The Hoya: The Guide: September 12, 2014

the guide FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Leaving Turmoil Behind

NITZAN GABAI IN ISRAEL

SHEENA KARKAL Hoya Staff Writer

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or all international students, adjusting to life at Georgetown can pose a significant challenge. But for those who come from countries sprawled across the front pages of American newspapers due to violent protests, devastating typhoons and even a renewed military regional conflict, the shift in lifestyle and experience is even more drastic.

From difficulty with communication to dealing with peers’ perspectives on their country’s issues, students from nations perceived by American media to be in crisis face numerous challenges in dealing with the tensions between their two homes. For some, studying in the United States has opened up their outlook on the events taking place in their country, and for some it has led to a re-evaluation of their culture.

Ultimately, international students try to show that their home countries are much more than what fellow students see in a breaking news clip or a hotly debated Facebook post.

See B2

THIS WEEK CAMPUS FEATURE

LIFESTYLE

DJs Shake Up Campus

GU Nightclub offers free entertainment to student body HANNAH KAUFMAN Hoya Staff Writer

Ruling the Stage

The Shakespeare’s Globe On Tour production of King Lear delivers a dark and captivating performance. B4

Word Workshops

A new Creative Writing Club offers students the opportunity to discuss their literary work. B3

FOOD & DRINK

Spinoff Scores

New restaurant by the creators of District Commons offers consistently satisfying classic American dishes. B5

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Baring Her Soul

Jhené Aiko’s debut album combines sultry vocals with themes of honesty. B7

THEHOYA.COM/ GUIDE @thehoyaguide

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t’s well known on campus that the Georgetown social scene has a stigma for being open only to those involved in clubs. Often, freshmen pile their NetIDs onto as many listservs as possible for the sole purpose of getting that soughtout invite to the most happening parties. In this competitive atmosphere, academic and social lives are mixed, and making friendly connections at the Student Activities Fair sometimes comes with that all-too-familiar ulterior motive.

New to the scene is the Georgetown Nightclub, a group of student DJs and promoters striving to break this social norm.

“If there was something that people could do with consistency that is free, nondiscriminatory in any way and is fun, I think that would be a huge win for everyone,” Sam Ricciardi (COL ’17), president of the club, said.

Adithya Rajan (MSB ’17), head DJ, also saw the potential in creating a DJ music club.

“If this gets off the ground, it will basically change the party style here. You don’t have to be in a club to have fun at a party,” Rajan said. “You don’t need to know someone at Village A to be able to go there, and then have to worry about being kicked out or feeling uncomfortable.”

With this idea in mind, the two set out to create a group for people tired of the exclusivity of Georgetown’s party life. Georgetown Nightclub was born from their efforts, and it offers free, fun music for all. Last semester, the club DJed for both the GIVES Ball and a small event for the Georgetown Program Board. This semester, it already has plans to co-host music events with the Brilliantly British Club and the Young Republicans.

See NIGHTCLUB, B4

COURTESY SAM RICCIARDI

From left to right, Angelo Angelino (SFS ’17), Adriana Kranjac (NHS ’17), President Sam Ricciardi (COL ’17) and Justin Kotwicki (COL ’17) share their love for dance music.

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the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, september 12, 2014

FEATURE

A Personal Perspective on Nations in the Public Eye

Philippines

Natalia Peña (COL’17) For Natalia Peña, moving away from Manila echoed on a magnified scale the tradition of students looking to establish their individuality and grow as a person in college.

“Our culture back home is that you live with your parents even as you attend college, even as you work, until you get married. It’s a very traditional, Catholic country. So I really wanted to be on my own,” she said.

Peña also sought a new perspective on the Catholic traditions that had defined her childhood at a Jesuit institution.

“In the Philippines, abortion is illegal and contraceptives are illegal,” Peña said. “It’s good to break out of that mindset and live the world. Coming from a country where divorce isn’t even legal, I think Americans really do have the freedom to do and pursue what they want.”

But while moving to the United States has given Peña the opportunity to expand her perspective, it has also separated her from her family at times of disaster. Each

year, approximately 19 tropical typhoons hit the Philippines region, with between six and nine usually making it to land. The most severe of these was Typhoon Haiyan which devastated the area last November.

“It was really distressing to see all my fellow Filipinos really in pain when I was so far away and couldn’t do much about it,” Peña said.

Despite the distance, Peña notes the importance of cultural organizations like Club Filipino existing on campus to raise awareness of the issues in their home countries and creating means of helping, for example by hosting a benefit concert for victims of the typhoon.

Venezuela

Marielena Octavio (SFS ’17) After the death of radical socialist president Hugo Chavez in March 2013 and the subsequent election of his vice president, Nicolas Maduro, the situation in Venezuela has been wrought with tension that built up during Chavez’s control. This February, protests over increases in crime, lack of access to basic goods and high levels of inflation became more violent.

With this politically volatile situation, Marielena Octavio expressed how she is left with a continuous sense of concern for her family in Caracas, one of many cities in Venezuela hit by the protests.

“Sometimes in the middle of the day, I freak out and send a text message to my mom and ask if she’s OK. … Crime there is off the charts, and especially now with the political instability and

Togo

Kokouvi Ametode (COL ’16) In high school, Kokouvi Ametode won the ultimate lottery prize: a government-sponsored chance to emigrate to the United States from Togo.

“When I came here in 2007, the only thing I had with me was $2 in my wallet. And it was tough from the beginning. But I found a job and school and by 2010, I had joined the Air Force and was living in Texas,” Ametode said.

Togo is one of the smallest countries in Africa, bordered by Ghana to the east. After gaining independence from France in 1960 in a bloodless coup, the Togolese government has had varying degrees of success in democratizing the political process, according to U.S. media. In reality,

Lebanon

Karim Anchassi encounters varying opinions on the conflicts that have dominated the storyline of his home in Western media for years.

“When I first came here, there was basically nothing going on in Lebanon. But year after year, the situation has gotten worse,” Anchassi said. “Some incidents might happen, but they’re usually near the Israeli or Syrian borders and my family is in Beirut. So I know that my family won’t be affected by things that happen there, but you’re always scared of something escalating. I’m always checking the news to be sure. Once you’re outside of your country, you’re more aware of what’s happening

there. And you have a macro perspective on what’s happening for sure.”

“It’s actually funny, because in the U.S., I feel more Arab than I do in Lebanon,” Anchassi said. “I definitely appreciate my culture more after coming here. It’s not something I lost, but it’s more like something I have a different perspective and appreciation for.”

In fact, Anchassi was more inclined than his family to keep up with news and events in Lebanon after moving here.

“A lot of times I talk to them about events in Lebanon and they don’t even know what I’m talking about,” Anchassi said. “I guess there’s an eventual immunity to what’s happening. They just move on with their lives. But if you’re outside the country, you think that effect is bigger.

You’re always worried of something escalating, you’re always in touch.”

in Israel and that’s what I originally wanted to do. But after my first year in the army, I realized that I really wanted to change the current situation ... [and gain] a more international perspective.”

With their country’s situation constantly analyzed by American media, the students are having to address how to balance their lives as students, as well as representatives of

their nation.

“Sometimes you just want to be a regular student, and you don’t want to be looked at whenever your country is mentioned in a class. Like everybody else, you came here to learn something,” Atia said. “The fact that I’m from Israel doesn’t mean that I agree with everything it does. But on the other hand, I do have a special connection to it. It is my home.”

Karim Anchassi (MSB ’15)

COURTESY MARIELENA OCTAVIO

protests, there’s a lot of tension and unhappiness overall,” she said. “Even if the situation gets better, it still might not be stable enough. I don’t think I’ll be back long term.”

Having moved to the United States, Octavio has found that she has an increased awareness of the importance of her country’s prob-

lems getting better international attention.

“There’s a problem with international support — a lot of countries don’t want to intervene because they’re getting money out of it. We need more voices out in the international community. The more people that know the better,” she said.

according to Ametode, the military leadership highly influences governmental decisions and the democratic institutions that do exist are incredibly fragile.

“At least here [in the United States], there are a lot of opportunities for education and jobs. In Togo, the government is not democratic, but a military government. The corruption makes it difficult to get a job without money or a connection,” he said.

Aside from the socioeconomic reasons, Ametode expressed a wariness about returning to Togo after realizing that his time in America has, inevitably, changed him.

“I’d like to stay here for a little while at least. I’m kind of used to the life now. So going back again, I might have to readjust. … [My family] always complain and laugh about how I’ve changed, so it could be tough to return,” he said.

Israel

Shaked Atia (SFS’17) and Nitzan Gabai (SFS’16) This summer, Israel dominated global news as tensions between the country and its neighbor, Palestine, reached a catastrophic boiling point.

For Israeli students Shaked Atia and Nitzan Gabai, both of whom were required to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces when they were 18, this has created a difficulty in correlating their Israeli and American identities.

“It was really hard scrolling through Facebook this summer and seeing all these comments about my country and my friends, and about me in a way because I was in the [Israeli Defense Forces],” Atia said. “Seeing that made me feel anxious. You can never be sure that people know when to separate you from the place you’re coming from and your experiences.”

Atia also noted that she often struggles with perceptions American students already have about her home.

“When I tell Americans that I served

COURTESY NITZAN GABAI

in the military, because it’s a career or something you choose to go into here, people assume I enjoyed being in the military,” Atia said. “But it’s not really your decision. You do it because it’s your obligation as a citizen and you would otherwise likely be ostracized.”

Despite these difficulties in perceptions, Atia and Gabai both stress how important studying in the US is to them.

“I came to Georgetown with the goal of trying to understand other perspectives. I didn’t want to just stay at home,” Gabai said. “I wanted to get out of my bubble and not just see consensus on issues.”

Atia had similar motivations for studying in the United States.

“Studying about the Middle East in the Middle East is probably the worst idea,” she said. “I could have stayed

COURTESY NITZAN GABAI

center stage

Junior Helps to Bring Charity Run for Veterans to Campus CHARLOTTE GLASSER Hoya Staff Writer

In the whirlwind of activity that reflects so many of our Georgetown experiences, it is sometimes hard to remember how many people exist outside our sphere. Luckily, there are a few of us who manage to exert ourselves beyond our immediate community and make a difference.

James Allen (COL ’16), president of the Georgetown Running Club, employee of More Uncommon Grounds and marathon finisher, is one of these individuals. Allen has been involved with 185 for Heroes since his freshman year in the Georgetown Running Club and he’s been hooked ever since.

NATASHA THOMSON/THE HOYA

James Allen (COL ’16) has been involved with 185 for Heroes for three years.

What is 185 for Heroes?

185 for Heroes is a nonprofit charity organization that raises money for wounded veterans through a week-long run that takes place every September.

So how it works is usually two veterans from a military service start in Cumberland, Md., and run along the C&O Canal, 185 miles, to all the way here at Georgetown, and they do it over one week, so it’s about 25 to 26 miles a day. They finish here on the seventh day with a big finish line ceremony here that we put on. There are speakers and there are some performances and things.

So basically, they run a marathon every day for a week?

Yes, that’s it.

So the charity that 185 for Heroes is sponsoring is Operation Second Chance. Can you tell me a little bit more about what their goals are?

Operation Second Chance works with a hospital. I know they are spending a lot of money to help veterans pay for their recovery. A lot of the effort goes to helping them readjust to civilian life, to deal with PTSD, things like that.

What are you doing with this event?

I’m the only student on the board [of 185 and] my job is to secure the space for the event, get all the equipment for the Office of Campus Activities Facilities, promote the event on campus and get the Running Club involved — because that’s how it started with 185. They came to us, the Running Club, and we’ve always helped them out. It’s a nice service opportunity. It’s the connection between

185 people and Georgetown University.

So how did you become involved with the board of 185?

I came to the event my freshman year.

They were looking for someone in the Running Club who was willing to take on the responsibility and I told them I would do it. … Mostly it was brought to me by my friend Dave Baran (SFS ’11). He was the president of the Running Club, he’s the one who really got involved with 185 to start with and he passed it on to me.

What are your goals for the event you’re hosting?

We want to get as many people out to the event as possible, that’s my biggest job, probably — publicizing the event and trying to get people to come.

We would like to get some participation from some of the campus military groups. GUSVA (the Georgetown University Student Veteran Association) has always been helping us out. They come every year. We’d like to get the ROTC involved — it’s not that we want anything from them in terms of participation, but just to attend.

So you’re asking for participation and awareness, not money?

Yes. It’s someone else’s job to do the fundraising. I just want people to come out and understand what we’re doing. I think it’s pretty cool.

If people are not marathon runners, how can they get involved?

We have this system set up called “virtual teams.” We do this in running club, and

also there are some other virtual teams out there. You put a team together of six to 10 people and between those people you can run the 185 miles over that week.

So it’s an expression of empathy?

Exactly. And the runners know about that, the people who run the real 185. I think that helps them. In the Running Club we use it for fundraising. It makes people more involved and committed and spreads empathy. I think that’s the best way to join a team and run as little as two to three miles a day, and for 10 people that adds up.

What would you want the Georgetown community to know about this event?

This is our fifth year, so this is nothing brand new. We’ve raised almost $60,000 in the last five years. We’re hoping to break $60,000 this year — it’s a set goal.

We’re going to have a performance from a military performing team. They spin the guns and everything, I don’t know exactly how it works. You’re going to get to hear from the runners — most of them have been in battle or on tour in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Have you had any personal interactions that stick out?

Yeah, last year we had a speaker who was an amputee who served in Iraq. There was an attack on his base and he lost his leg.

He spoke about what it was like to come back from that. It was really inspirational how groups like Operation Second Chance helped him out. We usually get a veteran speaker to come in, a wounded veteran.

They’ll be at the Finishing Ceremony on Copley Lawn on Sept. 20.

the guide

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

THE HOYA

B3

LIFESTYLE FEATURE

Hilltop Writers Connect Jasmine White

The Black, Single Father I

am a black female who was raised by a single father, and there has never been a time when he wasn’t in my life. He is and has always been everything.

When I was little, he let me put barrettes in his hair and played tea party with me every evening in our living room. In middle school, he talked to me about boys and made every effort not to pass out the first time I got my period. In high school, he helped me shop for my first school dance and bought me Mexican food when I received my first college rejection letter. He’s no hero, no superman.

He’s just dad (and mom).

Stories like mine are hardly ever portrayed in movies or TV shows, and it is obvious from media headlines to music that the image of the black father has been placed into a box. They are portrayed as aggressive, self-centered and irresponsible.

I guess it’s true when people say that there is some legitimacy to every stereotype. However, the biggest problem with stereotypes is the fact that they discourage any form of social progression.

They force us into a stale way of thinking so that we assume that we know everything and everyone based on generalizations. They make us unable to recognize individuality and depreciate the value of uniqueness.

Stereotypes are safe because they are familiar, which is why people rely on them so much. Humans gravitate toward lines being drawn. For some reason, we’re afraid of the unexpected. Perhaps we think we won’t be able to handle it, or maybe we’re just too lazy to try anything different.

Stereotypes are also dangerous in the fact that they can make the targeted group feel as if they have to meet a certain expectation. There’s a lyric in the song “Hold Us Down” by Childish Gambino that goes: “This one kid said somethin’ that was really bad./ He said I wasn’t really black because I had a dad./ I think that’s kinda sad, mostly ‘cause a lot of black kids think they should agree with that.” And it is sad because there are people in the black community who feel as if they need to struggle in order to truly be a member of their race. Because of that, there’s a lot of tension when it comes to identity, and ridiculous debates such as the “talking white” vs. “talking black” quarrel arise.

Another thing to stress is that whether the image that is being popularized appears to be positive or negative is not important.

What’s important is the lack of diversity in perspective. Black fathers being constantly portrayed as deadbeats is not any better or any worse than the overly photoshopped covers of magazines that are forcing girls to feel like they need to starve themselves in order to be beautiful.

Often, people forget — because of the labels placed on them — that, in actuality, every individual has complete control over his or her identity. We assume because of our race, our gender and our socioeconomic class that fate is already decided for us. We assume that because of these things, we have to behave a certain way.

Why? It’s because we’re not sure what would happen if we acted differently. Or it’s because the world tells us that if we do behave differently, then we’re not being ourselves.

None of this is to say that we should attempt to completely abolish stereotypes. To think that is possible is both overly ambitious and a little unrealistic. However, educating the public so that they are neither ignorant nor afraid of diversity is definitely possible.

As cliche as this topic may seem, it is definitely something that needs to be talked about as it is still an issue. Men like my father deserve credit. And that goes for every other under-recognized group too, as there is no worse feeling than being unable to be the person you are or being told that who you are is not who you are supposed to be.

Jasmine White is a freshman in the College. ’BAMA ROGUE appears every other Friday in the guide.

Creative Writing Club starts a conversation about student works EMILY TROISI

Hoya Staff Writer

W

hether you are an active writer looking for peers to critique your work or an aspiring author looking to develop your skills, look no further than the newly established Creative Writing Club. The premise of the club is simple: sign up for one of three weekly workshops, submit a piece of creative writing to a communal dropbox, read the other members’ submissions and come to the workshop ready to critique that week’s submissions.

Although the club has yet to hold a workshop, with its first next week, a series of successful prototype workshops held last spring suggests a promising future for creative writers on the Hilltop.

Among the founding members of the club are several sophomores, who in their first year at Georgetown, noticed a lack of collaboration between student writers.

“We started it out because we looked on campus and we saw that there were a bunch of literary publications, but there was no way for the writers of Georgetown to come together and to meet one another and to exchange each other’s work outside of a publishing framework,” CWC President Dylan Orshefsky (COL ’17) said.

This semester, the CWC will allow students to experiment with and learn about creative writing in ways that many have not been able to before.

As many writers can probably attest, creative writing courses on campus are always in high demand, and this fact fueled the creation of the Creative Writing Club. With waitlists for creative writing courses extending to 20 to 30 people per semester, it was impossible for many students to explore this realm of writing, until now.

“I’ve applied to it [a creative writing course] twice and have not gotten in either time. I think we formed this club because there was no other thing like it on campus,” workshop leader Margo Poundstone (COL ’17) said. “It wasn’t that we were trying to create something

MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

From left to right: Ben Card (COL ’17), Casey Knerr (SFS ’17), CWC President Dylan Orshefsky (COL ’17) and workshop leader Margo Poundstone (COL ’17) aim to form a literary community. new because we didn’t like the existing framework. There was nothing there and we tried to fill the void.”

Based on student signups at the recent Student Activities Fair, the Creative Writing Club seems to have successfully filled that void, appealing to a wide array of students; signups at the Student Activities Fair totaled 124 names, and there are currently 38 students committed to attending some of the first workshops.

The club accepts all kinds of creative writing, from short stories, plays and poems to creative non-fiction. The only content-based rules for submission are that pieces not be pure hate speech without any artistic intent and that they not be about other members in the workshop, without their explicit permis-

sion.

Orshefsky points out some other foundational rules one should know before attending: “You can come as infrequently as you want, so long as the weeks that you come aren’t only the weeks that you have submitted. You’re allowed to submit as much as you can or as little as you’d like if you’d just like to sit and read each other’s work.”

While the CWC’s founders encourage writers of all experience levels to attend a workshop or submit a piece of writing, they realize how daunting it can be to subject your own writing to critique in such a public manner. To combat this possible anxiety, they vow to begin every discussion of a piece with five minutes of positive critique.

“It’s nice when you first submit to

hear people say good things about what they read and how it influenced them; there’s always something positive about a piece,” Vice President Casey Knerr (SFS ’17) said.

The club’s board members and workshop leaders already have high hopes for the club’s future on the Hilltop.

“I think that one of my definite hopes is that this will continue to exist after we leave Georgetown, that we won’t end up simply doing this while we are here and that there won’t be an outlet for the writers at Georgetown to do what they want to do,” Orshefsky said.

Workshops will be held every Saturday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., with a third meeting time to be determined in the coming days.

LIFESTYLE FEATURE

Music Mixes Up Social Scene NIGHTCLUB, from B1 Beatrice Fabris (COL ’16), president of the BBC, sees the value inherent in the club. “The BBC thought this would be an amazing opportunity to celebrate the unbounded excitement that music can bring. Music is hugely important to British culture and tradition (just ask anyone about the Beatles, Queen, the Who),” she said, “We are so excited to throw an event with the new DJs on campus.”

Georgetown Nightclub might just be getting its feet on the

ground, but it seems to have found ample support within the community of existing campus clubs. The usually competitive extracurriculars are already giving ground to this more supportive atmosphere.

“Not only have we heard they are brilliant but also we appreciate the hard work and perseverance it takes to get started as a new club (the BBC being relatively new itself) and we look forward to working together,” Fabris said. This symbiosis is just the start, as the club looks towards future semesters to extend its reach across larger campus events.

Not only does Georgetown Nightclub cater to student-run organizations, but it’s also planning to launch its own events in the near future, approximating potential dates for dances around early to mid-October. These dances will be completely free for Georgetown students, providing entertainment for anybody who wants to stop by on a Friday or Saturday night out.

By scheduling dances several times per semester that are open to the entire campus, the club hopes to break barriers and foster new connections between people who would never have met otherwise.

COURTESY SAM RICCIARDI

Sam Ricciardi (COL ’17) is President of the Georgetown Nightclub, a new DJ group that plays at local gatherings. The club promotes on-campus club events and will soon host its own free dances as well.

Ricciardi hopes that this club will affect more than just one’s access to the Georgetown social scene.

“Halfway through freshman year, I sort of had this revelation — why is there no dancing at Georgetown parties?” Ricciardi said. “What if we made a club where Georgetown students could regularly dance?” The events will be reminiscent of Club Lau fun, with a Georgetown Nighclub twist.

All that’s required to attend is a shared love for dance music and an open mindset.

Since the club is in its early stages, getting involved right now is simple. If you’re interested in working as a promoter that spreads word of the event and has a general appreciation for dance music, just sign up, bring your friends and show up to a meeting.

The club is also looking for people with technical backgrounds or a desire to learn the complex ins and outs of the equipment setup. Their duties would involve maintaining, transporting and laying out the DJ equipment for each event. In keeping with the club’s desire to be open to the entire community, they are continuously looking for talented DJs to join the lineup at campus events. If mixing and making music is your passion, simply email Ricciardi with some samples of your music.

Georgetown Nightclub is open to anybody looking to have a good time dancing and listening to good music without the pressure of being part of an organization. While it encourages you to join the club and learn more about the artistic and technical aspects of DJing, by no means is such involvement required in order to attend Georgetown Nightclub-sponsored events.

“We really want it to be open to all Georgetown students. It’s a Georgetown campus thing,” Ricciardi said.

Whether you have a resume brimming with extracurriculars or managed to completely avoid the SA fair, Georgetown Nightclub opens its doors to you and welcomes anybody to the dance floor.

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THE HOYA

Friday, september 12, 2014

APPS

campus feature

JOBR Free

COURTESY FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY

Renowned actor Joseph Marcell leads a cast of eight talented actors in Shakespeare’s Globe On Tour rendition of the classic tragedy, “King Lear.” The show is held at the Folger Shakespeare Library.

Tragedy Rules the Stage

Allison Hillsbery Hoya Staff Writer

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e typically think of Capitol Hill as the playground of high-powered politicians and the gilded cage of the college intern, but this area is also home to a pillar of English literary tradition.

Housing the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare materials, the Folger Shakespeare Library is a comprehensive hub for researchers, students and theatergoers alike. Shakespeare is arguably the best-known playwright in the world, and this can be seen through the variety of his written works that survive to this day.

One such work is “King Lear,” a tragedy set in England during the eighth century B.C. The title character slowly descends into madness and decides to divide his kingdom among his three beloved daughters, which leads to jealousy and a brutal struggle for power. The play explores the ties of familial love and the themes of betrayal and distrust, as well as both literal and figurative blindness.

This month, the Folger Shakespeare Library is hosting a performance of this world-renowned classic by one of the best travelling theater companies, Shakespeare’s Globe On Tour Productions.

Shakespeare’s Globe in London is a functioning replica built at the sight of the original Globe Theater, which burned down in 1613. It is known internationally as a place of performance and education, past and present. Much like the Folger Shakespeare Library here in Washington, D.C., Shakespeare’s Globe is centered around the mission of keeping the great playwright alive, relevant and accessible.

Undoubtedly, the library itself is a must-see, with its ornate, yet simple exterior. However, the real gem of the Folger Shakespeare Library is the Folger Theatre — a three-tiered, intimate Elizabethan theater designed to invoke

the image of an English Renaissanceera inn, where travelling actors during that time period would often stop to stage performances. The venue tremendously added to the experience and set the tone from the very beginning for an authentic and impressive evening drama, much like the original Shakespearean playhouse, the Globe Theatre in London, where the touring company is based.

Renowned classical actor Joseph Marcell, perhaps better known among the student generation for his role as Geoffrey the butler on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” played King Lear, leading a cast of eight that completed the atmosphere set by the beautiful stage on which they performed. The English actor, who has starred in other classic Shakespeare works such as “Othello” and “Macbeth,” has a captivating stage presence that makes him a perfect Lear. His shift from regal self-control to the role of an increasingly deranged victim is perfectly executed and adds crucial drama to the play.

Bethan Cullinane also gave an impressive performance. This young actress was cast in the dual, alternating roles of Cordelia and the Fool and managed to play both seemingly opposite personas remarkably well. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Cullinane expertly conveys the anguish of both of her characters.

The actors quickly proved themselves to be a group of multi-talented individuals as they seamlessly switched from impassioned dialogue to choreographed dancing to the mastery of various musical instruments.

Several short songs and musical overtures were incorporated into the play’s intricate storyline, and these additions raised the quality of the show even higher. The cast was able to execute not just perfect a cappella harmonies, but also lilting, complex instrumental pieces with drums, a trumpet, a flute and an accordion. Sound effects were manufactured entirely from the cast,

who effectively created and conveyed a terrifying tempest at a climactic point of the drama.

The costuming was another wellexecuted element of this production of “King Lear.” The outfits were simple, yet successfully conveyed the position, gender and personality of the respective characters. As many of the actors played two or more different rolls, the utility of these easily adaptable costumes was truly displayed. The addition of some oversized pants and a hat were what helped the dainty Princess Cordelia easily transformed into the rowdy and hilarious Fool.

A common complaint when it comes to Shakespeare is that the flowery language and frequent monologues can sometimes lose the modern audience.

One thing that definitely kept theater patrons interested in the play’s progression was the sword fighting. Periodically, especially in the second half of the play, characters would break out into well-timed action sequences that succeeded in breaking the monotony of the traditional but occasionally heavy dialogue.

The fantastic, engaging performances given by the Globe’s actors, the gorgeous venue and the entire production successfully balanced an intense tone of authenticity while still remaining relevant to a modern-day audience. The timeless themes of this popular Shakespeare play mean that it always manages to engage an audience, but with Marcell’s powerful stage presence the play is raised to a new and exciting level. “King Lear” will be playing at the Folger Theatre until its closing night Sept. 21 — don’t miss the opportunity to see this great show.

Other shows scheduled for the Folger’s 2014-2015 season include “Julius Caesar” (Oct. 28 to Dec. 7), “Mary Stuart” (Jan. 27 to March 8) and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” (May 1 to June 21). Tickets are sold at the box office, on the phone and online at www.folger.edu/theatre.

Damsel in Denmark

Time Abroad Reveals the Limitations of Routine

A

nyone whose motto is “Life is and the potatoes. The pickled cucumber short, eat dessert first” is some- salad might scare some, but the tartness one whom I’d immediately want from the salad helped to cut some of the to befriend. heaviness from the rest of the meal.

As I heard my visiting dad, Lars, sugThe meal reminded me of a Thanksgest to my visiting mom, Lilly, that we giving dinner — substituting chicken should eat dessert before our late din- for turkey — and kimchi, pickled vegner, my hunger pains quickly subsided. etables that are a staple in every Korean It was our first meeting and I was going meal, on the side. to be eating dinner at their home. I was Overall, it made me think of home. equal parts excited, nervous and hungry. During my first few weeks abroad, I Dinner was set for around 7 p.m., never had an opportunity to stop and which was unusually late for me these breathe, much less to think about my days. One of the only perks of cooking experience and what or who I was missfor myself is eating whenever I want to, ing at home and on the Hilltop. Howwhich seems to be almost ever, in the comfort of my always immediately followvisiting family’s home, I ing my long day of classes. was finally able to take a I wasn’t sure if I was going step back and reflect. to be able to make it when There’s something about Lilly announced that dinner a six-hour time difference, wouldn’t be ready until afnot a six-hour car ride, ter 8 p.m., so the thought of and 3,822 miles instead of dessert first really made my the usual 263.6 that can Christina Wing change your outlook. stomach smile.

Dessert was simple, quick I realized that I am more and delicious: ice cream. It might not independent than I thought but still seem all that special, but Danish ice value having good friends and family, cream, even the store-bought brands, both near and far. Throughout all of my has changed my life. I will never be able adventures, mishaps and everything in to think about Ben & Jerry’s or even between, I survived, laughed it off and Thomas Sweet the same way. learned some lessons along the way. AlAlthough I have yet to try Italian ge- though I’ve had my many moments lacklato (give me two more months), I con- ing in common sense, I’ve gained some sider myself an ice cream aficionado-in- street smarts quickly and can navigate training, and Danish ice cream is the my way around the city even if my probest that I have tasted to date. If you nunciation still leaves a little to be deever have the opportunity to try some, sired. Lastly, and maybe most importantI highly recommend nougat, hazelnut ly, I’ve learned to, dare I say it, relax a or Ferrero Rocher. On this particular bit more. Some might argue otherwise, occasion, I had a chocolate-covered va- but I at least see a slight difference in my nilla bar with nougat on the inside. The ways and my world hasn’t collapsed, so I trifecta was the perfect combination of must be doing something right. sweet — but not sugar coma inducing.

I’ve been here for only four short, When 8 p.m. finally rolled around, I whirlwind weeks, and I’ve learned all could tell from the smells wafting from of that after one meal with my Danthe kitchen that this dinner would be ish family. I’ll be sure to frequent their well worth the wait. Lilly described the home for good food, company and time meal as her grandmother’s typical Sun- to let it all sink in. day dinner: chicken with sauce, boiled potatoes and a pickled cucumber salad. Christina Wing is a junior in the McThe chicken was cooked perfectly. The Donough School of Business. DAMSEL IN meat fell off the bone, and the gravy-like DENMARK appears every other Friday in sauce was perfection atop the chicken the guide.

For college students always on the lookout for summer jobs and internships, Jobr might be the app to help you find just that. It’s the Tinder of job searching, allowing you to anonymously like or pass on jobs that Jobr thinks you would find interesting. If the hiring manager of a job you’re considering likes you as a candidate, Jobr will begin an in-app chat between the two of you, where you can discuss a potential future with that employer. This new app makes job hunting a fun and convenient endeavor.

makr Free If you’ve always been fascinated by DIY projects but have never found the time to actually complete them, here’s your chance to have fun and design something yourself wherever you go.

MAKR allows you to think creatively and set up your own templates for a variety of shirts, bags and even temporary tattoos. Do you find yourself doodling a lot in class? No problem.

MAKR has a unique feature that allows you to upload your own artwork as well. The coolest part? You can buy your own creation or sell it back to the community and receive some of the money every time it’s bought.

ask me anything Free Several years ago, Reddit began a subreddit called “IAmA,” which allows anybody to access the site, introduce themselves and answer any questions others pose under the popular title “Ask Me Anything.”

Public figures from across the spectrum have appeared on the site, such as Barack Obama, Bill Gates and Bill Nye. Now, Reddit has finally launched an app tailored specifically to the subreddit, so that’s it’s easy for anyone to question famous and interesting people whenever they’ve got the time. You can browse through interviews, both old and ongoing, submit questions to any of the online celebrities that interest you and make your friends jealous by sharing your epic conversations.

Lifestyle tip

easy homemade lip balm

http://www.instructables.com Dry lips cramping your style or just need a cool activity for a rainy afternoon?

Measure 2 tsps. of coconut oil, 1 tsp. of grated beeswax and a few drops of vitamin E into a glass measuring cup.

Microwave for intervals of 30 seconds, stirring in between.

When the mixture is a uniform liquid, pour into a small glass container and let harden for three hours or until completely cool and solid.

FAMILY OF FOXES IN AUTUMN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN.

DANIEL SMITH/THE HOYA

the guide

friday, september 12, 2014

THE HOYA

B5

RESTAURANt review

Steaming Entree Impresses Despite Fondue Flop the melting pot

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1110 North Glebe Road, Arlington, Va. Cuisine: Fondue $$$$ yiwen hu

me toward this popular national chain. Although this fondue restaurant appeared rather empty from the outside, as we checked in with the hostess, we were told that every table had already been reserved, so my party of two was eventually seated at the bar area. However, the closest table to our right remained empty until we finished our two-hour dinner, causing us to doubt the establishment’s management of reservations. One friendly piece of advice: Unless you are a really, really big eater, do not opt for the 4-Course Experience. My partner and I, both starving when we stepped in, ordered just a cheese fondue, a salad and an entree, and we left feeling fully stuffed.

For our cheese fondue course, I originally gravitated toward the bacon and gorgonzola. However, given that gorgonzola is an acquired taste and my partner had only a very limited experience with any kind of cheese, I decided to go with the milder cheddar ($7.95 per person). The warm fondue pot arrived at our table, filled with a gurgling, golden liquid mix of aged cheddar and Swiss cheese that instantly whetted my appetite. I dipped a piece of bread into the pot, wrapped it with a thick layer of melted cheese, and waited for the delicious explosion. To my disappointment, instead of the rich taste of cheddar and swiss, the pot of liquid had a strong flavor of beer. This, coupled with an excessive

Special to The Hoya

As a foodie and devout cheese lover, I used to lament the fact that I hadn’t tried fondue. However when I was in Shanghai this past summer I visited a Japanese occidental cuisine restaurant that specialized in fondue. With melted cheese and white miso, this Japanese rendition was so heavenly that I scraped the pot until it was spotless, fully aware of the calories I had taken in.

What is fondue? Contrary to common belief, it is actually a Swiss national dish, rather than a French classic. In its most original form, it is presented as a pot of melted cheese served in a portable stove. Uniquely shaped long-stemmed forks are used to dip bread and vegetables, mostly carrots and broccoli, into the communal pot. However, the term has become more generalized, and nowadays seems to refer to any dish served as a shared pot of hot liquid.

More than once, I mentioned my craving for fondue to my friends, who almost always responded with “Try The Melting Pot!” So, when after taking four metro stops to Ballston and finding out that the Russian restaurant I had in mind for dinner was closed for a special event, I realized that The Melting Pot was only 10 minutes away and I convinced my partner to march on with

YIWEN HU/THE HOYA

The Melting Pot is not a one-dish establishment — it offers a wide variety of salads, entrees and fondues both savory and sweet. The wild mushroom saccheti taste just as good as they look. taste of vinegar, eclipsed the flavor of cheese and rendered it unenjoyable.

Although the first recommendation from our server, who was also the bartender, proved to be a miss, his suggestion for the salad dish turned out to be a great hit. We had the spinach mushroom salad ($5.75). The salad had been thoughtfully divided into two separate dishes. Despite the description on the menu, the burgundy shallot vinaigrette wasn’t warm. Nevertheless, its flavor went perfectly well with the spinach, the mushrooms and especially the chopped bacon.

Here comes the second tip from an experienced foodie: Even if, like me, you are not a bacon person, you can nonetheless never go wrong with a bacon and spinach combination, ever.

The star of the dinner, unexpect-

JULIA MCCRIMLISK FOR THE HOYA

Penn Commons serves classic American fare with an upscale twist. The Haight-Ashbury Burger is a crisp falafel burger with pickled vegetables, feta cheese and cilantro, accompanied by yummy fries.

New Spinoff Restaurant Plays Up Beloved Classics 

Hoya Staff Writer

If you’ve ever wanted to try District Commons but haven’t wanted to face the Colonials down in Foggy Bottom or open your wallet quite that far, here’s your chance. Penn Commons, a spinoff restaurant of the always-bustling District Commons (next to the perhaps betterknown Burger, Tap & Shake that stands guard at the top of Foggy Bottom), is situated just blocks away from Verizon Center.

And you don’t want to wait too long. Everyone says that the first six months make or break a place in the restaurant industry, and while some prefer to wait and see if restaurants survive the incubation period, Penn Commons might not last that long. This cautionary note has nothing to do with the restaurant itself or my experience there, but rather with the fact that the doors, which first swung open Aug. 4, give way to an oversized dining room with an expansive, foursided, over-stocked bar. And despite the dining room’s impressive size, only a handful of tables populated the space to usher in revenue from satisfied patrons.

While the emptiness left us hesitantly thumbing through the menu before ordering, any reservations that we had quickly vanished as its star appetizer — the hot pretzel baguette with beer mustard

butter ($3) — arrived. It wasn’t one of those overcooked, slightly stale pretzels you can find at a sports arena or the mall, but a warm, crisp pretzel roll encasing an incredibly light center.

Everything continued uphill from there. We ordered an assortment of dishes: the pulled pork hand pies ($7), the big “o” rings ($7), the broccolini and pine nuts ($5) and Haight-Ashbury burger ($11). Each dish came with its own unique assortment of mustardbased sauces, eliminating any need for ketchup — although it is there if you want it. While many of the dishes, like the fries, burgers and onion rings, have fast food equivalents, Penn Commons places their dishes in a whole different class of culinary quality.

The big “o” rings, which definitely won for presentation, emerged as a tower of lightly breaded, thickcut onion rings stacked as a single tower in the middle of the plate.

Penn Commons also serves the good french fries, the ones where you can still taste the potato when you bite through the fries’ slightly crispy skin. And for those looking for a bit of a twist on the classic burger and fries meal, the HaightAshbury Burger is a crisp falafel burger served with pickled vegetables, melted feta cheese and topped with cilantro.

Be careful with how much you order, because the dessert menu

stuffed cheeseburgers

tasteofhome.com There’s still plenty of time left to break in the campus barbecues. Until the fall equinox, it’s still technically summer and therefore time to do some serious grilling. Take the classic cheeseburger up a notch by packing it with easily achieved extra flavor. This recipe makes two burgers, so find a friend and give it a try. Feel free to switch it up by trading the ground beef for ground turkey or swapping the cheddar for some gorgonzola.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp. finely chopped onion 1 tbsp. ketchup 1 tsp. mustard 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 lb. ground beef 1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese 2 hamburger buns lettuce leaves and tomato slices, optional

In a small bowl, combine the onion, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper. Crumble the beef over the mixture and mix well. Shape the seasoned beef into four thin patties. Sprinkle cheese over two of the patties; put the two remaining patties on top and press edges firmly.

700 Sixth St. NW | Cuisine: American | $$$$ Julia McCrimlisk

sauce. While I cannot say for sure how much influence the coq au vin broth had on the final taste, I can vouch for the high quality of the complementary sauces, in particular to the aforementioned three.

As ironic as it sounds, the dish that I had anticipated the most — the cheese fondue — turned out to be the only disappointment of the whole dining experience. On the contrary, the entree surprised me with both its presentation and deliciousness. Overall, I was left a bit disillusioned, for the cheese fondue failed to match, let alone surpass, the one I had tried in Shanghai. That said, given the amazing taste of the gorgonzola sauce, the bacon and gorgonzola cheese fondue might have a most delightful taste: This is a theory waiting to be tested.

RECIPES

RESTAURANT review

penn commons

edly, was the entree: wild mushroom sacchetti ($15.95) prepared in coq au vin style (an additional $5.95 per pot).

Sacchetti resemble ravioli, only with a more spherical shape, whereas coq au vin contains a mixture of herbs, spices and mushrooms immersed in burgundy wine. Once the broth boiled, we were instructed to pour the sacchetti and the vegetables, which included potatoes, mushrooms and broccoli, into the pot. After one-and-ahalf minutes, we were allowed to take out the cooked items and dip them into any of the six sauces that came with the dish. The sacchetti paired extremely well with the gorgonzola cheese sauce, as did the mushrooms.

The potatoes and the broccoli, on the other hand, tasted best with either the curry mayo sauce or the parsley

really excelled. Regrettably, we didn’t save a lot of room to eat, but we couldn’t stop ourselves from ordering the oatmeal cookie pie — a homemade oatmeal crust stuffed with blueberry compote and served on a bed of lemon mousse, and the warm fudge cake, which was topped with melted passion fruit ice cream. The passion fruit offered just enough of a tang to balance out the rich chocolate of the cake.

Penn Commons has certainly accomplished that modern-tavern vibe that seems to be in fashion these days, and its success doesn’t end there. It’s got a fun menu with all the classic comfort foods — burgers, chowder, meatloaf, and shrimp and grits — and then a few classed-up dished for those in need of a finer dining experience — North Carolina mountain trout, blackened Atlantic salmon and pan-seared sea scallops. It’s great for a group who wants a variety of options, especially as the menu sports a number of vegetarianfriendly options, and it’s a convenient place to stop before or after a game at Verizon Center.

The emptiness did catch me off guard, but nonetheless with numerous wins on its record, the Passion Food Restaurant Group has as a good a chance as any of pulling through. With plenty of business at the bar, Penn Commons could be a home run if it can just get a few more tables through the door.

Grill until brown or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the patty reads 160 degrees and the juices run clear. Serve on buns with lettuce and tomato if desired.

Boozy Oreo Milkshake

sheknows.com Shake up your traditional milkshake with some cookies and alcohol for a casual summer night. Serves two.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup milk 2 cups vanilla ice cream 4 Oreo cookies, plus extra for garnish 1 oz. chocolate syrup 1 oz. Kahlua 1 oz. Baileys Irish Cream strawberries (optional) whipped cream (optional) In a blender add the milk, vanilla ice cream, Oreo cookies, chocolate syrup, Kahlua and Baileys.

Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy and there are no lumps. Pour the mixture into the two serving glasses.

Garnish with extra Oreos, strawberries and whipped cream, if desired. Serve immediately.

7 Deadly zins

wine.com This black skinned grape is grown mostly in California and is aged through various processes to create light rose varieties, sweet whites and the more traditional robust reds. This particular label has subtle notes of berries, cinnamon and black pepper. The tannins in this bottle keep it soft and smooth on the palate, and the slight splurge will be well worth the cost.

B6

the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

MUSIC REVIEW

TELEVISION REVIEW

Somewhere Under Wonderland Counting Crows OGECHI NWODIM Hoya Staff Writer

There are few bands that have the ability to be a mainstay in a single music genre for over 10 years, while simultaneously maintaining their original sound.

Counting Crows’ first album “August and Everything After” was a perfect example of the angst and pop rockdom of the late 1990s and 2000s.

The single “Mr. Jones” catapulted their album into a seven-time platinum debut. While they have not obtained this level of commercial success again, no one can say that Counting Crows are a band of old. One can easily argue that they haven’t been able to maintain “commercial success” because it has been several years since they have released an original album (they have been releasing cover albums instead).

Despite this recent inactivity, Counting Crows have retained a steady and large fan base, and the new album “Somewhere Under Wonderland” will not disappoint these fans.

In “Somewhere Under Wonderland,” lead singer Adam Duritz skill-

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fully delves into the land of country and blues while touching on the themes of travel and lost loves. The eight-minute opening track “Palisades Park” begins with a sweet and serenading brass instrumental that instantly causes wanderlust and reminds one of a time past. Duritz croons of the universal cacophony of emotions associated with growing up and abandoning old loves and homes for one’s new adult future, and remembers the heart wrench it caused.

“Real love outlives teenage lust…/ Lovely sometimes changes us/ Sometimes not.”

Duritz admits to struggling to deal with the present and yearning for a time long gone.

“These days/ My life just careens through a pinball machine/ I could do so much better/ But I can’t get off of this tilt.”

This track proves to be especially significant and appropriate as an opening track because Duritz explores these themes in several tracks later on.

As previously mentioned, this album has a country sound that Counting Crows have never really

MTV

Counting Crows re-emerges onto the music scene with their latest album, “Somewhere Under Wonderland.”

CAPITOL RECORDS

fully explored before. “Cover Up the Sun” and “Earthquake Driver” automatically bring the folk and country sound into play and show the several dimensions of Counting Crows. While some original Counting Crows fans may find this departure unwarranted and undesirable, this move shows the ability of this band to successfully incorporate its past into its potential future. “Cover Up the Sun” especially ties in with the theme of this musical piece. Duritz tells of a traveller exploring down south and encountering intriguing people. With this album’s country twinge, one cannot help but wonder if he’s singing from personal experience.

While adopting a somewhat new sound, the band doesn’t completely abandon the pop-rock roots that originally put it on the map. “Elvis Went to Hollywood” begins with an explosion of drum beats and Duritz’s distinct vocals. This track stays true to the typical 2000s rock band feel.

The last stand-out track on the album is “Possibility Days.” This soft ballad again tells of a lost love and reminds us that memories of the past can’t be recreated. However, one can see that Duritz is talking about love in a broader manner. This love can be for one’s family, passion or home.

He states, “Worst part of a good day is knowing that it is slipping away.”

This is an appropriate ending for a decent album intertwined with nostalgia and memories of a better time.

All in all, this album is a strong comeback for Counting Crows and ultimately shows that bands can find ways to remain true to their roots while entering new territory.

THE BEAT

Chance Makes NYC Music Festival

I

had been there for hours with just one $10 beer in my stomach, and I had walked miles all over the island in the blistering heat to see them play music. Welcome to Randall’s Island: This was Governors Ball 2014.

This is the musical festival that New York City offers to its 8 million or so residents each year. Who cares that the weather was above 90 degrees all day long or that getting to the island meant taking a ferry with a hundred or so obnoxious teens?

I was there to see legendary bands like The Strokes and Jack White from The White Stripes. This event is also a showcase for up-and-coming stars like Chance the Rapper and The 1975.

These are the venues where music really begins to spread and newcomers to the scene make a name for themselves as their music videos take over YouTube.

The ridiculous spike in ticket prices and the rapid pace at which they were disappearing on the Internet had all but smashed my dreams of attending Gov Ball 2014 months before. However, within just days of the concert, I was somehow offered a VIP ticket by a friend, and suddenly, my entire summer had drastically changed for the better. This was not going to be a reiteration of Woodstock 1969 or even 1999, but I thought that anything could happen with my VIP wristband.

However, as the waves rocked the ferry and the high pitched yelps of dozens of already intoxicated teenagers rattled my brain, it seemed as if this day was not off to a great start.

At last we arrived on Randall’s Island, and the thundering of drums somewhere on stage in the distance sud-

denly changed my emotional state to something more upbeat.

After lounging in the Bud Light tent for a while and gathering ourselves after that treacherous voyage from First Avenue to the island, my friends and I bolted over to the VIP section of a smaller stage that was under a giant canopy.

Chance was about to perform. His posse of young adults surrounded the

Bryson Greene stage, and the crowd erupted into a “Chance, Chance, Chance” shout. He stormed the stage wearing his hometown Chicago White Sox jersey, which was quickly tossed aside for a blue oldfashioned Superman shirt that could be picked up at any of your local WalMart or Target superstores.

It had been about a year since I first heard Chance and his big hit “Cocoa Butter Kisses,” and since then I’ve developed a library filled with his music. His way of rapping makes him unique— his raspy voice in combination with his boyish attitude makes him unlike anyone else out there right now. His hits “Juice,” “Nana” and “Favorite Song” crowd the airwaves of YouTube day after day and attract a crowd of teens and young adults that most likely have him in their iTunes playlists beside Tyler the Creator and A$AP Rocky.

The crowd never stopped moving for well over an hour and half as he ripped off hit after hit, probably because during the intermissions he would show his praise for his fans and continuously thank them for being there. It was the first concert where I really felt that an artist tried to give it all he had for the sake of his fans and supporters. Chance’s emotions drifted into the mob of thousands and they took it and threw it right back to him.

The heat that day was close to unbearable, so what did Chance do? He had his entire posse empty giant packs of Aquafina all over the first several rows (fortunately, I was a recipient).

The concert was electric; it made me feel that our generation was filled with the notion of sharing. Whether it was through social media or simply turning around and giving whatever you had to your peer behind you, there was a strong sense of unity and companionship among the young crowd.

As Chance’s time on stage rapidly came to an end, it was my time to grab my friends, find Adirondack chairs and settle down with three gourmet chicken tacos from the stand behind me — this account may have done justice to my musical experience, but the food at Gov Ball is worthy of another column.

Event Rating: A Songs to listen to: “Juice,” “Favorite Song,” “Nana” Bryson Greene is a senior in the College. THE BEAT appears every other Friday in the guide.

BEST BETS

LIONSGATE

The History Channel’s series, “Houdini,” branches into new territory with a scripted, fictional retelling of this historic story.

Houdini



Starring: Adrien Brody Available Now | History NICOLE JARVIS Hoya Staff Writer

A scene opens on a tall bridge, a muscular yet gawky brunette man covered with chains, a frozen river with a small hole in the surface, a large crowd: There are plenty of things that could be happening here, but the opening scene of the History Channel’s newest fictional creation, “Houdini,” sets a tone that dominates the rest of this entertaining, yet eye-rollinducing spectacle. According to the voice-over (because the only thing this scene was missing was a voice-over), “One way or another we all want to escape. An ordinary life shackles us. We need to get away: get away from boredom, from pain, from fear. But not me.

Fear is how I know I’m alive.

Unlike other people, I don’t escape life, I escape death. Hell of a way to make a living.”

“Houdini” represents one of the History Channel’s first forays into scripted fictionalized television, though the series is not its first departure from the types of documentary programming that made it famous. For a network populated with shows like “Ancient Aliens,” “American Pickers,” “Pawn Stars” and the entirely fictional series “Vikings,” “Houdini” seems like a step back toward, well, actual history. Houdini was a real man, the first international superstar to come from the American vaudeville circuit — a man known for his death-defying stunts and propensity for handcuffs and chains.

“Houdini” is a two-part biopic series, which means that it suffers from the same drawbacks that many biopic films do, but on a longer time scale.

While a terrible biopic movie like Leonardo DiCaprio’s “J. Edgar” lasts only a little over two hours, “Houdini” ultimately spans closer to 4 hours, which, while giving the writers a lot more time to develop their well-known characters, also means they have lots and lots of time to fill with driving action and dialogue.

And this is where Houdini, for all its literal magic on screen, falls flat. The dialogue is really painful, and most of the actors struggle to bring any life into the dull script provided.

Not that they don’t try. Adrien Brody, known for his Oscarwinning role in “The Pianist” and his steady position as one of Wes Anderson’s merry band of weirdos in films like “The Darjeeling Limited” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” really

gives it his all. It is clear he takes acting seriously and that this subject is one he seems to care about, but even this earnestness can’t save “Houdini’s” awkward dialogue.

This kind of television show does have potential. Any student who has taken AP U.S. History in the last five years has probably seen clips of HBO’s foray into the genre — “John Adams,” starring Oscar winners Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney. It’s a formula that can work, but it’s also a formula that can quickly become a drawn-out and over-enunciated melodrama. “Houdini” also had a serious bevy of possible stories it could have told, but it instead went down a narrative path more at home among “Ancient Aliens” than a Ken Burns documentary.

There are many things we can definitively confirm Houdini was: a child of immigrants, a dedicated illusionist and a master of his death-defying craft. But what the History Channel instead decided to highlight was a highly unsubstantiated claim that he was recruited as a spy by MI5 during WWI. I’ve actually read some Houdini biographies in my day, and this miniseries was the first time I had ever seen the idea introduced.

For all these criticisms, it is impossible for me to say that I didn’t enjoy the miniseries. When it focused on what Houdini did best and how he did it, the dialogue didn’t matter. The visual medium allows the show’s creators to recreate exactly how Houdini was able to execute his stunts, and it is a testament to his talent and legacy that this knowledge makes his escapes even more impressive and makes the incident that lead to his early demise (hinted at heavily in the opening title sequence and throughout the program’s four hours) seem all the more impossible.

What is perhaps most appealing about this series is that, because it aired on the History Channel, it is available to view in its entirety for free on the channel’s website. So if you somehow find yourself with four hours to kill and a passing interest in the life of one of the greatest figures in early American popular culture, maybe give “Houdini” a try. Don’t let your expectations get too high, and you won’t be disappointed as the spectacle unfolds. Most importantly, don’t forget that just because it’s “the History Channel” doesn’t mean it’s all true.

ON CAMPUS

“JUST LIKE” EXHIBIT

FREE YOGA CLASS

MORTARA OPEN HOUSE AND GIVEAWAY

U.S. POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

WHERE: Spagnuolo Art Gallery WHEN: Sept.10 to 12 INFO: art.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

WHERE: Yates Field House WHEN: Friday, 12 p.m.

INFO: recreation.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

WHERE: Mortara Building WHEN: Monday, 4 p.m.

INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

WHERE: Lohrfink Auditorium WHEN: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

The Department of Art and Art History is opening its first exhibition of the year at the Spagnuolo Art Gallery. “Just Like” is a beautiful display of abstract works by Brooklyn-based artist Sangram Majumdar. The Spagnuolo Art Gallery is located in the Walsh Building and is open Wednesday to Friday from noon to 7 p.m., Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Need to decompress after a stressful five-day week? Head over to Yates to find some inner peace at a free yoga class. All levels are welcome, mats are available to borrow and you don’t need to be a gym member to participate. Classes are usually $5, so take the time to check it out and see if those semester class passes are right for you.

Have you ever walked by the Mortara Center and wondered what it was? Now’s your chance to find out! The staff and faculty of the Mortara building are hosting an open house for anyone who wants to stop by and learn about its programming. There will also be a giveaway of free books that have been donated by professors or that have been nominated for the Lepgold Book Prize.

Head over to the Hariri Building next week to hear the Honorable Wendy R. Sherman, under secretary of state for political affairs, receive the Trainor Award for Distinction in the Conduct of Diplomacy. She will also be delivering a lecture entitled “U.S. Policy in the Middle East: Present Course, Future Direction.” A reception will be held after the event.

the guide

friday, september 12, 2014

Jhené Aiko Hoya Staff Writer

Despite a music career that has been slow to blossom, R&B singersongwriter Jhené Aiko captivates listeners with her debut album, “Souled Out.” While she has collaborated with a number of successful artists in the past, namely Drake, “Souled Out” marks her biggest venture into the music world alone. With lyrics dripping with emotional confessions and subtle inspirations, it is clear that this album is an honest and direct reflection of Aiko’s romantic life.

Full of sultry vocals that flow over seductive beats, Aiko’s new album is nothing short of hypnotic. The majority of songs feature a heavy use of synthesizers, mini-

XXLMAG

In her new album, “Souled Out,” Jhené Aiko showcases her dreamy vocals and emotional lyrics while also incorporating catchy rhythms.

Crush Songs Karen O

New Releases

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malistic drum loops and delicate piano riffs. Woven into this musical backdrop is Aiko’s smooth and fluid voice, filled with breathy vocalizations and raw sentiment.

“W.A.Y.S.” is by far the most personal song on the album, as it alludes to the death of Aiko’s brother and the emotional turbulence she experienced. The song title is an acronym for her brother’s favorite saying, “Why aren’t you smiling?” It opens with simple guitar chords that are soon complemented by Aiko’s repetitive, painful lyrics of “I gotta keep going,” speaking to the difficulty of his death.

The first five songs of the album all follow the same, dream-like melodic pattern with silky waves of lyrics and phrases. They blend

nicely into one another, and it’s not until the sixth track, “Lyin King,” that we feel a change in the music. This song is a bit brasher than the others before it, speaking of how a bad relationship helped her find her independence. Here, the album breaks up its unified sound and transitions into more stand-alone tracks.

“The Pressure” is a somewhat motionless track that bumps steadily along its theme of vulnerability. It states that “The way you feel is not my problem/But I don’t wanna see you go.” The music video of this song, released earlier this month, includes interesting images of moon phases and psychedelic color changes, giving the song a smooth, calm vibe. A pair of songs on the album, “Eternal Sunshine” and “Spotless Mind” are particularly positive and easygoing. Their titles pay tribute to the 2004 film, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Like the movie, these two songs transmit a dream-like vibe that carries listeners away in nostalgic memory.

Aiko claims that “Spotless Mind” was the easiest song on the album to write, and yet its relaxing island beat is pleasingly complex.

Aiko’s 6-year-old daughter contributes to the chorus vocals of the song “Promises.” As one of the last tracks on the album, “Promises” gives off the strongest messages of all. It begins as a conversation between Aiko and her 6-year-old daughter and then moves into a remembrance of her deceased brother. Her daughter contributes to the chorus’s vocals,

‘put your number in my phone’ ariel pink  DEFJAM

with the sad, yet hopeful lyrics, “Promise I’ll be alright.” After exploring the painful memories of her brother and the maternal worry she has for her daughter, Aiko ends the song on a silly note that reminds listeners of the joys of childhood. “Hello? Echo!” says her daughter into the microphone during the last seconds, which is a welcome mood change after the serious nature dominating the rest of the song.

“Souled Out” ends with a freestyle track, “Pretty Bird,” featuring rapper Common on the last verse. With its surprising vocal twists and relaxing instrumentals, this track displays Aiko’s musical talent and flexibility and is perhaps a foresight to her future releases.

Jhené Aiko successfully conveys her themes of honesty and self-confidence throughout all 12 tracks of “Souled Out.” It is rare to find a modest and genuine female R&B vocalist in today’s modern age, but Aiko proved that she can maintain both her dignity and sex appeal with an innovative sound that is continuously developing. “Souled Out” definitely deserves a full listen, and mellowing out to this conceptual musical journey is well worth the time.

Album Review



Jess Kelham-Hohler Hoya Staff Writer

Following her immense success with the indie-rock band the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, lead singer Karen O is branching out in a solo career with her debut album, “Crush Songs.” The South Korean-born American singer, known for her quirky style and unusual vocals, has created an album that perfectly showcases her haunting voice with beautiful lyrics.

As part of the album’s artwork, Karen O writes, “When I was 27 I crushed a lot … I wasn’t sure I’d ever fall in love again. These songs were written and recorded in private around this time.”

Most of the songs on the album are unusually short, acting as little reflections on different aspects of falling in love. It’s as if she’s sharing with her fans a rough draft of the kind of music she wants to produce, with subjects far more personal than the work with her previous band.

The topic of “Crush Songs” is a surprising choice for Karen O, who is best known for the darker, hand-banging hits like “Gold

INTERSCOPE

Lion” and “Heads Will Roll.” In fact, the album is an unexpectedly and intentionally modest work for a debut, piecing together tracks that sound more like demos in an impressively successful way.

The album opens with “Ooo,” a slow, dreamy track reminiscent of gramophone-era music. O’s unique vocals combined with the grainy sound of the vinyl imitation makes the song addictive listening.

While the album title may suggest that O tried to produce a collection of sappy love songs, her raw, punky singing style nevertheless leaks through. A number of tracks reveal her characteristic rebelliousness, as she snaps that “Love’s soft, love’s a f------ b----” in “Rapt,” interrupting the more dreamy suggestions in the album to remind us that she is still a New York rebel at heart.

As you work your way through the album, you feel more as if you are sitting with O in her room as she strums away on her guitar, crafting these short songs about how it feels to have a crush and fall in love. Many of the songs, in contrast to some of the hits of her punky past, seem surprisingly innocent and simple. At the start of “Indian Summer,” O dreamily muses about how “I like you best,” and many of the tracks adopt these similarly strippedback, clear lyrics, creating a surprisingly intimate sound.

The decision to experiment with acoustic pieces is a surprising, yet welcome choice following her increasingly electronic and punky work with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs — “Heads Will Roll” became a club DJ favorite, remixed into a number of dance floor hits.

In “NYC,” which is less than a minute long, O almost whispers

B7

MUSIC

Album REVIEW

Souled Out Allison Cannella

THE HOYA

After laying low and avoiding the spotlight since his 2012 album “Mature Themes,” Ariel Pink returns with the single, “Put Your Number in My Phone.” The song gives a quick taste of his upcoming double album “pom pom,” to be released Nov. 18. The song is characterized by an odd contrast between its somewhat demanding lyrics and Pink’s sweet, steady vocals, which are accompanied by a soft guitar melody. A woman’s voicemail weaves its way in toward the end, giving the single the mellow folk vibes that are characteristic of Pink’s earlier work.

‘blame’ calvin harris feat. john newman  Calvin Harris has produced hit after hit of fast-paced, beat-heavy songs.

From “Summer” to “I Need Your Love” featuring Ellie Goulding, Harris has already shown his capacity to adapt to different rhythms with diverse singers. “Blame” successfully adds to this characteristic style. With the defiant, catchy lyrics — “Blame it on the night/ Don’t blame it on me” — interspersed between electro pump-up beats, the single immediately grabs your energy and attention. Calvin Harris again proves his expertise as a DJ through his unfailing ability to make universally appealing music.

‘title’ meghan trainor 

PORTABLE

Karen O, best known for her hit, “Heads Will Roll,” releases her much-anticipated first solo album, “Crush Songs.” the lyrics as she muses along with a strumming guitar how “I left my baby in New York City” with a lullaby-like rhythm. It’s a far cry from her days spent head banging with her black bob while screaming into a microphone covered in bright feathers.

One of the standout tracks has to be “Body.” While it sticks to the album’s characteristic lowkey production, O’s vocals suddenly change to pick up her more powerful style. This commanding voice combines with almost whimsical wails and shrieks in a frenzied musical interlude to create a tangle of sounds that is both confusing and enchanting.

It’s a combination of vibrant romance and gritty indie rock that only O could pull off.

At first, this album engages listeners with its unusual production and even more unusual weaving together of tracks that sound borderline incomplete.

However, this inability to com-

mit to and expand these songs actually inhibits it from reaching its full potential. None of the tracks seem to reach a climactic point or build to anything substantial. While there is undoubtedly something beautiful about being taken along with O on her musings about love and relationships, her noncommittal attitude on the album can become frustrating. Her demo-like style often makes it seem like she’s holding back and consequently gives the album an incomplete feeling.

This scrapbook album studies what it means to have a crush and how to deal with the more bitter parts of love. It is an impressively unusual debut, and in that sense perfectly fits with what one might expect of the quirky Karen O. The wandering musings may lose you halfway through, but her incredibly unique singing style will nonetheless have you coming back for more.

The feminist streak founded in Trainor’s hit song “All About That Bass,” which argues against society’s promotion of perfect stick-figure body types, is back again in her newest single, “Title.” While Trainor exchanges her slight R&B influence for a more pop-friendly sound, the blunt message remains just as strong as her earlier hit. “Title” is all about speaking up and demanding that somebody enters into a committed relationship before making things physical. In a society where labels are almost never clearly defined and casual relationships are the norm, this single strikes controversial chords.

‘I did with you’ lady antebellum  Lady Antebellum is famous for its repertoire of sappy ballads and duets. Its newest single, “I Did With You,” adds another track to the already brimming bucket of love songs. The song will appear in the upcoming movie, “The Best of Me.” Unfortunately, Lady Antebellum has produced a forgettable, albeit beautiful duet that lacks originality. While it may fulfill its role on the movie’s soundtrack, its ability to gain any attention in the music world is questionable at best.

AROUND TOWN art walk in the park

cupcake eating competition

wilderness forever

In celebration of the 1964 Wilderness Act, the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History is showcasing a special exhibit of photographs highlighting the beauty of America’s landscapes. The pictures promise to be an impressive collection that celebrates “50 Years of Protecting America’s Wilderness.”

This annual festival brings together dozens of local vendors and performers for an afternoon of fun. Live music and entertainment on six separate stages will run alongside people selling trinkets, art and photography. Food vendors and local restaurants will be offering specials in support of the day’s events.

WHERE: Glen Echo Park WHEN: Tonight, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

INFO: http://www.glenechopark.org/art-walk-park PRICE: Free

WHERE: Baked & Wired WHEN: Saturday, 2 p.m.

INFO: tasteofgeorgetown.com PRICE: Free

WHERE: National Museum of Natural History WHEN: Sept. 3 to Jan. 1 INFO: naturalhistory.si.edu PRICE: Free

WHERE: 18th St. between Florida Avenue and Columbia Road WHEN: Sunday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

INFO: http://ammainstreet.org/ PRICE: Free

Art Walk in the Park offers an easy, free way for the community to enjoy a variety of creative works. Three galleries will showcase different kinds of art. “Glass: Visions and Voices” will exhibit glass craftsmanship. “Functional, Whimsical, Wearable!” focuses primarily on jewelry and “FOCAL POINT: The Annual Darkroom Show” will feature silver gelatin master prints.

As part of the 21st annual Taste of Georgetown, a day packed with free tastings from dozens of local restaurants and fun events such as the Georgetown Chefs Showdown, beloved bakery Baked & Wired will be holding a giant “Cakecup” eating competition. Five participants will be selected via social media to chow down on massive cupcakes that are set to weigh in at 3 pounds each.

adams morgan day

B8

Sports

THE HOYA

Friday, September 12, 2014

volleyball

Hoyas Victorious in Philadelphia Invitational Daniel Litke

Special to The Hoya

Georgetown volleyball (4-3) capped off a successful weekend by winning the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia Invitational Championship.

The Hoyas managed to shake off their opening 3-0 loss to Cleveland State (3-4) as they went on to post a pair of 3-0 victories on Saturday over Colgate (2-2) and the University of Pennsylvania (2-2), giving them a tournamentbest 2-1 record.

Head Coach Arlisa Williams was pleased with how the squad responded to the loss against the Vikings.

“We bounced back with a new mentality, knowing that we are a pretty talented team when all of us are playing well and they came out and they played hard,” Williams said. “They executed the game plan and had fun doing it and they got two wins.”

The Hoyas claimed some individual accolades as well. Junior outside hitter and co-captain Lauren Saar won the tournament’s most valuable player award, posting an average of 4.0 kills and 3.11 digs per set. Senior middle blocker Dani White, who averaged 2.89 kills per set and had 10 blocks, was named to the all-tournament team.

In addition to the individual honors, the Philadelphia tournament saw strong team effort from the Hoyas, and budding early-season chemistry.

“It’s easy when your team is doing really well, and there is nothing we could do without our teammates,” Saar said.

With two freshmen and two sophomores in the starting rotation, the focus early in the year has been on overcoming inexperience and creat-

JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Senior middle blocker Dani White (left) has 62 kills and 24 digs this season in 23 sets played. In her 22 sets, outside hitter Terese Cannon has 14 blocks and 74 kills, including 15 in a 3-1 loss against Liberty University on Tuesday. ing a cohesive first unit. Georgetown believes its tournament performance went a long way in accomplishing this goal.

“I think we’re still trying to figure out our chemistry and how everything works within our 900 square feet,” White said. “But I think our tournament day on Saturday [showed that] we’re getting real close to getting consistent.”

Freshman Terese Cannon has played a significant part in this increasingly consistent squad. At 6-feet 3-inches”, the outside hitter is the tallest member of the team and has settled nicely

into the starting rotation. She had an impressive tournament, averaging 3.9 kills per set. “[Cannon] is at a contact point that we haven’t had from an outside in my nine years here,” Williams said. “She’s going to go hard, she’s going to go after balls all the time, she’s going to be scrappy, and she’s going to keep things in play. [Cannon and Speer] definitely add value and depth to what we’re doing.”

In its first home game after the tournament, Georgetown dropped a 3-1 decision against Liberty on Tuesday. Despite this setback, Williams

remains optimistic, as the Hoyas had some strong moments against a tough Flames team.

The match featured a number of notable individual performances, including another strong showing from Cannon. She continued where she left off in Philadelphia, posting a career-high 15 kills.

“I think that we were extremely competitive last night,” Williams, who largely attributed the loss to several momentum-killing careless mistakes, said. “We did some good things.”

White, who had 14 kills in the loss, says the focus is not necessarily on the

women’s soccer

Local Rivalry Matchup Looms Chris Balthazard Hoya Staff Writer

The unranked Georgetown women’s soccer team (3-2-1) will try to rebound from a difficult weekend as it faces No. 22 West Virginia (4-2-0) on Friday and then returns to the Hilltop for a Sunday matchup against George Washington (4-0-0).

The Hoyas were ranked No. 13 before a pair of losses in Blacksburg, Va., against Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. Now the Blue and Gray look to rack up a couple more nonconference wins before Big East play begins on Thursday, Sept. 25 at DePaul.

Senior midfielder Daphne Corboz described the impact of the weekend’s losses on the Hoyas’ team mentality.

“We obviously were affected. So far, in my four years, I have never lost two games in a row in the regular season,” Corboz said. “We know it isn’t acceptable but we played two good ACC teams last week.

Obviously, the mindset for tomorrow is to play well, to have a greater determination to win and hopefully to get a result against another great opponent.”

Head Coach Dave Nolan emphasized the difficulty of Friday night’s game, especially as it is the sixth game on the road in the Hoyas’ first seven matches, and games in Morgantown, W. Va., always draw a big crowd.

“It’s the third leg in a tough road swing.

[West Virginia is a] perennial NCAA team, Big 12 regular season and conference champions last year, typically one of the top 10 to 20 teams in the country, and a very difficult place to go and play,” Nolan said. “Our goal this week has just been to try and get back to the things we’ve done well before this past weekend, when we came a little unstuck.”

The team did indeed come a little unstuck, giving up six goals to then-No. 5 Vir-

ginia Tech in a disheartening game which saw a couple of unlikely early goals and a few late ones to rub salt into the wound, resulting in the lopsided 6-1 score.

The Blue and Gray followed that up with an even more disappointing 2-0 loss against Wake Forest (2-3-0), a team that garnered no votes in the most recent NCAA poll due to its own bad loss at home against UNC Wilmington (3-3-0).

Corboz spoke about what the team will need to improve on to make this stretch of games better than the last.

“We need to all be focused and ready to play to avoid defensive mistakes. We also need to keep possession of the ball better up top and in the midfield,” Corboz said.

Positive results will not come easily, as GWU Colonials Head Coach Sarah Barnes has helped narrow the gap in quality between the two sides.

“There’s always a rivalry. To be fair, it’s been more on their side than it has been on our side typically,” Nolan said. “But Coach Sarah Barnes has done a great job over there; every year they’ve gotten better, every year they’ve closed the gap on us. And the last two times we’ve played them, certainly when we’ve played up at GWU, it’s been a real challenge.”

Though for now the Hoyas are preparing for their trip to Morgantown, Sunday’s GWU game is not far out of mind.

“We’re focusing on West Virginia right now, and then we’ll worry about Sunday playing a GWU team that maybe could be 7-0 [including exhibitions] by the time we play them, and flying high and full of confidence and ready to come to Georgetown and cause an upset,” Nolan said. Early games against good out-of-conference teams are all the more crucial for the Hoyas since the Big East offers relatively weak competition.

No. 21 DePaul is the Big East’s lone representative in the rankings, as preseason conference favorites Marquette find themselves unranked after consecutive losses against Big 10 teams Northwestern, Minnesota and Nebraska.

This lack of quality teams means that the Hoyas will have little chance later in the season to boost their resume for the NCAA tournament selection committee.

Despite the pressure to succeed before conference season, Nolan downplayed the idea that the West Virginia game on Friday is a must-win.

“I wouldn’t say a must-win, but I would certainly feel a win would be a huge NCAA resume boost,” Nolan said.

When asked who Georgetown’s key player would be this weekend, Nolan was quick to respond.

“I would probably have to say [junior midfielder] Marina [Paul], because we rely on her so much on the field, we rely on her as a captain to give us some leadership,” Nolan said. “[Also, I know she was very disappointed with this weekend’s results and to a degree her own performance.”

Though the lopsided losses to Virginia Tech and Wake Forest exaggerated the Hoyas’ lack of quality over the weekend, major offensive and defensive lapses did contribute to the losses.

Nevertheless, senior forward Vanessa Skrumbis and Corboz continue to rank near the top of the country in offensive categories, with Skrumbis tied for ninth in goals scored with six and Corboz tied for fifth in assists with five.

Before last Friday the defense had also given remarkably strong showings, allowing just one goal in three wins and a draw.

The Hoyas will hope to regain their confidence against the Mountaineers as they kick off Friday at 7 p.m.

field hockey

Hoyas Hope for Road-Trip Magic Matt Raab & andrew may Hoya Staff Writers

The Georgetown field hockey team (12) will travel north for two consecutive games this weekend as it looks to improve on its slow start. After Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Lock Haven, the road trip provides an opportunity for turnaround at Holy Cross on Saturday and Brown on Sunday.

“It’s a big weekend for us in terms of momentum and in terms of us making adjustments we need to make,” Head Coach Shannon Soares said.

Both Holy Cross (2-3) and Brown (2-0) represent challenging opponents for the Hoyas, who hope to make some early improvements for a program that has struggled in recent years. With a chance to pull the team to a winning record, success this weekend could inject some needed excitement in the program’s progress.

“We’ve been dialed in all week, focusing on doing things well, and really making those minor adjustments that we needed to make coming off [last week],” Soares said.

“Our team has done a great job this week focusing in on those things and I think they’ll make the adjustment this weekend.”

Beyond the team’s extra preparations, the unfriendly environment of this weekend’s games could also provide a needed change for the Blue and Gray. Rather than

playing on the Hilltop with home-field advantage, where the team has struggled, Soares believes that getting off campus will translate into more focused, better performances for her squad.

“Oftentimes when you get on the road you kind of get to leave all the distractions of campus life behind and really focus on your job ahead of you and what’s at stake,” Soares said. “For us that’s having a positive outcome against strong Holy Cross and Brown teams.”

While not quantifiable, the team hopes that going to Providence, R.I., and Worcester Mass., will result in greater team chemistry, which will in turn bring more goals.

“We all get to sleep in big beds and we’re all together 24/7. The bus ride’s awesome, we get to do homework, we’re watching movies and we’re hanging out. It really helps with the family dynamics because it’s just us,” Soares said.

In addition to developing team camaraderie, the road trip will be important for creating an attacking style of play that will hopefully carry on through the rest of the season.

Georgetown has scored the same amount of goals as their opponents this year, but has created significantly fewer shots. For Soares, a simpler style of play will lead to a game that is to the Hoyas’ advantage. “[Ours is a] simple style of hockey, that allows the ball through the works, focusing

on the controllable: our energy rate, our technical skill and our ability to fight and want to fight,” Soares said.

If the team is going to innovate and try out new tactics, then Saturday’s game against Holy Cross will likely be its best opportunity. The Crusaders had their best season since 2008 last year, but still finished with only a 5-12 record, and the team has already lost to struggling Longwood and Quinnipiac this year.

Brown, however, will provide a tougher challenge. The Bears are 2-0, having beaten Bryant and University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Senior forward and captain Meghan O’Donnell earned Ivy League player of the week honors last week after scoring the winning goal in each game.

Both Brown and Holy Cross are good enough that Georgetown feels that they will be underdogs entering the game. This is a position that the Hoyas feel most comfortable in.

“They’ll both be tough opponents ... but what’s nice about us is that we’re really hungry and we’re kind of the underdog team in this situation. So they’ll be tough games but we’re definitely ready to win,” junior midfielder and co-captain Emily Weinberg said.

Georgetown will play Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 13 and Brown on Sunday, Sept.

14. Saturday’s game will start at 12 p.m.

final score this early in the season.

“Our big thing is we either win, or we learn. There’s no losing involved. So every match, every practice we move forward,” White said.

Georgetown volleyball begins conference play Sept. 23 at home against Creighton. It will then have plenty of time to establish chemistry before the Big East tournament in November — a target White and her teammates have their eye on.

“I think it’s going to be a productive preseason for us,” White said. “By the time we get to Big East, we’re going to be a different team.”

SAXA SYNERGY

DC United Benefit From MLS

S

ports in the District of Co- funds to regularly challenge for lumbia are known for their the title. turnaround teams, with In both European leagues, the the Wizards and the Nationals best teams’ annual salary budgradually evolving from medi- gets soar well over 100 million ocrity into their current status pounds – over $120 million. Playas playoff contenders. However, ers like Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, even for D.C. teams, it is extreme- Real Madrid’s duo of Cristiano ly rare for a team to go from abso- Ronaldo and Gareth Bale and lute worst in the league to best in Barcelona’s new attack partners the conference in just one season. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, After an abysmal 2013 season, among others, are each paid hunin which D.C. United finished dreds of thousands per week and with just 16 points from three success often relies on how much wins, seven draws and a whop- money teams can bid on players ping 24 losses, the 2014 Major during transfer windows.

League Soccer season has showEuropean Leagues can stand cased a team to learn a thing playing with an or two from entirely differthe quick turnent mentality. around of D.C. With fewer United within than eight the MLS’ smallgames remainbudget, paritying, D.C. United filled league. is in first place Smaller clubs Paolo Santamaria in the Eastern in top European Conference with leagues, like EPL 47 points, five side West Ham points ahead of D.C. United has gone United, barring the 2013 MLS aren’t from worst to first in miracles, Cup champions contenders due just one year.

Sporting Kansas to limited payCity. Not only is rolls. In fact, in it first in the East, it is third in the Europe, where there is no playoff entire MLS, behind the Seattle system, the goal for most midSounders and Los Angeles Galaxy. table clubs is simply to not be relA turnaround story like D.C. egated to a lower league. Staying United’s doesn’t happen without in the top division and keeping a huge roster overhaul, as new the lucrative television and jersey forwards Fabian Espindola and marketing revenues that only Eddie Johnson, and midfielders come with top-flight status, is Chris Rolfe and Davy Arnaud what makes a season successful. have helped jumpstart the Red The MLS, on the other hand, and Black’s previously lackluster cultivates a competitive soccer attack. environment, where essentially The financial structure of the any team can win against any MLS also helps teams quickly other, and the championship is turn around and improve their out of reach for no one. I’m not level of play. In the top European saying that it’s easy to reverse a leagues, the Spanish, German, downslide like D.C. United has, Italian and French teams that for what it’s done this season finish in the bottom three in may end up being the greatest the standings get relegated to turnaround in MLS history. The the second division., In the MLS, team has played tremendously, the teams who finish at the bot- dominating the East with a lighttom of their conferences simply ning attack while allowing the miss the playoffs, but are not rel- fewest goals in the Eastern Conegated. In fact, they may receive ference. allocation money, which they With veteran leadership from can use to acquire players from midfielder Davy Arnaud and deother teams or overseas in the fender Bobby Boswell, fused with offseason. the young core of goalkeeper Bill The added funds help teams Hamid, and midfielders Perry acquire impact players and bol- Kitchen and Nick DeLeon, D.C. ster parity in the MLS, keeping United are poised to make a run nearly every game and team for the MLS Cup title, which they competitive throughout the last held in 2004.

34-game season. To add an addiWith the momentum of an intional level of parity to the MLS credible turnaround and a squad that other leagues do not have, built for success through synthe roster rules and regulations ergy and team play, the future include a $3.1 million salary cap is bright for D.C. United and its for the first 20 out of 30 players reinvigorated fan base. Perhaps on the team. This salary cap al- fans of perennially struggling lows more balanced teams and teams in top European leagues less star power concentrated should take note. on one team, which contrasts with the German and Spanish Paolo Santamaria is a freshleagues, where traditionally the man in the College. SAXA top two and three teams, respec- SYNERGY appears every other tively, are the only ones with the Friday.

sports

FRIDAY, september 12, 2014

THE HOYA

B9

men’s soccer

cross-country

Team Splits Squads for Opener Maddie Auerbach

The Orange are ranked eighth nationally according to preseason polls, and finished 10th at the This weekend marks the offi- NCAA championships last season. cial start to the Georgetown men “They were a former Big East and women’s cross-country sea- foe of ours and now they’re in sons, as the men travel north to the ACC so we don’t see them Penn State and the women head quite as much as we used to,” south to James Madison Univer- Bonsey said. “That’s a team that sity for their respective relays. we want to be competing with to Ranked 29th nationally in see where we stack up in this first the preseason polls, the men’s meet.” team travels to State College, As the men race in PennsylvaPa., on Saturday to compete in nia, the women travel to Virginia the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe with a more developmental outInvitational. That same day, the look. Instead of matching up to fifth-ranked women will make competition and focusing on the trip to New Market, Va. to a result, Women’s Head Coach compete in the James Madison Michael Smith explains that the Invitational. meet provides an ideal setting Though the teams begin to prioritize the introduction of their seasons on the same day, the racing schedule and establish the squads are taking different a routine that will be in place all approaches to the weekend’s season. competition. Coming off a dis“This is a weekend where our appointing conclusion to its priority is trying to set the tem2013 season, the men’s squad plate that will apply to future prepares to start races. A template its 2014 season for our pre-race with a tough routine, the mentality and routines we go make its mark through the night as soon as posbefore and the sible. morning of, and “I think we just preparing for just want to set the meets that the tone from Michael Smith are coming later,” Women’s Cross-Country Head Coach the first meet of Smith said. executing our The 3.2-mile race plan and just giving a re- course for the meet is located in ally good effort,” Men’s Assistant the historic New Market BattleCoach Brandon Bonsey said. field Park, the site of an 1864 CivThe NCAA Mid-Atlantic Re- il War battle. Though the meet gional Meet will take place on will be fairly “low-key” according the same course, augmenting to Smith, the Hoyas still plan on the attractiveness of the Penn running their top athletes.

State meet.

“We’ll be running a lot of our “The regional meet this year is veteran proven runners. There part of the reason why we’re go- will be some that don’t race — ing,” Bonsey explained. we’ll put it together on a case-byThe Hoyas don’t plan on rest- case basis,” Smith said. ing any of their runners besides Both meets will present fitting senior Collin Leibold. The deci- settings for each team’s individsion to not race Leibold is purely ual needs and goals during this precautionary, as resting experi- stage of the season. enced runners in the early stages Both Hoya squads see Satof the season is common practice. urday’s races as good measurLuckily for the team, the State ing sticks for their progress College location is not new terri- in preseason training, as well tory for the Hoyas, as they won as an opportunity to see what the Mid-Atlantic Regional at the improvements should be made same 5.2-mile course two years before the season kicks into full ago. gear.

“We’re familiar with the “Not only is it a good meet course, it’s pretty flat and down- with good competition, but it’s hill for the first couple miles and going to have our guys get some then there’s a pretty monster hill experience on this course and there in the last mile so it kind know what’s coming up in Noof ends up being pretty difficult vember when we head back [to at the most difficult point of the State College],” Bonsey said. race,” Bonsey said.

“It’s not so much a meet where Approximately eight to 10 oth- competition is our major focus, er teams will join Georgetown it’s more about preparing to at the Spiked Shoe Invitational, start a long cross-country seaincluding familiar foe Syracuse. son,” Smith concurred.

Hoya Staff Writer

“We’ll be running a lot of our veteran proven runners.”

JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Sophomore forward Alex Muyl helped Georgetown retain possesion for much of its match against VCU on Thursday. Despite a goal from Muyl’s striking partner, junior forward Brandon Allen, the Hoyas fell 2-1 at home.

Late Goals Sink Hoyas in Loss SOCCER, from B10 leaving him out of position.

Both of the Rams’ goals came largely against the run of play and without significant buildup. Redshirt junior forward Devon Fisher tied the game at 1-1 in the 79th minute with a longrange shot from near the sideline that took a deflection and made it past a diving Gomez, nestling inside the far post. The winning goal followed a period of play in which Georgetown dominated, with the team holding a majority of possession and playing with confidence.

“The result clouds a lot, obviously, but I thought that [the team] handled

the second half really well, and certainly the first 20 minutes. This is the nature of the schedule. When you play, you are not going to go through without losing a game, unfortunately,” Wiese said.

Despite the difficult loss, both Wiese and Martz have turned their attention to Sunday’s matchup against No. 9 UC Irvine (4-0). The Anteaters are undefeated entering the game but have yet to play a ranked team this season.

They were pushed to the limit by an improving West Virginia team in Morgantown, W. Va. UC Irvine escaped with a win thanks to three goals in a 14-minute stretch that allowed them to win the game 3-2. The team looks to

football

Pair of Winless Teams Set to Meet MARIST, from B10 However, the defense is not taking their success for granted, continuing to work hard to improve.

“Right now our practices have been a lot more intense than they ever have been in the past two weeks,” Satchell said. “So right now everything that we’re doing is preparing for Marist by working harder.

What Satchell may consider an increase in intensity, Head Coach Rob Sgarlata considers a normal practice.

The first-year head coach would like to see his team stop beating itself and avoid some of the self-destructive plays that have plagued them thus far.

“I don’t know if there’s an increase [in intensity],” Sgarlata said. “I think there’s an increased attention to detail. I think the kids saw on Saturday

SUDOKU

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Answers to last issue’s puzzle:

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8 7 1 3 2 9 4 6 5 6 9 3

6 5 2 7

FILE PHOTO: CLAIRE SOISSON/THE HOYA

Junior quarterback Kevin Nolan is set to continue his partnership with sophomore wide receiver Justin Hill against the Marist Red Foxes.

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be the Hoyas’ biggest challenge since playing reigning national champions No. 4 Notre Dame last week. However, UC Irvine is currently playing without highly touted sophomore midfielder Mario Ortiz, who has not yet played this season. Georgetown players are looking forward to Sunday, rather than dwelling on Thursday’s defeat.

“It is important that we start taking care of our bodies, we eat well, we hydrate well and just start thinking about getting a win on Sunday. We have got to put this behind us,” Martz said.

Georgetown will play UC Irvine on Sunday at home on Shaw Field. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.

that we had a great shot at winning the game. We had some self-inflicted wounds, some pre-snap penalties, some drops and some missed tackles that we need to clean up this week.”

Along with cleaning up the offense, the Hoyas also need to plan for the Red Foxes’ defense. Nolan has been working with coaches to figure out how to best attack Marist’s unusual style, without drastically changing the offense’s approach.

“They run a little bit of a wacky defense. It’s sort of tough to read some of the stuff that they’re doing,” Nolan said. “So we’ve been having the scout team defense move around a lot and try to give us a great look and get us in the right protections. Coach has been doing a great job trying to teach us that at the quarterback level.”

Sgarlata, meanwhile, is less concerned about what Marist is going to throw at Georgetown, instead focusing on his own team. He believes that if the Hoyas play up to the level of their ability, wins will follow.

“We’ve preached from day one that I’m not really worried who we play.

We’re worried about ourselves,” Sgarlata said. “And we have enough talent to beat anybody that’s on our schedule. We just need to clean up some of the little things that we’ve been harping on since the start of camp and I think we’ll be in good shape this weekend.”

Play kicks off in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

OUT OF OUR LEAGUE

US Dominance Goes Unnoticed FIEGE, from B10 tournament thus far. Through seven games played across Spain, the United States sports an undefeated record, having won every game by at least 23 points, including two blowouts in which they won by 40 points or more. The level of international basketball talent simply has not reached the level of talent parity enjoyed in FIFA competitions, leading many Americans to dismiss events such as the FIBA World Cup as filler until the start of the NBA season.

After all, no one wants to see Goliath defeat David.

That is not to say that there haven’t been any improvements in competitiveness on the global stage. Long gone are the days of the 1992 Olympics U.S. Dream Team, which defeated its opponents by an average of 44 points. The NBA itself now counts international players as 20 percent of its ranks, a figure which will only continue to grow as the league expands its recruiting efforts in Southeast Asia, India and Africa. The upper echelon of FIBA has made great strides as well, as for a six-year span between 2005 and America’s 2010 Olympics gold medal, the U.S. did not hold the top international ranking.

Still, it is hard to market a tournament of 24 teams in which the biggest

question is whether Lithuania or Spain will be the team to challenge the United States for the championship.

What can be done to remedy this situation? First and foremost, a change in the scheduling of the tournament is needed. Currently, the FIBA World Cup is not only an afterthought to the FIFA World Cup, but also occurs at the onset of both the NFL and European soccer seasons. On top of that, the FIBA World Cup is essentially a less-prestigious imitation of the Olympic basketball tournament held two years prior and after.

To remedy this situation, FIBA should move its contest into the summer between the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, while at the same time, encouraging a partial return to denying professional players the right to play in the Olympics, a rule that has been implemented in soccer at the Summer Games. By making the basketball competition in the Olympics an under-23 affair, the best amateurs and professional rookies get the chance to develop and represent their countries while veteran professionals play in the more significant competition, the World Cup. As a result, the “best of the best” global tournament becomes a onceevery-four-years event, as opposed to the current two-year interval system that has seen many top U.S. players drop out

of the World Cup process. This change would provide more incentive for elite players to don the Stars and Stripes at the World Cup. From an actual gameplay perspective, it is time to take the training wheels off at FIBA and play with NBA standards. Current discrepancies in regard to three-point shot distance, the area of the inside paint and goaltending rules baby international players.

By normalizing the game according to the standards of the top professional league in the world, even in mundane aspects such as the color of the ball, the tournament will gain legitimacy among U.S. viewers.

All that said, this year’s World Cup is approaching its climax, as France upset Spain in the quarterfinals and Lithuania fell to the United States on the other side of the bracket in the semifinals. If France bypasses Serbia in its semifinal, as expected, champion San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker and a competitive French squad will match up against a dominant U.S. squad in the championship game this Sunday.

For the sake of the competition’s future, let’s hope it’s a close game.

Max Fiege is a freshman in the School of Foreign Service. OUT OF OUR LEAGUE appears every other Friday.

SPORTS

WOMEN’S SOCCER Georgetown (3-2-1) vs. George Washington (4-0-0) Sunday, 4 p.m.

Shaw Field

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

The volleyball team went to Philadelphia and came home with a tournament trophy.

See B8

MEN’S BASKETBALL

“

NUMBERS GAME

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CITY OF SISTERLY LOVE TALKING POINTS

0

We ... want to set the tone from the first meet of executing our raceplan.

Cross-Country Assistant Coach Brandon Bonsey

The number of minutes the VCU men’s soccer team led GU in its sudden-death overtime win Thursday.

MEN’S SOCCER

VCU Comes Back To Beat GU in OT ANDREW MAY Hoya Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO: CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Senior guard Jabril Trawick and the Hoyas will face Florida and Kansas.

Gators, Jayhawks Await LAURA WAGNER Hoya Staff Writer

On Tuesday, basketball buzz on the Hilltop began in earnest when the Georgetown men’s basketball team announced its 2014-2015 schedule. Featuring its usual grueling stretch of Big East games, the schedule is also studded with several tough nonconference matchups against perennial powerhouses Kansas and Indiana, as well as an early-season tournament in the Bahamas that will feature multiple ranked opponents.

The Hoyas open the season with three straight home games, starting with a noon tipoff on Saturday, Nov. 15, against St. Francis. After the matchup against the Brooklyn college, Georgetown will host relatively unknown Texas A&MCorpus Christi and small-conference power Robert Morris.

The nonconference schedule really gets going Nov. 26, when Georgetown will head for warmer weather and decidedly stiffer competition at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas.

In Nassau, the Hoyas will face the Florida Gators in the first round, who, according to an early preseason ranking

by ESPN’s Eamonn Brennan, are the No. 8 team in the country. Awaiting the Hoyas, should they advance, will be UAB or Wisconsin, the latter ranked No. 4.

After the Thanksgiving break, the Blue and Gray return to Verizon Center to face area rival Towson on Dec. 7 before facing off against one of the best teams in the nation — the Jayhawks. Brennan puts Kansas at No. 9 despite the early departures of Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid to the NBA, and the matchup will undoubtedly give the Hoyas a chance to prove themselves against top competition before Big East play begins. Last year, Georgetown travelled to Lawrence, Kan., and was trounced by 22 points, so the Hoyas will look for an improvement at Verizon Center. Though the Kansas game falls on a Wednesday during finals period for Georgetown students, it will be nationally televised — as will most of Georgetown’s games — on Fox Sports 1.

Three days later, the Hoyas play Radford at Verizon Center, followed by another home game against Charlotte on Dec. 20. Two days after Christmas, Georgetown will head to New York City and historic Madison Square Garden to wrap up its nonconference schedule against five-time NCAA tournament champion Indiana. Tipoff is slated for noon, and the game will be televised on ESPN2. Georgetown will want revenge for its last game against Indiana during the 2012-13 season, an 82-72 overtime loss in the Legends Classic in New York.

On New Year’s Eve, the Hoyas kick off Big East play against Xavier in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 10 p.m. Conference play consists of 18 games against Marquette, Butler, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Xavier, Creighton, DePaul and Providence — half of which will be played at home and all of which will be televised on Fox Sports 1 or CBS.

The No. 6 Georgetown men’s soccer team played its third overtime game out of five overall matches Thursday, picking up its first loss of the young season. The Hoyas (2-1-2) dropped the match 2-1 to the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams (3-2) after Rams senior forward Jose Manel dribbled around Hoyas senior goalkeeper and captain Tomas Gomez, sliding the ball into the back of the net.

The most impactful aspect of the game was not any single play or performance, but rather factors beyond both teams’ control. The temperature at game time was a humid 89 degrees, and a number of players on both sides struggled with the heat. Frequent substitutions were not enough to prevent the match from becoming both sluggish and mistake-filled at times.

Unpunished hard fouls also played a large role, as numerous times the referee kept his whistle in his pocket heavily influenced the outcome of the game. Junior forward Brandon Allen had to briefly leave the game after a VCU tackle injured him in the penalty box. Georgetown’s shouts for a penalty were disregarded. In overtime, confusion on a VCU substitution led to a brief period of play with 12 men on the field.

“It just was not managed all that well by the officials, to be fair,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said. “But I don’t think it had anything to do with the outcome of the game. It was more of a distraction.”

Georgetown’s lone goal came in

JULIA HENRIKAS/THE HOYA

Senior midfielder Austin Martz assisted on Georgetown’s only goal of Thursday’s game. Martz has two assists in five starts this season. the 50th minute when senior midfielder Austin Martz collected the ball in his own half on the right side of the field and made a long darting run in open space toward the goal. A series of passes between Martz and Allen followed before Allen found space at the top of the 18-yard box and found the back of the net.

“When you are in a game that is 0-0 and you want to start the half fast and get on top of a team right

away, those are the type of opportunities [you need],” Martz said. “Fortunately, they backed off enough that when I got space I could go at them.”

Allen’s goal was one of 18 shots on the day for the Hoyas and one of 12 in the second half. These shots forced five saves from the Rams, including a point-blank stop by Rams redshirt junior goalkeeper Garrett Cyprus on a shot by Allen in the 72nd minute. Even shots that did

FOOTBALL

not end up on goal represented golden opportunities. In the 34th minute, junior midfielder Melvin Snoh shot over an open net after Cyprus allowed a rebound on a shot by sophomore forward Alex Muyl. A near identical play occurred in the 49th minute, when sophomore midfielder Bakie Goodman missed a chance that opened up when Cyprus charged the ball, See SOCCER, B9

OUT OF OUR LEAGUE

Max Fiege

FIBA Versus FIFA

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Hill is doing everything he can to accomplish that goal, quickly becoming one of Nolan’s favorite targets in the early season. He led the team with 47 receiving yards in last Saturday’s loss to Dayton, and also caught his first career touchdown.

While the offense is still trying to find its footing, the defense has been solid for the most part, allowing an average of 22 points over the first two games. They forced two turnovers against Dayton — one interception and one fumble recovery — with three turnovers in two games to start the season.

“I’d say the key would have to be just swarming to the ball like our team’s been doing really well, forcing turnovers and then just working together as a team.

I’d say that’d be our big thing right now,” junior linebacker Matthew Satchell said.

sk anyone how they spent the summer of 2014, and you will likely hear them mention how they watched the FIFA World Cup. Whether it was the gripping draw between Portugal and the United States, which drew more views in North America than any game of the NBA finals, or the 7-1 blitzkrieg that was Germany versus Brazil in the semifinals, which drew 15 million views in North America even after the USMNT was eliminated, this year’s international soccer championship proved to be, as Director of FIFA TV Niclas Ericson said, “a true watershed moment” for soccer in America.

Now if you were to ask them about the other World Cup being hosted this summer, you would probably get a blank stare in return. The FIBA World Cup, basketball’s largest international tournament, suffers from a unique dilemma, as basketball’s birthplace and biggest market essentially ignores the competition.

The United States, home to 29 of the 30 NBA teams — each worth nearly $700 million on average — and a market which spends close to $1.6 billion annually on merchandise, would statistically rather tune in to reruns of “The Simpsons” or “The Big Bang Theory” than watch its men’s national team take on the likes of Finland or Turkey.

This does not come as much of a surprise, however, when one takes into account the box scores from

See FOOTBALL B9

See FIEGE, B9

CLAIRE SOISSON/THE HOYA

Junior linebacker Matthew Satchell is tied with senior linebacker and captain Nick Alfieri for the team lead in tackles with 21, including 14 unassisted in two games played.

Marist Matchup Promising NADAV SENENSIEB Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown football team headed to New York today for Saturday evening’s game against Marist University. The Hoyas (0-2) are hoping to find more success against the Red Foxes (0-2) than they have in their first two games, both disappointing defeats.

Georgetown’s chances look better against Marist, which has experienced similar struggles to open the season. Despite a slow start, the Hoyas remain confident of their ability to succeed.

However, better execution is needed if the team hopes to improve.

“We’ve got to execute on the plays that are there,” junior quarterback Kyle Nolan said.

“We had a couple missed opportunities last week and week one that killed us and if we execute on those plays and get the first down on third down — keep the

ball moving — then we’re right there. If we take care of those missed assignments then we’re going to be OK.” Nolan is tasked with leading an offense that is still trying to find its rhythm early in the season. The Hoyas have yet to establish a consistent running game, rushing for a total of only 119 yards in the first two games combined. This has forced the offense to rely on a passing attack that has been more effective, but is still developing. One major challenge in the Hoyas’ passing game is the inexperience of many of the receiving units. All but one of the core wide receivers are underclassmen.

“It just means we have a lot of room to grow,” sophomore wide receiver Justin Hill said. “We have potential to be a very good unit in the future. But we’re not really worried about that right now. We’re just trying to get wins right now.”

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