IRISH INSIDER HOLD THE LINE
IRISH LOOK TO DOMINATE UP FRONT AGAINST PITT
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA SAYUT | PHOTOS BY SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI
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INSIDER
THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Predictions
KEYS TO VICTORY
Keys to victory: ND vs. Pitt By J.J. POST Associate Sports Editor
Notre Dame’s season has reached an inf lection point. The team has emerged from a brutal stretch that included eight games over the first eight weeks, and four consecutive primetime showdow ns against ranked opponents, w ith a 6-2 record. The next four games, matchups the Irish should be favored in, will likely determine the end of the season. A 10-2 finish puts Notre Dame in position to compete for a New Year’s Six bowl slot. A loss in any of those final contests, and a 9-3 final record, would likely doom the season to be considered one of many missed chances. The Irish have a largely favorable run to end the year. But they’ll need to win one week at a time to make the most of it. Here are the three keys Notre Dame needs to capitalize on to take down Pitt.
Take what Pitt gives Pitt ranks 121st nationally in penalt y yards conceded per game. That’s a feature, not a bug, of head coach Pat Narduzzi’s system. The last season the Panthers finished inside the top 100 in penalt y yards allowed per game? 2017. Narduzzi wants his teams to be physical and tough in ever y phase of the game, and that means they’re inev itably going to draw f lags. Some of these f lags w ill almost certainly come at times that w ill give Notre Dame valuable opportunit y — be it a third-dow n pass interference that extends a stalled drive, or a late hit that takes the Irish from field goal range to the red zone. If Notre Dame can make the most of these chances, it w ill be a great spark for an offense that has struggled to find its form in recent weeks. If they fail to capitalize, they’ll allow more of a chance for an alwaysscrappy Pitt team to fight their way into the game.
Pressure Veilleux
Christian
The Panthers turned to Veilleu x mid-season to replace a struggling Phil Jurkovec at quarterback, and for the most part, the returns have been positive. The sophomore has only completed 56% of his passes in t wo games as Pitt’s fulltime starter, but he’s throw n four touchdow ns against no interceptions in that span. One of Veilleu x’s best
attributes is the speed w ith which he gets the ball out to his receivers. he’s only taken a single sack in his time as starter, and he has one of the lowest average time-tothrow rates in the countr y. Veilleu x has avoided being uncomfortable in the pocket over the last t wo weeks, but Notre Dame’s defense has the tools to force him into such situations. One of the key causes of Caleb William’s career-worst performance t wo weeks ago was the Irish’s abilit y to make him tr y to throw under duress. A ll three of Williams’ interceptions came w ith a Notre Dame defender closing in for a sack. If a consistent defensive presence in the backfield helped rattle the reigning Heisman w inner, it stands to reason that Veilleu x’s effectiveness w ill also decrease when faced w ith serious pressure for the first time in his young career.
Stay focused and make the most of the bye week I don’t think it can be disputed that Notre Dame has show n an abilit y to respond to adversit y. After a crushing loss against Ohio State, the Irish pulled out what was likely the grittiest w in of the young Freeman era to beat Duke. A lifeless disaster against Louisv ille came before an iconic statement v ictor y against USC. Freeman clearly can marshal his team well in the face of adversit y — but how w ill the Irish handle success? Last year’s huge w in against Clemson preceded a sloppy v ictor y against Nav y, where Notre Dame sleepwalked through the second half. This season, the Irish enjoyed a precious bye week to rest up and prepare for the back half of the schedule — and their performance should ref lect that. A healthier w ide receiver room w ill need to be more productive than it’s been in prior weeks. An extra week to create and install a game plan should help minimize any execution issues. But more important than any play call or snap count w ill perhaps be the team’s focus. The last time Narduzzi led Pitt into South Bend in 2018, the Panthers were more than ready for a fight against a stronger Irish team. Notre Dame should expect the same this week, and expect to have to keep pushing if Pitt doesn’t back dow n easily. Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
quarterback Sam Hartman well, as they forced him into throw ing four interceptions when they beat Wake Forest in the ACC Championship t wo years ago. But Pitt just isn’t ver y good. Despite an upset of No. 14 Louisv ille the week after Notre Dame fell to the Cardinals, their record has been lack luster. Notre Dame needs its defense to repeat the effort it brought against USC and pressure Pitt quarterback Christian Veilleu x to make him uncomfortable enough to make mistakes. The Pitt defense is tough against the run, so the Irish passing offense and Hartman must get into gear. Panther cornerbacks like to press, so hopefully Thomas, freshman Jaden Greathouse and the other receivers are finally healthy and are able to create some separation.
Pitt w ill put up a fight but it just doesn’t match up talent-w ise w ith the Irish. Notre Dame 35, Pitt 17.
Matthew Crow, Associate Sports Editor The bye week could not have come at a better time for Notre Dame, who should not have much trouble at home against Pitt. Apart from a surprising w in against Louisv ille, the Panthers’ offense has struggled through much of a 2-5 season. It now stares dow n an Irish defense that forced five turnovers against USC. The bigger questions for Notre Dame w ill come on offense, as the Irish aim to put together a complete performance on that side of the ball for the first time since starting 4-0. Look for a big outing from Hartman, who w ill take advantage of hav ing all of his top targets available by throw ing four touchdow n passes. Notre Dame 38, Pitt 20.
Tom Zwiller, Sports Writer
Senior
This Pitt team is … weird. They sit at 2-5 w ith a w in over FCS foe Wofford and a top-25 team in the nation (current-No. 18 Louisv ille), w ith losses to Wake Forest and Virginia Tech. They punted on their starting quarterback in Phil Jurkovec and moved on to Veilleu x and the impact has been slight. Notre Dame should have zero issues handling a poor passing attack that averages 3.4 yards per rush. Defensively, I think Pitt can be sting y and force turnovers. That’s prett y much how they beat Louisv ille. I trust Hartman and Co. to turn in a better performance, but there might be times when the offensive play calling is sub-optimal. The implied spread suggests this one might be lowscoring. Notre Dame should w in comfortably, though. Notre Dame 31, Pitt 10.
FOOTBALL COLUMN
Crow: It’s prove-it time for the Notre Dame offense By MATTHEW CROW Associate Sports Editor
At this point in the college football season, there are considerably fewer unknowns than there were at the start of September. But even after eight games, the Notre Dame offense remains a challenge to pin down. At times, the Irish have looked nearly unstoppable, working behind a strong offensive line and mixing handoffs to junior running back Audric Estimé with an efficient, tight end-led passing attack. At other times, the unit has been frustratingly inconsistent and ineffective, racking up three-and-outs and struggling to convert their quality drives into seven points. Notre Dame’s blowout win against USC brought more questions than ever, with opinions of fans and media seemingly divided on whether the offense was a catalyst in the 48-20 victory or simply along for the ride. The stats would suggest that Notre Dame, ranked 52nd nationally in yards per game, has been slightly above average, a middle-of-the-pack unit. But is that the case, given that there hasn’t really been a single game in which the Irish offense has actually looked “average?” Notre Dame scored more than 40 points in each of its first four games, a portion of the season that included just one Power Five opponent — NC State — as well as an FCS squad in Tennessee State. It’s not easy to gauge the performance of an offense that’s expected to score a touchdown every single trip down the field. The Irish scored 42
against Navy, and we wouldn’t have learned much more about them had they scored 49 or 35. The next four weeks saw the pendulum swing in the exact opposite direction. Four consecutive matchups with ranked opponents, and four consecutive night games. Notre Dame’s offensive production fell off a cliff, with the clear low point coming in a 33-20 loss to Louisville that saw graduate student quarterback Sam Hartman throw his first three interceptions of the year and the Irish average just 1.6 yards per carry. But while the production was not where they would have liked it to be — Notre Dame averaged 18 points per game against Ohio State, Duke and Louisville — there were certainly bright spots. Hartman, Estimé and freshman wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. made enough key plays down the stretch to earn a clutch win against the Blue Devils, and they nearly did the same against the Buckeyes one week prior. Junior tight end Mitchell Evans stepped up as a centerpiece of the passing attack, racking up a teamhigh 280 receiving yards in those three games. And freshman running back Jeremiyah Love emerged as a valuable backfield complement to Estimé, picking up nearly eight yards per carry. The Irish offense was by no means perfect against USC. But the unit showed flashes of its early-season play with a perfectly executed two-minute drill at the end of the first half and a timely 46-yard touchdown bomb from Hartman to senior wide receiver Chris Tyree in the third quarter. So what should be expected
of Notre Dame’s offense on the heels of a much-needed bye week that followed a grueling string of eight games in as many weeks? We’ve seen the unit dominate through the light portion of their schedule. We’ve also seen them falter in the midst of one of the more difficult fourgame stretches that any team in the country will face this year. That leaves one final third of the regular season. Four games for the Notre Dame offense to show who they really are. Four games to answer many of the big questions that still remain, and to lead the Irish to critical wins as they seek a New Year’s Six bowl bid. Notre Dame’s schedule has followed a sort of Goldilocks pattern. Their remaining opponents — Pitt, Clemson, Wake Forest and Stanford — will likely not be outclassed to the extent that the Irish’s early-season challengers were, yet don’t appear as daunting as Notre Dame’s foes leading up to the bye week. Instead, the challenge they provide should be “just right” to give a clear indication of what the Irish offense is made of. But even beyond that, many factors seem to be aligning for improved offensive output down the stretch. First-year offensive coordinator Gerad Parker has gained a substantial amount of big-game experience and seems to be more comfortable in his role after drawing up a strong game plan against the Trojans. The wide receiver room will be at full strength after playing shorthanded for several weeks see CROW PAGE 4
THE INDEPENDENT
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VOLUME 58, ISSUE 25 | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
The 87 apartments set to open Aug. 2024 Amenities include 2,300 sq. ft. gym, golf simulator, business centers, pet park and “all-pro lounge” By LIAM KELLY Associate News Editor
The 87 apartment complex currently being constructed east of campus will be ready for students to move into in August 2024, property manager Amanda Kindley said in an interview with The Observer. The complex, which is located off Vaness Street and south of the Outlook apartment buildings, consists of both apartments and townhouses and will have 335 units and 810 beds. It will have a number of amenities for residents including an “all-pro lounge” for watching sports games and movies, a 2,300 square foot fitness center, a golf simulator, business centers, a pet park and pickleball,
LIAM KELLY | The Observer
The 87 townhomes and apartments, located off Vaness Street, are set to open next August. Apartments will be available to anyone in the community who applies and is accepted, not just Notre Dame students.
Students reflect on fall break experiences By GRACE TADAJWESKI News Writer
Follow ing midterms, fall break took place from Saturday, Oct. 14 to Sunday, Oct. 22. Students have since returned to campus and ref lected on ever y thing they did over break. Junior and Lyons Hall resident Corinne Quane went on t wo trips over fall break — portaging in Canada and v isiting her sister in Colorado. “It was really fun,” Quane said. “We camped for t wo nights, but we were like paddling for three days.” Portaging involves canoeing through a series of lakes and finding campsites along the way, Quane said. Her friend suggested the trip after the t wo went on a road trip together to South Carolina during spring break last semester. “After the canoe expedition, I f lew to Colorado to v isit my younger sister who’s a freshman at CU Boulder and the outdoorsy activ ities continued,” said Quane. There, Quane hiked, biked and saw a Taylor Sw ift laser
NEWS PAGE 4
show in the planetarium on campus. Quane traveled home to Short Hills, N.J. for her t wo prev ious fall breaks, which she termed “recharging.” “I’m really glad I went, but I also like definitely understand and appreciate the benefit of just going home and seeing your family,” Quane said. Jack Simpson, a freshman in Carroll Hall, traveled home to East Greenw ich, R.I. for fall break. “One of the first things I did was get my hair dyed back,” Simpson said. “So I went to a hairdresser, my mom’s hairdresser, and dyed it back to brow n.” Simpson also made stops at universities, v isiting his sister at Salve Regina Universit y and his friends at Brow n Universit y. At home, Simpson saw his t wo younger siblings, grandparents and pets — including his puppy that he got before coming to Notre Dame in August. “(Being away) was weird see BREAK PAGE 4
SCENE PAGE 5
volleyball and basketball courts, Kindley said. Kindley explained that while the apartments will primarily cater to Notre Dame students, they are open to anyone who applies and is accepted. She noted, however, the apartments can only be leased and not bought. Notre Dame undergraduate students are required to live in residence halls for their first six semesters. With a focus on students, Kindley said, the complex will try to cultivate a sense of community by holding events for residents. “Ideally we’d like to have at least one big [event] a month, whether that be a free food Friday or a see APARTMENTS PAGE 4
Saint Mary’s hosts annual ghost stories event
Courtesy of Olivia Traxler
Saint Mary’s RAs and hall directors read ghost stories Wednesday at Riedinger House from the book “Quiet Hours,” which depicts supposedly true ghost stories that have occured on Saint Mary’s campus. By SARAH CATE WHITE News Writer
On Wednesday night, Saint Mary’s College hosted their annual ghost stories event to celebrate Halloween. The event, hosted by class gift campaign and the office of residence life, took place in the “haunted” Riedinger House. Riedinger was built in 1939 and is one of the oldest buildings on Saint Mary’s campus. Multiple readers were scattered throughout Riedinger reading SMC ghost stories. Nathan Stroup, assistant
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
director of annual giving and the phonathon, explained the choice to host the event in the Riedinger House. “Whereas I have not personally experienced any haunted feelings or instances in Riedinger House before, many visitors have expressed differing opinions. Accounts of curtains moving, glasses shifting places, as well as doors slowly opening have been stated by brave visitors,” Stroup said. Stroup said the tradition started in the early 2000s after the publication of the book “Quiet Hours.” All of the stories read are
about ghostly encounters at Saint Mary’s. The book names locations around campus where the supernatural presence was felt. “The stories are read from ‘Quiet Hours,’ which was published by Ave Maria Press in 2002. The book, published by Ave Maria Press in 2002, was written by four Saint Mary’s College alumnae and was developed during the Leadership and Community Development Academy, a program of the College’s Leaders of a New Indiana Project, during the summer of 2000,” Stroup said.
WOMEN’S SOCCER PAGE 12
GOLF PAGE 12
see GHOSTS PAGE 4
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TODAY
THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
QUESTION OF THE DAY: ndsmcobserver.com
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What would be the best animal to have as a pet?
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“Dolphin if you could talk to it.”
“Alpaca.”
Sofía Villamil
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“Koala because it’s cute and cuddly.”
“Dog for fun.”
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sophomore Baumer Hall
“Elephant because its my favorite animal.”
“Dog because I miss mine back home.”
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India Doerr | The Observer
Leprechaun McKenna Englhardt raises spirit among the fans at a rainy women’s soccer game on Thursday evening. The Fighting Irish took on the Clemson Tigers in their last game before the 2023 ACC Championships, which will take place Oct. 29 to Nov. 5.
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Corrections A story printed in Wednesday’s edition incorrectly spelled Kate Kirwan’s name. A headline printed in Wednesday’s edition incorrectly quoted Pompeo.
Friday
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Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Oktoberfest Belle’s Patio and Alumnae Green 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Fall treats, activities and giveaways.
Medieval Swordsmithing with Cedarlore Forge West Lawn of McCourtney Hall 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tridentine Latin Mass Alumni Hall Chapel 10 a.m. Morning Mass offered in the Tridentine Latin.
Halloween Spooktacular Science Hall 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Science experiments with kids of faculty.
Holy Cross vs. EastWest McKenna Arena 6 p.m. Men’s basketball takes on the Phantoms.
Sketch Show Washington Hall Main Stage 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Enjoy an improv performance.
ND vs. Pitt Football Game Notre Dame Stadium 3:30 p.m. kickoff Support the Irish against the Panthers.
Film: “Coco” (2017) Browning Cinema 1 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Watch the animated Disney film “Coco” in DPAC.
Guest Speaker: Magellan Makhlouf 133 Mendoza 11 a.m. - noon Private equity and venture capital leader.
Spotlight Exhibit 102 Hesburgh Library 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. “Path to Sainthood: Brother Columba O’Neill.”
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2023 Lecture and Award Presentation in History and the Social Sciences
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NEWS
THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Break CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
because usually you’re so used to living in like a busy house with so many siblings … so it was weird,” Simpson said. “But it was nice to be able to get them back and spend time with them.” Freshmen Micah Bell and Jeremiyah Love both play on Notre Dame’s football team. The team had practice from Monday to Wednesday, but both headed home after Wednesday’s practice. “(Having practice but not schoolwork) was amazing,” Bell, who is from Houston, Texas, said. “It was amazing because I didn’t have to worry about any school or go to class, so I could sleep in.” According to Bell, the team has not had a break from practice since they began the football season with fall camp in August. Bell did not participate in any workouts over the break. “Practice was cool though,” Love, who is from St. Louis, Mo., said. “Didn’t have class either, so I thought it was pretty chill. After practice, we
Grace Tadajweski | The Observer
Tri-campus students serve food at Andre’s House in Arizona. Their volunteer efforts supported Arizona residents living in “The Zone.”
went home to the dorms and just chilled.” Love later added that the team’s next big break will be in December, so they have “time until then.” “(Fall break) was good,” said Bell. “I would rate it like eight out of ten.” Also staying on campus for part of fall break, senior Megan Sherry did work in preparation for graduate school applications. Sherry is majoring in psychology and classics and hopes to attend graduate school for library
science on an archive track. “On Monday, I went down to IU Bloomington for a visit to talk to the director of the library science programs there to ask about the program and get tips for applying,” Sherry, who lives in Pasquerilla West Hall, said. Sherry also worked from Tuesday to Thursday over fall break at her on-campus job at the library. “My main goal over break was to finish my personal statement for applications for grad school,” Sherry said. “It
is not yet done, but we made progress.” Sherry saw her sister over the first weekend of fall break when she came for the football game. Towards the end of fall break, Sherry traveled home to see her parents before driving back to Notre Dame for the Saturday night hockey game. “I was home for like not even 48 hours, but enough to see my cat and that’s all that matters,” Sherry, who lives in Cambridge, Ohio, said. Sophomore Paul Gates, a philosophy major who attends Holy Cross College, traveled to Arizona with six other students over fall break. “I went to Phoenix and worked at the Andre House, which is a Holy Cross apostolate, serving folks experiencing homelessness and what they call the Zone, which is just kind of a population of people who live outside,” Gates said. “It was unbelievable.” Contact Grace Tadajweski at gtadajwe@nd.edu
Senate rejects bylaw amendment regarding attendance, proxy policy By KATHRYN MUCHNICK Associate News Editor
The Notre Dame Student Senate convened for a brief meeting Wednesday night to debate a proposed amendment to the bylaws on senator attendance. After roll call and announcements from student body president Daniel Jung, the assembly debated resolution SO 2324-08, which would update the Senate bylaws to require that proxies be members of the same dorm or organization as the absent senator. As it stands, anyone can proxy for an absent Senator — voting in their stead during the meeting — regardless of their dorm. The resolution would also disallow other members of the Senate to proxy for absent members of the Senate, including
non-voting members. Student body vice president Aidan Rezner explained that the goal of the resolution is to ensure that all votes are represented accurately. Several senators expressed their concerns about finding someone from their own dorm who would be willing to proxy. “I feel like on both fronts, I strongly disagree with this,” said Paul Stoller, class of 2024 president. “As it is right now, it is incredibly hard to find a proxy and I’m sure anyone who’s tried to find a proxy knows that.” “It’s my third year doing this, it’s hard. So … I understand the rationale but putting more limits on this is just going to be a mess.” Several senators also explained that by looking at the minutes beforehand, they can prepare their proxies to vote as they would,
regardless of dorm. Hall President’s Council cochair Peter Schimpf explained a situation where non-voting members can proxy for voting members of the Senate while still having their organization represented. “Between the two co-chairs of Hall President’s Council, only one of us has to be here to represent Hall President’s Council, and we’re both non-voting members. So [two weeks ago] [co-chair] Bridget [Schippers] was here representing Hall President’s Council and I was here proxying for Paul [Stoller],” Schimpf said. “In that case, there was no double counting of votes. I was very clear on what I was supposed to do and how I was supposed to represent his views on the issues.” Judicial Council president
Koryn Isa said that even if a senator looks at the minutes beforehand, they should still be required to send a proxy from their constituency. “When the agenda is sent out, there is a potential to have to vote on something that you could not have told your proxy exactly how to vote for,” Isa said. “And to have a proxy that is not part of the constituency when you’re trying to vote on something [that was changed from the original agenda], they just won’t have the background to know what people from your team would want.” The resolution failed to pass, with only six senators voting in favor of the bylaw change. Contact Kathryn Muchnick at kmuchnic@nd.edu
Apartments CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
grocery bingo, or we host something in one of our event lounges,” she said. The 87 is located on the previous sites of the Turtle Creek and Campus View apartments. Toll Brothers purchased the property to develop into The 87. “[Campus View] was very old, and just wasn’t doing well, so our owners then bought it and then decided to tear it down and then just start new,” Kindley said. The apartment prices start at $1,070 per bed per month and go all the way up to $1,630 per bed per month for the most expensive units, according to The 87’s website. Kindley said she doesn’t foresee the prices impacting demand. “So far, we’re not seeing an issue with that,” she said “When we do our rates we definitely do a market analysis to see how we compare to the other communities. So really, we’re not far off from a lot of the other communities’ rates.” Kindley said although some floor plans are sold out already, only 13% of apartments for the 2024-2025 school year and 30% of the units for the 2025-2026 school year have been pre-leased so far. Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu
Ghosts CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The authors of “Quiet Hours” are Shelly Houser (Mays) ’02, Veronica Kessenich ’01, and Kristen Matha ‘03. The stories were read by Saint Mary’s RAs and hall directors. Kathleen Scheidler, an RA and reader at the event, shared her favorite part of the evening. “My favorite aspect of the Quiet Hours event was getting to go inside Riedinger House. I’ve always been curious about the house. My curiosity grew even more after listening to [President] Katie Conboy talk about it in a speech at the beginning of the semester. It was fun stepping in and realizing that the house is just as she had described it,” Scheidler said. Freshmen Megan Melody and Lilly Ellis also said that seeing the interior of Riedinger added to their experience. “It was a fun way to get into the spirit of Halloween. It was also cool to explore Riedinger a little bit,” Ellis said. Ellis noted her favorite stories were those that took place in the Holy Cross dorm because she had always felt Holy Cross was the spookiest place on campus. “My favorite story of the evening was Pennies from ‘Quiet Hours.’ It was a chilling story, but I liked it most because it reminded me of good times in Holy Cross last year when I’d come hangout in my best friend’s dorm,“ Scheidler said. Contact Sarah Cate White at swhite01@saintmarys.edu
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THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
By RACHEL HARTMANN Scene Writer
I vividly recall the moment I was introduced to the #FreeBritney movement in 2021. It was a casual afternoon, my mind adrift as I aimlessly scrolled through my Instagram feed. Suddenly, a post materialized, featuring a captivating image of Britney Spears alongside the resounding hashtag #FreeBritney. Intrigued by the apparent fervor surrounding this hashtag, I clicked on it, unleashing a cascade of information. With each new post and article I encountered, I was gradually pulled into a profound exploration of Britney Spears’ life. My curiosity led me to embark on an examination of her story, where I uncovered the astonishing narrative of how her father assumed the role of her conservator, a position that essentially bestowed upon him the authority to govern every facet of Britney’s existence for a staggering 13 years. Now, in 2023, Britney is finally telling her side of the story in “The Woman In Me.” From her childhood with her alcoholic father, to the beginning of her stardom
By ANNA FALK Scene Editor
Tonight, the Notre Dame Glee Club (NDGC) will take the stage in the Leighton Concert Hall at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center for their annual fall concert. Their performance, with compositions ranging from shanties to Stevie Wonder, is sure to stun, with the group’s intensive training and dedication to their craft an undeniable fact that has persisted throughout the many years of the club’s existence. NDGC was founded in 1915 by undergraduate student Samuel Ward Perrott as an allmale choir of 60. It is the oldest glee club at a Catholic university and it’s evident in their heavy alumni involvement and depth of tradition. “[T]he traditions of the club give it a character that no other club has,” said NDGC co-president Joe Golden. “It is so unique that I have a shared experience that clubbers from 100 years ago had.” The fall concert is just one of many traditions which has grown out of the group’s 108 years of choral excellence. NDGC puts on two concerts during the Christmas season, one in spring and one at commencement. They also do tours around the United States yearly and international tours every other year.
and finally to her losing control of and reclaiming her life. Britney’s story is real and raw. It is a story of loss, triumph, faith, sacrifice and redemption. She details the journey of her career and personal life honestly, with humor and wit. Pushing against the shackles that trapped her, Britney’s groundbreaking book is her finally reclaiming her story and life on her own terms. As Britney states in her book, “Freedom to do what I want to do has given me back my womanhood. In my forties, I’m trying for what feels like the first time. I feel like the woman in me was pushed down for so long. Now, finally, I’m roaring back to life.” The title of Britney’s book comes from the chorus of her 2001 ballad, “I’m Not a Girl / Not Yet a Woman”: “I’m not a girl, don’t tell me what to believe … I’m just trying to find the woman in me.” Britney’s freedom is about finally embracing herself as a woman and fully embracing her womanhood. She is no longer a little girl, trapped by her family, but a woman who can live her life freely. As I read through the pages of her book, I couldn’t help but reflect on the broader implications of Britney’s story for women in society. Her definition of womanhood as a quest for freedom and
self-expression is truly powerful. It highlights the ongoing struggle for women to assert themselves, not just in the entertainment industry but in all aspects of life. Britney’s story underscores that womanhood is not about conforming to societal expectations, but rather about embracing one’s true self, unapologetically. “The Woman In Me” isn’t just Britney’s journey; it is a reflection of the universal quest for self-discovery and the desire to break free from the constraints placed upon us by society, family or circumstance. Britney’s story is a poignant reminder that every woman has the right to define her womanhood on her own terms, just as Britney herself had done. Her ability to break free from the chains that bound her for over a decade serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and her unwavering commitment to embracing her womanhood in her own unique way is truly remarkable. “The Woman In Me” isn’t just a memoir; it is a call to action, an inspiration to women everywhere to embrace their true selves and roar back to life, just as Britney had done.
Outside of their time on the stage, the men of NDGC make sure to take time and form bonds with each other, participating in activities like “trips to the Grotto, wing-eating competitions, pickup sports, Christmas caroling and even impromptu midnight concerts in front of the Golden Dome,” according to their website. On the community formed within the club, Golden remarked, “[It] is what you would expect from a group of college guys who also sing. We’re goofy and competitive, but most importantly we overwhelmingly care for one another. The community actually kept me at Notre Dame. Freshman year, which was the COVID year, I watched all of my friends at home hang out while I was hundreds of miles away. The community that I found in the Glee Club kept me from transferring to a school closer to home.” “Being in a choir forms a bond that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. The collective pursuit of musical excellence connects people in a way that bonds them for life. This is why we often say we are ‘brothers in song,’” Golden added. Their pursuit for musical excellence and the brotherhood that has formed out of this effort is evident in their performances. Before fall break, I got a chance to sit in on one of the group’s weekly rehearsals. They were incredibly synchronized and, even as a group, each vocal range
shone through in the different pieces they sang. Director Daniel Stowe meticulously sought out the perfect delivery of each song’s many parts, even if it took the group several tries to get things just right. While every song was a spiritually transcendent experience, a few stood out. “Ave Maria” was glorious, with the group’s voices reaching high into the heavens to bring angels into South Bend, Ind. The melodies of “Tonight” from “West Side Story,” the concert’s opening song, were so beautiful it made me want to cry. Lastly, the Ghanaian dance song “Kpanlongo” was fun and upbeat, with a bit of choreography to match the quicker tempo of the song. Seeing the club perform is a truly unforgettable experience — I felt like I had been transported to another dimension. Golden asserted the club’s focus on three tenets for the year — excellence, tradition and brotherhood — all of which are plain to see in the euphonious compositions of NDGC’s fall concert. The Notre Dame Glee Club will perform in DPAC’s Leighton Concert Hall on Friday, October 27 from 8 – 9:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on the DPAC website. General admission is $10 and student tickets are free.
Contact Rachel Hartmann at rhartma4@nd.edu
Contact Anna Falk at afalk@nd.edu MARIA TOBIAS, MARISSA PANETHIERE | The Observer
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THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
We spent a lot of freshman year crying alone in our dorm rooms Kate Casper Love Letters from Rome
There was this girl in my poetry class during my freshman year. She was a senior. She was sophisticated and cool and unlike me in every way, except she also had brown hair. She wrote poems about things I didn’t understand like buckets of beers at CJ’s and postgames at Crossings. But she also wrote about things I did understand like the first snowfall of the year, the way the snowflakes catch the light from the golden dome and twinkle like stars or like glitter (or both). And I — 18, unsophisticated, uncool and unlike her in every way — swore: Someday, I’ll look at the Golden Dome the way she does in all its glory. When the snow glimmers like confetti, I’ll feel everything. All the good. All the bad. And someday, I’ll love this college experience too. Freshman year sucked sometimes, especially those few weeks after fall break. I remember being young and desperate and rarely knowing what I was doing. I’d refresh YikYak until some mediocre dorm party information was released, pull up to said dorm party in an ill-fitting crop top and jeans and chat nervously with the other college freshmen who were either drunk or stone-cold sober with no in-between. Although I liked meeting people (and guessing their SAT scores), I often left the party feeling slightly more stupid and awkward than when I entered. But in the daylight, outside of the sweaty, sticky dorm party environment, I also felt stupid and awkward and, at times, quite lonely to the point where my lovely Moreau professor did send me a “Just checking in” email after she read my Week 9 assignment. Unfortunately, loneliness is something that wasn’t on my freshman-year bingo card. So the moment I felt it, I went on a YikYaking spree where I begged upperclassmen to tell me their tragic freshman year stories and assure me that it got better. Many did, and they told me that I would eventually find my people, figure out academics (I still haven’t) and perhaps if I’m lucky, lock down a respectable boy (ring by spring, anyone?). However, even the kind messages from anonymous users on YikYak (Blue Chicken and Purple Pepper) would not be enough to squash my internal feelings of isolation. So I continued to cry my guts out in my freshman year dorm room in the middle of the day when I knew my roommate was in class. And I continued to put on a brave face around campus, despite usually looking like I’d just rolled out of bed. I was shamelessly rotting away, feeling like a misfit toy with no friends, someone who had no choice but to be on her own. I thought perhaps I was bound to be alone forever, eating dinner in South Dining Hall in the back corner, catching up on my YouTube video subscriptions instead of socializing. And in some dark moments, I thought perhaps I didn’t deserve that core group of friends I was so convinced I needed as soon as possible. I thought perhaps I didn’t deserve people to consistently grab meals with or study with in the wee hours of the night when everyone else was asleep.
So when I returned home for fall break, I flipped open my laptop and recorded a 20-minute video in which I talked through my feelings. And it was in this video that I finally admitted: “Lately, I’ve been experiencing a lot of loneliness.” I remember feeling embarrassed — even though I was alone in my room — but still, I continued: “Loneliness feels like never having a plan. It feels like eating alone in the dining hall, not because you want to, but because no one wants to come sit with you. It feels like showing up places and feeling uninvited even when you were invited. It feels like shutting yourself in your room and supplementing dining hall meals with granola bars because you’re too afraid to be lonely in front of people.” I spent so much of my fall freshman year existing in a world that was only sad and lonely and tinged bluish-gray (perhaps because of the perma-cloud). I was so worried that people thought I was uncool or undesirable just because I was still finding a core group of people I liked and trusted. I was so worried that people thought I was desperate when I reached out to see if they wanted to head to the tailgates with me. But, above all, I was worried that what I was experiencing wasn’t normal and that I was the only one. I assure you now as an upperclassman I realize how insanely normal it is to struggle in your first year. As I’ve gained more distance from my freshman year experience, I’ve had more and more conversations with friends about the tough parts of freshman year and the things we were so ashamed to admit we experienced. So now, we sit outside of some Italian restaurant and recount the group chats we were left out of, the SYR dates who did us dirty, the so-called “friends” who called the Uber without us, the meals we ate alone when all we wanted was to be with people and the time spent crying alone in our dorm rooms. But we also recount the moments of triumph because, of course, it got better (just like Blue Chicken and Purple Pepper promised). I made some incredible friends in the most random places. I started reaching out to people to do things like that redheaded girl I met at the last home football game who became one of my best friends or the trumpet players Madeleine introduced me to that night in the LaFun basement. And of course, I made some of the most incredible memories. They might not be related to Gucci or CJ’s beer buckets, but I did make it out to Crossings once or twice. Now, I’m in Rome, and every day feels a little less terrifying. And I promise I try to look at that Colosseum the same way the girl in my poetry class looked at the Golden Dome during the first snowfall — with wide eyes, admiration and the utmost gratitude for this experience, even when it totally sucks. Kate Casper (aka, Casper, Underdog or Jasmine) is from Northern Virginia, currently residing in Rome. She strives to be the best waste of your time. You can contact her at kcasper@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
History is about to be made in the House that Rockne Built. This weekend’s matchup against Pittsburgh will mark the first Notre Dame Football game featuring a female Leprechaun. Kylee Kazenski (‘24) began her tenure as one of the students portraying the Irish mascot in April of 2023 when her spirited tryout won her a position on the Notre Dame Cheerleading Team. Since then, she has spent most of her fall semester championing the Notre Dame Men’s Soccer Team, a squad that is currently ranked third in the country. And now, the senior will be taking her turn on the turf this Saturday. Traditionally, seniors who portray the role of the Leprechaun are each given the opportunity to do so at a football game in their final season as an undergraduate. This weekend, Kazenski will be in the suit for the whole nine yards: Victory March to Alma Mater. “This is yet another milestone showing that the role of the Leprechaun is versatile,” fourthyear computer science major Kazenski told me as we talked about the upcoming game. “I’m extremely honored and excited to make the appearance at the game.” Four female students have donned the green suit as the Notre Dame Leprechaun, the first being Lynnette Wukie (‘21), in addition to Sophie Bouldoukian (‘23) and current Leprechaun McKenna Englhardt (‘26). This weekend will be the first time that a member of this female cohort leads Notre Dame’s Football team down the stadium’s north tunnel to take the field. I think Lynnette Wukie said it best in her first interview to become a Leprechaun: she wanted to show that anyone can do anything, and I think that speaks leaps and bounds to what everyone who is
portraying the Leprechaun is trying to accomplish. Wukie and Bouldoukian both served as Leprechauns in years prior, but Wyukie served as Notre Dame’s in-stadium host during her senior year and Bouldoukian was Leprechaun as a junior, making Kazenski the first to appear at a football game. “I want to give back to Notre Dame in a unique way while also embodying the ideals of the University,” Kazenski told me ahead of the game this Saturday. “Being part of such a large family is what stands out to me … we are all coming together in that united mission.” A lifelong Notre Dame fan, Pasquerilla East’s senior fellow holds herself to the highest standard and understands the significance of the role she portrays. “To me, portraying the Leprechaun is spreading the spirit of Notre Dame deeper than just the joy of sport, but also in community and respect,” the Illinois native Kazenski added. “First and foremost, our duties lie in unifying the energy and spirit of the Notre Dame community, but also having that extra layer of inspiring other girls and widening the lens of the Leprechaun is just so special.” If you’re lucky, you can find the senior Leprechaun in suit more often than usual this weekend, as she will be portraying the character at four games for four different athletic teams in the coming days. As for this weekend’s football game, Notre Dame will kick off against Pittsburgh at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and the game will be streamed on NBC/Peacock. Ryan Coury University of Notre Dame Leprechaun senior Oct. 26
Image courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Kylee Kazenski as the leprechaun mascot poses for a picture on the Notre Dame Stadium football field ahead of the ND v. Pitt game this Saturday.
THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
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Six things students should be scared of this Halloween of how Hartman will play without a beard will haunt us until then.
Allison Abplanalp Under Further Scrutiny
3. The walk to class
1. Being at the back of the southwest salad line It’s a dark and stormy Thursday afternoon. You’re in your final class before lunch. The only thing louder than the roar of the thunder is the grumble of your stomach. The professor finishes the last slide and is about to end class when a question from a student sends them into a long tangent, keeping you an extra four minutes past the end of class. Four minutes you can’t afford to lose. You sprint toward NDH, but you know it’s too late. Once there, you face the long and winding southwest salad line. There’s no fast pass that can save you here. You shuffle your feet to the back of the line and look out with horror at the long journey ahead of you. By the time you get your food, your friends will be long gone. There is no place more grim than the back of the southwest salad line.
2. Sam Hartman without a beard There’s no question that Sam Hartman has been a savior for the Notre Dame football team. His spot-on passing, ability to run the ball on fourth and sixteen and unwavering charisma have been a huge part of Notre Dame’s success this season. But that was Sam Hartman with the beard, and now it’s gone. This leaves us to wonder, who is Sam Hartman without a beard? It may seem crazy, but superstition and unwarranted fear is what spooky season is all about. Maybe the beard was his “it” factor. It was definitely thick enough to hide any secret weapons he may have been using. While nothing is for certain, fans have reason to be spooked heading into the Pitt game and the question
This October, spooky scary skeletons aren’t the only thing sending shivers down your spine. As the temperature drops, walking to class becomes more and more dreadful. The walk to Debart now includes gray skies, wind tunnels, sleet and the screams of those not strong enough to make it. But Debart is nothing compared to some treks to Jenkins Nanovic or Jordan. In fact, Stephen King even published a horror novel called “The Long Walk,” which I can only presume is about the walk from Carroll Hall to Mendoza. And if the cold wasn’t enough, the threat of scooters is sure to haunt your nightmares. So this Halloween season, stay safe and stay indoors if you want to make it to Thanksgiving.
4. Bear attacks From 2015 to 2019 there were seven fatal bear attacks. In just the past three years there have already been eight. The bears are out there and they have upped their game. Although you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than killed by a bear, that’s no reason to take this lightly. Although not a single bear attack has ever taken place in our lovely St. Joseph Country, that’s not a reason to let your guard down. This Halloween season, be alert and steer clear of the Flaherty Hall Bears just in case.
5. Beth and Lou Holtz Family Grand Reading Room & the common cold Spooky season is also sickness season. No one is safe from the sniffles and sore throats that attack innocent students. Yet schoolwork halts for no man and studying must go on. However, if you’re one of the victims of the common cold, under no circumstances should
you step foot in the new reading room. To a healthy person, the Holz reading room provides the perfect classy study vibes for getting work done. But for the sick, this room should be treated as if it was covered in caution tape. Sleep-deprived students are the scariest creatures of all. One sneeze in that room and you might as well consider yourself a dead man. Rumor has it that the room is haunted by the ghosts of those who coughed one too many times. So if you start to feel that soreness in the back of your throat, run as far away from the reading room as you can.
6. Highly addictive mobile games The highly addictive mobile game is the monster that no one sees coming. It hides in the shadows of the games folder on your phone until it has the opportunity to pounce. Once it does, there is little anyone can do to escape it. Innocent victims waiting for their Chickfil-A or bored in class figure there’s no harm in opening up Crossy Road or Minesweeper. From there, it’s all they think about. When they close their eyes, all they see is their avatar crossing roads or sweeping mines. Soon, grades drop and friends are lost, for all they care about is breaking their high score. So beware of addictive mobile games. They are a spell that cannot easily be broken. Allison Abplanalp is a Sophomore Finance and Accounting major. If she could change one thing about the English language, she would make “a lot” one word. Her least favorite month is March because every year she is devastated when she fails to pick the perfect March Madness bracket. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
San Francisco’s Whac-A-Mole homelessness Matt Baird Are You Paying Attention?
Over break, I spent a day walking through San Francisco. Typically, when I am in San Francisco, I am with friends or family getting food or spending a sunny day in Golden Gate Park. Of course, I have explored all of San Francisco’s districts, but the experience I had last Friday felt different. I was exposed to a different side of San Francisco that I had not been immersed in before. I walked from the Embarcadero to the Civic Center and, along the way, I came face to face with one of the city’s most pressing issues: homelessness. Homelessness has been an issue for San Francisco since the 1970s and 80s and the problem has only grown more complex over time. There have been many countermeasures taken at the local and state level to help the homeless population, but the problem does not seem to improve. The homeless population in San Francisco is growing every year. Researcher Judge Glock even referred to it as the “homeless Mecca” in a 2023 Wall Street Journal letter. While I do not have an answer as to how best to approach the issue, it is worth speculating over, as the city will have to answer soon. From conversations that I have had with people who live in the Bay Area or any city in general, I feel the need to preface that I do not have a complete, informed opinion on what the city ought to do about homelessness. This is not a political commentary on what government systems should do when it comes to homelessness and what responsibilities they have to homeless people. I am writing this out of compassion for people who have
no private domicile and I believe that they deserve empathy from individuals regardless of how they ended up in their situation. In San Francisco, there are programs in place to temporarily house homeless people and support systems to help them get on their feet. There are also food and healthcare options for homeless people to utilize. The programs and resources do not have the elasticity to support the population as is, so what will happen when the population grows even more? I have a feeling that simply expanding the programs that are providing short-term solutions to the homeless will upset their financial supporters. They will see that the problem is only getting worse and more expensive. One contributor to the proliferation of the issue is the ever-increasing cost of living. I recently talked to an old friend who was living in San Francisco next to Golden Gate Park for two years. He was enjoying the city life and paying around $800 for rent. Within a matter of months, his landlord raised the rent by $600. He moved to a town that is an hour and a half drive away from the city for safe, affordable housing. The cost of living is driving people out of the city and is choking the class mobility of San Francisco. How could you take a homeless person who has been out of the workforce for months or years and get them a job that could independently pay for housing in the city? You can’t. Certain steps need to be taken to help these people. It is fair to say that giving free housing to people out of the workforce is unfair to hard-working San Francisco residents who are struggling to keep up with their rising rents. However, the city does not have many options to remedy the issue. It is also a service to the working residents of the city to bring the homeless off of the street.
The city has already created 7,000 permanent housing units over the past 15 years. A portion of these could be used to help the homeless and they can invest in localized shelters to isolate the homeless communities. At the same time, they should reform current laws against public encampments. Las Vegas adopted stricter laws against public encampments and opened more shelters and the city has seen improvements in recent years. In this way, San Francisco will bring the homeless population into specific areas where they can access existing charitable and governmental support programs. The city of Berkeley did the opposite by planning to convert People’s Park, a city square that has historically been a large homeless encampment, into student dormitories and affordable housing. While the plan “accounted” for some of the homeless having access to subsidized housing, it was really just stomping on a nest and forcing the homeless campers to spread out into other parts of Berkeley and the Bay Area. Playing “Whac-A-Mole” with the homeless crisis will not solve the issue. If the city utilizes its current resources to bring the homeless population into zones where they can be helped, it can invest in social programs to create a system that brings homeless people into temporary housing, provides entry-level jobs and helps them find living opportunities in surrounding areas, the city will have a functioning system to handle the persistent issue. Matt Baird, proud native of Danville, California, is a sophomore majoring in English and Finance. He enjoys walking, listening to music and humming. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com
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SPORTS
THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
SMC SOCCER AND VOLLEYBALL
Belles finish season, fall 3-0 By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Editor
Tuesday made for a busy day for Saint Mar y’s athletics. The Belles soccer team w rapped up its regular season, while volleyball played its penultimate road contest.
Soccer The 2023 season came to an end for the Belles on a disappointing note. Though they entered the match on a hot streak, scoring five goals in their prev ious t wo games (both w ins), the Belles fell 3-0 to Hope. Though it took until the second half for Hope to break through, they were the superior team from the opening whistle. A heroic effort by goalkeeper Caroline Mik lavcic kept the game even, as the sophomore made five saves in the opening 45 minutes. Ultimately, Hope broke through courtesy of a goal by Carley Wagask y just 3:13 after the teams returned from the half. The Fly ing Dutch kept their foot on the gas, outshooting the Belles 11-1 in the second half. Margaret Owsiany extended the lead in the 67th minute, then put the game out of reach by capitalizing on Hope’s third corner of the half to make it 3-0. Mik lavcic ultimately finished w ith a
Saints CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
secure home field in the opening round of the playoffs. The game was a defensive affair, as the two teams combined for just ten shots, while fouls totaled 25. The game was decided in the 86th minute as senior midfielder Fernando Rosales scored the game-winnerforTrinityChristian. After three games over the break, the Saints finished 6-9-3 overall, including a 4-5-2 mark in conference play. The team has 14 points in conference play, which is good enough for seventh in the current standings. The team does not control its own destiny, however. While the Saints have completed their regular season schedule, Judson, Viterbo, and St. Ambrose all have conference games left. Judson, who currently has 13 points overall, has yet to play Saint Xavier. The Saints would need Judson to either lose or tie, as the Saints have a key head-to-head matchup advantage. Judson’s final game is a non-conference matchup. Viterbo currently has 12
season-high nine saves. The Belles finish the season w ith an 8-8-1 record. However, Saint Mar y’s was just 2-5-1 in conference play, a record not good enough to reach the MI A A Tournament. It does represent a significant step for ward from 2022 when the Belles went 0-13-3 and lost all eight of their conference games.
Volleyball Though Tuesday was not t he end of t he Bel les’ volleyba l l season, t hey too lost by a 3-0 score, fa l ling on t he road to Olivet. The Bel les showed a n impressive f ight in t he t hird set, which went deep into ex t ra points before t he Comets eventua l ly won 34-32. The Bel les had f ive cha nces to put Olivet away a nd force a four t h set, but cou ld not get t he job done. Junior outside hitter Ca li A l len a nd f reshma n midd le hitter Ca roline Ca rens f inished w it h 13 k i l ls each. Junior setter Sha ni Russel l delivered a matchhigh 35 assists as wel l. The Bel les beg in t heir f ina l homesta nd of t he yea r Friday, a t wo-ga me st retch t hat beg ins w it h a non-conference contest aga inst Ka la ma zoo. The match beg ins at 7 p.m. Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu
points but has two conference games remaining against Saint Ambrose and Olivet Nazarene. Should Viterbo go 2-0, though an unlikely scenario, they would make the conference playoffs ahead of Holy Cross. If they went 1-1, they would advance over the Saints. They would fall short if they lose to Olivet and tie St. Ambrose. Two ties would result in two points, tying them with the Saints. Because the two squads tied 2-2 earlier in the year, it would result in a secondary tiebreaker of goals allowed in conference play, of which Holy Cross leads 17-19. St. Ambrose, who also has 12 points, faces Viterbo and Governors State. All the scenarios that apply to Viterbo also apply to St. Ambrose. The key difference is that should St. Ambrose tie the Saints in points, they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. All the Saints can do now is watch and wait. Judson hosts Saint Xavier at 8 p.m. ET this Saturday. Viterbo hosts Saint Ambrose this Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET. Contact Tom Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu
SPORTS AUTHORITY
McGuinness: Which NHL starts are surprising? By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Editor
Yes, it is still very early in the National Hockey League season. We’re hardly two weeks in, which means no team faces an insurmountable deficit. While the playoffs aren’t a realistic goal for every team, all of them are still in the race (yes, even the San Jose Sharks). But all games count the same, and most teams have played enough to judge them on. Surprise, surprise, the league known for its parity and randomness isn’t going as scripted across the board so far. That’s a very good thing for some teams. For others, to quote the great Yogi Berra, “It gets late early.” Here’s who’s off to a surprising start, and a look at whether or not it’s sustainable.
soul-crushing first round exit to the Panthers, the Bruins said goodbye to four impact forwards, including their top two centers, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí. While most still expected the Bruins to be a playoff team, it was fair to wonder if they would slip in the standings. So far, that hasn’t been the case at all. Boston’s defense didn’t take any hits in the offseason, and the team opted to keep both of its two starting-caliber goaltenders, Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Both have save percentages above .950 through three games apiece. The two star forwards who are back, Brad Marchand and David Pastrňák, haven’t missed a beat. The Bruins would still be wise to add some talent around them at the trade deadline, but their grip on contention remains as tight as ever.
Edmonton Oilers (1-4-1) Let’s not bury the lede here. The Oilers are coming off of consecutive fairly deep playoff runs and boast two of the league’s biggest stars in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Yes, McDavid is on the shelf right now with a minor injury. But the Oilers have looked flat ever since the puck dropped. They were throttled 8-1 in their season opener and allowed seven goals Tuesday. Struggling to keep the puck out of the net has been a constant theme of the McDavid era, and this year is no exception. Last year, big free agent signing Jack Campbell flopped, but youngster Stuart Skinner stepped in to pick up the slack. This year, Skinner is flopping himself, and Campbell hasn’t been able to right the ship. In fairness to them, the team’s new defensive scheme has led to a litany of dangerous chances. And with divisional rival Vegas off to a 7-0-0 start, the Oilers are losing ground in the Pacific Division by the minute. Now, the odds are the Oilers will be fine. The Pacific is a fairly weak division (especially with the Calgary Flames also starting slow). But the bigger story is that things like this are still happening in Edmonton’s ninth attempt to build a contender around the best player in the world. The Oilers have to win, at least in the regular season.
Boston Bruins (6-0-0) Normally it wouldn’t be a surprise for the reigning President’s Trophy winners to be one of the league’s last three undefeated teams. But the circumstances in Boston aren’t exactly normal. After last year’s PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Pittsburgh Penguins (2-4-0) After missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2006, the Penguins seemingly decided to have an offseason too good to fail. New general manager Kyle Dubas traded pennies for reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson and made some other additions to shore up the middle of the lineup. The Penguins may still suffer long-term pain in the future, but their odds of returning to contention in the final years of the Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin/ Kris Letang era definitely went up over the summer. Yet through six games, they still resemble last year’s frustrating squad. Their 5-on5 play has been stellar. Only two other teams have a better expected goals-for percentage so far. But the one big shaky decision by Dubas — bringing back starting goaltender Tristan Jarry — has come back to bite the Penguins. Combine that
with poor special teams and an injury to Letang and you have a clear path toward underwhelming play. A team with as many new pieces as the Penguins deserves time to gel. But like the Oilers, they can’t afford to have an off year, especially given they just had one. New GMs often like to hire their own head coach, so keep an eye on Mike Sullivan if things don’t improve by Thanksgiving.
Detroit Red Wings (5-1-1) Red Wings fans welcomed Steve Yzerman’s much-needed rebuilding strategy when he returned to Hockeytown in 2019. But they’ve grown a little impatient at how long it’s taken to bear fruit. This is a critical litmus-test-type season for the Red Wings, and so far, they’re thriving. Alex DeBrincat is playing like he’s back to his Chicago days, already at nine goals and on pace for a slightly unsustainable 105. He’s breathed new life into franchise center Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings’ depth is showing up as well, with 10 players already at four points. Goaltender Ville Husso isn’t playing his best hockey, notching just a .893 save percentage so far. But it’s almost scarier that the Red Wings are playing so well with their starting goalie struggling. If Husso returns to his 2021-22 form, Detroit could have the inside track to its first playoff appearance since 2016.
Carolina Hurricanes (3-4-0) The Carolina Hurricanes have established themselves as one of the league’s most well-rounded teams over the last half-decade. That makes it all the more surprising to see them dead last in the league with 4.71 goals against per game. see McGUINNESS PAGE 10
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HOROSCOPE | EUGENIA LAST Happy Birthday: Establish what you want to achieve, then put a plan in place. Explore what’s available in your community that sparks your imagination and offers the incentive you require to turn your dreams into a reality. Although hard work will pay off, doing something that brings you joy will be meaningful and encourage you to spend more time with those who share life’s little pleasures with you. Make relationships a priority. Your numbers are 6, 13, 20, 24, 32, 35, 48. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Emotions will surface quickly. Be aware of what’s happening around you, but don’t start a feud that can lead to isolation. Choose to be observant, weigh the pros and cons, and put together a long-term plan that pushes you toward keeping the peace. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Connect with forward-thinking people. The more you discuss the possibilities, the easier it is to make your dream come true. Assemble a team and put changes in motion, and the rest will fall into place. Love, along with self-improvement, is favored. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Discipline is necessary to finish what you start. Refuse to let outside influences throw you off course. Follow your heart and gravitate toward people who aren’t manipulative or trying to disrupt your plans. Protect against injury and illness. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Refuse to let your emotions interfere with doing what’s right and best for you. Get involved in groups or events that broaden your horizons and encourage opportunities and success. Don’t sit idle for reasons you’ll regret. Put ego aside and be proactive. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be observant and let others reveal their position, and you’ll know exactly how to gain ground and support. If you push, someone will retaliate, but if you use charm and compliments, you will win the room. Wise decisions will lead to victory and domination. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Set the stage for victory. Put yourself out there and show confidence in all that you pursue. A vocal approach will draw attention and suggestions that will help you mold what you want to achieve into something more substantial than you imagine. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Direct your energy to suit your needs. Putting more effort into earning your living, getting along with your peers and using your money to support your needs will improve your lifestyle. Spend less time seeking approval and more time pleasing yourself. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Be passionate about what you want, and unexpected opportunities will unfold. Advocate on your behalf, and you’ll attract suggestions and potential partners that align with your beliefs and long-term goals. Lay down a solid foundation, and everything will fall into place. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Spend more time fixing up your surroundings and less time worrying about things that you have no control over. Budget for something that will make your life easier or clear a space to work on a project or adventure that excites you. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stick to the script. Deviating from the facts will only make life difficult for you and those you are trying to convince to see things your way. Put emotions aside, speak from the heart and customize your plans to suit each scenario you encounter. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put more power behind your plans. Stop second-guessing and start moving in a direction that shows financial potential. Put a hold on unnecessary expenses, subscriptions and unhealthy indulgences, and focus on what you can do to improve your quality of life. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Restructure your finances to accommodate your desired lifestyle. Reclaim what makes you happy and discard what’s weighing you down. Get serious about selling items you no longer need, and free up cash. Change begins with you. Birthday Baby: You are intuitive, protective and original. You are unwavering and thorough.
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SPORTS
THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
ND HOCKEY FEATURE
ND FOOTBALL COLUMN
Checking in with Ryan Siedem By RYAN MURPHY Sports Writer
Ryan Siedem has a hockey pedigree. The ex-USNTDP, USHL and Har vard defenseman brings a wealth of experience to South Bend as one of t wo graduate student transfers on a young Irish squad this year. Siedem arrived in South Bend over the summer to prepare for the coming season, and to start work on his master’s degree at the Mendoza College of Business. Siedem graduated from Har vard in the spring. He departed w ith t wo NCA A tournament berths and an ECAC conference title on his resume. Over three full seasons w ith the Crimson, he rose to a leadership role on the top defense pair. After Har vard canceled his sophomore season due to COV ID-19, Siedem played 2020-21 in the USHL and left Cambridge w ith one more year of eligibilit y to burn. “I was debating what to do based on my options and stuff,” Siedem said. “I talked to a small list of schools and Notre Dame was always a place that I had heard so much about. W hen I was younger, it was definitely one of the schools I hoped to maybe play at one day.” Selling Siedem on Notre Dame did not take long. W hen asked when he knew Notre Dame would be the spot for him, Siedem said it didn’t take long at all. “Honestly, just pulling up
right out here [in front of the rink], seeing the football stadium, all the school spirit all over the school,” Siedem said. “I also have some friends who have gone here who just loved it.” The graduate student transfer strateg y has dominated college sports w ith the NCA A granting all athletes an extra year of eligibilit y in 2020. But that t y pe of player is soon to become a rare breed in hockey as athletes graduate or turn pro. Last season, Notre Dame had six graduate students on its roster. Only one of them spent their entire college career in South Bend. This year, Notre Dame has just four and that number is expected to decline. Siedem and for ward Patrick Moy nihan, formerly of Prov idence College, are the only t wo transfers, although this isn’t their first time play ing together. Both suited up for the USNTDP under-17 team during the 2017-18 season. “Before I figured out what I was going to do, I heard that he committed here,” Siedem said. “[Prov idence] wasn’t in the tournament last year, so he was deciding earlier than me just because I was still play ing. So then I reached out to him, and on my v isit I knew Landon a little bit too, so we talked about how he was coming. I definitely knew he was coming and that was exciting for me too.”
Miller: Let’s ignore Pat Narduzzi’s comments topic, such as sign stealing.
By JAKE MILLER Sports Writer
This weekend, all eyes are on Phil Jurkovec. The quarterback transferred to Pitt after stints at Notre Dame and Boston College and found himself on the bench after play ing poorly to start the season. Since then, he has changed positions to tight end. Jurkovec is notorious among Irish fans for his blunt criticisms of the school. It’s clear that the Irish didn’t leave a good impression on Jurkovec, but similar negative sentiments can be found w ith Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. Narduzzi is in his ninth year w ith the Panthers after ser v ing as defensive coordinator on Mark Dantonio’s dominant Michigan State teams. Since Narduzzi arrived at Pitt, his teams are 0-3 against Notre Dame. A ll three times, Pitt was unranked, as they are this week. A lthough his teams haven’t been able to take dow n the Irish, Narduzzi has done well at Pitt. So far, he has a 64-45 record, w ith a 42-28 record in the ACC. Both are impressive numbers for a school not know n for its football prowess. Narduzzi is a blunt man, often offering his opinion on any given
W hat does Narduzzi think about Notre Dame? Over the years, Narduzzi has criticized Notre Dame. Last year, Narduzzi complained that Notre Dame recruiters attempted to reach out to former Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett to see if he’d have interest in transferring. Narduzzi accused the Irish of using “back channels” to contact Pickett. In 2020, when Notre Dame temporarily joined the ACC for football, Narduzzi mentioned that he hated the current arrangement: “To me, it’s either you play w ith us or you don’t play w ith us.”
Should Notre Dame respond? Should it care? Notre Dame will always have its detractors. Obviously, its brand proposition is vastly different than any competing school. Notre Dame is a privileged institution: the campus is stunning, and students receive an elite education. The Irish’s long-term stability, national brand and commitment to maintaining its individuality and independence give the program significant advantages in the FBS. Everything that Notre Dame does is for its own good — and its unique position in college
football is not always advantageous. Notre Dame can’t go to the ACC Championship. Clearly, in the current fourteam playoff, Notre Dame would not get in over a similar team that is also a conference champion. As it currently stands, in the new 12-team playoff, the Irish will never be eligible for a first-round bye. When coaches like Narduzzi take shots at Notre Dame, the shot doesn’t fall. Narduzzi doesn’t have the credibility to complain about Notre Dame. He has done fine at Pitt. He hasn’t been great. Winning at Pitt is harder than winning at Notre Dame. Pitt isn’t one of the more glamorous jobs in FBS. But Narduzzi knew that when he accepted the job. His gripes about the Irish don’t matter; Pitt benefits from the Irish’s arrangement with the ACC, getting to host Notre Dame every five or six years. Without the scheduling agreement, a school like Pitt would never be able to arrange home and home series with a school of similar caliber to Notre Dame. Narduzzi can talk all he wants, but his comments are irrelevant. They won’t change Notre Dame football, and they don’t put his team in a good light. Contact Jake Miller at jmille89@nd.edu
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The good news for Carolina is that their underlying defensive numbers still look great. Out of 67 goalies to play so far this year, Carolina’s three netminders rank 57th, 62nd and 65th in goals saved above expected, according to Moneypuck.com. That’s probably an area where Carolina can expect positive regression. They’ve also had to deal with injuries to star forwards Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov (who is still making his way back from a torn ACL in March). Aho is already back in the lineup and Svechnikov isn’t far behind. Odds are the Hurricanes’ status as Cup contenders isn’t in serious jeopardy. But you never know — and that’s what makes the season so fun. Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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Soccer
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
praise for his team’s effort. “I think this was our best performance of the season,” said Norman. “I think it’s a buildup over the course of the season. We learn lessons about ourselves and about who we can be … I was just really proud that we were able to work as hard as we did to be that effective.” Norman gave credit to the cohesiveness his squad has developed over the course of the season, particularly its development in responding to negative results. “I just think we’re more together. We know what we are,” Norman said. “We have a better identity. I think some of the pieces from a personnel standpoint are fitting a little bit better with us being a pressing team … We always say going into the season, adversity is going to hit, conflict is going to hit, you’re going to have a tough loss. I feel like we’ve grown from every single hiccup or bump that we’ve had and I feel like we’ve gotten better for it.” Notre Dame will now enjoy a critical day off over the weekend before packing their bags for Cary, North Carolina, to play in the ACC Tournament semifinals next Thursday. The Irish will face the winner of Sunday’s Wake ForestClemson game for a chance to play for what would be the program’s first-ever ACC Tournament title. Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu
Siedem CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
Siedem’s final Har vard season ended in the first round of the NCA A tournament w ith a loss to Ohio State. After choosing Notre Dame, he was quick ly on his way to South Bend, arriving in the area in time to attend summer classes at the Mendoza College of Business. With a short commute bet ween Mendoza and the rink, Siedem has settled into graduate student life so far. Like most of the student body, Siedem and his teammates w ill be in the crowd at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday when the Irish football team hosts Pittsburgh. “We’re fired up, it’s the last one that we can go to so it w ill be prett y fun,” Siedem said. But first, there’s work to do. Before football kicks off on Saturday, the main event for Siedem w ill take place on the ice at Compton Family Ice Arena, as Notre Dame hosts Mercyhurst on Thursday and Friday night. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m. The Irish are looking to bounce back from last Saturday’s 8-2 loss to No. 9 Boston Universit y. Perhaps the only Irish highlight came courtesy from
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State of the Saints: How Holy Cross soccer fared over fall break By TOM ZWILLER Senior Sports Writer
Fall break is much less relaxing for student-athletes than for the average student. Games scheduled for the break have massive playoff implications for both the Holy Cross men’s and women’s soccer teams. Last year, the women’s team spent fall break securing their playoff berth, and the men locked up home field for the opening round. This year is a little different, however.
Women’s Soccer When fall break officially began on October 14th, the Saints sported a 4-8-1 (2-4-1) record. Not ideal by any means, as it had them outside of the playoffs. But last year’s fall break saw the Saints improve their conference record from 3-4-2 to 5-5-3, which got them into the playoffs. Part of that run included a 5-1 win over Roosevelt, a 1-1 tie against Trinity International, and boat races of IU Northwest and Calumet by a combined 270. The Saints would need similar magic this year as they faced Saint Xavier for Senior Day before heading on the road to face Judson and Trinity Christian. Senior Day saw the Saints
Siedem, who netted his first goal in an Irish uniform. “That was awesome. It was a great feeling, just to get that first one. Just play ing here, the fans are so into it, so it was really cool to hear how loud the building was once I scored. It was a big game too, so just helping the team in any way I can.” The Irish w ill need to show some pushback this weekend against the Lakers. Siedem, and the rest of the Irish, understand that these t wo games are an important opportunit y to build momentum before conference play begins next week. “I think we are excited. If we can w in t wo this weekend, we’re 4-3, which is prett y solid. Obv iously just getting these t wo w ins before the Big Ten starts would be big, hav ing a w inning record going into those [conference games]. And then to just gain some momentum and feel confident about ever y thing, just being ready to play this weekend is the biggest thing.”
Irish Updates As reported yesterday, Notre Dame is a bit banged up on the blue line. W hile freshman Paul Fischer practiced in full this week, sophomore Michael Mastrodomenico is
off a pass from Hannah Lemieux. In the 88th minute, however, disaster struck, and Trinity was awarded a penalty kick, with senior defender Demi Scibetta converting the opportunity, giving the Trolls a 2-1 win. Coming out of the break, Holy Cross has a record of 4-11-1 (2-7-1) and is on a five-game losing streak. That also means the Saints, who sit in ninth in conference play, will likely miss the postseason. There is a path for the Saints, but they need two different things to happen. First, the team must win its matchup against IU South Bend (IUSB) this Wednesday. Then, the Saints would need Roosevelt to lose their matchup against IU Northwest. The good news? In each of their past two meetings, the Saints have beat IUSB by 11. The win would give the Saints three points for a season total of 10, allowing them to sneak into eighth place. The bad news? In all-time matchups between Roosevelt and IU Northwest, the Lakers are 2-0 with an average margin of victory of 4. Should the game result in a tie, Roosevelt would have 10 conference points and beat Holy Cross in a head-to-head tiebreaker. The Saints will look to keep their postseason hopes alive and find their first win of the month when
they host IUSB on Wednesday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m ET.
a g if t to endow t he hockey head coach posit ion. It’s a sig nif ica nt move in f ur t her cement ing t he prog ra m. “Most of t hese situat ions w it h endow ments for posit ions, just li ke endowments for schola rships, have a n impact on solidif y ing t he prog ra m in its f uture. Obv iously, it ta kes ex penses away f rom t he hockey prog ra m, coming out of t he at h let ic budget,” Jackson sa id Wednesday. Jackson, who is in his nineteent h season as head coach of t he Irish, is t he f irst to hold t he t it le. “I don’t ta ke it light ly, I t hin k it’s impor ta nt t hat when somebody puts forwa rd a g if t li ke t hat, you have to ma ke sure you’re represent ing t hem. You’re not just represent ing t he universit y, you’re representing t he people whose na me is attached to your posit ion.”
No. 12 Cornel l hosts No. 11 Minnesota Du lut h, looking to avenge last yea r’s sweep at t he ha nds of t he Bu l ldogs. UMD w i l l a rrive at Ly na h Rin k undefeated in reg u lat ion, w it h a 3-02. It w i l l be a steep test for t he Big Red in t heir f irst weekend of t he season. No. 17 Ha r va rd a lso jumps into t he act ion t his week, t raveling to Ha nover for a matchup aga inst Da r t mout h. The biggest ga mes t his weekend w i l l play out at Conte For um in Boston, as No. 8 Michiga n State t ravels to ta ke on No. 3 Boston Col lege. The ThursdayFriday series will be t he f irst big test for t he Spa r ta ns, who a re 5-1-0 w it h a n upset loss to A ir Force to sta r t t he season. The Eagles a re coming of f a close loss to No. 2 Denver at home last Saturday. In a not her big series, No. 1 Minnesota hosts neighboring riva l No. 14 Wisconsin. A f ter sweeping Michiga n Tech on t he road last weekend, Wisconsin is in t he top 20 for t he f irst t ime t his season. They’l l be looking to ma ke a statement in t heir f irst riva lr y weekend of t he Mi ke Hast ings era.
match Saint Xavier on an emotional and stormy day, and the first half was scoreless. Saint Xavier took control early in the second as sophomore midfielder Veronica Davila scored at 51:41 with an assist from junior forward Esmeralda Diaz. Saint Xavier iced the game in the closing minutes when forward freshman Alex Jonaitis scored at 84:29. The Saints then focused on their next challenge: a road game at Judson University. Unlike the match against Saint Xavier, the Saints fell behind early as junior midfielder Kelly Leon scored in the 22nd minute. Judson built on their momentum, outshooting the Saints 13-9 in the first half, culminating in Leon earning a brace as Judson took a 2-0 lead. Judson put the game away in the second half with their third and final goal, as junior midfielders Yeyahs Macias scored at 61:21. The team’s third and final game during the break came against Trinity Christian. It seemed like it might go the way of the prior two matches when senior midfielder Kara Amidon put Trinity on the board 15 minutes into the contest. But Holy Cross kept it a close game, and Abigail Fouts scored the Saint’s first goal of October
day-to-day and senior Jake Boltmann may be out a number of weeks, according to Irish head coach Jeff Jackson. “We got three defensemen that are injured right now and a fourth coming back from injur y,” Jackson said. “So it’s been a tough couple weeks, losing three of our top six defensemen, but hopefully other guys step up.” To make matters worse, junior Ryan Helliwell w ill also be unavailable for Thursday’s contest. Helliwell was ejected from Saturday’s game against Boston Universit y, a penalt y that carries a onegame suspension. He w ill be able to return on Friday. Notre Dame picked up a commitment from 2006born for ward Owen Tylec on Tuesday night. Tylec, who announced his commitment on social media, becomes the fifth member of Notre Dame’s projected 2025 class. Tylec hails from upstate New York and came up through the Buffalo Jr. Sabres organization before joining the USHL Chicago Steel this year. So far, Tylec has t wo points through seven games w ith the Steel. The Not re Da me at h letics depa r t ment a lso a nnounced on Wednesday t hat Jim a nd Ma r y Cata lino of La nsda le, Pa. have made
A round t he Nation The biggest sight on college hockey’s week ly schedu le t his week? The Iv ies a re joining t he f ray. A f ter sitt ing out t he f irst t hree weeks of t he school yea r, as is t heir custom, t he si x Iv y Leag ue schools sta r t up play t his weekend. A few jump out of t he f r ying pa n a nd into t he f ire.
Men’s Soccer The men’s team has fared a bit better this season. Going into the break, they had a one-game winning streak and had recently tied Olivet Nazarene, the best team in the CCAC. They had an overall record of 5-7-3 with a conference record of 3-3-2. On Senior Day, the Saints took an early lead in the first half as junior midfielder Isa Sayeed scored, with the assist going to junior forward Isaac Filippo. The Saints maintained their lead until the 73rd minute when Xavier scored the equalizer. The tie only lasted for 73 seconds, as Saint Xavier took a 2-1 lead at 74:13. Xavier put the game out of reach with a goal in the 86th minute, handing Holy Cross a 1-3 loss. The Saints had a solid bounceback performance in their next game, where they shut out Judson University, winning 2-0. Junior forward Kevin Vidana scored in the first half and Filippo early in the second. The Saints then traveled to Palos Heights to take on the Trinity Christian Trolls in a game that could help the Saints see SAINTS PAGE 8
Contact Ryan Murphy at rmurph22@nd.edu
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THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
ND GOLF
Irish wrap up fall season at historic St. Andrews Links in Scotland By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Editor
SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer
The Irish golf teams placed third in the contest despite stellar solo efforts from senior Angelo Marco and freshman Rocco Salvitti.
The Notre Dame men’s and women’s golf teams have probably had their final event of the fall season circled on their calendars from the day it was announced. Irish athletics have always been a global brand, and that has started to go beyond football in recent years. The football team returned to Ireland in August for the first time in 11 years. The baseball team played at Wrigley Field, the oldest ballpark in the National League, in May. And women’s basketball will head to Paris next month to take on a fellow championship contender in South Carolina. The Irish golf team was certainly not forgotten in this mission. Both the men’s and women’s teams had the honor to play at St. Andrews Links in Scotland earlier this week. Golf has been played on the land St. Andrews occupies since the 15th century, and the course is fittingly referred to as “the home of golf.” Golf.com ranked the Old Course, one of the two courses the Irish competed on as part of the inaugural St. Andrews Collegiate Invitational Presented by TopGolf and World Wide Technology, as the third-best golf course in the entire world and the best outside of the United States.
An unordinary location for a college golf tournament was combined with an unordinary format compared to Notre Dame’s first four events of the season. Monday and Tuesday, the four schools invited to the tournament (Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, North Carolina and Georgetown) competed in a standard two-round competition. The final day consisted of a Medal Match format that functioned somewhat similarly to the Ryder Cup. An Irish golfer was pitted head-to-head against a Georgetown golfer, with the goal for each competitor being to win their matchup. However, this was done in a stroke format, as opposed to the match-play system the Ryder Cup and many oneon-one golf tournaments use. During the first two rounds, the Irish women’s team finished tied with Georgetown for third. Two of the six top players on the individual leaderboard belonged to Notre Dame in senior Chloe Schiavone and graduate student Lauren Beaudreau. Schiavone placed third at two over par and Beaudreau finished just three strokes behind. Freshman Alexsandra Lapple narrowly missed the top 10, shooting seven over par across the two rounds. The Irish men’s team fared a bit better, finishing third with a score
of nine under par. Senior Angelo Marcon led the way for the Irish, delivering one of the best performances of his career to finish tied for fourth at four under par. Freshman Rocco Salvitti came in just a stroke back of Marcon in a tie for seventh. Sophomore Nate Stevens also cracked the top 10, coming in at two under par. Freshman Jacob Modleski also broke par by a stroke. The men’s team also took care of business in their Medal Match, squeaking past Georgetown by winning four of the six matchups. Modleski, graduate student Palmer Jackson, Stevens and sophomore Calen Sanderson all won their matches. The women also took down the Hoyas, narrowly winning the overall match by taking three individual competitions and tying another. Beaudreau, Schiavone and freshman Anna Heck all took home victories. Junior Montgomery Ferreira’s tie brought home the victory for Notre Dame. The Irish return to South Bend with a positive end to their fall slates and memories that will last a lifetime. The men return to action on Feb. 19, and the women will begin their spring season on Feb. 5. Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu
ND WOMEN’S SOCCER
Irish shut out Clemson 2-0, secure bye in upcoming ACC tournament By J.J. POST Associate Sports Editor
Notre Dame women’s soccer picked up an important win Thursday night, downing Clemson 2-0 at Alumni Stadium in their regular season finale. The victory pushed the Irish to second in the final ACC standings, earning them a bye in the upcoming conference tournament. It didn’t take long for Notre Dame to get going in the primetime matchup on ACC Network. The Irish pressed aggressively from kickoff, and succeeded in the game’s opening stages at pinning Clemson back in their own half. And just over 10 minutes after kickoff, Notre Dame found a breakthrough Sophomore wingback Leah Klenke found a pocket of space on the edge of the box and floated a cross into the box. The searching
ball found the head of graduate student forward Maddie Mercado, who redirected it into the back of the net. The Irish took further control of the match in the second half. Junior midfielder Sophia Fisher rose to meet freshman wingback Morgan Roy’s corner kick, powering home Notre Dame’s second goal of the game. The two-goal lead didn’t put the game out of reach for good, but it calmed any remaining nerves at Alumni Stadium as the Irish closed out the contest. Notre Dame’s defense put forth a stalwart performance on the night, limiting Clemson’s attack to just two shots on target. It was the first time since opening night the Tigers’ offense couldn’t find the back of the net in a match. After the game, Irish head coach Nate Norman was full of see SOCCER PAGE 11
SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer
Junior defender KJ Ronan puts pressure on the Clemson ballcarrier. The Irish ended their impressive regular season by handing Clemson a 2-0 defeat and securing a No. 2 seed in the ACC tournament.
INSIDER
NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | THE OBSERVER
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TAYLOR SWIFT & ND FOOTBALL
Notre Dame Football (Taylor’s Version) By EMILY DeFAZIO AND J.J. POST Associate Sports Editors
Taylor Sw ift’s discography can be used to recover from many of the troubles life throws at us. Breakups. Betrayal. Notre Dame’s 33-20 loss to Louisv ille. That was certainly how we coped during the five-hour ride home to South Bend after a late night w riting and editing some of the most depressing articles know n to the Obser ver’s football beat. Putting Taylor’s entire repertoire on shuff le, we decided it would be a fun, cathartic activ it y to assign songs and eras to different players and events of the 2023 football season and have since continued the activ it y. Here are our top Sw ift y Notre Dame football moments.
mad woman (folklore): Ryan Day after OSU’s 17-14 victory in South Bend “Now I breathe f lames each time I talk / My cannons all firin’ at your yacht / They say, ‘Move on,’ but you know I won’t” If there was one thing this matchup did, it was bring irreconcilable Notre Dame and Michigan fans together under a joint cause. Several fans dispersed in the crowd were dressed in Wolverine regalia, hav ing made the trek to South Bend w ith the sole hope of seeing Ohio State lose. For the Buckeyes, it was “obv ious that wanting me dead has really brought you t wo together,” as Michigan chose bet ween their t wo enemies. Emotions were subsequently high after the Buckeyes’ last-minute w in, and head coach Ryan Day had some choice words in
his post-game inter v iew regarding former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz, who had expressed doubts about Ohio State’s physicalit y during his ow n primetime interv iew on College GameDay. Day was certainly giv ing off “mad woman” v ibes as he had certainly not moved on from the comment, and instead breathed f lames talking about the 86-year-old.
Red (Red, Taylor’s Version): Irish fans’ love affair with Notre Dame’s Playoff hopes “Lov ing him is like tr y ing to change your mind once you’re already f ly ing through the free fall / Like the colors in autumn, so bright just before they lose it all” Red is one of Taylor Sw ift’s most emotional, scathing albums, and its titular track all but describes the rollercoaster of emotions that is the 2023 Irish football season. Lov ing Notre Dame’s season hopes was certainly Red, w ith the campus seeming to buzz w ith anticipation as if we were in that Maserati racing dow n a dead end street toward a potential College Football Playoff show ing. However, all but losing those chances after Louisv ille was definitely “like w ishing you never found out that love could be that strong,” as we are still recovering from the blues and grays that come w ith the depressing aftermath. We can still see it all in our heads, but have to tell ourselves it’s time to let go.
Question…? (Midnights): The coaching staff’s third and fourth down decisions against Louisville “Situations, circumstances / Miscommunications,
and I / Have to say, by the way / I just may like some explanations” There were plent y of things for Notre Dame fans to agonize over in the loss to Louisv ille. The offense couldn’t find its rhy thm. The defense was solid, but not enough to carr y the team. But most baff ling of all was the Irish’s continual failures on late dow ns. Faced w ith several third and short situations, Notre Dame fired blanks all night. Failed fourth dow n conversions in the fourth quarter helped turn a disappointing loss into an inexplicable rout. Perhaps most emblematic of these problems was one particular misfire just before halftime. Facing a third and one just past midfield, the Irish opted to not turn to normal short yardage running backs Audric Est imé or Gi’Bra n Pay ne. Instead, Not re Da me dia led up a jet sweep to Chris Ty ree, which was doomed f rom t he sta r t. Louisv i l le read t he play per fect ly a nd swa rmed t he back f ield. Sa m Ha r t ma n a nd Ty ree mist imed t heir excha nge a nd t he ba l l ended up on t he g round a ya rd beyond t he line of scrimmage. There were no situat ions or circumsta nces where t he Irish of fense cou ld f ind success on late dow ns t hat fatef u l night. Need less to say, fa ns a nd press a li ke were lef t wa nt ing some ex pla nat ions.
Look What You Made Me Do (reputation): Notre Dame comes out swinging after loss to Louisville and dominates USC “But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time / Honey, I rose up from the
dead, I do it all the time” Look W hat You Made Me Do (and reputation in general) is mainly based on the theme of vengeance. Notre Dame entered the USC game aggrieved and humiliated. They had just laid an egg on the road in a game that could end up making the difference bet ween play ing in a New Year’s Six bowl game and play ing in the Gator Bowl again. The Irish, worn dow n after seven weeks of games, needed to “get smarter and get harder” to beat the nationally ranked Trojans. No doubt, Marcus Freeman & co. had this showdow n on “a list of names, in red underlined” after star USC quarterback Caleb Williams dominated the Irish last season en route to the Trojans’ first rivalr y w in since 2016. W hen the time for kickoff came, Notre Dame started the game hot and went on to put forth one of their best performances of the season, dominating throughout the contest in a statement 48-20 beatdow n. Look what you made me do, indeed.
Breathe (Fearless): Looking ahead to the second half of the schedule “A nd I ca n’t / Breat he / Wit hout you / But I have to / Breat he / Wit hout you” You cou ld ta ke t his one a couple of ways. On one ha nd, Breat he is a song about hea r tbrea k a nd brea kup. A f ter t he Louisv i l le loss, Not re Da me needed to reeva luate its season a nd its goa ls. In a spa n of t hree weeks, t he Col lege Footba l l Playof f went f rom atta inable goa l to nea r-mat hemat ica l impossibi lit y. Accept ing t hat a yea r t hat sta r ted w it h such hy pe w i l l fa l l shor t of
its goa ls in ea rly October is indeed “never simple, never easy.” But Breat he is a lso, in a less dist inct way, a song about accepta nce. Taylor concedes t hat as ha rd as it is, she “has to breat he w it hout you.” It ser ves t he Irish no good, a nd in fact wou ld act ively hur t t hem, to spend t he rest of t he season ha r ping on what cou ld have been. Instead, t hey need to face t he music, move on a nd lea rn to breat he w it hout t he hope of a playof f bid. A nd even t hough it’s “never a clea n brea k,” a nd indeed t here’s “no one here to save” t he Irish … a New Yea r’s Si x bid wou ld be a nice consolat ion.
invisible string (folklore): Sam Hartman’s relationship with 2 a.m. Eddy Street Five Guys “A nd isn’t it just so prett y to t hin k / A l l a long t here was some / Inv isible st ring / Ty ing you to me ? ” Ha r t ma nia has ta ken Not re Da me by storm — a ny post t he g raduate student qua rterback ma kes on Instag ra m is sure to be t he ta l k of ca mpus in t he days fol low ing. One such post rega rded a seemingly self-made meme of Ha r t ma n’s in which Freema n looks intensely at him during a n inter v iew, which Ha r t ma n used to describe how he looks at Eddy St reet Five Guys at 2 a.m., specif ica l ly. Clea rly, for Ha r t ma n, t his is a cla ndest ine match made in heaven, w it h a single t hread of gold t y ing him to his “favorite spot for dinner.” Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu and J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu
STAFF PREDICTIONS
The Observer predicts Notre Dame vs. Pitt By OBSERV ER SPORTS STAFF
José Sánchez Córdova, Assistant Managing Editor Pitt is not a ver y good football team. At 2-5, their w in over the No. 14 Louisv ille team that beat Notre Dame is, frank ly, befuddling. Coming off the bye week, Notre Dame should come out and dominate this contest. One thing to look out for is junior w ide receiver Jayden Thomas getting involved again after spending a few weeks limited by a hamstring injur y. Frank ly, this
game should be well in hand by halftime and any thing less would be a disappointment for the Irish. This w ill be a blowout on Saturday. Notre Dame 45, Pitt 13.
The Panthers have given the Irish fits in the past, but that feeling just isn’t there this time. Notre Dame 49, Pitt 10.
Andrew McGuinness, Sports Editor
Beware the ghosts of Pat Narduzzi past. We all know about the … extensive v iews Pitt’s coach has on Notre Dame. And as you’d expect, ever y time Narduzzi has come to South Bend he’s made sure his teams play tough and put up a heck of a fight (people forget, the closest regular season game the 2018 Irish played was likely their five-point mid-October slugfest w ith the Panthers).
The way the Irish are talking paints an optimistic picture for both this week’s contest and the rest of the season. The daunting eight games in eight weeks are in the past, and the team seems to know its most grueling stretch is behind them. Notre Dame hits some big plays early and never lets Pitt get settled.
J.J. Post, Associate Sports Editor
I struggle to see such a scare this year, though. Notre Dame has momentum after a statement w in just t wo weeks ago, and they followed that w in w ith a muchneeded bye week. The Irish are well-rested (and probably the healthiest they’ve been since week zero), and Pitt is still finding their identit y after an up-and-dow n first half of the season. It’s not a great combination of factors for an upset. Still, I won’t ignore histor y and bet on the Panthers rolling over in this one. Notre Dame doesn’t dominate, but, for the most part, stays comfortable and avoids the dramatics of prior
Pitt v isits w ith a t wo-score w in. Notre Dame 31, Pitt 17.
Madeline Ladd, Associate Sports Editor The Irish are rested from enjoy ing a long-anticipated bye week after dismantling the USC Trojans t wo weeks ago. However, Marcus Freeman’s crew can’t rest on their laurels as 2-5 Pitt comes to tow n. Despite their record, Pitt always plays a physical brand of football and the Panthers have several former Irish players on their roster. They know Irish graduate student see PREDICTIONS PAGE 2
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THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
DEFENSE FEATURE
Surging Irish defensive line ‘not done yet’ after six-sack night against USC By JÓSE SÁNCHEZ CÓRDOVA Associate Sports Editor
Notre Dame’s defense was good against USC. Really good. Defensive coordinator Al Golden’s unit held the explosive Trojans offense to just 20 points while forcing five turnovers. Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams threw three interceptions and fumbled another time. After the game, Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said part of the gameplan against Williams was to keep him under consistent pressure from the defensive line. It worked. The line generated six sacks and three more hurries. One of those sacks came from graduate student defensive lineman Nana Osafo-Mensah, who spoke about the defense’s mentality after the dominant display against USC. “The whole defense is looking at USC as, ‘That has to be our worst game.’ All we can do is come
back and do more and more,” Osafo-Mensah said. “No team should score any points on us.” Fellow graduate student Howard Cross III offered a similar response when asked about where the Irish defense can go from here. “Everyone in the building knows that this is the standard,” Cross said. “That’s our floor. We can do way more than that, but that is the bare minimum of what we should be doing every game.” It’s a mindset that comes straight from Golden. When asked about USC, he had little to offer. Instead, he spent the bye week focused on the Pitt Panthers and how the Irish can improve for the game this Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. “We [the defense] have to be better than we were two weeks ago,” Golden said. “That’s where our focus is, on getting better.” The defensive line has taken that focus to heart throughout the season. Against weaker competition, the unit was getting a
lot of pressure but lacked gaudy sack totals. Through four games, Notre Dame had only tallied six sacks. They have nearly doubled that output with 11 sacks in their following four contests. Their success has been buoyed by several key contributors up front. Some are upperclassmen like Osafo-Mensah, Cross and senior Rylie Mills, who have been wreaking havoc at Notre Dame for several seasons. Others, like graduate transfer Javontae Jean-Baptiste, are making themselves known this year. Jean-Baptiste arrived at Notre Dame in the spring after spending four seasons in Columbus with the Ohio State Buckeyes. At 6’4 and 260 pounds, the Irish brought him in to hopefully replace the output lost on the edges when Isaiah Foskey left for the NFL. While he hasn’t put up Foskey’s historic sack totals, Jean-Baptiste has undoubtedly made an impact, bringing veteran leadership and
experience to the defensive line. Notre Dame’s depth at the defensive line position has also shone through with younger players stepping up. Eight different Irish defensive linemen have recorded a sack this season. Depth is a strength the unit can rely on, and Freeman spoke about constantly rotating players up front to always keep fresh legs on the line against Williams and USC. The veteran Mills pointed out the impact that younger players have had. “We have guys executing and younger guys stepping up, like Josh [Burnham], Jason Onye, Junior [Tuihalamaka] got in there. It’s great to see that we have depth on the D-line and that we have playmakers,” Mills said before the USC game. “It’s a big deal to have people come out there when their name is called and make a play.” One guy Mills didn’t mention is true freshman defensive lineman Boubacar Traore. The
ALT FEATURE
Joe Alt leads offensive line on and off the field By MADELINE LADD Associate Sports Editor
At 6’8 and 322 pounds, junior offensive lineman and captain Joe Alt stands above the crowd. But it wasn’t always that way. Alt, the son of former Kansas City Chiefs legend John Alt, was originally recruited as a tight end weighing in at a “mere” 240 pounds. Upon arrival to campus, Alt immediately made an impact as an offensive tackle and earned a starting role during his freshman year. Due to his work ethic, size and athleticism, Alt is predicted to be a top-10 pick in next year’s NFL draft. Alt has been a leader both on and off the field for this season’s offensive line, which added two new starting guards in juniors Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan, as well as a new coach in Joe Rudolph. In the Irish’s most recent game against USC, Alt continued his stellar left tackle play. According to Pro Football Focus, Alt is the second-ranked offensive tackle in college football this season and has allowed just three quarterback
pressures and one sack on the year. Aside from his physical size, Alt’s work ethic and leadership qualities make him a unique player. “There is a skill set,” Rudolph said of Alt prior to the 2023 Blue-Gold Game. “Some guys just have amazing talent. Amazing athleticism, amazing size, and then there’s some guys that just have the quality of leadership and grit, and the way they’re going to get it done in the moment. They’re going to be great leaders and make guys around them better. You don’t always find that all in one guy. He’s as close as I’ve got to see all of that in one guy. He brings it from all facets, and it’s much appreciated.” As a whole, the offensive line has helped the Irish rank ninth in the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed and 11th in team passing efficiency. On top of that, the group has paved the way for junior Audric Estimé to lead a formidable rushing attack. Notre Dame’s offensive line was one of 23 units named to the 2023 Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll. Judged on criteria such as toughness, effort,
teamwork, consistency, technique and finishing, the team was evaluated based on weekly review of game film and coach-provided cut-ups. Alt credits the team chemistry fostered in practice for the unit’s success. “We are always working with different guys, so you have that chemistry throughout,” Alt said. “We have the utmost trust with anybody that’s playing next to us. Playing with guys and being comfortable allows you to play confidently. The way we do practice and do our drill work allows us to build confidence with everybody. So it wasn’t really a surprise, whenever someone’s in there, you know where they’re gonna be and it works out well.” Though the offensive line suffered pass protection difficulties against teams like Louisville, Alt emphasizes the importance of confidence and trust on the field as the team moves forward from difficult points in the season. “For us, it’s just confidence and trusting each other,” Alt said. “As you build confidence, I always think the game slows down a little bit and you kinda
Boston product earned his first in-game action before the bye and recorded his first career sack and forced fumble right before halftime against USC. “Boubacar is a really good pass rusher and he’s continuing to develop trust in the coaching staff,” Freeman said Monday. “It’s good to see him put himself in a position to make that play.” Top to bottom, the Irish defensive line brings talent and depth. They had a slow start to the year, but — following their coordinator’s lead — have gotten better each week. Their six-sack performance against USC serves as a notice for the rest of the college football world that Notre Dame is a force in the trenches. And there’s more to come. “We’re not done yet,” OsafoMensah said. “We have to keep going and going.” Contact José Sánchez Córdova at jsanch24@nd.edu
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trust in yourself and you’re not so jittery at times and you can trust in what you’re doing. And the little things that might get you might not get you.” Looking toward Pitt, Alt acknowledged the Panthers’ strengths despite their current 2-5 record. “They’re definitely a good team,” Alt said, specifically praising Pitt’s front seven. “For us, it’s watching the film and watching what they do differently from team to team. We’ll attack in the ways we want to attack that.” The most important job for a left tackle is to protect his quarterback’s blind side. Alt’s father excelled in doing that during his 13-year, two-time Pro Bowl NFL career, protecting quarterbacks such as Notre Dame legend Joe Montana. Alt will follow in his father’s footsteps as he potentially starts his NFL career next year, and all signs point to him achieving the same success. But for now, when he’s not pass-protecting and run-blocking, Alt studies Mechanical Engineering.
due to injuries to junior Jayden Thomas and freshman Jaden Greathouse. And after an uncharacteristically quiet outing against Louisville, Estimé rolled through USC to the tune of 95 yards and two touchdowns and should be at his best after the bye week. All of this is to say that if the Irish offense is truly an elite unit, now is the time to show it. If they can find more consistency in the run game, hit on more downfield shots through the air and cut down on the frequent penalties that have plagued them in recent weeks, they will be well-positioned to close out the regular season on a five-game winning streak. Especially if the defense can build on its impeccable fiveturnover effort against USC. But if Notre Dame’s offensive performance against a struggling Pitt team looks more like its most recent four games than its first four, the Irish winning out would start to look like an unlikely scenario. The Irish offense has not yet reached its potential, but it still has time to find that elusive next gear. Saturday afternoon’s matchup with Pitt will reveal whether or not an offensive resurgence is in store for Notre Dame in the late stages of this season.
Contact Madeline Ladd at mladd2@nd.edu
Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu