The Statesman 03-02-20

Volume LXIII, Issue 21

Monday, March 2, 2020

sbstatesman.com

SBU students meet with legislators in Albany

By Alek Lewis and Fanni Frankl

Assistant News Editor and Assistant Opinions Editor

EMMA HARRIS / THE STATESMAN

Korey Wise speaks at the Black History Month closing ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Sidney Gelber Audotorium. Wise is a member of the Exonerated Five and a criminal justice reform advocate.

SBU restricts travel after CDC warning about coronavirus

By Brianne Ledda News Editor

Stony Brook University is implementing a “mandatory pre-approval requirement” for university-sponsored trips to Italy, Iran and South Korea, according to a campus-wide email sent Feb. 29.

The university is discouraging all travel to those countries after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its travel guidance to advise against “all non-essential travel” on Feb. 28.

Stony Brook implemented similar travel restrictions to China, where the outbreak first started, in late January. Most of the more than 85,000 coronavirus cases worldwide are in China, according to a Feb. 29 Al Jazeera article.

Faculty, students and staff planning university-related travel must submit a form on the “Travel Policy” page of the Office of Global Affairs’ website to the President’s office for approval. Travel using Research Foundation funds must be approved by the Research Foundation

Operations Manager through the eFTR system.

Pre-approval was already required for university-travel to Iran, which has historically tense relations with the U.S., especially after a U.S.-ordered strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in early January.

The New York Times reported on Feb. 28 that the Iran government is listing 388 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 34 deaths.

The country is denying a Feb. 28 BBC report that the country has seen

at least 210 deaths from the coronavirus so far. At least seven government officials were diagnosed with the illness, including a Health Ministry deputy who was “leading the coronavirus response,” according to the same New York Times article.

Bloomberg reported on Feb. 29 that Italy saw confirmed coronavirus cases skyrocket from nearly zero to more than 1,000 in just over a week, with 29 possibly related deaths.

Schools in the Lombardy, Veneto and

Continued on page 4

Brookhaven National Lab to host new particle accelerator

By Matthew Yan Contributing Writer

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has named Brookhaven National Laboratory as the site of a new Electron Ion-Collider (EIC).

Over the next ten years, the federal government will spend between $1.6 and $2.6 billion to fund the construction of a “nuclear physicist’s dream machine” — a particle accelerator that will allow them to peer inside the protons and neutrons that make up all matter for the first time.

Stony Brook physics professor Abhay Deshpande, who was involved in the initial proposal of the EIC in 1998 and spent the past two

decades promoting its construction, is immensely excited about the project coming to fruition.

Deshpande explained that the new EIC will be very different from the existing Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC). The RHIC accelerates heavy ions — or particles with high atomic mass with their electrons removed — to violently collide at nearly the speed of light.

The new EIC will collide electrons with protons and neutrons non-violently, sliding the electron inside the other particles to provide distinct readings machines can read.

Continued on page 4

Multimedia

Arts & Culture

Social activist takes the stage on campus.

Member of the Exonerated Five speaks at ceremony.

Photogallery: Korey Wise visits SBU.

MORE ON PAGE 6

PUBLIC DOMAIN / THE STATESMAN

The U.S. Department of Energy has given Brookhaven National Lab billions of dollars for a new EIC.

At the crack of dawn on Thursday morning, at least 24 Stony Brook University students and two Statesman reporters boarded buses to Albany.

The goal was to participate in Higher Education Action day, where representatives from State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) schools meet with government officials to discuss how to improve funding for higher education in New York.

“I feel like it's a really good opportunity to figure out what I can do and my role in government,” Audrey Roosevelt, a junior biology major, said on the bus. She works at the Stony Brook Center for Prevention and Outreach and feels there needs to be more funding for mental health services on campus.

“New York State needs to focus on the mental health wellbeing of its students,” she said.

Shaheer Khan, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president and senior political science major, said an event like this puts college students at the forefront of the legislative process by allowing them to personally speak with the senators and legislators who draft the budget for the SUNY system.

“We should be holding our state legislators and state senators accountable for their decisions,” he said. “But more so, we have to guide them and help them understand what are some of our concerns.” He also voiced concern at the dichotomy between Stony Brook University’s reputation and its technological resources available to students. He pointed to problems with wifi and the inaccessibility of charging ports in classrooms.

“I think campus maintenance funding, especially for Stony Brook is important,” Khan said. “We are a global name but I question how can we stand out in the global market if the technology we use at our campus isn’t up to date?”

The bus was paid for by the SUNY Student Assembly, according to Khan. USG was prepared to bring 75 students, though only three students registered through USG besides Khan and two Statesman reporters.

Continued on page 4

Opinions

Sports

Diabetics often have to ration their insulin per month.

The No. 3 team in the country fell in a Top-10 matchup.

Korey Wise closes BHM celebrations.

Capping insulin costs for diabetics.

MORE ON PAGE 7

MORE ON PAGE 8

Women’s Lacrosse falls to No. 8 F.L. MORE ON PAGE 12

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NEWS

SBU stops travel to Italy, Iran, South Korea SBU advocates for more funds Continued from page 1 Emilia-Romagna regions have been shut down.

Stony Brook University will not be suspending its Florence University of the Arts program which will be continuing classes as usual. There have not been reports of any outbreak in the university’s region.

“Students who wish to return can do so at their own discretion and cost,” Interim Provost Minghua Zhang wrote in the email. “We are in contact with our students in Korea to ensure they're aware of all options available to them, including returning to campus with academic accommodations.”

The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 29 that there are more than 800 confirmed coronavirus cases in South Korea.

SUNY Korea, which is operated in partnership with Stony Brook University, is delaying the start of its spring semester to March 2, and the first two weeks of lecture will be delivered online. Students are not required to come to campus during that period.

The university is requiring students and staff to wear face masks, in addition to strongly encouraging students to frequently wash their hands and “abstain from going out to public places or meeting in large groups.”

Only two Stony Brook undergraduate students are studying at SUNY Korea this semester, according to the university’s spring enrollment headcount. CollegeXpress estimates that about 540 students are enrolled there overall.

Stony Brook University plans to continue to follow U.S. Department of State and CDC guidelines “related to our students currently in countries that are under Level 2 or Level 3 CDC travel precautions.”

There are no confirmed coronavirus cases in New York, though Nassau County is currently monitoring 83 people. New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Feb. 29 that the state’s coronavirus test was approved by the FDA, and that testing would begin immediately.

There are just 15 confirmed cases in the United States, with the first coronavirus-related death in Washington State near Seattle on Feb. 29.

The University’s Student Support Team, Office of Global Affairs, China Center and the Provost's Office

are working with students who are restricted from returning to the university due to travel restrictions, according to the email. Approximately 40 students are still in China following the coronavirus’s initial outbreak there this winter.

Zhang wrote in the campus-wide email that students, faculty or staff returning from affected countries, or anyone who’s come into close contact with a person being tested for the coronavirus, should stay home and “seek medical attention immediately.” Students should call 631-632-6740 to make an appointment at Student Health.

“Many students, faculty and staff have already been directly impacted by the travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 and are concerned about their family and friends in the countries affected,” Zhang wrote. “This is a time when our community must come together to support those affected by this outbreak and show compassion and respect.”

Zhang advised anyone looking for more information to visit the CDC website, or go to the University Coronavirus Information page and the Stony Brook Medicine Coronavirus information page.

ALEK LEWIS/ THE STATESMAN

SUNY and CUNY students advocate for higher funding in Albany, New York on Thursday, Feb. 27. A little more than 20 students from Stony Brook went on the trip.

SBU scientists will work with BNL Continued from page 1 This “CT scan of the atom" will allow scientists to glean new information on gluons and quarks — the particles that make up protons and neutrons. Deshpande said that since the particles do not collide violently, the EIC will also possess unprecedented precision in its results. Scientists will not have to sift through data to distinguish which quarks and gluons came from the “probe” and the target particles as they would with the RHIC. “The new collider will allow us to look inside the proton and investigate the origin of proton’s spin without breaking the proton,” he wrote in an email. “No other facility in the world, currently available or planned in the future, will be able to do this.”

The “spin” he is referring to is the angular momentum — or the direction a particle turns on its axis and its magnetic fields, though it’s important to note that particles don’t literally

spin. The spin of the particles inside of a proton determines the proton’s overall spin, which determines the positions of the parts of an atom.

This can have powerful effects on a material’s chemical and physical properties. For instance, MRI scans work by using powerful magnets to force protons to align with a particular field, producing readings that can be turned into an image on a computer.

Up to this point, the RHIC has determined that quarks and antiquarks account for only 30% of a proton’s spin. The EIC will allow scientists to determine the source of the “missing 70%.” In addition to deepening humanity’s understanding of nature and matter, the research conducted when the EIC is completed will lead to new advancements in treating cancer, creating more powerful computer chips and developing solar cells and batteries to meet growing energy demands.

The infrastructure used to power the EIC will also be used to power particle beams used by researchers to

study isotopes used in medicine as well as examine the types of radiation that astronauts would be bombarded with in space.

The EIC will be designed and overseen by 1000 scientists from 30 nations, including scientists from Stony Brook’s own faculty.

According to a press release by the Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York State officials — who will provide $165 million in grants to the Laboratory to support the collider’s construction — are optimistic about the EIC’s potential for both scientific advancement and economic growth.

“Investing in Brookhaven Lab will ensure that, as we enter the new decade, the Empire State remains at the forefront of scientific discovery, while creating thousands of jobs and generating billions of dollars in new economic activity,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in the press release.

Brookhaven National Lab declined to comment on the Electron Ion Collider.

Continued from page 1 Twenty students registered with Stony Brook's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP).

After a nearly four hour bus trip — which included students from Farmingdale State College (FSC) — the group arrived in Albany around 12 p.m., missing the opening ceremony. The students rushed to the Capitol and Legislative buildings, making their way to meeting room six, where hundreds of participants had gathered for the event. The total count of registered participants is estimated at over 900, SUNY Student Assembly officials said.

One Statesman reporter stuck with group two, which included EOP members, the United University Professions higher education union (UUP), and some of the students who registered with USG. The other reporter stuck with group one, which included the rest of the USG students and students from FSC. Most of the members of group two were abandoned at the security line by their group leader, SUNY Associate for Opportunity Programs Evonne Hamlet-Cadet, who cut the line in an attempt to get a select few members, including junior political science and economics major Malachai Maloney and Hope Biersach, to their 12:30 p.m. meeting on time.

The rest of group two wandered around the Capitol, frustrated and lost, until they found their way to Assemblyman Michael LiPetri’s office for their 1:00 p.m. appointment without a guide.

Group one members arrived late to all of their meetings, halfhour sessions with legislative directors scattered across the capitol.

In group one’s separate meetings with State Assemblyman Steven H. Stern’s (D) and Charles D. Lavine’s (D) legislative directors, students addressed topics including eligibility requirements for the Excelsior Scholarship and funding needed for resources like textbooks.

Students argued that Excelsior should be made more flexible by increasing the income threshold and reforming the mandatory requirement of 30 credits a year, which may be too rigorous for many students. They also emphasized the importance of funding for community colleges, which provide the foundation for many students’ college experience.

In a 12:30 p.m. meeting with one of the staffers for District Two State Sen. John Flanagan (R), which a Statesman reporter was unable to attend, Maloney recalled that the staffer was “receptive” to the needs and concerns of the students and called the Excelsior Scholarship “a mess.”

Students also discussed the possibility of eliminating standardized testing like the New York State Regents with State Sen. Flanagan’s staffer, Biersach said.

In the 1:00 p.m. meeting with a staffer for Assemblyman Michael LiPetri, Stony Brook EOP students made a passionate case to allocate funds for student financial relief by telling stories of their struggles paying for their higher education. “It’s really great that you guys all come in, it really reminds us what's important,”

LiPetri’s staffer said in the meeting.

“It catches us up to date on what's on the mind of the public.”

In a meeting with State Sen. James F. Gaughran’s (D) legislative director, students complained that they did not see tuition increases reflected in the quality of their education. “We have all of this potential and we have all of the great minds and the only thing stopping us is our institution,” Maloney said, referring to his student debt. “If I am taking on all of this stress and debt — and I am not getting anything to return that investment — it feels like I was tricked.”

Students at the Gaughran’s meeting also brought up the fact that a majority of the meetings were not with the legislators individually, but with their subordinates, who took notes to relay back to them. Some students were not happy with the legislator’s absence. “You have a superior who we would like to speak to,” Maloney said. “The fact that we can't even have the respect to be heard [by them], it just seems like this whole ordeal is disingenuous.”

One student added that although she was thankful that students were being heard, legislators are “not putting the names and faces together” due to not being physically present in the meetings. Nevertheless legislative staff members were actively observant, listened to students’ concerns and empathized with their situations.

“The one big thing that I appreciate about this is that you sat here and you listened,” Jahad Goyte, aeronautical science from and FSC Student Government Association president, said. “That speaks wonders because a lot of people nowadays just like to talk. It's all about listening.”

After the event, Solomon reflected on his experience and pessimism at the students’ impact on the legislators, doubting that relevant and noticeable budget allocations are going to be accomplished. The influx of student attendance, however, gave him a “glimmer of hope” that the legislators may take into account when drafting the new budget. “It seems like we get a lot of lip service especially when it comes to our government and education,” Maloney said.

“We are sick of politicians telling us one thing and then not following through... We have seen you fail time and time again.”

Although she valued the opportunity to communicate with legislators, Biersach said that she “expected [the event] to be more organized” and that “everything was sort of rushed.”

Khan was more optimistic about student influence in Albany. He hopes to follow up via email to Sen. Gaughran’s legislative director, who he felt was the most receptive. He said he was satisfied with the event and believed it may influence legislators’ future agendas.

“I think the students who came with us today made a more unified approach because we see that the issues that Stony Brook University faces are not just Stony Brook problems — it’s a SUNY and CUNY problem,” he said. “We were very successful in addressing our problems and coming up with potential solutions. I would like to see it reflected in the final budget, so we are hoping for the best.”

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MULTIMEDIA

Photos from the Black History Month Closing Ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 26 in the Sidney Gelber Auditorium. The event featured student performances, including spoken word poetry and singing. Keynote speaker Korey Wise, one of the Exonerated Five and a social activist, spoke and answered questions from audience members.

Photos by Emma Harris

ARTS & CULTURE

Korey Wise closes Black History Month celebrations at Stony Brook

By Amaya McDonald and Maya Brown Contributing Writer and Assistant News Editor

After a month of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of black Americans, the Black History Month closing ceremony was held on Wednesday, Feb. 26 in the Sidney Gelber Auditorium. The highlight of the celebration was the positive presence of guest speaker, Korey Wise, a member of the Exonerated Five and a current criminal justice reform advocate.

Hosted by the Black History Month Committee, the closing ceremony began with a showcase of a series of beautiful student performances that highlighted both black history and culture. The ceremony also featured two powerful recitals of spoken word pieces by the first and second place winners of this year’s Spoken Word/Open Mic Contest.

Benjamin Owusu, a junior health sciences major, performed a spoken word piece entitled “Central Park Five: When They See Us,” which was inspired by the Netflix mini-series “When They See Us.” Directed by Ava DuVernay, the series realistically portrays the traumatic and sickening story of the Exonerated Five and spares no detail of the Central Park Five case.

Dr. Jarvis Watson, Assistant Dean for Multicultural Affairs, shared with the audience how he and his wife watched all four episodes of the series the night before the ceremony. “The main thing that kept recurring is, ‘this isn't fair.’ The other word that came up was ‘dignity,’” he said.

EMMA HARRIS/ THE STATESMAN

Korey Wise, one of the Exonerated Five, speaks at the Sidney Gelber Auditorium at the Student Activities Center on Feb. 26 to close Black History Month celebrations.

Watson then spoke about how DuVernay was able to tell the boys’ narratives through the eyes of a mother. “But I can smile today, because despite all that happened to some of the people in this room right here, I can rejoice because we're here together today.”

In April of 1989, Wise was among three other African American boys and one Latino boy, whom were wrongfully convicted of sexual assault and abuse. The five boys — Wise, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam — were imprisoned after being coerced by the NYPD to give

false confessions and take the blame for the incident.

Despite the lack of evidence and corroboration between the boys’ confessions, they were still sent to prison– their only crime being the color of their skin.

Even though he was only 16-yearsold at the time of the incident, Wise was tried as an adult and was sentenced five to fifteen years in prison.

He served about 14 years at Rikers Island, most of his time spent in solitary confinement before he and the rest of the Exonerated Five were found innocent in December 2002.

Regarding solitary confinement, Wise said “It’s not McDonald’s.

It’s not the streets. The prison system is like a graveyard. It’s just the system.”

Wise was joined on stage by his lawyer, Vanessa Potkin, who began speaking about the bigger landscape of Wise’s life.

“What we're starting to see is that for 20 years nothing happened,” she said. “Nobody was ever held responsible, the police, the prosecutors, everybody continued on with their careers. And it was only after “When They See Us” came out. We saw people start to react and kind of demand things.”

When Wise was asked about how he remains so positive after ev-

erything that happened to him, he said, “I know who gets my energy and who doesn’t get it. I try not to think about it.”

Since his release, Wise has worked as an activist for prison reform with the Korey Wise Innocence Project, an organization focused on freeing innocent people who have become victims of wrongful imprisonment.

“Now our job is to educate heads on the street,” Wise said, comparing his time spent in prison to the “twilight zone.”

Students were also given the opportunity to speak to Wise and ask him questions about his experiences.

One of the experiences discussed was when President Donald Trump took out a full-page advertisement in four New York City newspapers calling to bring the death penalty to New York during the Central Park Five case.

Wise had a lot to say about how both the ad and the general public response affected him while in prison. “When you come in there with an ugly case like that, you are considered to be short eyes. You are considered to be lunch meat,” Wise said.

With charisma, overwhelming love for his home state of New York, and an abundance of positivity, Wise spoke about his trial, Trump and showed his love for 90s hip-hop music.

Despite the tragic nature of the conversation and questions about his life, Wise was still able to inspire the crowd with his story and even made the audience laugh.

Stony Brook University Symphony Orchestra stuns with epic performance

By Paul Broderick Contributing Writer

Stony Brook University Symphony Orchestra captivated its audience on Feb. 22 with a triumphant performance. The musicians took their seats and primed their instruments. While everyone played their own part, there was still a whisper of unity.

Even though they hadn’t officially started, there was a heightened feeling of expectation amongst the crowd. The Staller Center for the Arts' Recital Hall was packed but the audience sat, waiting in anticipation.

From the moment the orchestra began their performance, and the cellos grew into a mysterious melody, your imagination is transported to the middle of a decrepit mansion. Cobwebs adorned every dark corner, and dust particles rode the piercing moonbeams.

All seven pieces had varying themes such as fear, adventure, love and courage — each just as vivid as the last.

The violins sneak in, ominously. A fireplace was ignited as you passed the empty study.

The tone was dark and scary, yet there was a touch of hope hiding in the atmosphere. Just as you start to feel confident, the violins swole, keeping you sustained in the gripping mystery and not giving you the release of tension you want.

PAUL BRODERICK/ THE STATESMAN

The Stony Brook University Symphony Orchestra performs for an audience at the Staller Center for the Arts' Recital Hall on Saturday, Feb. 22.

The music swung open and released its grip onto you. You’re outside of the mansion, caught in a mist. An unexpected series of plucks from the harp reminded the audience that they were not yet safe. The french horn added a vein of confusion. Lost in the fog, a clammer to find freedom. The music slowly starts to crescendo; the louder it got, the greater the fear crept back in. There

was something in the woods and it searched for its victim.

The piano then accompanied all of these new instruments in the third act of this piece, emboldened by the violin. A sense of peace washed over the listeners, but the undertone of tension did not let go. This dance decrescendoed until nothing was left but ghost notes resonating in the air.

Then one final hit of music and the

dark tones left the crowd breathless and still.

No one moved. They couldn’t clap. Everyone is caught in a grip of tension from the journey they had just been on. Respect and reverence hovered over the crowd that did not break.

The first piece, “Nocturne: Moderato” by Dmitri Shostakovich, was over. Six more to go.

“This was written at the tail end of WWII. Their consistent presence of terror is a direct reflection of society’s experience during this time …” said David Harrison, an audience member and cellist who has played this piece before.

Maia Kelly, second year Masters candidate in violin performance, described her final performance before graduating with her masters this semester.

“Most of my experiences have been with male conductors,” she said. “Playing music composed

by Amy Beech and conducted by Michelle Merrill, as well as sharing the stage with an incredible female soloist Yezu Woo who played the violin on the Shostakovich violin concerto was so empowering.”

Kelly said that it has been amazing to play with this orchestra and will miss them greatly.

Woo had complete command of the stage during her solo performance. Her bow was a paintbrush, her violin a canvas, and she painted a tapestry with frisson-inducing colors and hues. With each stroke she decorated the stage with metaphorical paint until the room was a blanketed canvas, showcasing a master's work.

A balanced diet is necessary for a healthy body and our ears deserve the same treatment, and there is no more convenient and valuable palate cleanser than the Stony Brook University Symphony Orchestra.

OPINIONS Editor-in-Chief..................Gary Ghayrat Managing Editor..............Karina Gerry Managing Editor..........Chris Parkinson News Editor..............................................................Brianne Ledda Arts & Culture Editor..............................................Melissa Azofeifa Multimedia Editor........................................................Sara Ruberg Opinions Editor...........................................................Cindy Mizaku Sports Editor.................................................................Ryan Pavich Copy Chief..........................................................Alexa Anderwkavich Assistant News Editor..................................................Maya Brown Assistant News Editor....................................................Alek Lewis Assistant News Editor......................................Samantha Robinson Assistant Arts & Culture Editor..........................Alexander Bakirdan Assistant Arts & Culture Editor.................................Lajiere Blake Assistant Multimedia Editor.....................................Rabia Gursoy Assistant Multimedia Editor.....................................Emma Harris Assistant Opinions Editor.............................................Fanni Frankl Assistant Opinions Editor.............................................Sam Lauria Assistant Sports Editor................................................Ross O’Keefe Assistant Sports Editor..................................................Ethan Tam Assistant Copy Editor..............................................Donovan Alexis Assistant Copy Editor.....................................................Karla Rios Business Manager ............................................. Kaylee McAllister Marketing Manager .............................................. Chris Parkinson Accounting Intern ....................................................... Francis Saw Marketing Intern ....................................................... Austin Leong Marketing Intern ................................................... Borshack Shithil

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PUBLIC DOMAIN

Bottles of insulin. Individuals struggling with diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2) depend on insulin for survival with costs higher than $350.

Capping insulin costs protects livelihoods

By Gia Mannone Contributing Writer

Gia Mannone is a second year Integrated Health Social Work graduate student who interns at the Long Island Alzheimer’s and Dementia Center.

Imagine having to choose between purchasing your medication or paying your rent for the month. This would be a difficult decision for anyone, however, this is a grave reality for individuals suffering with the chronic illness of diabetes.

Individuals struggling with diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2) depend on insulin for survival. Pharmaceutical companies have taken advantage of this and increased the price of insulin over the years. Insulin costs have increased so much that diabetics have decided to ration their insulin per month.

“Insulin costs have increased so much that diabetics have decided to ration their insulin per month.”

Medicare insurance expert, Danielle Roberts, from the American Journal of Managed Care, explains that one vial of insulin can cost upwards of $350.

Insulin use varies by person or case. Some individuals need more than just one vial per month, which would only increase their monthly spending on medication that keeps them alive.

Corrections

A cap on the monthly cost of insulin is necessary for insulin users. Two states already, Colorado and Illinois, have passed the insulin cap of $100 per month for patients.

Decreasing the cost of insulin should be an easy decision for New York State representatives to make, especially because diabetes affects a large portion of the population and diabetics are suffering due to these excessive costs.

New York State must follow this lead and turn this policy into law. Our nation cannot allow chronically ill individuals to choose between life or death due to the inability to afford necessary medications when there are drugs, like Narcan, that are free for all people.

As a social work intern and student, I have been able to conduct counseling sessions where I listen to the experiences and stories of numerous clients. One story that has struck me from my volunteer work is that of a 55-year-old male who I had met through the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

He lives with Type 1 diabetes and has paid up to $750 a month for insulin in the past.

My client is a single father who is not able to work because of his Celiac Disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, neuropathy and extreme pain from a previous fall at a former job. As someone on Workers Compensation and Disability Insurance, he receives a Social Security Income (SSI), of around $1,200 a month. After purchasing his insulin, he is left with $450 to pay bills and support his family.

Because money is a constant concern for him, he no longer socializes the way he would like to. He said that his depression partly comes from not being able to afford social activities such as

going to the movies, going out on dates or enjoying hobbies like carpentry. He has also suffered the consequences of late fees on credit cards and other services such as cell phone bills.

If the cost of insulin continues to rise, my client has said he will have no choice but to cease use.

This decision, if chosen, would end his life.

These are the moments that make me realize that we, as social workers, need to do more and be the voice for those who cannot use their own, or have tried tirelessly to be heard. I could not believe that our state is not only failing this man but failing so many others like him who could not afford to live and purchase insulin.

This experience made me reflect on my own privileges, but also reflect on how this situation must be affecting his entire family. After hearing his story, I knew I had to keep up with the news about policies in the country related to diabetes and the insulin cap and use my voice to bring light and awareness to a topic that is not spoken about regularly by the media or individuals.

The insulin cap will help individuals financially, emotionally and socially by allowing them to thrive in other areas of their lives without the burden of insulin costs. The challenges that come with diabetes are one of the many daily difficulties individuals with this chronic illness face.

There are other expenses that need to be taken care of in a household such as grocery shopping, paying rent or a mortgage, paying bills along with entertainment and emergencies. The insulin cap will allow these individuals to live their lives without having to choose between medicine that keeps them alive or their basic necessities.

Black History Month Issue

An article in the last issue (Volume LXIII, Issue 20) of the paper, titled “Guyanese Student Alliance Brings Mashramani to SBU,” misspelled the name of the Treasurer of The Guyanese Student Alliance as Brandon Bamarsi. The correct spelling of his name is Brandon Banarsi.

Readers can send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com regarding any errors made in articles.

Opinions

The Statesman

Monday, March 2, 2020

9

Unlimited dine-in at SBU is worth it … but with a few caveats

By Matthew Yan Staff Writer

Matthew Yan is a senior multidisciplinary major concentrating in journalism.

Although I’ve regularly seen entire plates full of food get dumped in the trash here at Stony Brook, the meal plans are honestly a good value for the cost.

Mathematically speaking, breakfast, lunch and dinner at East Side Dining or West Side Dining costs $29.10 a day for an all-you-care-toeat meal.

Given that there are 107 days of school between the start and the end of each semester, that means the Wolfie Standard Plan, which is mandatory for all incoming freshman living on campus, offers $3,163.70 (with the 50 dining dollars factored in) of value for the $2,598 you spend on unlimited meal swipes per semester.

I’ve stuck with this meal plan throughout all four years at Stony Brook because of the convenience it provides. Since I live at Tabler Quad, I’m able to pick up a meal at three locations on campus without spending an extra dollar.

I never have to worry about leaving hungry since I can take as much as I want, and having one takeout meal a day lets me nab some food between classes without the risk of running late. As someone who permanently scarred his finger while trying to fry an egg for the first time as a 20-year-old, it suits me.

The new meal plans for commuters also worked for some students like Michael Soleau, a sophomore political science major. He currently has the $600 meal plan designed for commuters who are only on cam-

pus three days a week, matching his class schedule.

The plan comes with 60 bonus dining dollars as well as five free meal swipes per semester. “I think [the food is] pretty good,” Soleau said. “It came out of my tuition, which I get charged for, so it’s not like money out

For instance, if you had a change in your class schedule and started missing lunch every day, that’s $10.50 less of that meal plan you’re using five days a week. By the end of the semester, you’d have wasted 16 weeks or roughly $840 worth of lunches.

soy-glazed shiitake mushrooms or the creamy mushroom risotto are.

Eating at dining halls can sometimes feel like swiping into a grab bag packed with a mix of bad, mediocre and good food.

Some of the features used to entice people onto the meal plan, like

EMMA HARRIS/ THE STATESMAN

The grill area in East Side Dining at Stony Brook University. The Faculty Student Association (FSA) selected CulinArt as the west campus dining provider. of pocket.” He says he’s satisfied with the variety of food he gets from East Side Dining — the dine-in hall he frequents the most — but he admits it might get boring if he had to eat it every day.

But this doesn’t mean the system is perfect. Since the unlimited meal swipe plans have you pay a set value upfront, the overall value of the meal plan goes down with every meal you miss.

There’s also the fact that so many people throw their meals in the trash for one reason or another, though I don’t always blame them for it.

Many times I’ve had the displeasure of biting into chicken drier than mummy wrapping; dried-out rice hard enough to make me worry about chipping my teeth; and floppy pizza with a disturbing lack of tomato sauce. But there are also times where I’ll rave about how good the

the guest swipes or the ability to add meal exchanges to use at retail locations, aren’t especially useful to me either. My tendency to eat alone before rushing off to class means my guest swipes almost never get used.

Fifty dining dollars sounds like a lot, but they’re only good for four to five lunches or dinners at best given that a sushi roll can cost anywhere between $6 and $11 when I could get some of the same rolls for less than

$5 at my local sushi joint in Great Neck, Queens.

It’s common knowledge on campus that the retail prices are incredibly high for what we get. For instance, a bottle of Ito En green tea at Jasmine costs $3.69 compared to its unit price of about $1.21 at Walmart, making it more than three times the market price.

The reason for this setup is obvious: the university and its contractor, CulinArt, want to make money.

It’s the reason why all freshmen living on campus are required to have the Wolfie Standard Plan.

The new meal exchange and bonus dining dollar add-ons — a limited time offer to get an additional 10 bonus dining dollars per $100 you spend — were started last semester in hopes of getting students to spend even more money for the freedom of choice. This, coupled with the rising cost of tuition, is why cooking buildings are so in-demand since they allow students to save money by cooking their own meals.

When asked if having the Wolfie Standard Plan was worth it, senior health science major, Kobe Familara, responded with a flat no. “I don’t think it’s worth the money,” he said.

“I’d recommend that any student go to a cooking building.”

Despite these flaws, I’ve overall been satisfied by my dine-in experience at Stony Brook. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have room to improve, primarily in terms of the consistency in food quality and the blatantly overcharged retail pricing. For that to happen, Seawolves must make their opinions heard loudly and clearly on social media to CulinArt and to the FSA.

SPORTS

Offense cools as Softball drops three in a row, swept in Sunday doubleheader

By Vincent Giacalone Contributing Writer

Despite a difficult ending to their day on Saturday, Feb. 29, Stony Brook Softball had to recuperate and prepare for the final two games of the Spring Break Challenge on Sunday, March 1.

Their doubleheader, however, started with a tough 6-1 loss against the No. 19 Virginia Tech Hokies in the morning and finished with a heartbreaking 2-1 walk-off loss against the Jacksonville Dolphins in extra innings.

After scoring nine runs in the first two games of this weekend series, the Seawolves managed to score just two runs in their final two games.

In the first game of the day, the Seawolves struggled against the Hokies, who scored first in the second inning. An error by freshman outfielder Shauna Nuss allowed freshman infielder Rebecca Ludowig to cross home on an unearned run, giving Virginia Tech an early 1-0 lead.

The next inning, the Hokies kept up the pressure by scoring

three more runs. Sophomore infielder Meredith Slaw hit an RBI single up the middle before junior catcher Mackenzie Lawter hit a two-run home run to make it 4-0. It was enough to knock out Stony Brook sophomore pitcher Shelbi Denman who went 2.2 innings and earned the loss, sending her to a 3-1 record.

It was her second start of the weekend after pitching a complete game and earning the win Friday afternoon against the Akron Zips. Senior pitcher Melissa Rahrich came on in relief.

Her appearance was not perfect either, however, as she gave up two runs in the top of the sixth inning off an RBI double from freshman infielder Maddie Rountree and an RBI single from junior outfielder Darby Trull.

Rahrich was replaced by junior pitcher Dawn Bodrug, who kept the Hokies scoreless for the rest of the game.

Bodrug’s perfect game last Sunday against Cornell was nearly replicated by Hokies junior pitcher Keely Rochard, who was one out away from completing a no-hitter. However, senior

infielder Riley Craig had other ideas. She launched her first home run of the season with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, giving Stony Brook their first and only hit of the game to make it 6-1.

each of the first four innings before tagging sophomore righthander Kyle Johnson for three more in the bottom of the sixth.

Stony Brook’s offense consisted of three hits as they were blanked for the fourth time in the season’s first eight games. Freshman infielder Brett Paulsen had two of the Seawolves’ hits batting leadoff, while senior first baseman Chris Hamilton walked in all three of his plate appearances.

scoring both runners to knot the game at six apiece.

In the top of the eleventh, Stony Brook erupted for five runs. Hamilton put the cherry on top with his first home run of the season, a 2-run shot to right field that drove in freshman infielder Stanton Leuthner. In the 11-6 victory, the Seawolves scored more runs in one game than they had in the entire rest of the season (10). Freshman right-hander Brandon Lashley got the decision and won his first collegiate game after two scoreless innings in relief of Bonanno.

“It's great to see the bats come alive, led by Brad Hipsley's huge grand slam and Chris Hamilton's clutch two-run homer,” head coach Matt Senk said in a press release.

“Sam Turcotte gave us another solid start, followed by Adam Erickson, Brandon Bonanno and then Brandon Lashley getting the job done in extra innings. Overall, this was a terrific team effort.”

That firepower did not carry over to Sunday’s 5-2 loss, when Stony Brook was held scoreless until the top of the ninth. Giordano launched his first home run of the season, a solo shot, after sophomore infielder Johnny Decker’s sacrifice fly put the Seawolves on the board. Freshman right-hander Josh O’Neill walked seven and gave up four runs in as many innings; he has given up 14 free passes in 11 innings.

Aside from Giordano, the rest of the Stony Brook lineup went 1-for26 at the plate. On the season, the team is collectively batting .186 with a .504 OPS as opponents have a 1.08 ERA against.

The Seawolves return to New York to play their first home series from Friday, Mar. 6 to Sunday, Mar. 8, taking on the CCSU Blue Devils.

A return to the confines of Joe Nathan Field could be what it takes to spark Stony Brook’s hitting.

“Bodrug's perfect game last Sunday against Cornell was nearly replicated ... ”

Rochard, who was named to the Preseason’s All-ACC Team, improved her record to 11-3 after her stellar performance where she struck out eleven Seawolves and walked none.

There was no time to sulk, as Stony Brook only had a brief in-

termission before their 12:30 p.m. game against the Jacksonville Dolphins. Bodrug, who pitched 1.2 innings in relief in the first game, started the second game opposite sophomore pitcher Skylar Whitty.

The short rest did not matter to Bodrug as she cruised through the game, keeping the Dolphins scoreless from the start. This helped the Seawolves, who did not score their first run until the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore infielder Lindsey Osmer hit a single down the line before freshman catcher Corinne Badger walked. Two batters later, senior outfielder Jourdin Hering reached first base on an error by junior infielder Serena Quinata, her second of the game.

Osmer scored to make it 1-0 Stony Brook and Whitty was charged with an unearned run.

Bodrug was dominant until the bottom of the sixth inning when she surrendered a solo home run to junior infielder Hannah Roberts, tying the game 1-1. The Dolphins did not score the rest of that inning or the inning after, which meant that Stony Brook would have to play in extra innings for the second time this tournament.

The Seawolves failed to score in the top of the eighth inning which ended up costing them the game.

In the bottom of the eighth — with Bodrug still pitching — freshman catcher Caroline Watson hit a pinch-hit walk-off RBI double to left field, winning the game for the Dolphins. Despite only giving up two runs and striking out nine batters, Bodrug’s record fell to 3-2 despite owning a sub-1 ERA. Stony Brook’s offense did not help Bodrug, as they only managed to get two hits the entire game. The Seawolves finished the doubleheader with three hits and two runs.

Whitty, who pitched all eight innings for the Dolphins, improved her record to 7-3 and ERA to 1.92 after striking out ten batters and only giving up an unearned run.

The Seawolves’ record stands at 7-3 on the season after the pair of losses. They will prepare for another road trip to Towson, Maryland for the Towson DeMarini Tiger Clash at the Tiger Softball Complex. There, they will play four games over the weekend as they try to snap out of this 3-game losing streak.

Baseball falls to Southeastern Louisiana KK reaches 1K in victory

By Ethan Tam

Assistant Sports Editor

In their final Southern road trip of the season, the Stony Brook baseball team returned to Hammond, Louisiana for a second straight year and lost two of three from Friday, Feb. 28 to Sunday, March 1, completing the opening 10-game stretch with a 2-8 record.

Aside from an offensive explosion on Saturday, the Seawolves’ offense remained dormant, which was made worse as the rotation had its roughest starts so far.

Sophomore infielder Evan Giordano has been the star of the Stony Brook lineup so far, batting .421 with a team-high 16 hits, four doubles and 1.081 OPS. His 3-hit performance on Sunday extended his 10-game hit streak to start the year.

The story of the Seawolves’ season so far has been great pitching wasted on lackluster hitting. In the first game of the series, neither the arms nor bats showed up for Stony Brook in an 11-0 romp. Senior left-hander Jared Milch, who had dazzled in his first two starts, was rocked for eight runs on 11 hits in four innings. While he struck out a season-high six batters, the outing ballooned his ERA from 1.64 to 6.00.

Milch found himself in trouble immediately. The lefty gave up base hits to the first two batters of the game before striking out the next two and finding himself one out away from escaping the jam.

Instead, he allowed a pair of 2-out hits, including a 2-run shot to Southeastern Louisiana freshman infielder Jacob Burke. All in all, the Lions scored four runs on six hits in the frame.

Southeastern Louisiana would put runners across the plate in

“It's great to see the bats come alive ...

Overall, this was a terrific team effort.”

-Matt Senk

Baseball Head Coach

The Seawolves’ bats finally came alive on Saturday in an extra-inning showcase. Stony Brook jumped ahead off a pair of unearned runs, but senior right-hander Sam Turcotte had his roughest outing of the season, giving up four runs (three earned) in five-plus innings while fanning six. In the top of the sixth, sophomore infielder Brad Hipsley hit his first career home run at the most opportune time — a 2-out grand slam to put the Seawolves up 6-3.

Senior right-hander Brandon Bonanno looked to earn the 6-out save entering in the bottom of the eighth, but the closer blew the opportunity in the ninth when Southeastern Louisiana redshirt-freshman infielder Champ Artigues doubled to right center,

By Ross O'Keefe

Assistant Sports Editor

Graduate guard Kaela Hilaire took in a roaring standing ovation from the crowd, while sat on a rose-colored bench surrounded by her teammates who were equally congratulating her.

Hilaire managed a quick acknowledgment for the 1,000-point occasion, an occasion that was four years in the making.

An otherwise ugly day from Hilaire (2-of-17 from the field) turned rosy as Stony Brook (26-3, 14-2) fought the Albany Great Danes (9-20, 5-11) to a 53-44 victory on Saturday, Feb. 29 and ended their 2-game skid after a historical 25-1 start.

The Seawolves struggled mightily from the field (17-of-58), but allowed the least points since late January and shot decently from the foul line (17-of-26) to cruise ahead. The first half was putrid offensively for both teams, as they both shot under 30 percent from the field and landed only two 3-pointers combined. The saving grace for both squads came from the foul line with Albany 4-of-4 and Stony Brook 8-of-11.

Coming out of the break, neither team exploded offensively. While both teams fared better, free throws remained the source of scoring for both teams. Both sides of the court fared poorly in knocking down jumpers, but fortunately for Stony Brook, they made just enough.

An Albany layup with 1:25 left in the fourth cut the Seawolves’ lead to seven, but a quick layup from junior forward Oksana Gouchie-Provencher and a free throw make from Hilaire sealed the victory with 54 seconds left.

Hilaire, graduate forward Cheyenne Clark, redshirt-junior forward Kina Smith, junior guard Hailey Zeise and senior forward Kyra Dixon were celebrated in a

pre-game Senior Night ceremony where they were handed roses and took pictures with family. “[I’m] really proud of our group,” head coach Caroline McCombs said in an interview with The Statesman.

“Coming back after being on the road and enjoying senior day, I think they were definitely playing for their seniors today. That’s something we talked about with it being Senior Day and Alumni Day, playing for all those seniors and for all those women that have come before us.”

Hilaire had plenty to say about her relatively short time at Stony Brook and her 1,000-point milestone.

“This is the most fun I have ever had,” Hilaire said. “A lot of the time you’re stressing out about how you play and stuff like that. But here I’ve just been able to play basketball. I have fun with my teammates day in and day out.”

Hilaire went over 2,000 points scored in high school, becoming only the 22nd player to do so on Long Island. After playing her first three years of college basketball with Seton Hall, she appropriately came home to hit a similar milestone.

“The [shot] that I cherish the most is the three that I hit against Binghamton with a few seconds left that put us up,” Hilaire said. “Just the way the fans reacted and the atmosphere in the gym and the bench, that was the best part.”

Junior forward India Pagan’s status is still unknown for Wednesday, with the forward sporting a boot on the sideline for the game.

It is possible Stony Brook is just resting Pagan for the playoffs, but that remains speculative.

Stony Brook faces a rematch with the Albany Great Danes in the quarterfinals of the America East Playoffs on Wednesday, March 4 at 6:31 p.m.

As the No. 1 seed, Stony Brook will have home court advantage throughout the America East Tournament.

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Monday, March 2, 2020

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Sports

The Statesman

Monday, March 2, 2020

12

Latimer’s clutch three clinches a home playoff game for Stony Brook

By Ethan Tam

Assistant Sports Editor

He was held off the scoreboard all night long. Nevertheless, when the ball was passed into his arms, sophomore guard Miles Latimer fired an open-look three from the right wing.

The ball found nothing but net, breaking the tie with 1:08 left to give the Stony Brook men’s basketball team a crucial late-game lead. Stony Brook (19-11, 10-5) would hold on for the 52-49 road victory over the Albany Great Danes (14-16, 7-8) on Saturday, Feb. 29 at SEFCU Arena. The win guaranteed the Seawolves a top-3 seed in the America East and at least one home game in the conference tournament.

It was the first time Stony Brook had swept the season series against their in-state rivals since 2017. The back-and-forth battle between two offensively cold teams culminated in an unsung hero taking the winning shot, with redshirt-junior guard Makale Foreman icing the game with another clutch performance at the line.

“I thought [Albany’s] defense was terrific. I thought our defense was terrific,” head coach Geno Ford said in a postgame press conference. “It came down to making that one shot, and

Miles hit a huge three for us that was the separator, but I thought both teams competed hard and guarded at a high level.”

Playing in their fifth straight game without junior guard Elijah Olaniyi, who was out again due to a high ankle sprain, the Seawolves did not shoot the ball particularly well, ending the night 38% from the floor and 29% from beyond the arc. However, the Great Danes suffered from the same problem, hitting on 36% and 23% of those shots, respectively.

Albany scored the first five points coming out of halftime to take a 28-22 lead, but the Seawolves struck back with seven straight of their own to go up 2928 before the Danes countered, getting the next five. Then, from the 13:48 mark in the second half until 25 seconds remaining, when Foreman sank a pair of free throws to put Stony Brook up 5, neither team had a multi-possession lead. The Seawolves played from behind for a majority of the period but found themselves on top occasionally only to see that lead taken away quickly by the Great Danes.

Foreman led his team with 16 points, while redshirt-junior forward Andrew Garcia recorded his sixth double-double of the season, scoring 13 with 10 rebounds. Garcia’s offensive

production came even though he faced a double-team as soon as the ball came his way. Albany senior forward Romani Hansen led all players with a career-high of 18 points, while senior guard Ahmad Clark added 14 mostly through mid-range jumpers.

“One thing I’ll give Makale that not a lot of guys can do is he can really miss a lot of shots in a row and still shoot the next one with the same mentality like, ‘I’m going to hit this one’,” Ford said. “He was 1-for-7 at halftime and came out in the second half.

He had a little stretch that kind of kept us attached.”

For the second straight game, the Seawolves jumped out to a commanding first-half lead and coughed it up before the break. Garcia gave Stony Brook an 8-point lead eight-and-a-half minutes in with a corner three, but Hansen would do his best to single-handedly carry the Great Danes back into the game. He connected on his next two shots from deep and added a jumper in the paint.

Albany would end the first half on a 14-5 run that saw them take a 23-22 lead, holding Stony Brook scoreless over the final 1:42. Great Danes head coach Will Brown continued his tradition of starting all five seniors in the lineup on Senior Night, Alba-

ny’s final home game of the year.

Hansen, the junior college transfer, earned his minutes beyond the gimmick, driving the Danes’ offense through the late first half.

“Tonight, the pace of the game was slow,” Ford said. “Our other games, we lead the league in tempo. We have raced it down and scored 54 points in three straight games. That’s not exactly real good offense. We’ve got to figure out some things, like a lot of people right now, trying to find our way without [Elijah] and that’s been kind of hard for us, especially on the offensive end.”

Although the Seawolves have clinched a home game in the

America East playoffs, the grind does not stop here. In order to capture a top-2 seed and homecourt advantage in a potential semifinals match, Stony Brook needs either a win over their next opponent, the UMBC Retrievers (14-16, 7-8), on Tuesday, March 2 at the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore, Maryland, or a Hartford loss at home against eighthplace Maine.

The Seawolves control their own destiny at this point in the season. With another win, Stony Brook will clinch their ninth top-2 finish in the America East over the last 11 years and their eighth 20-win season.

EMMA HARRIS / THE STATESMAN

Sophomore guard Miles Latimer during the Stony Brook men's basketball game against Maine on Feb. 22.

No. 3 Women’s Lacrosse falls to No. 8 Florida Stony Brook tops Rutgers

By Ryan Magill Staff Writer

After two scorching hot wins to kick off their season, the Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team took their first loss of the season on Saturday, losing 12-10 against the No. 8 Florida Gators in Gainesville.

Like they have done repeatedly this season, the Seawolves took a commanding lead right out of the gate. After junior midfielder Sarah Pulis scored the game opener, senior attackers Ally Kennedy and Taryn Ohlmiller scored two apiece to take up a 5-1 lead with only 11 minutes remaining in the first half.

However, the Gators wouldn’t roll over. Junior attacker Kassidy Bresnahan began a 4-goal run for Florida with 8:48 left in the first half, quickly followed up with back-to-back goals by sophomore midfielder Maggie Corbo. Junior attacker Grace Haus completed the run with 5:11 left in the half, and Florida entered halftime tied at five.

After freshman attacker Kailyn Hart scored her seventh goal in the season to retake the lead for the Seawolves in the second half, Florida went on the offensive and scored three straight goals.

Goals from Kennedy and junior midfielder Rayna Sabella tied it up at eight, then the Gators

and Seawolves traded goals until Florida went up for good with two minutes left in the game.

The biggest factor, statistically, was the save differential. Despite the Seawolves putting 23 of their 24 shots on goal — an absurd 96% — Florida redshirt-freshman goalie Sarah Reznick saved 13 shots.

“It's a disappointing day for us," head coach Joe Spallina said in a press release. "I thought Florida deserved to win. They won so many of the little battles that are necessary to win when playing a top-10 team. I thought their goalie stepped up big with 10 second-half saves. And we did too many uncharacteristic things.”

While the loss is a rough one coming against another top-10 opponent, it’s worth noting that the game in Gainesville marked the Seawolves’ first game after a two-week break. Although Stony Brook will hardly make excuses for the loss, the game would be a tall order for any team, even those at the very top.

The Seawolves won’t have another two-week break this season, as the team is right back at it when they return to face the two tiger teams at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, with Towson University on Thursday at 5 p.m. and then Princeton University three days later.

“We have a big week ahead,” Spallina said.

SAMANTHA ROBINSON / THE STATESMAN

Junior midfielder Sarah Pulis during a game against Ohio State on Feb. 15. Pulis scored against Florida on Feb. 29.

you could pick it up on the way to class... ...but sometimes that’s just too much effort.

www.sbstatesman.com Stony Brook’s only weekly paper also available online

By Ryan Magill Staff Writer

Sophomore midfielder Caleb Pearson created another moment of lategame magic, scoring the game-tying and game-winning goals on Saturday, Feb. 29. The Stony Brook men’s lacrosse team rallied around him to defeat Rutgers 14-13.

The Seawolves drew first blood, scoring twice from senior midfielder Connor Grippe and senior attacker Tom Haun in the opening minutes of the first quarter. Rutgers returned by scoring two, but Stony Brook ended the first quarter up two after freshman attacker Noah Armitage’s first career goal and junior midfielder Mike McCannell’s first of the game.

Rutgers returned the favor in the next quarter, taking their own 2-goal lead into the half, and took a 3-goal lead at the beginning of the fourth.

It was here when the Seawolves turned on their late-game magic.

Sophomore midfielder Renz Conlon dominated in the fourth, winning all 10 faceoffs and scoring the first of a 6-goal run that the Seawolves went on. Followed up by sophomore attacker Matt Anderson’s goal, Pearson’s goal with 9:56 left tied the game at 11-a-piece. A few minutes later, Anderson would assist on Pearson’s game-winning goal. After Grippe and redshirt-junior midfield-

er Wayne White added insurance goals, Rutgers’ last two goals were not enough to overcome the Seawolves.

"Really, in the first half, we just didn't play our best ball," head coach Anthony Gilardi said in a press release. "That's what it came down to.

I think offensively, defensively in the faceoff X, clearing the ball, we just weren't ourselves. We challenged the boys at halftime. We responded.

It was the faceoff X. Defensively, we played better. Offensively we played better. That's what we're most proud of. There's a lot to learn from. How we responded was excellent."

The team’s leading goal scorer had similar sentiments. "We had a rough first half,” Pearson said. “The energy wasn't there. But all the guys brought it together during the second half. The guys weren't selfish. Everyone was working with everyone and things were clicking."

While Stony Brook got the win, junior midfielder Patrick Kaschalk and sophomore midfielder Austin Deskewicz, who also scored his first career goal, both left the field with injuries without returning.

Sitting at 4-1 on the season and even in the all-time series with the Scarlet Knights, the Seawolves’ 3-game win streak gives them momentum going into Tuesday’s matchup against the Sacred Heart Pioneers at Saint Anthony’s High School in Huntington, New York.