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VOLUME 58, ISSUE 32 | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Trustees to elect ND president By LIAM KELLY Associate News Editor
On Oct. 13, University President Fr. Jenkins announced he would step down from his role at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, leaving the Board of Trustees to select his successor. Jenkins was elected the 17th president of the University in 2005, succeeding Fr. Edward Malloy. Jenkins was reelected as president by the board of trustees for four five-year terms, the most recent one beginning in July, 2020. Jenkins
is stepping down a year before the end of his fourth term. In his 2005 inaugural address, Jenkins vowed “to build a Notre Dame that is bigger and better than ever — a great Catholic university for the 21st century.” He said Notre Dame must be “one of the pre-eminent research institutions in the world, a center for learning whose intellectual and religious traditions converge to make it a healing, unifying, enlightening force for a world deeply in see PRESIDENCY PAGE 3
Death Penalty Abolition Society convenes By AVA WA RFORD News Wr iter
The Notre Dame Law School Death Penalty Abolition Society (DPAS) held its first general meeting Friday in the Eck Hall of Law after recently being approved by the University. Rita Lake, an ND Law student and co-founder of DPAS, explained she wanted the club to be a space for people of different beliefs and backgrounds to work together for a common cause. In the meeting, Lake said the
Notre Dame hosts Robotic Football fall combine
GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer
tea ms. Robot footba l l bea rs ma ny simi la rit ies to t he more t radit iona l iterat ions of t he ga me, w it h posit ionspecif ic bots, of fensive a nd defensive play schemes, a nd referees who must oversee a n ex tensive r u le book on not on ly in-ga me pena lt ies, but a lso specific const ra ints on each bot desig n. The fa l l combine is a n ea rly cha nce for tea ms to display t heir prowess in speed, ma neuverabi lit y a nd qua r terback accuracy, a long w it h ot her categories. Ma ria Schudt, president of t he Not re Da me robot ic footba l l club, was ecstat ic about her tea m’s per forma nce in t he combine as wel l as t he per forma nce of some of t he newer indiv idua l bots. “Our QB did rea l ly wel l. I’d have to double check but I t hin k we got t he new QB accuracy record a nd t hen we won t he QB posit iona l t rophy, which is rea l ly nice,” Schudt bea med.
An example of a wide receiver robot created for the Notre Dame team of the Collegiate Robotic Football Conference (CRFC).
see ROBOTICS PAGE 4
By GRAY NOCJAR News Writer
The Col leg iate Robot ic Footba l l Conference (CRFC) held t heir 2023 fa l l combine at Not re Da me on Saturday. The event was conducted in t he Stepa n Center f rom 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. a nd
NEWS PAGE 4
featured tea ms f rom four ot her Midwestern universit ies : Va lpra iso Universit y, Trine Universit y, Ca lv in Universit y a nd Ohio Nor t hern Universit y. The CRFC ma nages a n a nnua l footba l l tournament played by remotely driven robots desig ned indiv idua l ly by col leg iate
SCENE PAGE 5
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club has a twofold mission: to educate students in the club and to make a positive impact on the lives of death row inmates. Even before the official formation of the club, Lake and others worked to achieve these goals. Recently, Lake and a group of her fellow law students wrote letters and emails to Idaho’s Commission of Pardons and Parole to prevent the execution of Thomas Creech, a death row inmate whose execution was scheduled for Nov. 8. Creech eventually received a stay of execution
on jurisdictional grounds. During the meeting, Lake emphasized she wants the Notre Dame community to “understand how much young people can make an impact.” The club will focus on three different forms of outreach: judicial, legislative and prison outreach. The judicial outreach portion of the Society will focus on involvement in case law about the death penalty. In legislative outreach, the club will seek to create a relationship with the Indiana General see ABOLITION PAGE 4
Sorin presents ‘Otterfest’ festival By ANNELISE DEMERS News Writer
Two day s of ja m med packed mu sic a nd food f looded Sor i n Col lege’s cou r t y a rd a nd t he su rrou nd i ng a rea t h i s pa st Fr iday a nd Sat u rday. T h i s w a s Sor i n’s second yea r host i ng “Ot ter fest,” a play on Ok tober fest . Ev a n Joh n son a nd Joe Dicola a re sophomores w ho orga n i z ed t h i s yea r’s event . Joh n son, a c iv i l eng ineer i ng major, sa id, “We d id it la st yea r ju st bec au se we had a lot of mu sic ia n s here a nd we, you k now, loved get t i ng t he dor m toget her a rou nd somet h i ng l i ke t hat, so we t houg ht we’d ma ke it a cha r it y event t h i s yea r.” Joh n son i s a l so a member of t wo of t he g roups t hat per for med : “Mor n i ng Dose” a nd “Pa ssion.” A l l proceed s were donated to T he Mu sic V i l lage, a n orga n i z at ion i n Sout h Bend w hose m i ssion i s to promote t he d iver se c u lt u r a l her it age of t he g reater Sout h Bend a rea v ia t he
W BASKETBALL PAGE 12
mu sic a l a r t s. “We rea l ly w a nted to expa nd it f rom la st yea r,” Dicola, a mecha n ic a l eng ineer, sa id. “It w a s most ly a mu sic a l per for ma nce la st yea r, a nd it ’s st i l l t he ma i n at t r ac t ion but we w a nted to sor t of ex pa nd it to be food foc u sed a s wel l a nd we have t h i ngs l i ke br atw u r st a nd pu mpk i n pie a nd sof t pret z el s.” Sor i n resident s cooked up up br at w u r st on t he g r i l l a nd sold a v a r iet y of food s a nd ref resh ment s for a $ 6 t icket w it h a l l of t he proceed s goi ng to T he Mu sic V i l lage. “Ot ter fest ” t-sh i r t s were a l so av a i lable to pu rcha se. Fr iday n ig ht ’s l i ne up w a s a l l acou st ic mu sic w h i le Sat u rday w a s reser ved for rock . Some of t he ba nd s a nd per for mer s i ncluded Luc y Bu l lock, Two Men i n K i lt s, Boy s i n t he Tub a nd Pa ngdemon iu m. “It ’s been g reat g uy s have ju st been com i ng i n a nd goi ng out a nd it ’s been you k now ; it ’s been t remendou s suppor t f rom ever yone. It ’s see OTTERFEST PAGE 3
HOCKEY PAGE 12
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TODAY
THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
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MEGHAN LANGE | The Observer
In honor of Veteran’s Day, a pair of ROTC members rappelled from the ceiling of the Compton Family Ice Arena on November 11, delivering the hockey puck for the game. Notre Dame played No. 19 Ohio State both Friday and Saturday, pulling out two victories.
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Corrections An article in Friday’s paper misquoted Provost John McGreevy. McGreevy said the modal Catholic does not look like him in the statistical sense, not the model Catholic. The Observer regrets this error.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Sip and Spin Angela Athletic Center 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Take an exclusive cycle class with Smick Cycle and drink coffee after.
Dirty Book Sale Hesburgh Library Main Concourse 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Purchase gently used books.
Cultural Tea Tasting Rice Commons 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Taste and learn about teas from many different cultures.
“Drawn to STEM” 107 Hesburgh Library, Carey Auditorium 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Lecture on engaging the youth with STEM.
Symphony Orchestra Fall Concert Leighton Concert Hall 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Purchase tickets at performingarts.nd.edu.
Faith and Science Week Discussion Geddes Coffeehouse 7:30 p.m. Discuss how faith and science coexist.
Argentine Tango Classes RecSports in Duncan Student Center 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Learn the art of tango.
Society of Women Engineers Meeting 212/213 StinsonRemick Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Meet women in STEM.
Regina All-Fall Regina Hall North Kitchen and Lobby 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy a night of fall crafts and food.
Volleyball vs. Wake Forest Joyce Center 6:30 p.m. Support the team for senior night.
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NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | THE OBSERVER
Presidency CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
ANNELISE DEMERS | The Observer
Sorin residents and guests gathered in the Sorin courtyard for the residence hall’s second annual “Otterfest” music festival. The Oktoberfest-inspired event spanned two days of food and music performances.
Otterfest CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
ju st n ice to have t he mu sic even i f you’re ju st i n you r room a nd l i sten i ng a nd now f rom t he w i ndow,” Dicola sa id. T he Sor i n cou r t y a rd, w here t he event took place, w a s f u l ly enclosed du r i ng renov at ion s t wo yea r s ago. T he a rea now ha s seat i ng a nd st r i ng l ig ht s hu ng f rom above. Hav i ng t h i s newly enclosed space helped ma ke t he event possible. “It w a s l i ke somet h i ng I
have never seen before,” At hena West la nd, a f i r styea r st udent f rom How a rd Ha l l, sa id. T here were ma ny f r iend s a nd spec t ator s of t he event on bot h day s, some w ho l i stened a nd s w ayed a long on Fr iday even i ng , ot her s w ho ja m med out on Sat u rday a f ter noon. “It w a s a u n ique event, a nd I d id not k now t hat Sor i n had a cou r t y a rd. I w i sh t here were more Ot ter s,” Sa r a h E l l iot, a f i r st-yea r st udent, sa id. Joh n son a nd Dicola have PAID ADVERTISEMENT
t hei r e yes on t he f ut u re of w hat t h i s event cou ld become i n t he f ut u re not ju st for t hei r dor m, but for a l l of c a mpu s. “May be [we cou ld have ] law n ga mes a nd st u f f l i ke t hat,“ Dicola sug gested. ” W ho k now s, but hopef u l ly nex t yea r t here’l l be even more per for mer s a nd more food s t hat g row even more to a Un iver sit y w ide event r at her t ha n ju st a dor m one.” Contact Annelise Demers at ademers@nd.edu
need.” Not long into his presidency in 2009, Jenkins received criticism for inviting newly-elected President Barack Obama to speak at that year’s graduation ceremony. Some argued Obama’s abortion-rights policies were at odds with the University’s Catholic nature. Notre Dame has had a tradition of inviting presidents to speak at graduation ceremonies, going back to President Eisenhower In 2020, both Jenkins and the University received considerable national attention. After canceling inperson classes for the rest of the spring 2020 semester in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jenkins made the controversial decision to resume in-person classes in the fall. In a May New York Times opinion piece, Jenkins defended his decision to allow students to return to classes, arguing if virtualonly classes continued, “we would risk failing to provide the next generation of leaders the education they need and to do the research and scholarship so valuable to our society.” That October, Notre Dame was put into the spotlight again when President Donald Trump nominated Notre Dame Law School alumna and professor Amy Coney Barrett as the newest Supreme Court justice. At Barrett’s nomination ceremony at the White House, media captured Jenkins without a mask. He was subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19. Following student outrage and calls for his resignation, Jenkins issued an apology for not wearing a mask during the ceremony. Recently, the University was accepted into the prestigious Association of American Universities. Jenkins has overseen a period of growth. When he became president in 2005, the University endowment sat at $3.7 billion. Today it sits at $20.3 billion — the seventh largest of all private universities. In 2005, Notre Dame enrolled 11,417 total students. In 2022 (the last year for which data is available), the University enrolled 13,105 total students. Physically, Notre Dame has expanded as well, with six new residence halls and a plethora of academic buildings being constructed during Jenkins’s tenure. Jenkins’ 19 years in office also marked the continuation of a period of stability in the Notre Dame presidency. After Fr. Edward Sorin served as president for 23 years after founding the University, no other president served for more than
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15 years in the role until Fr. Theodore Hesburgh’s 35year tenure from 1952 to 1987. Fr. Malloy took over for Hesburgh, serving for 18 years from 1987 until 2005. Fr. Malloy now serves as President Emeritus. With Jenkins stepping down, the process of selecting a new president will begin. According to the University bylaws, the president is elected by the Board of Trustees. Though Jenkins was elected to five-year terms, the president may be given a term of up to seven years. The bylaws stipulate the president must be chosen “from among the clerical members of the Congregation [of Holy Cross].” However, the Board of Trustees as a whole does not have free reign to pick who this member of the Congregation is. Rather, the “Provincial of the Congregation” recommends a member of the clergy to the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board of Trustees, which consists of at least seven members. According to the Congregation of Holy Cross website, the Provincial Superior of the Congregation is Fr. William Lies. Lies formerly served as executive director of the Center for Social Concerns and vice president for mission engagement and church affairs at Notre Dame. He is currently a fellow of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. The bylaws also note “the Governance and Nominating Committee may also receive recommendations from any other interested person or persons.” After the Governance and Nominating Committee receives these recommendations, they recommend a candidate to the whole board. The president of the University must recuse himself from the Governance and Nominating Committee when a nominee for president is being considered. It is unclear if other committee members who have been nominated for the role of president must recuse themselves. After the committee makes its recommendation, the board votes on whether to approve the nominee. In a statement in response to Fr. Jenkins’ announcement, John J. Brennan, chair of the Board of Trustees, said the Board is “confident that the next leader will take the University to even greater heights of accomplishment.” Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly3@nd.edu
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NEWS
THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Robotics CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Schudt a lso touched on what t he tea m had lea rned f rom t he combine, including a n issue w it h bot ma intena nce. “We have a lot of t hings t hat brea k, a nd we don’t k now why t hey brea k,” Schudt admitted. “A lot of t his stuf f has been g ra ndfat hered in t hroughout t he yea rs a nd we don’t clea rly understa nd it, as we wou ldn’t necessa ri ly ma ke t he sa me decisions t hey did.” Nat ha n Helgledorn, secreta r y of t he Ohio Nor t hern tea m, high lighted t he improvements he has seen since joining his col lege’s club in 2021. “Last yea r we ca me prett y unprepa red,” Helgledorn sa id. “This yea r, we have spent a lot more t ime prepa ring our drivers to k now how t heir bots operate a nd I t hin k t hat’s cont ributed a lot to our increased per forma nce t his yea r.” Timot hy Zeemond, spea k ing as t he president of t he Va lpa ra iso tea m, credited t he successes his tea m ex perienced at t he combine to “gett ing people involved, which was ver y ha rd during t he COV ID yea rs, but we’ve done a rea l ly good job of being v isible on ca mpus.” On his tea m’s desig n phi losophy, Zeemond st ressed “a l l our bots a re prett y simple. We ma ke a ton of t hem so t hat when t hey brea k we ca n just put in a not her one a nd t hey’re easy to f i x, so we just a lways have a bot ready.” In Apri l, t he col leges w i l l compete in f u l l eleven-oneleven ga mes to determine who w i l l w in t he Hederma n Memoria l Trophy. The awa rd is na med in honor of Not re Da me student Bria n Hederma n who passed away in a 1995 ca r accident. Hederma n’s draw ings of robot ic footba l l players cont ributed to t he founding of t he spor t at Not re Da me a few yea rs later. Orig ina l ly a n int ra mura l compet it ion faci litated by a capstone eng ineering class, a n intercolleg iate leag ue was formed in 2011 w it h Purdue Universit y a nd t he United States Nav y Academy. A f ter t he resu lts had been ta l lied, Not re Da me placed f irst overa l l in t he combine, including top ra n k ings in categories for best qua rterback, best center a nd best k icker. Ohio Nor t hern placed second w it h a w in in t he best defender compet it ion, whi le Va lpa ra iso f inished t hird w it h t he best r unning backs a nd w ide receiver bots. Contact Gray Nocjar at gnocjar@nd.edu
Students, clergy observe Abolition Vocational Awareness Week CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
By SA LLY BR A DSH AW New s Wr iter
National Vocational Awareness Week, observed Nov. 5-11, is a time dedicated to promoting discernment of vocations for Catholics. In the Catholic Church, vocations are defined as God’s call to the individual to a way of life, whether that be marriage, the priesthood or consecrated religious life. Liam Schlosser, a sophomore philosophy and theology double major at Notre Dame, described discernment as a process “all about receiving God’s call and His love for us,” explaining how he made progress in his discernment when he “really focused on living with Christ day by day.” Schlosser said he started thinking about his vocation at age seven and began seriously discerning it during his junior year of high school. “When I was young I latched on to the idea of being a Catholic priest. My role models were mostly priests because they were the most joyous people I could find,” Schlosser said. “My desire for priesthood grew throughout high school and now, at Notre Dame, I am considering joining the Congregation of Holy Cross.” Schlosser explained that National Vocational Awareness Week is important to draw people’s attention to vocational contemplation because “God has a plan for each and every person and it is our responsibility to discern what that is.”
Schlosser said his experience in Catholic school positively impacted his vocational discernment, as he “was able to think about and experience God in a more intimate way.” Schlosser encourages students to consider their vocations, writing, “Your vocation is so important because God loves you so much. When He created the universe, he included you in His plan and gave you a unique role.” Fr. Matt Cortese, chaplain of McCandless Hall at Saint Mary’s and a PhD student in liturgical studies at the University of Notre Dame, said a week dedicated to vocational awareness is an important way to draw attention to “what is often happening every other week.” “Often when we’re going about our daily business, going to class, we’re not paying attention to the larger question of ‘How does a religious vocation ... within the Church fit into my life?’” Cortese said. Cortese said he realized his own vocational call while in college, although he had started thinking about the priesthood earlier on in high school. He said since then the biggest reward of his vocation has been getting to meet and connect with a variety of people. As a Jesuit priest, Cortese said his ministry has brought him all around the world. “Another benefit that would be worth saying is that we are given lots and lots of time to pray, that prayer becomes the focus of our lives,” Cortese explained. He acknowledged one challenge of a life of celibate chastity are the “moments of loneliness,” but added those are “often offset
by the people that we get to serve.” Cortese argued that Catholic schools play an essential role in guiding young people toward finding and accepting their vocations. “Especially when you’re at a Catholic school run by orders, whether that’s priests or brothers or sisters, you hope that you provide a witness, so that students will want to join for your project, God’s project,” he said. Speaking to current students of the tricampus who are discerning their vocations, Cortese said an important first step is to develop a prayer routine, which for Catholics includes attending mass weekly or even daily. Secondly, Cortese encouraged people to get to know those in religious life. “I’ve found that most sisters and priests and brothers want to chat with people who could potentially join their groups, their orders, their communities,” Cortese explained. “Don’t be afraid to approach them. They like that.” Cortese urged people to perceive determining one’s vocation as a continuous process. “I think sometimes when we talk about vocations we can think of a vocation as if it’s something completely extrinsic, or outside of ourselves, as if there’s me and then my vocation that exists and I’m just sort of waiting to discover it,” Cortese said. “Really, your vocation is becoming most fully who you are and who you are called to be.”
Assembly. In prison outreach, the club members will write letters to help death row prisoners as they did in Creech’s case. The co-founders alongside Lake include Alexandra Lesnik (prison advocacy vice president), Andrea Testin (judicial advocacy vice president), Andrew Badger (legislative advocacy vice president), Yifei Wang (treasurer) and Noah Walusis (secretary), who are all ND law students studying alongside Lake. DPAS is currently seeking new leaders in addition to the current ones. The club plans to host a few events next semester, including a death penalty speaker series featuring Notre Dame law professor Marah Stith McLeod and two attorneys. In this event, speakers will explain the evolution and current state of case law. The club will also host a letter-writing program in the future where participants can learn how best to write letters to death row inmates. The program will occur over Zoom and it will be held sometime in January. While the club itself is restricted to students in the Notre Dame Law School, the organization plans to offer events, such as lectures by guest speakers, open to undergraduate students in the future. However, it is unlikely these events will happen next semester as the club is still in its initial stages of development. Testin stressed she hopes the club is able to build on its initial success. “The Tom Creech example was hopefully the first,” said Testin. “Our voices count.”
Contact Sally Bradshaw at sbradshaw01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Ava Warford at awarfor2@nd.edu
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THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
By ARIANNA DENNING Scene Writer
When I first saw the trailers for “The Golden Bachelor,” I wasn’t exactly thrilled. A season of “The Bachelor” except with an older guy? I was certain they were going to pair this actual 72-year-old man named Gerry with women half his age. Viewers were going to have to suffer through a lack of any understanding between the leading man and his ladies as they struggled to find common ground. Everyone was going to be airbrushed and in absolutely absurd shape, cajoled by producers into bikinis and strong martinis until there was inevitable relationship drama. I was so wrong. Instead, it was one of the most refreshing pieces of media I’ve consumed in a long time. The show is truly a sweet and tender depiction of searching for love after hope is considered lost. It’s everyone on the show’s second chance to find love. The group of women are all around Gerry’s age, ranging from 60s to 70s and have the maturity to match. Many of them are widows, divorcees and have children — basically women with complete lives who are now taking another chance at love. They are presented as beautiful women who have gracefully aged and aren’t past any sort of expiration date to enrich their lives. While they are all competing to win Gerry’s heart, there isn’t the kind of drama and pettiness one normally associates with “The Bachelor.” There is some jealousy,
By LUKE FOLEY Scene Writer
Throughout Sofia Coppola’s filmography, she has been fascinated with lonely women and how wealth, loss of innocence or Hollywood can isolate and diminish them. Thus, “Priscilla” is the ultimate Sofia Coppola film, synthesizing these previously-explored themes. The film is the meditative, haunting journey of a teenage girl who was groomed into a superficial husk of a woman and forced to live a performative, unfulfilling life at the hands of stardom, bolstered by wonderful performances and deft direction. “Priscilla” does not shy away from Elvis and Priscilla’s incredibly disturbing relationship. The film chronicles their relationship from the very start, when the 14-year-old Priscilla, a mere ninth grader, meets the 24-year-old Elvis while he is stationed at a military base in Germany. The circumstances of their initial meeting are also unsettling, as she is eating alone in a diner when a friend of Elvis ominously approaches her and invites her to a party at Elvis’ house, almost like Elvis sent him to find young American women for him to court. At the party, Elvis and his star power unsurprisingly enchant Priscilla, for she is just one of the millions of young American girls who love Elvis. However, it is Elvis’ attraction to her that is shocking and appalling. Here is one of the most famous and lusted-after men in the world who could feasibly have any woman he wants, yet he is enamored by a mousy 14-yearold girl. Why? As the film subtly demonstrates, Elvis chooses Priscilla because her innocence and malleability attract him. He wants a naive woman he can easily control, who doesn’t challenge
which is to be expected for this kind of dating format, but it’s honestly handled really well. The women communicate with each other and with Gerry about what they are truly feeling at the time, and it’s really nice to see. Now a definite highlight of the show is Gerry, the golden bachelor. He’s a lovely gentleman who was married to his high school sweetheart Toni for 43 years. They had two daughters together and now two grandchildren. Tragically, Toni passed away in 2017. Six years later, Gerry is ready to find love again and, even in his 70s, he believes that you can’t give up hope. This guy has me tearing up every episode with how utterly tender-hearted and compassionate he is, usually when he’s remembering his late wife or emotional about developing deep connections with another person again. He is so mature and refreshingly earnest about falling in love with the women there. It’s content that I love to watch and would love to see more of in the future. Unfortunately, “The Golden Bachelor” is an outlier in how it portrays an older crowd. Most media, especially reality TV, tends to keep an insurmountable wall around it for anyone who isn’t young and attractive. There seems to be a certain age where actors or actresses aren’t allowed to be portrayed as still sexy or desirable, as if after 40 you’re put out to pasture. Ageism is pervasive in pop culture and advertising, telling people that aging is something to be feared and fought against by any means necessary. Signs of aging on one’s face are something of which to be ashamed, instead of proof of a
life well lived. This stigma against getting older tends to affect women in a particularly lopsided manner. Hollywood has the unfortunate habit of allowing male co-stars to age gracefully while their female counterparts are exchanged out to keep the youngest model in play. Age gaps of 15+ years between costars are frighteningly common. Popular media pieces such as “Never Have I Ever,” “Indecent Proposal,” “Singin’ In The Rain,” “Birdman” and so many more all have massive age differences between co-stars, with the woman being younger. It speaks to the idea that looks are the only thing of value. Editing your image is common practice on social media, with the Kardashians being some of the most notorious culprits for smoothing fine lines and nipping in waists. Advertisements proclaim miracle cures for tightening skin and erasing wrinkles. It all adds up to a culture that is fundamentally afraid of aging and actively ignores its older population. Aging should be a process that is celebrated as a gift that you’re still living. Although I won’t lie and say I don’t wear sunscreen every day religiously, neither am I terrified of getting older. I’m excited to see how I develop as a person and gain many more lived experiences. This is something that “The Golden Bachelor” celebrates, and I hope that its success is a signal to the industry to start procuring more media that embraces the natural process of aging.
him and who is a refuge from the entertainment world he despises. Priscilla represents a pure, untainted femininity that is highly appealing to Elvis. In the film’s twisted “meet cute” scene, Elvis says to Priscilla, “Ninth grade? Why, you’re just a baby!” and then proceeds to kiss her. It’s all very disconcerting, but the film still treats their connection as genuine and, at times, wholesome. In this regard, I think this film wonderfully compliments 2022’s “Elvis,” as they both deal with the theme of toxic, exploitative relationships. In “Elvis,” we see Elvis as the victim of an exploitative relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker, who manipulates and abuses Elvis for monetary gain. But in “Priscilla,” we see Elvis as the perpetrator of an exploitative relationship with Priscilla. The two films together display a cycle of abuse, where Elvis, to reassert a sense of control in a life increasingly dictated by Parker, enters a romantic relationship with the young Priscilla, where he can be the one who finally dominates and controls another person. Eventually, we see Priscilla leave Germany and move in with Elvis at Graceland. (She is still a high schooler, mind you!) Coppola spends considerable time quietly depicting Priscilla’s ennui at Graceland, with the camera following her around the empty, opulent interiors of the estate. Through visuals alone, the film strikingly illustrates how this teenager has been extracted from her family and entrapped into this glamorous but isolating world where her sole purpose is to be Elvis’ lover and, even when he’s gone, she’s perpetually appealing to his gaze. Priscilla’s autonomy and self are slowly stripped away from her by Elvis. He takes her shopping, but every dress
Priscilla wants to buy has to be personally approved by Elvis. Furthermore, he forcibly persuades her to dye her hair black. While these seem like relatively innocuous things, they exemplify a significant power imbalance where Priscilla can’t push back or assert her wants or needs in this relationship because she is just some lucky girl and he’s THE Elvis Presley. What say does she have, right? It’s this constant fear of abandonment and losing this fantasy world that motivates many of Priscilla’s actions. His affairs, his verbal abuse and the lack of fulfillment in her life are all ignored and forgiven. She’s trapped with no easy escape; her entire life is Elvis because she had no chance to live her own. The film is a slow but riveting descent into this sad, inevitable conclusion, and Priscilla has no closure or moment of emotional catharsis. She does leave Elvis by the end, but it’s not treated as a triumphant victory but a belated, crushing decision. The film’s two fantastic lead performances are what make the film’s central relationship so tragic and fascinating. Jacob Elordi is excellent as Elvis and gives a simultaneously charismatic, sympathetic and scary performance. Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla is wonderful, effectively playing the varied stages of Priscilla’s life, from the naive 14-year-old fangirl to the disillusioned housewife. The film explicitly reveals very little about Priscilla’s inner thoughts and feelings, but Spaeny skilfully manages to display them through her subtle, precise performance. Furthermore, the costumes and set design are sumptuous. Read more at ndscmobserver.com
Contact Arianna Denning at adenning@nd.edu
ETHAN CHIANG | The Observer
Contact Luke Foley at lfoley2@nd.edu
MARIA TOBIAS | The Observer
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THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
The world needs women’s education
INSIDE COLUMN
Posthumous musings on Lyons 124 Marissa Panethiere Graphic Designer
The historical marvel which is Lyons Hall does not, unfortunately, possess the honor of being a recently renovated dormitory. Former residents often mosey their way back under the arch and note the fact nothing has really changed inside. Considering this beautiful building of shoebox rooms and severely limited ADA accessibility was completed in 1927, what keeps residents around is the community. Last year I got the unique privilege of living in “one” room which was actually two shoeboxes, connected by a door that did not close. The separation was more of a mindset, suggesting the character of a two-room double. I shared this space with my roommate and best friend Christina and, somehow, our friendship made it past the asbestos-lined tiles and potentially hazardous radiator which we could not turn off. Directly across from the main door used by Lyons residents for entry and exit, there sat the Lyons 124 (pronounced “one-two-four,” do not get it twisted). With a constantly open door and two procrastinators as its inhabitants, no one was safe from our musings — and attendance at our nightly debriefs and “Love Island” reruns was mandatory. Living with a roommate in such a small space taught me a lot about myself and, looking back fondly at that year of pure bliss (disregarding the fact I took Orgo 2 last fall), there are countless lessons this space taught me. While not all of you will share the distinct privilege of living in the Lyons 124, these observations of dorm life might still ring true.
1. The recorder is a very easy instrument to learn. In a moment of pure impulse, Christina and I traversed the well-known wasteland which is Amazon.com and purchased two plastic recorders. We soon found ourselves trampling over its minuscule learning curve and now we can perform recorder renditions of “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” by Céline Dion or “Super Freaky Girl” by Nicki Minaj with ease. This skill has proven to be a priceless asset in my time as a Notre Dame student.
2. Everyone loves karaoke. Weekly karaoke in the 124 would draw in the masses (two friends and our cardboard cutout of Pitbull). The second of many impulse purchases was a $12 Bluetooth microphone which had an absurd amount of echo. Loading up Sing King’s Youtube karaoke videos onto our TV, homework would be procrastinated, the disco ball would be turned on and we would absolutely lock in. With a quick message to the GroupMe, we’d have a gaggle of guests making their way over to each perform their own personal party pieces. There’s something so healing about singing along to 2000s dad rock instead of writing an essay due in an hour.
3. Everyone loves to color. On the back wall of the Lyons 124 hung a 3x6-foot coloring sheet for all guests to partake in. Provided with buckets of markers, crayons and colored pencils — of course — every new visitor into our humble abode would make their literal mark on our space. Slowly filling up over the semester via Lyons residents or the occasional cross-campus invite, these embellishments furnished our space with a vibrance that no poster on Redbubble could have replicated. Take the time to color: it’s a concrete way to procrastinate in pure tranquility.
4. Lean into your individuality. My first semester of college was spent desperately trying to find where I fit in. After a rough go at trying to change my self-identity, my authentic self led the way for me to have the most fun of my entire life. At my big age of 21, I still do the strange, childish and borderline unhinged activities I enjoyed when I was a kid and Lyons 124 might as well have been a toy box for me and my friends to explore. If you are or were anything like me in my first months at Notre Dame, take my advice: do what you love. Good things happen when you’re happy. I could drone on and on about a year in the life of a Lyons resident, but it all boils down to the beauty of community. College life is the time when you get to explore who you are. Take the time to play your favorite songs on a bizarre plastic instrument, sing at the top of your lungs to “Turn My Swag On” and color a huge cartoon rendering of New York City. You have the rest of your life to live in a bigger bedroom with air conditioning and hopefully at least one functional overhead light. Let life be ridiculous right now, you’ll remember it better that way. Contact Marissa at mpanethi@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Grace Sullivan I.M.P.A.C.T.
Gender inequality is a global issue. Several factors within a variety of cultures contribute to the widespread societal belief that girls are inferior to boys because of their gender. Other social issues such as harmful cultural practices, a lack of sustainable income, adolescent pregnancy and menstruation stigma amplify and further perpetuate wgender inequality. These factors prevent girls across the world from receiving an education that would encourage them to use their voices and be leaders in their own lives. As of 2022, 129 million girls are not in school, and with current efforts, it will take another 54 years to reach universal primary school completion for girls. The lack of girls’ participation in education is rooted in misogyny. Many families do not see girls’ schooling as a viable solution to financial insecurity as many families are unaware of the economic benefits which can be gained from educating girls, both for their families and the global economy. In reality, if every girl worldwide received 12 years of quality education, lifetime earnings for women could increase by $15 to $30 trillion globally. Educating girls not only empowers women to take control of their lives, but it benefits society as education and gender equality are sustainable solutions for poverty, hunger, adolescent pregnancy, child marriage and can even help address the climate crisis. Room to Read — a nonprofit founded on the belief that “World Change Starts with Educated Children” — is working to create a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. The nonprofit has created a multi-media storytelling project called ”She Creates Change” which boldly aims to reach 432 million adolescent girls in the world with content and an educational curriculum to support them in creating change in their lives and communities. ”She Creates Change” uses life skillsbased education to encourage girls to step into their power, discover their inner strength and advocate for themselves and their future. The dynamic film series — which includes six animated shorts with accompanying live-action mini-documentaries — features the narratives of six courageous young women from historically low-income communities in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Vietnam who used skills learned from Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program to transform their lives. Young girls worldwide will be inspired by role models who became agents of change, made a difference in their lives and impacted their communities. Girls experience discrimination through harassment, menstruation stigma and child marriage on a global scale, preventing them from receiving an education. Women’s empowerment is key to promoting girls’ education for it encourages young women to believe they are deserving of an education and capable of making their own decisions. The protagonists in the short documentaries tackle common issues that prevent girls from receiving a quality education. One of the most common forms of discrimination is harassment. Many girls across the globe have to walk long distances to school exposing them to an increased risk of experiencing violence. One of the shorts in ”She Creates Change” highlights the story of a girl from Bangladesh named Keya who was repeatedly harassed on her walk to school and even in her own home. Each year, 60 million girls are sexually assaulted on their walk to or at school. Additionally, the separate yet related issue of adolescent pregnancies resulting from sexual violence and/or sexual exploitation exposes girls to a violation of their
bodily autonomy along with strong stigma and discrimination from their communities. Both of these issues are common factors in preventing girls from attending school out of concern for their safety. Menstruation huts are another institution that prevents girls from attending school. This practice is referred to as chhaupadi in Nepal, the exiling women to sleep in a hut while they are menstruating because they are believed to be unclean. In the huts, women are at risk of snake bites, physical assault, freezing temperatures and suffocation because of the lack of ventilation. Girls like Diksha, a Nepali girl whose story is included in the ”She Creates Change” short-film series, have witnessed their friends and loved ones miss school and become exposed to serious dangers because of their period. Many women die each year from these huts, and 77% of Nepali girls aged 14-19 participate in this practice even though it is illegal in Nepal. While menstruation huts are most common in Nepal, girls in other lowincome communities across the globe do not attend school while they are menstruating due to a lack of access to sanitary products. A UNESCO report estimates one in ten girls in Sub-Saharan Africa misses school during her menstrual cycle — this equals as much as 20% of a given school year. Child marriage is another factor that impacts girls’ education across the globe. There are 640 million child brides in the world and up to 10 million more girls will be at risk of child marriage due to the pandemic, economic shocks, school closures and service interruptions. In many countries, each year of secondary education may reduce the likelihood of marrying before the age of 18 by 5% percentage points or more. The issues of harassment, menstrual stigma and child marriage are preventing girls around the world from receiving an education. Yet education is the most sustainable solution to combating these obstacles that many girls face across the world. Empowering young girls to believe they are confident, strong and capable human beings with the potential to achieve their goals provides them with the tools to positively impact their lives and their communities. Girls like Keya and Diksha were able to unlock their courage and use their voices to combat gender-based discrimination. Women hold the power to make a profound difference in combating the world’s greatest problems. ”She Creates Change” highlights the importance of showing girls they hold within themselves the potential to make a difference. Girls’ education is the key to solving many problems people face across the globe. Change starts with awareness — by diagnosing the problem we can work together to be a part of the solution. All girls are worthy and deserving of receiving an education. The world’s biggest problems are only worsened by gender inequality; a world where women are equal participants in society will bring everlasting change for the betterment of humanity. You can access the ”She Creates Change” videos here. Share them with your community to spread awareness about the importance of women’s empowerment. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. Grace Sullivan is a sophomore at Notre Dame studying global affairs with minors in gender and peace studies. In her column I.M.P.A.C.T. (Intersectionality Makes Political Activist Change Transpire), she is passionate about looking at global social justice issues through an intersectional feminist lens. Outside of The Observer, she enjoys hiking, painting and being a plant mom. She can be reached at gsulli22@nd.edu.
THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
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The burden of being the first Joy Agwu Lessons I’ve Learned from Media
“For every Black girl who was ‘the first.’” Dedication from “Bloodmarked” by Tracy Deonn
“Bloodmarked” by Tracy Deonn is the second book in the “Legendborn” series, a modern-day retelling of the legend of King Arthur. The series follows Bree, a young Black woman, as she becomes involved with a historically white magical society. The first book in the series was thrilling, adventurous and all-around magical; I’ve read it three times, and it was always a struggle to put it down. The second book, while just as magical and thrilling, has a heavier theme to it, dealing with what it means to be the first. (Forewarning, while I will try my best to avoid spoilers in this article, I will be talking about a major plot point in the first book, so proceed with caution.) In “Bloodmarked,” readers follow Bree as she is repeatedly dehumanized and denied the respect she deserves for being different from the traditional. As I read “Bloodmarked” for the first time, a weight settled firmly in my chest. Or rather, I became especially aware of a burden that had been there for as long as I could remember. The burden of being the first and different. The burden of being the first is not limited to people of color but to anyone who enters a space where they are distinctly different. In her book, “Year of Yes,” Shonda Rhimes describes individuals who experience this burden as “F.O.D.’s”: First Only Different. Not the first person ever, but the first POC, the first woman, the first member of the LGBTQ+, the first first-generation, low-income student… The list goes on.
Being recognized as a first-but-different is an act of appreciation, but it is also an act of othering. The F.O.D. is distinctly aware they are not like anyone else, for better or worse. Being a F.O.D. is a fascinating experience. You are rewarded for your feat and entitled to a hefty sense of pride for the accomplishment. You have done something no one else like you has done before. You have broken the glass ceiling. You are blazing a new path. But you are also incredibly alone. We rarely talk about the fact that, as amazing as being a F.O.D. is, it is also extremely challenging and can be borderline traumatic. The ceiling is shattered, but now you have to avoid a hundred pieces of broken glass. To blaze a new path, you have to keep fighting to clear away obstacles in your way. Every step is a minor battle, and you are doing it alone. It’s exhausting. Deonn does not shy away from this reality in “Bloodmarked,” and to be completely honest with you, I hated her for it in the beginning. I wanted light representation. I wanted to see a Black female main character doing her thing in a fantasy novel and absolutely killing it. I wanted Bree’s story to be a comfortable escape, but Deonn declined. She crafted a painfully accurate representation of what it meant to be a trailblazer. It took until I was nearly finished with the book for me to appreciate what Deonn was able to portray by doing so. Representation means being seen for the great experience and the not-so-great experiences. It means getting confirmation that you are not alone. To my F.O.D.s, I need you to read “Bloodmarked” and recognize your strength for pushing through the trials of being the first. I want you to be cognizant of the righteous anger you feel for Bree over how others treat her, so you can know your feelings of frustration are valid. Being a first is difficult. Acknowledging that does not mean welcoming defeat; it simply means you are in tune with your own
needs as a feeling human being. Now, we live in a world where any person can be multiple things at once. Many of us have been or will be a F.O.D. in one way or another, but most of us have had the opportunity to be on the other side of the dynamic, to be the one who is part of the majority. When you read “Bloodmarked” as part of the majority, I need you to take note of what it looks like to be an active ally to the F.O.D. You cannot take away the difficulty of their experience, but you can make it feel less lonely. In the text, Bree’s strongest allies do not only respect her for her first-ness but support her through its challenges. Learn from Bree’s friends. Recognize when the F.O.D.s around you are struggling, and support them in a way best suited to their needs. Tracy Deonn is extremely talented in conveying all the experiences and emotions I have never known how to put into words. If you want to read an intimate and potent portrayal of grief and the struggles of being a Black woman in a historically white space, read the “Legendborn” series. If you want to read a fast-paced, adventurous tale about the legend of Arthur, read the “Legendborn” series. In conclusion, read the “Legendborn” series, and then feel free to reach out to me with all your thoughts and emotions — because I have plenty. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. Joy Agwu is a senior at Pasquerilla West, originally from Bowie, Maryland. She is pursuing a degree in philosophy with a minor in constitutional studies. In her free time, she finds great pleasure in consuming media and reflecting on the deeper meanings behind the content she encounters. Whether you have recommendations for TV shows, movies, podcasts or any other form of media, or if would like to further discuss an idea presented in a column, feel free to reach out to her on Instagram @JoyfulJoyousss.
‘Tis NOT the season! Allison Abplanalp Under Further Scrutiny
Well, it’s just about that time of year again when Hallmark viewership skyrockets, consumerism runs rampant in the name of spreading holiday cheer and chubby old dudes with white beards can make a quick buck or two at the mall by impersonating a saint. What’s not to be loved? But before we unleash Mariah Carey, I must confess that this year, all I want for Christmas is for the holiday to be celebrated at its proper time: after Thanksgiving. Every year people seem to want to deck the halls earlier and earlier, which means each year I have to beg my friends to turn off their Christmas tunes and put away the decorations until after turkey day. But before you send the Ghost of Christmas Past to teach me a lesson, I would like to make clear that I love rockin’ around the Christmas tree as much as the next girl. I just can’t tolerate when people start spreading Christmas cheer all willy-nilly. I understand that everyone is eager to start celebrating the most wonderful time of the year, but there’s no need to rush things. When you start Christmas too early, it loses some of the magic in that it only comes once per year. The more Christmas is dragged out, the less special that one month becomes. If you opened a couple of presents each week before Christmas, the actual day would lose some of its specialness. There is value in the anticipation that builds as November slowly passes. Then, that glorious day, as the previous day’s feast digests and Christmas time arrives, it is pure joy beyond what you could ever imagine. The “Christmas”
that starts in November is a meager version of the holiday that gradually evolves into a true celebration. Yet Christmas should be like a snowball of bliss that nails you in the face, but rather than a trip to the ER it’s a trip to the Christmas tree farm! Not to mention, when people start celebrating in early November, by the time that I am finally ready to start celebrating, most people have already tired of it. It’s impossible to keep up true Christmas spirit for a whole two months if you’re doing it right. Contrary to the motto all the responsible upperclassmen tell freshmen before tailgates: when it comes to Christmas, it’s a sprint, not a marathon. (Please still drink responsibly). But if you start sprinting during November, you’ll be out of energy by the time December comes around. After all, if you take Santa’s milk out now, it will be spoiled by the time we get to Christmas Eve. That’s why this year, I’m dreaming of a white Christmas a Christmas that is celebrated at its proper time. I would also like to take a moment to appreciate Thanksgiving, the middle child of holidays. Although it’s often forgotten, it truly is a great holiday (excluding its problematic past) that deserves its moment in the spotlight. Thanksgiving is kinda like Nick Jonas in the original Jonas Brothers. He was never given a true chance to shine in the group, but once he went solo, we got to appreciate his talent. Maybe the reason you don’t like Thanksgiving is that you don’t give it a real chance. Go make some new traditions. Start a family football game, play Pin the Tail on the Turkey, go crazy for heaven’s sake. If we take our minds off Christmas presents, we can finally enjoy the present. If I may take a moment to theorize, part of me believes
that our desire to celebrate Christmas early is the result of social media and modern technology screwing with our dopamine, making us unnaturally impatient. People have been trained to desire instant gratification, and Christmas in November is just a reflection of that. Nowadays, people aren’t able to persevere and exercise the patience to wait for Thanksgiving. Christmas is coming, but there’s no reason to order (polar) express shipping. Just stick with standard shipping and Christmas will arrive in 20-25 days after Halloween like it should. A little patience would do everyone some good. All that being said, as much as I would like to be able to control everybody and make them comply with my every desire, I don’t have that power (yet). (I’m still looking for the last infinity stone, let me know if you know where it is). What I mean to say is that I can’t stop you from listening to Christmas music. So if you cotton-headed ninny muffins really need a little Michael Bublé in your lives right now and are OK with ruining Christmas for yourself then fine. But just keep it to yourself so you don’t ruin it for the rest of us. Please take what I have said to heart and oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas this year (but only after Thanksgiving). The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. 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.
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SPORTS
THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
SPORTS AUTHORITY
Miller: Question: How does Notre Dame tackle sports gambling? Answer: I don’t know. Jake Miller Senior Sports Writer
W it h i n t he nex t few mont hs, Not re Da me w i l l l i kely a n nou nce its new telev ision cont ract for footba l l r ig hts. A l l sig ns poi nt to Not re Da me re-sig n i ng w it h NBC, its long t i me broadca st pa r t ner. Given t hat Not re Da me stole its nex t at h let ic d irector Pete Bevacqua f rom NBC, t he relat ionsh ip look s st ronger t ha n ever. However, money isn’t ever y t h i ng for Not re Da me. T he Ir ish wa nt to ensu re t hat t hey have exclusive r ig hts to t hei r beloved 3 : 30 p.m. t i me slot, wh ich t hey bel ieve best f its t hei r nat iona l aud ience. For fa ns on t he West Coa st, it’s not too ea rly. For fa ns on t he Ea st Coa st, it doesn’t d isr upt n ig ht t i me pla ns. T he Ir ish wa nt pr i me v isibi l it y. However, Not re Da me ha s ot her a sk s a s wel l. T he Ir ish wa nt to g ua ra ntee t hat t hey w i l l be able to buy ad slots for t hei r ”W hat Wou ld You Fig ht For? ” ser ies. T he Ir ish wa nt n ice, sweepi ng ca mera shots of Touchdow n Jesus a nd t he G olden Dome. But t he Ir ish a lso wa nt to
be su re t hat t he T V ex per ience is fa m i ly-f r iend ly. For ex a mple, wh i le NBC m ig ht i nclude beer ads, Not re Da me keeps its d ista nce. Gu i n ness is t he of f icia l beer of Ir ish fa ns a nd a lu m n i — not t he Un iversit y itsel f. A more d i f f icu lt quest ion a r ises i n rega rd to spor ts ga mbl i ng, wh ich ha s seen ex ponent ia l g row t h i n recent yea rs. T he A mer ica n Ga m i ng A ssociat ion proh ibits spor ts book s f rom pa r tner i ng w it h col leges or u n iversit ies. Not re Da me w i l l never d irect ly work w it h Dra f t K i ngs or Fa n Duel, but it ha s t he potent ia l to i nd i rect ly work w it h t he sa me compa n ies. However, u na f f i l iated T V net work s such a s NBC w i l l ta ke a ny a nd a l l money f rom spor tsbook s. Before its Big Ten Sat u rday Nig ht broadca st, NBC’s st ud io show ha s a seg ment f rom Bet MGM. A bet t i ng a na lyst g ives h is recom mended bet, a nd t hen he of fers a specia l prof it boost code to i ncent iv i ze v iewers to place t he sa me bet. T h is ha s t he potent ia l to be problemat ic for a school l i ke Not re Da me. Shou ld fa ns, who si mply wa nt to watch t he ga me, be bomba rded w it h spor ts
ND CROSS COUNTRY
A f ter a successf u l weekend i n Mad ison, W isconsi n compet i ng i n t he 2023 NC A A Great L a kes Reg iona l, Not re Da me cross cou nt r y t raveled back to Sout h Bend w it h t hei r sig hts set on t he 2023 NC A A Div ision I Men’s a nd Women’s Cross Cou nt r y Cha mpionsh ips. T he Ir ish were conf i r med a s pa r t icipa nts i n t he contest by t he NC A A on Sat u rday, Nov. 11. T he women’s tea m qua l if ied w it h a n automat ic bid fol low i ng t hei r f i rst-place f i n ish at reg iona ls. T hehe men receiv i ng a n at-la rge bid. T he upcom i ng cha mpionsh ip w i l l be held on Sat u rday, Nov. 18 at t he Un iversit y of V i rg i n ia i n Cha rlot tesv i l le, Va. At reg iona ls, t he women
The Catechism of t he Cat holic Church states : Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrar y to justice. T he y become morally unacceptable when the y deprive someone of what is necessar y to provide for his needs and those of others. T he passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inf licted is so slight that the one who suf fers it cannot reasonably consider it signif icant. (CCC 2413) T he idea of spor ts bett i ng is a bit of a g rey a rea. Per t he Chu rch, bet t i ng by itsel f is not a mora l ly bad act ion. But when it becomes a n i nteg ra l pa r t of someone’s l i fe to t he poi nt t hat t hey ’re dependent on it, t he Chu rch bel ieves t he act a nd st r uct u re becomes mora l ly
u nacceptable. Some m ig ht a rg ue t hat spor ts ga mbl i ng today is a lready a mora l ly u nacceptable st r uct u re. Ma ny T V spots cu r rent ly adver t ise ”f ree“ or ”r iskf ree“ bets, even t houg h t he of fers a re fa r f rom t hat. It’s a t r ick y sit uat ion, a nd it’s much l i ke d r i n k i ng. T he Chu rch ha s no opposit ion to someone d r i n k i ng a beer, but d r u n ken ness is a d i f ferent sit uat ion. Not re Da me f i nds itsel f at a n i nterest i ng fork i n t he road. W it h t h is new T V cont ract, Not re Da me cou ld w r ite a clause t hat ba ns its broadca st pa r t ner f rom feat u r i ng spor ts bet t i ng ads. W hat Not re Da me does is mea n i ng f u l. If it does not h i ng a nd a l lows ga mbl i ng ads to be feat u red, Not re Da me is i nd i rect ly suppor t i ng spor ts bet t i ng. Some may a rg ue t hat a llow i ng ga mbl i ng ads even suppor ts add ict ion. T h is t y pe of decision is d i f f icu lt, but it’s d i f f icu lt because Not re Da me is play i ng for somet h i ng fa r g reater t ha n ot her schools.
Consider t he last line of t he Universit y’s Mission Statement :
In all dimensions of the Universit y, Notre Dame pursues its objectives through the formation of an authentic human communit y graced by the Spirit of Christ. Not re Da me’s decision on t h is issue w i l l show us what it bel ieves t hat aut hent ic hu ma n com mu n it y shou ld look l i ke. By no mea ns a m I a mora l t heolog ia n or et h icist, a nd by no mea ns do I have a n a nswer to t h is ma ssive quest ion. I’m not su re what t he Un iversit y shou ld do ! Rega rd less, it’s one t hat t he Un iversit y w i l l have to face head-on. A mong its suppor ters, rega rd less of what route it ta kes, ma ny w i l l be d isappoi nted. T he Observer does not actively endorse sports gambling. If you need help quitting gambling, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-4357. Contact Jake Miller at jmille89 @ nd.edu T he views expressed in this Sports Authorit y are those of the author and not necessarily those of T he Observer.
ND WOMEN’S SOCCER
Irish qualify for championships By Observer Sports Staff
ga mbl i ng ads ? It’s a n i nterest i ng quest ion, especia l ly because t here’s no opt-out. A n even deeper quest ion : is spor ts ga mbl i ng compatible w it h t he teach i ngs of t he Cat hol ic Chu rch?
had a dom i na nt show i ng i n t he 6k, led by g raduate st udent Ol iv ia Ma rkez ich who took home t he gold i n t he Great L a kes Reg iona l w it h a t i me of 19 : 55.10. Sen ior Er i n St rzeleck i (6t h, 20 :20.10) a nd g raduate st udent A nd rea Ma rkez ich (9t h, 20 : 38.10) a lso took home top ten f i n ishes. For t he men, g raduate st udent Tyler Berg led t he wa. He placed sevent h i n t he 10k w it h a 29 : 50.80. Sophomore Et ha n Colema n fol lowed i n 12t h i n 30 : 00.50, w it h g raduate st udent V i ncent Mau r i f i n ish i ng 20t h i n 30 :12.70. Catch t he act ion i n t he NC A A Cha mpionsh ips l ive on ESPNU a nd t he ESPN App. Coverage beg i ns at 9 : 30 a.m. Ea ster n t i me on Sat u rday, Nov. 18.
Irish vanquish Valpariso to start NCAA Tournament run By TYLER REIDY Associate Sports Editor
On Saturday, Notre Dame women’s soccer began its NCAA tournament run with a 2-0 win over Valparaiso at Alumni Stadium. The Beacons proved a relatively tough draw for the thirdseeded Irish, who didn’t score until the 49th minute. Valpo entered the match fresh off a surprising fourgame run to the Missouri Valley Conference title, riding four clean sheets from Nikki Coryell, one of the best mid-major goalkeepers out there. Beacon supporters, driving an hour east to South Bend, made their presence
known at the game, somewhat rattling the Irish according to head coach Nate Norman. “These are tricky games because all the pressure is really on you,” Norman said. “You don’t try to talk about it leading up to [the game], but you don’t want to be that team. Sometimes that makes you be a little bit tight on your finishes, but I thought we did so many wonderful things today.” Those wonderful things equated to a 33-1 advantage in the shot column. The Irish controlled the game’s tempo for its duration, winning just about every 50-50 ball. Their freshman keeper Atlee
Olofson never faced a shot on target en route to her fifth shutout of the season. “We moved the ball well, we created so many chances, we pressed, we counter-pressed, I thought we were gritty,” Norman said. “I thought it was a really good overall performance, so I’m really proud of that.” However, of Notre Dame’s 18 first-half shots, none found the back of the net. Players like graduate student forward Maddie Mercado, who ended the night with a career-high 10 shots, regularly carved up Valpo’s defense but couldn’t finish. see W SOC PAGE 10
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DAILY
NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | THE OBSERVER
CROSSWORD | WILL SHORTZ
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HOROSCOPE | EUGENIA LAST Happy Birthday: Change begins with you. Act on your instincts, and you will discover something about yourself that encourages you to follow a path with fewer boundaries. Opportunity comes from believing in yourself and being willing to put in the effort necessary to reach your goal. Your charisma will appeal to people with something to offer and who want to be part of your plan. Your numbers are 8, 19, 21, 27, 32, 38, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Make partnerships a priority. Feel out situations that can change how you live for the better. An opportunity to join forces with someone you love will get you a step closer to your life goal. A suggestion you make will lead to new beginnings. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A go-getter attitude will open doors. Share your thoughts, and the feedback you receive will give you the vision you need to follow through with your plans. Think big, but micromanage your time, money and skills to ensure you don’t exhaust your resources. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Research will save you a bundle. Learn from the experts and redirect your skills to fit your needs. Participate in exciting events and talk to people who can offer a different perspective regarding something you want to pursue. Make self-improvement a priority. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Feed your creative imagination. Surround yourself with people who make you think. Invest time and money in discovering the possibilities and considering how to use your attributes to improve the world around you. Your input will make a difference. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Listen carefully and consider how to tailor information to make it worthwhile. Physical activity will ease stress and help you find options that make what you want to pursue doable. Romance and selfimprovement will boost your ego and confidence. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A physical change will give you a different perspective regarding possibilities. Use your imagination, and you’ll devise a plan that works for you and pleases your cohorts. Networking will help you close the gap with someone who has opposed you in the past. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Put your energy where it counts. Make innovative domestic changes to save money and make your home more efficient. How you adjust to outside influences will determine your popularity amongst your peers. Getting along without compromising your beliefs is mandatory. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Dance to the beat of your heart, and the doorway to adventure will open. Accept change and be ready to incorporate unique experiences into your everyday routine. A change will offer the mental stimulation you need to move forward. Positive action will eliminate regret. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Refuse to let anyone hold you back. Say what’s on your mind and focus on doing what’s right and best for you, the environment and those less able to fend for themselves. Your empathy and hard work will not be in vain. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Do your best to reduce overhead and tighten your spending habits. Take care of yourself by focusing on your exercise routine. Time and money are a benefit you don’t want to deplete. Pay attention to what’s necessary to achieve peace and happiness. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Enjoy what life offers. Keep life and plans simple. Nurture your relationship with loved ones using open communication and compromise. Please don’t hold back when it’s necessary to make things happen. Offer kindness and hands-on help to brighten someone’s day. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Tie up loose ends, update documents, tend to money management and upgrade the way you take care of yourself. Choosing a healthy lifestyle will give you more energy to turn your dreams into a reality. Don’t settle for less when you can have more. Birthday Baby: You are ambitious, steadfast and thorough. You are quickwitted and adaptable.
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SPORTS
THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Hockey CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
a big rebound for junior forward Tyler Carpenter, who hacked the puck home for his third goal of the season. Midway through the period, Notre Dame’s power-play added another. Siedem’s second consecutive primar y assist set up a snipe from Justin Janicke atop the left circle. The junior for ward’s second goal of the year added to an Irish power play that now ow ns a 20.9% success rate. Combine that w ith a Big Ten-best 89.5% penalt y kill rate and Notre Dame has much-improved special teams from a year ago. Dow n two goals, Ohio State capitulated late in the period, losing top scorer Stephen Halliday to a 10-minute misconduct and taking two minor penalties in a 54-second span. On the ensuing 5-on-3, Notre Dame scored again w ith senior for ward Landon Slaggert banging home a rebound from freshman for ward Danny Nelson’s one-timer. Despite making 42 saves on the night, Terness struggled to control second chances, and the Irish jumped on them. “It’s a matter of being in position to get to [rebounds],” Jackson said. “The rebounds that were show ing up tonight were more in tight to the net, so you have to get body
WBB CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
week, good for a teamhigh by a margin of eight. Down low, Notre Dame’s ever-growing front-court platoon will face their newest test in senior Paige Mott. An experienced forward with over 1500 minutes under her belt, Mott has also enjoyed a strong start to the season. She is averaging 13.5 points and 16.5 rebounds through two games for the Wildcats. Notre Dame women’s basketball will be back in action on Wednesday night at Purcell Pavilion. First tip against the Wildcats is set for 7 p.m. and the contest will be broadcast on the ACC Network. Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu
positioning on the defensemen. Our guys were prett y good at competing for that ice, and that’s how you w in the net-front at both ends.” Before Ohio State’s Caden Brow n broke up the shutout late in the third, Notre Dame found a fourth goal. It followed a textbook forecheck from junior for ward Hunter Strand and the third line. With his w ingers setting up in the slot, Strand won the puck behind the net. He moved the puck low-to-high for A li, who one-touched it across the goalmouth for Grant Silianoff in front of a yaw ning cage. The senior for ward made no mistake for his first goal of the season, giv ing the Irish a tally from a member of all four lines. “We’ve gotten really good production out of each line” Jackson stated. “If you can get four lines that can all be productive, it’s a big boost. The biggest thing is staying out of the penalt y box. If you can play five-on-five hockey and roll all four lines, that’s when we’re at our best.” Senior netminder Ryan Bischel earned the game’s first star w ith 34 saves as the Irish won or tied their fourth consecutive series opener.
Bischel’s third shutout secures the sweep On night two, the Irish expected immediate
W Soc CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
Meanwhile, senior midfielder Ellie Ospeck and graduate student midfielder Kiki Van Zanten forced spectacular saves from Coryell. Ospeck used her acceleration to burn defenders and get in tight, while Van Zanten fired rockets from the edge of the 18-yard box. But the visiting keeper held her ground every time. “It can definitely be frustrating,” Ospeck said of the first half. “Just staying in the moment really helps, and having a short-term memory – not focusing too hard on shots you may have missed or hit over or whatever.” As the match reached halftime scoreless, Valparaiso found itself in familiar territory. During the MVC
WRITE SPORTS. Email Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu
pushback from Ohio State, but it never materialized. The Buckeyes generated only 4 shots in the first period, and none of their 26 total beat Bischel. Notre Dame countered w ith a goal in all three periods, receiv ing much-needed contributions from two snakebit, top-six for wards. Graduate student Patrick Moynihan netted his first 2 goals in an Irish sweater, while for ward Cole Knuble lit the lamp on an empt ynetter for the first time in his career. “It helps build their confidence. They feel like their contributing more than just their general play,” Jackson said. “For guys that are accustomed to scoring, and those two guys have a histor y of scoring, I’m sure it’s been a tough couple of months for them. But they finally got off the cuff and hopefully, they’ve got that weight off their shoulders.” Moynihan first scored to beat the first-period buzzer. With 2.8 seconds remaining, he followed a mishit one-timer to the left post, where he jammed the puck around the sprawling Terness. Then, half way through the second period, the Prov idence transfer went to the dirt y area to strike again. As Moynihan emerged from behind the cage on his back hand, his centering pass elevatored off the
netminder’s stick and under the crossbar. “A big thing w ith the coaching staff that I was working on this week was tr ying to get to the net more and use my shot and use my hands in front,” Moynihan said. “They weren’t the prettiest, but they don’t ask how so just happy I got those two in.” Moynihan also mentioned his linemate, captain Landon Slaggert, as a v ital part of his success. Slaggert had a big night himself, adding his first 3 assists of the season to a team-high 8 goals. “He’s a guy that pushes not just me but the whole team in practice, so he’s great to play w ith,” Moynihan said about Slaggert. “He’s a guy that’s gonna do ever y thing for the team to w in.” Finally, at long last, Knuble scored his first collegiate goal late in the third period. Winning the race to a loose puck in the Buckeye zone, he slid the puck into the empt y net, locking dow n a sweep on home ice. Bischel, who earned his 10th career shutout Saturday night, recognizes his team’s progress. “I think this team’s really starting to buy in to start playing Irish hockey,” Bischel said. “These last couple weekends, we showed that if we can play the right way we can play w ith any team and that’s how we’re gonna have success.
Tournament, the Beacons won all four games by a 1-0 score with three of those tilts scoreless after 45 minutes. Even with all the Irish chances, one Valpo breakthrough could have put the home favorite on the ropes. Norman outlined his halftime message, which kept Notre Dame firmly on the attack. “Calm yourself down and just keep moving the ball. The spaces are gonna open up because [the Beacons] will get more tired as the game wears on,” Norman said. “And I thought we did a good job of really swinging the ball and connecting past the player next to you, and the spaces really opened up.” Four minutes into the second half, Notre Dame broke through. Freshman midfielder Morgan Roy, advancing up the right side of the field, found Ospeck all alone from 7 yards out. With a quick f lick of the left foot, she beat Coryell through the wickets for her fifth goal of the season. “As a team, we were able to have so many chances so it was awesome to put one away finally,” Ospeck said. “I think the team was really excited, and we were able to get more
momentum going forward and really focus on hitting more shots on target.” But before the Irish could build that momentum, Valparaiso tested them in transition. Though they never got a shot, the Beacons battled directly with Nate Norman’s experienced backline for the first time all night. “I think that was an interesting time of the game because [the Beacons] were starting to open themselves up a little bit more and commit more numbers forward,” Norman ref lected. “But I think we always felt like the way we were gonna close the game off was by getting another goal. Maybe we shouldn’t have kept it that open, but we just felt like the second goal was coming, so we maybe allowed a couple too many transition moments.” Once the Beacons’ surge subsided, Notre Dame dealt the visitors an 83rd-minute death blow. After Van Zanten lost her dribble on the right side of the 18, Valpo lost track of Charlie Codd. The freshman forward stepped to the loose ball, taking a def lected shot that rang the left post and trickled in. From there,
I think guys are really starting to realize that and buy into it, so it’s good to see.”
How far can ‘Irish hockey’ go? Expect Notre Dame to rejoin the USCHO.com rankings this week. Receiv ing 18 votes, the Irish were already the second team outside the top 20 before sweeping Ohio State. And beyond the Buckeyes, fringe top-20 teams Minnesota Duluth and RIT struggled over the weekend, opening the door for Notre Dame to jump in. But whatever ranking the Irish secure w ill face extreme challenges ver y soon. Notre Dame’s next seven games before the holiday break are: at No. 6 Minnesota, No. 1 Boston College (one game), No. 8 Michigan and No. 11 Michigan State. “We just need to continue to tr y and get better ever y day,” Jackson said. “And when we’re running into these teams we just have to find ways to play our game.” The Irish head to the Tw in Cities next weekend to battle the Golden Gophers. Minnesota, which sat atop the rankings for a few weeks in October, has struggled since starting Big Ten play, picking up just 4 points from four difficult games. Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
the Irish cruised through the final seven minutes, earning their 74th postseason victory as a program. With the win, Notre Dame likely bids farewell to Alumni Stadium for the 2023 season. The Irish must travel to Fayetteville for the 32-team and 16-team rounds, hosted by the University of Arkansas. The Razorbacks, who tied Notre Dame on Aug. 27, eliminated the third-seeded 2021 Irish team in the Round of 16. “I think familiarity is a huge thing,” Norman said. “We didn’t get out of that fourteam pod last time we went [to Fayetteville]. A lot of times the world doesn’t give you a chance at redemption, and the world’s giving us a chance at redemption this time.” Notre Dame will face No. 6 seed Memphis on Friday, November 17th in the Round of 32. Two hours after the Irish advanced Saturday, the Tigers followed suit with a 2-1 takedown of LSU. The winner of that match will face either seventh-seeded Pittsburgh or second-seeded Arkansas on Sunday, November 19th.. Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
SPORTS
NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | THE OBSERVER
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ND MEN’S BASKETBALL
Irish lose to WCU despite Booth’s 20-point game By HENRY LYTLE Sports Writer
With the spotlight on freshman Markus Burton after a thrilling 29 points in his Notre Dame debut, Irish fans were hopeful for a strong start to the season. However, Western Carolina was certainly a more difficult test than Niagara. Holding Burton to 17 points on 6-15 shooting and fellow freshman Braeden Shrewsberry scoreless, the Catamounts had a strong game plan and forced other players to make big shots for the Irish. “We focused our game plan on stopping those guards and forcing the big men to beat us shooting,” said Western Carolina coach Justin Gray. “Carey Booth had a career night with 20 points and four made threes. But it was not enough down the stretch for the Irish to win. “ Senior forward Matt Zona knocked down the first three of the game for the Irish. But the Catamounts jumped out to a 17-9 lead early and never looked back. Led by Russell Jones Jr. who had 20 points on 72% shooting, INDIA DOERR | The Observer Western Carolina controlled the first half and entered the break up Irish freshman forward Carey Booth hops for a ball in Notre Dame’s 43-29. Down 46-29 with 17:16 in 96-62 home exhibition match win against Hanover College on Nov. 1. PAID ADVERTISEMENT
the second half, the Irish offense seemed stagnant. Then, slowly but surely, they clawed their way back into the game. Capped off by hustle plays from junior guard Julian Roper II diving for loose balls and grabbing 8 rebounds, the Irish found themselves with another chance to make a comeback. With 6:08 left in the second, Booth hit his second three of the game cutting the deficit to 55-51. Then, the freshman caught fire, drilling his next 2 threes to bring it to 60-57. With the Irish on an 18-5 run over 8 minutes, Gray did not call a timeout. When asked this question after the game he said: “We had a game plan and I trusted my guys down the stretch.” Gray certainly trusted senior Vonterius Woolbright, who led the Catamounts with 22 points and 11 rebounds to earn his 11th career double-double. Scoring 6 points alone in the last 3 minutes, Woolbright helped shut down the Irish comeback as they managed only 4 points in the last 3 minutes. Falling 71-61 to the Catamounts, Carey Booth’s career night with 20 points and 9 rebounds was not enough to lead Notre Dame to
victory. The Irish continued the trend of slow starts to open both the first and second half. With the team shooting a combined 1143 (25.6%) from 3 over the first 2 games, the offense has struggled to be consistent. Shrewsberry was scoreless during the contest, shooting 0-6 from the 3-point line. The Irish have also struggled to create looks passing the ball with only 19 assists this year. “We need to do a better job passing. 19 assists on the season is not good enough,” said Irish head coach Micah Shrewsberry. With 2 games against non-conference opponents that have relied on huge nights out of Burton and Booth to even compete, there are a lot of questions for the Irish to answer before conference play begins. Notre Dame will have to find ways to generate better shots for the rest of the team before conference play begins. All eyes will be on Burton and Booth as they take on an experienced Auburn team on Nov. 16. Contact Henry Lytle at hlytle@nd.edu
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THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2023 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
ND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Notre Dame women’s basketball cruises to first win of the season over NJIT 104-57 By J.J. POST Associate Sports Editor
INDIA DOERR | The Observer
Irish senior forward Natalija Marshall puts up a basket, contributing to the 110-48 exhibition win against Purdue Northwest on Oct. 30.
Notre Dame women’s basketball eased to their first win of the season on Sunday, dispatching NJIT 104-57. Freshman point guard Hannah Hidalgo starred for the Irish once again, chipping in 26 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Hidalgo also added 12 steals, tying a program record. Junior guard Sonia Citron also added 26 points on a remarkably efficient 10-11 shooting performance. Every member of Notre Dame’s starting lineup reached double figures in scoring. Despite the gaudy scoreline, Notre Dame didn’t dominate Sunday’s contest from the opening tip. The Highlanders battled early on and the Irish led by just three with a minute remaining in the first quarter. A late steal and layup by Hidalgo ahead of the endof-quarter buzzer gave Notre Dame the spark
they needed to take control the rest of the way. After winning the first quarter by just a seven-point margin, the Irish won the second and third quarters by 16 and 15, respectively. After a difficult season debut against a South Carolina front court that figures to rank among the nation’s best, Notre Dame’s post play ticked up a bit against a more overmatched opponent on Sunday. The Irish soundly out-rebounded NJIT, led by senior forward Maddy Westbeld’s team-high 11 boards. Junior forward Kylee Watson added 12 points after a quiet outing against the Gamecocks. Transfer center Becky Obinma chipped in 6 points and a pair of rebounds after missing the South Carolina matchup. There is still room for Niele Ivey’s squad to improve heading into their midweek matchup with Northwestern, though. Despite an improved frontcourt outing,
Notre Dame still conceded 18 offensive rebounds to the Highlanders. Three-point shooting was another sticking point, with the Irish finishing just 3-10 from beyond the arc. Just two Notre Dame players (Hidalgo and Citron) connected with a three pointer in Newark. The Irish will now look ahead to their home opener at Purcell Pavilion on Wednesday against Northwestern. The Wildcats will enter with an undefeated record, with wins over Omaha and UIC under their belt so far on the season. Leading the way for Northwestern will be junior guard Melannie Daley. Daley played almost exclusively in a rotational role in 2022-23, but has emerged as a major breakout candidate over the Wildcats’ first two games. She’s averaged 23 points per game over the last see WBB PAGE 10
ND HOCKEY
Goalkeeper Ryan Bischel stars as Notre Dame hockey sweeps No. 19 Ohio State at home By T Y LER REIDY Associate Spor ts Editor
Last season’s Notre Dame hockey team, which barely missed the NCA A Tournament, did not sweep a Big Ten series until Januar y 28th. That sweep came against a Wisconsin team that went 6-18-0 in conference play. This year, the Irish broke out the brooms two weeks into Big Ten play, cleaning out No. 19 Ohio State at Compton Family Ice Arena. In front of two sellout crowds on Veterans Day weekend, Notre Dame seized 4-1 and 3-0 v ictories. The Irish, playing their best hockey of the season, have a six-game unbeaten streak rolling. Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson sees underlying signs of improvement as well. “They’re getting better,” Jackson said of his players. “A lot of the things we’re working on in practice
we’re starting to see in the game. That doesn’t always happen w ith teams. They’re grasping the information that we’re giv ing them, and they’re tr ying to execute it.” Now 6-3-2 overall and 2-0-2 in Big Ten play, the Irish rank third in the conference w ith 9 points. They sit behind only Wisconsin and Michigan State, two teams they have yet to face.
Irish ride dominant second period to 4-1 Friday win It took a while for Friday’s game to get going as both teams felt each other out. Ohio State sought a fast start after last weekend’s poor performance against Michigan State on home ice, but that didn’t equate to many true scoring chances. Meanwhile, Notre Dame dragged along w ith the Buckeyes, finishing the first period w ith 10 shots to the v isitors’ 11.
“That sometimes happens on school days when you’re playing at home,” Jackson remarked. “I w ish we would’ve had a little bit better start, but I was really pleased w ith the effort. It’s exciting for us as coaches to see us making that transition, connecting different parts of the game that one part leads to the next part that leads to offensive opportunities.” Those opportunities came in bunches during a second period which saw the Irish outshoot the Buckeyes 228. More importantly, Notre Dame scored three goals, beginning just 2:31 into the second frame. A wonderful zone entr y from freshman for ward Brennan A li allowed graduate defenseman Ryan Siedem to swoop in and shoot low from the hash marks. Buckeye netminder Logan Terness made the first save but left see HOCKEY PAGE 10
MEGHAN LANGE | The Observer
Irish graduate forward Patrick Moynihan nets the first goal of his Notre Dame career in a winning home effort against Ohio State.