we would have liked to get first place as a team, but the guy’s team is so glad to have gotten second place. It felt great being on the team. I feel like everyone really made all of us freshmen and transfer students feel right at home.”

Both teams move on to compete next at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Championship meet in Vancouver, Wash. Nov. 18.

Emily MacIntyre emacin@pointpark.edu

Kelly Parsley | Submitted Photo The men’s cross country team was the runner-up at the RSC Championship Meet and qualified for nationals. Xavier Stephens, Chris Hunt and Desmond Marrow were the top three finishers for the men.

8

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Penalty kicks after 110 scoreless minutes end women’s soccer’s quest for three-peat

hold its own going forward.

Players like Mitchell Roell, who had a surprisingly great season for a freshman, and Whitley will become the head of the offense. Yuki Takeda and Bentley, who are both sophomores, will continue to hold down a strong defense.

Look for the Pioneers to be just as strong of a force next year as they were this year.

goalie had scored a goal.

After four additional rounds of penalty kicks, OCU advanced 4-2, taking the win back to Ohio. The Trailblazers will face Asbury University in the RSC semifinals.

“We did not play our game,” Kuhn said. “We did not play well at all. We were lucky, I thought, to get out of regulation 0-0.”

This loss ended the Pioneers’ streak of three consecutive winning seasons.

The last time the Point Park women’s soccer team went to a match that resulted in penalty kicks was in 2013 against Carlow, when Point Park advanced 5-3, sending them to the then-Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) tournament finals.

The season was one to grow on for those returning next year.

“I was extremely proud of myself for how I played throughout the season,” Webb said. “Some games were more rough than others, but I grew as a player throughout the season and didn’t give up when times were difficult and that’s all I can ask from myself.”

For the seniors, it was their last time in a Point Park uniform.

“When your last game comes, you will instantly have this ‘It’s all over – I can’t believe it’s all over.’ thought,” senior Noel Hartle said. “For me, it was a wave of incredible sadness.”

For all of this year’s Pioneers, it was a season full of memories that will last a lifetime.

“I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved as a team,” Webb said. “I’m just grateful that I got to be the keeper and have them play in front of me all season.

I’ll miss the seniors that are leaving and it sucks not going further than we did, but we had a hell of a season.”

Nick Horwat njhorwa@pointpark.edu

Allison Schubert alschub@pointpark.edu

By Allison Schubert Copy Editor

Sophomore goalkeeper Ashtyn Webb made 10 saves and scored on a penalty kick in the shootout of the River States Conference (RSC) tournament quarterfinals against Ohio Christian University (OCU), but it was not enough to advance the Pioneers to the next round.

The last time Point Park met the Trailblazers was in Circleville, Ohio during the regular season. The Pioneers struck first in that game, but ultimately could not come back after OCU struck three times in a row, defeating Point Park 3-2.

This time, there was more to play for.

The No. 6 Trailblazers and No. 3 Pioneers were practically even through 110 minutes of play with 17 shots for OCU and 16 shots for Point Park through all 90 minutes of regulation and two overtime periods. None of the shots found the back of the net on either side.

Webb was able to make several athletic saves to keep the Pioneers in the game.

“Ashtyn Webb was out-

Sam Robinson | Point Park Athletics Sophomore midfielder Doreen Clark kicks the ball to a teammate on Saturday during the River States Conference Tournament Quarterfinal. The Pioneers put up two penalty kicks to OCU’s four in the final shootout.

standing in goal,” head coach Maggie Kuhn said. “If she doesn’t make two or three huge saves, we’re not even in a position to compete or to win in penalty kicks. I give her all the credit.”

The scoreless game ultimately came down to penal-

ty kicks.

“I tried everything I possibly could have done to keep my team in the game,” Webb said. “I was praying that we would score before it came down to penalty kicks because during the entire game I was nervous, and that was

the one thing I didn’t want it to come down to.”

Webb made the first save and turned around to burry the first penalty kick past OCU goalkeeper Emily Boyd to put the Pioneers up 1-0.

It was the first time in Point Park history that a

WVU Tech tops men’s soccer on road in RSC quarterfinal matchup

By Nick Horwat Co-A&E Editor

The men’s soccer season was cut short on Saturday after suffering a 3-1 loss to West Virginia University (WVU) Tech in the River States Conference (RSC) quarterfinals.

The Pioneers were going into the playoffs after one of the best seasons in program history. Point Park won 11 games for just the fifth time in the program’s 29-year history.

The Pioneers also had

one of the hottest offenses in the RSC. Both Alan Ramos and Roberto Whitley were placed on the conference’s first team. They were also pretty stout defensively as sophomore Marc Bentley and junior Ryan Daniels made the RSC’s second team for defense and goalkeeping, respectively.

The game was played on the road at WVU Tech’s home field. Daniels was given the nod to start in net and was able to stop 12 of 15 shots on goal.

The entire first half

Megan Bixler | Point Park Athletics Yuki Takeda, sophomore defender slides in to snatch the ball against his opponent during Point Park’s game against Rio Grande on Oct. 22. Point Park lost to West Virginia Tech 3-1 on the road in the conference quarterfinals.

went by and neither team was able to break through for the game’s first goal.

Daniels made four saves and WVU Tech’s Jose Domingo was able to hold off two shots.

In the game’s 51st minute, WVU Tech’s Francisco Neto was able to open up the scoring, 23 minutes would pass before WVU Tech scored again in the 74th minute.

Ten minutes later, Point Park finally found themselves on the board when senior Josh Williams scored on a free kick, making the score 2-1.

That would go on to be the Pioneers only goal as about a minute later WVU Tech would bounce back with another goal of their own. The game, and the Pioneers season, came to an end with a 3-1 score.

Despite losing in the opening round of the playoffs, some of the members are looking back on a great 2017 season, and looking ahead to be even better in 2018.

“It definitely is tough and unfortunate,” Daniels said. “But you just have to reflect on all of the positives from your season and move forward to make the needed changes.”

The guys on this team are a tight knit group of players who are not only teammates but lifelong friends. They want to come out next season stronger than this past season.

“No one is separate; everyone is friends with everyone,” Whitley said. “Everyone would run through a brick wall for a teammate.”

Despite losing key pieces next season in Ramos and Williams, the Pioneers have a young core that can

LAST WEEK’S SCOREBOARD OCT. 30 - NOV. 5 MEN’S SOCCER (11-6) (6-3) POINT PARK 1, WEST VIRGINIA TECH 3**.........................................Nov. 4 Goal: Williams (3)

WOMEN’S SOCCER (8-8-2) (5-3-1) OHIO CHRISTIAN 0, POINT PARK 0 (2OT)**......................................Nov. 4 Shootout PK: OHIO CHRISTIAN 4, POINT PARK 2 Goal: Webb, French (Shootout Penalty Kicks)

VOLLEYBALL (21-13) (10-6)

CARLOW 0, POINT PARK 3*...................................................................Oct. 31 POINT PARK 3, IUP 1................................................................................Nov. 4 Next: Nov. 10 @ Asbury RSC Tournament Quarterfinals

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RIVER STATES CONFERENCE MEET...................................................Nov. 4 Top 8K finishers: Stephens (27:42) Hunt (28:23), Marrow (28:27) Next: Nov. 18 @ NAIA National Championship Meet

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RIVER STATES CONFERENCE MEET...................................................Nov. 4 Top 5K finishers: Shields (18:22), Boyd (20:22) Roberts (20:33) Next: Nov. 18 @ NAIA National Championship Meet

MEN’S BASKETBALL (1-0) (0-0) POINT PARK 100, WILBERFORCE 94...................................................Oct. 30 Next: Nov. 8 @ PSU Greater Allegheny, Nov. 14 @ Lake Erie

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (2-1) (0-0) GEORGETOWN 68, POINT PARK 72.....................................................Nov. 5 Next: Nov. 8 @ PSU Greater Allegheny, Nov. 10 @ Mount Vernon Nazarene **River States Conference Playoff Game *River States Conference Game

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017

9

Volleyball preps for conference tournament

By Dara Collins Co-Sports Editor

Point Park volleyball wrapped up its regular season with two straight wins, and head coach Mike Bruno’s 13year career with the Pioneers ended last week.

The Pioneers hosted the Carlow Celtics in their final conference home game of the season last Tuesday. Point Park played Carlow earlier in the season and defeated the Celtics in four sets.

This time, the Pioneers only needed three. Point Park stole the match 25-13, 25-22 and 25-14.

“We let them come back a little in the middle of the match, but we took the momentum back very quickly and didn’t let them hang around,”

setter Julia Menosky said.

Point Park out-killed Carlow 32 to 21. Kills were spread across the net, and defensive specialist Jordan Dixon even chipped in one from the back row. Outside hitter Meg Reineke and middle hitter Destiny Tucker led the offense with eight kills each.

The game was also Bruno’s last home match as a Pioneer. The athletic department announced that Bruno was fired last Friday, one day before the last regular season match of the season. Assistant coach Bridget Bielich will serve as the head coach for the remainder of the season.

The Pioneers traveled to Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) for the final match-up of the season.

The NCAA Division II Crimson Hawks sit atop the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Southwest Division, but that was not a problem for Point Park.

The Crimson Hawks claimed an early lead, but the Pioneers took the following three sets 25-17, 15-20 and 2515 to conclude their season on a high note.

“All I can say is lighthearted and fun,” junior Ashley Taylor said. “We were joking around and laughing and just having so much fun to the point at some moments of the game, we didn’t even know we were up by so much.”

The Pioneers once again out-killed their opponent 4637. Power hitter Taylor captained the offense this match

with 17 kills and five more Pioneers chipped in a few of their own. Taylor finished the match with a double-double with ten digs, and Menosky completed her own double-double with an additional 10 digs and 34 assists.

“We also served very aggressive and only missed three serves total out of the whole match which is the least amount we missed all year,” Menosky said.

The Pioneers enter conference tournament weekend at 21-13 overall and 10-6 River States Conference (RSC). They are the No. 2 seed in the RSC East Division.

“We will do nothing differently than what we’ve been doing,” middle hitter Jazlyn Rozier said. “Circumstances

shouldn’t change our play, we just have to be mentally prepared for whatever comes our play.”

Indiana University East will host the tournament this weekend on Nov. 10 and 11.

The Pioneers play Asbury in the quarterfinal round to open the weekend.

“Looking back, this has been a roller coaster of a year, and we honestly deserve this in my opinion after all the hardships we’ve gone through together,” Taylor said. “So we will continue to ‘play for that young girl who fell in love with the game,’ as Coach B puts it, because this may be our last ride together.”

Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu

Pompeani father-daughter duo to talk TV industry

By Noah Strackbein For the Globe

Bob Pompeani graduated from Point Park University in 1982 and jumped right into a career at KDKA as a sports anchor.

Celina Pompeani graduated in 2013, and four years later would find herself as PensTV talent and KDKA’s morning traffic reporter, following her father’s footsteps.

Like father, like daughter, right?

The Pittsburgh Center

Celina Pompeani

Submitted Photo

for Sports Media and Marketing will host the two former graduates to speak on their compelling careers. Bob and Celina Pompeani will speak to students and faculty in the Lawrence Hall Ballroom on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. about their journeys from Point Park to the top of the Pittsburgh news scene.

For students attending the event, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to connect and understand what it takes to go from a Point Park student to one of the most iconic broadcasters in the area. While Bob and Celina have created their careers through different elements of their respective fields, they’ve used their education as a Pioneer to continue rising through the Pittsburgh media field.

“They’ve actually graduated from this college and showed you that you can get a job after college,” sophomore broadcast reporting student major Meghan Macioce said.

“Since they’re locals here in Pittsburgh, it makes it more of a personal event it becomes more of a personal event for everyone.”

While all Center for Sports Media and Marketing events provide insight for students, the Pompeanis will use their experience to enlighten students on the changing world of broadcasting. With new forms of social media constantly arising, Bob and Celina will explain how they’ve used the continuously changing trends to gain the upper hand throughout their careers.

“The topic of their presentation is the changing face of television and media, which is going to encompass everything from how broadcasting has changed for them in the way of how they share their information and how broadcasters now have to have a social media presence,” Center for Sports Media and Marketing Graduate Assistant Dani McSweeney said. “Broadcasting is still broadcasting and you have to do your work on TV, but at the same time, you’re not going to be successful if you don’t incorporate the social media and new media trends, too.”

Compared to other events the Center for Sports Media and Marketing has hosted,

the Pompeani’s hold a special place. As two of Point Park’s most notable alumni, sharing their success provides a personal connection other guest speakers have not been able to share with students.

“This is probably going to be the best event that we’ve had this year just because the past two have been great and had a lot of information, but Bob and Celina are both presenters by nature,” McSweeney said. “They’re Point Park alumni, they are Pittsburgh personalities, so they’re people who are recognizable and are big deals in the city.”

Even if the Pompeanis are no longer working within the Point Park system and have found their success through different aspects of their profession, they bring an original characteristic: the same starting point.

Point Park has a successful reputation, Bob and Celina are only two of the many success stories. For many students, that’s why they choose to continue their education as Pioneers. Now they get to listen to the insights of two people who have been where they

Bob Pompeani

Submitted Photo

are and have turned their experience into the dreams they were chasing when they first stepped on campus.

“It’s good that they brought alumni, because it proves you can create a big name in a sports realm or the selective realm that you want to be in through Point Park’s education,” Center for Sports Media and Marketing Student Advisory Board m ember Kyle Kuhns said.

Noah Strackbein nstrac@pointpark.edu

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10

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Key assets return to women’s basketball team to mix with deep roster, new recruits

By Allison Schubert Copy Editor

Women’s basketball head coach Tony Grenek is going into this year looking for an improvement from last season, the first time his team missed the playoffs since his arrival at Point Park in 2011.

Ten players from that team return to this season’s 18-player roster in hopes of making it to the playoffs this year.

Leading the returners are two full-time starters, seniors Maryssa Agurs and Baylee Buleca. Agurs averaged 11 points per game last year and Buleca led the team in rebounds.

“This year, you can expect a lot of grinding out,” Buleca said. “We have a pretty deep team this year, so if one person is down a little bit, we have somebody else to back them up. We have a lot of girls that are willing to put in the hard work this year.”

Also joining the returners this year is 6-foot forward Sam Weir, who started just five games at the beginning of last season before breaking her foot and missing out on the rest of the season.

Weir was an all-conference player her freshman year in 2013-14 and helped lead the Pioneers to an appearance in the national tournament. She played only five games her sophomore year before a sea-

“I think the biggest key to win is to just play our game.”

Kaitlyn Smith Guard

Point Park Women’s Basketball

son-ending knee injury. She then transferred out of the program, but returned last year.

“It’s obviously huge that Sam Weir is back with us, who has been injury-prone the past few seasons,” Grenek said. “She makes a huge difference. Teams have to focus on her, which opens everything up.”

Senior captain Shaniya Rivers, junior Kaitlyn Smith and sophomore Tyra James are also among those coming back for a chance at the River States Conference (RSC) playoffs.

Despite a list of six seniors this season, Rivers was chosen by Grenek as sole captain of the team.

“Shaniya knows her role,” Grenek said. “She wants to win. She doesn’t care about her stats. She doesn’t care about her playing time. She can play positions one through five on the floor, even though she’s only 5-foot-4. She does whatever is asked of her and nobody works harder than Shaniya.

She is, without question, a deserved captain.”

Last year, Ja’Nia McPhatter, Carly Forse and Celina DiPietro all played their last games in a Point Park uniform. McPhatter and Forse both topped 1,000 career point last season and DiPietro was the sole player to start in all 30 games.

With another season also comes a new round of fresh faces, and this season the Pioneers welcomed two transfers and six freshmen.

The Pioneers added speed and height to their roster in transfers Nikki Corcoran, a guard from Pitt-Johnstown, and 6-foot3 forward Carly Lutz from Slippery Rock University.

“We have a lot of new faces, but I think where we are a step above a lot of teams in our section in how versatile we are,” Smith said. “We have quick guards, a lot of really strong

Gracey Evans | The Globe Junior guard Asim Pleas attempts a layup in a game against Villa Maria last season. The men won their season opener on Oct. 31 against Wilberforce.

posts - it allows us to play a different style of game. I’m just really excited to see where we can take this season.”

Point Park kicked off its season on the road at the Lawrence Tech Tipoff Classic in Detroit. The Pioneers came home with a 1-1 record to start their season, dropping their first game to Lawrence Tech 73-50, but topping the University of Michigan-Dearborn 72-56.

The Pioneers have just eleven home games this season, but this year “home” is a little different than normal.

For the past 20 years, the women’s basketball team called the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) South campus in West Mifflin its home – a 30-40-minute commute from Point Park. This season, the women will play their home games just five minutes from campus at CCAC Allegheny on the North Side.

The Pioneers played their home opener, and CCAC Allegheny debut, on Sunday afternoon against Georgetown College.

The Pioneers trailed 3633 at the half, but outscored the Tigers 23-12 in the third quarter to put them ahead 56-48.

The Tigers were able to make a comeback, but the Pioneers held them off and took the victory 72-68.

“Our senior season, our goal is to not lose at home, so it feels really good to get this first win under our belt,” Buleca said.

The game was one of

fouls and free throws; the Tigers had 36 team fouls, the Pioneers finished with 25. 28 of Point Park’s total points came from the charity stripe.

Freshman guard Michelle Burns and Buleca led the team with 12 points each. Buleca again led the Pioneers in rebounds with 22, just six shy of a team’s single-game record.

“I think the biggest key to win is to just play our game,” Smith said. “We, as many teams do, have a tendency to either play down to the level of our competition or to get caught up in the game that the opposing team wants us to play. If we play the game that we

are capable of playing, our style of play, the way that we practice every single day, no one can beat us. We could be unstoppable.”

In this season’s RSC Preseason Poll, Point Park is picked 8th out of the 13 total teams and next-to-last in the RSC East Division Poll, which is where the Pioneers finished the season last year.

The Pioneers play next on the road Wednesday evening at Penn State-Greater Allegheny and do not return home until their first conference game against Rio Grande Nov. 29.

Allison Schubert alschub@pointpark.edu

Sam Robinson | Point Park Athletics Maryssa Agurs dribbles the ball in a game last year at Point Park’s former home venue of CCAC South. Agurs returns after leading the team in scoring.

Men’s basketball looks to rebound from 8-20 season

By Derek Malush For the Globe

The Point Park men’s basketball team enters the 2017-18 season ranked 10th of the 13 teams in the River States Conference (RSC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll, as the Pioneers look to shift gears from last season in hopes for a playoff berth.

After missing the playoffs last season with an 8-20 overall record, the Pioneers are predicted this year to finish in fifth place in the RSC East standings, the same spot they landed in last season.

However, the team underwent a makeover during the off-season by losing three of its seniors to graduation and adding five new players to this year’s roster.

“I feel like we’re going to make it pretty far this year,” said junior transfer Aaron Barlow.

After Jaylen Mann (9.2 points per game), Art Christian (7.6 ppg) and Lassana Konate (5.7 ppg) graduated last year, first-year head coach Gabe Bubon has recruited some much needed height into this year’s lineup. Two new arrivals in Barlow and Cortez Allen, both 6-foot-6 juniors, will provide the center position with authority to protect the

rim this season.

“This year’s team is a lot more close-knit than last year’s team,” Bubon said. “[This team] goes hard every day when in the gym.”

Barlow shot 77.3 percent from the field last season at Beaver County Community College, ranking him number one in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

He averaged 10.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last season.

Allen played a total of 56 games in his two years at Cuyahoga Community College from 2015-17. He averaged 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from the field.

Bubon’s additional recruitments include three guards in sophomore Daniel King from Westmorland County Community College, junior Michael Connor from Western Nebraska Community College, and freshman Mark Shehady out of Hampton High School. The three will look to add more depth to the point guard and shooting guard positions.

Senior Rushan Roberts said even though the team looks a lot different this year, the players are close with each other.

“Outside of basketball, we’re all just hanging out

around campus with each other, so there is a lot of chemistry already built up,” Roberts said.

Three seniors will return this year including Roberts and guard Gavin Rajahpillay. Rajahpillay was one of 10 players selected to the RSC Preseason All-Conference team.

Forward Fousseini Konate will also make his final appearance this year for the Pioneers.

“I’m going to bring the energy every time and every second,” Konate said about his upcoming senior year.

Junior guard Asim Pleas also makes a return to the team this season as a starter after averaging 10.6 points per game last season.

Bubon and the new-look Pioneers start the season on a six-game road trip away from their new home at the CCAC Allegheny Physical Education Building, less than two miles from the Point Park campus. They opened the season on Oct. 30 at Wilberforce, where they won, 100-94. The team’s first home game is Nov. 22 versus Washington Adventist at 5:30 p.m.

Derek Malush dwmalus@pointpark.edu