The Hoya: The Guide: February 13, 2015

the guide FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

Georgetown Gaming Students adapt video game culture to a college context

DANIEL SMITH/THE HOYA

Video gaming can be more than just a hobby — it can also be a learning tool for experiences not offered in the traditional classroom setting. As stigmas about this culture break down from the inside out, our tech-savvy generation of millenials is learning to create space for a gaming community that extends beyond the virtual screen and overlaps with college and professional life.

KATY BERK

Hoya Staff Writer

Dark rooms, piled cartons of empty take-out, obsession and isolation.

Video-game culture carries connotations far removed from the ultra-social undergraduate environment on the Hilltop. But, is the stereotypical gamer even a recognizable reality anymore? And, is gaming antithetical to the ambitions of a Joe or Jane Hoya?

As the recreational and competitive gaming scenes transform, Georgetown students across both genders are redefining the role gaming fills not only in their college years but also beyond to their professional futures.

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Our generation of millennials has matured alongside the personal computer: We remember growing taller and bigger as technologies advanced and devices shrank and became sleeker.

In the past twenty years, there has been a rapid evolution in gaming capabilities.

Now, games go far beyond simple story plots and missions to create virtual worlds with seemingly endless options. Competitive ranking systems and guilds create vast gaming networks between players. With the development of more advanced graphic cards, the size and detail of simulated sci-fi and fantasy-world landscapes have become increasingly more realistic. And, instead of a single storyline, in-game plots now branch off into dozens of side missions and objectives.

But, gaming has also faced considerable grow-

ing pains. Stigmas persist among those outside of the community that look down upon gaming as a waste of time and an unproductive vice. And, internally, the gaming community is subject to persistent sexism.

On the Hilltop, serious competitive gaming is rare, and the culture of casual, recreational gaming is often hidden away in small pockets within the campus community. The effects of gaming on Georgetown students are not often addressed, but its inherent impact on individuals is part of a growing trend for generations born into the Internet Age. Whether students play competitively or purely for leisure, gaming is starting to be recognized as a facilitator of social, intellectual and even professional growth.

Recreational gamer Yatpang Cheung (COL ’17), a computer science major, immigrated to the Unit-

ed States from Hong Kong when he was 10 years old. Shortly after arriving, he was introduced to the world of gaming by his American friends, and the hobby became an easy way to assimilate.

“Constantly interacting with people caused me to learn English and be able to type fast and be able to communicate fast, using teamwork.

Through those videogames I learned English — at least the writing and reading parts — very fast,” Cheung said.

Women, too, have begun to form their own niche in the gaming world.

Recreational gamer Sarah Lim (COL ’16) said, “Games were actually a big part of my childhood and a huge influence on my interests. It’s funny because I actually wrote my personal statement See GAMING, B2

THIS WEEK FEATURE

LIFESTYLE

‘All That Jazz’ and More National Theatre’s rendition of Chicago exceeds expectations NICOLE JARVIS Hoya Staff Writer

Women in STEM Fields Unite

“Stemme” is a new organization seeking to connect women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. B3

FOOD & DRINK

Mediterranean Food at Its Finest

The upscale restaurant Iron Gate serves up delectable multi-course meals at a hefty price. B5

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Girl Group Plays it Safe Fifth Harmony’s newest album “Reflection” sticks to the conventions of its genre. B7

THEHOYA.COM/ GUIDE @thehoyaguide

If you’ve seen the 2002 film adaptation of the musical “Chicago” — currently playing at the National Theatre downtown — you may think you know what to expect when the curtain rises. But, when you see the orchestra prominently positioned on the stage, and when the first notes of the iconic “All That Jazz” kick in with wailing brass and big-band grooves, you’ll know you’re in for a treat that only live theater can deliver.

“Chicago” tells the story of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly — two women who find themselves on the wrong end of murder charges in Prohibition-era Chicago. When placed in the same cellblock — supervised by matriarch Mama Morton — the two begin a fierce rivalry for the attention of the murder-obsessed press and hire the same sleazy lawyer to clear their names.

The show has a long and storied history: It debuted in 1975 and is currently the longest running American musical in Broadway history, having played its 7,486th performance in late 2014.

“Chicago” was written and composed by the legendary musical-theater duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, who also wrote “Cabaret.” They based their work on the 1926 play of the same name, which was itself inspired by actu-

JEREMY DANIEL

With a long history and big shoes to fill, the National Theatre’s version of “Chicago” provides a hilariously entertaining show, eclipsing the 2002 film adaptation in humor. al crimes. The original screenplay writer, Maurine Watkins, reported on the crimes in the 1920s for the Chicago Tribune.

The performance is a well thought-out satire of the city’s corruption, and the topic is rooted in Chicago’s obsession with killer women. As social views were rapidly changing, the pervading rumor became that women were

unlikely to get convicted. In fact, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are based on the accused murderesses Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner.

The show’s original choreography was created by Bob Fosse, one of the most respected choreographers in Broadway history. While most of this production is newly choreographed and chock-full of

seductive sashays, the moments when it returns to Fosse’s original jazzy moves stand out.

It is easy to make comparisons to the film, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2003 and starred Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones as the feuding murderesses and See CHICAGO, B4

B2

the guide

THE HOYA

friday, February 13, 2015

FEATURE

Campus Gamers Battle Setbacks and Stereotypes GamING, from B1 for my Georgetown application about my experience playing games and how things like Soul Calibur and Final Fantasy X ended up getting me into art, writing, music and history.”

While these early attachments often make way for pursuits, for many, these memories were kept close and have been translated into college life.

In the past few years, the size and popularity of collegiate competitions and videogame-oriented student groups on campus has only escalated. Slowly, it seems, gaming is coming out of the shadows.

--Like most activities, more time invested in gaming yields higher skill level.

Free time, however, is a scarce commodity at this university, which often limits the ambitions of Georgetown gamers.

Self-described serious gamer Alexander Nealon (COL ’15) describes his lifetime attachment to games.

“I didn’t make the conscious choice in my life like, ‘Oh, I want to only play video games,’” he said. “It was this thing I didn’t do much as a young kid, but as I got older, I realized it was really fun.”

As the years went by, the time committed to exploring new versions of games such as World of Warcraft, DODA and League of Legends began to build up to the point where World of Warcraft took over the lives of Nealon and his guild for two months.

“I stopped doing the active-raid groups for the past two or three weeks because it’s just too stressful of a thing and a ridiculous time commitment, where I could do so many other things for 20 hours a week instead,” he said.

Such extreme time expenditures are unusual on campus.

“I would like to game more, but I have this school work,” Emma Hussain (COL ’17) said. “I don’t sacrifice my schoolwork for gaming, but I do the other way around.”

Cheung echoed this sentiment, marking the difference between Georgetown and high school.

“The coursework was not as rigorous, so I had a lot of time on my hands. Back in high school, I played three to four hours a day, and once I got to Georgetown’s campus, during testing seasons and midterm weeks, sometimes you just have quizzes coming up and you don’t have time,” Cheung said. “But, sometimes you go and play 10 hours straight or for hours every day for a week. It’s on and off like that.”

For the majority of Georgetown players, playing will always come second to academics, but it is not always easy to pull oneself away from the game.

--The pre-professional emphasis that has seeped into nearly every arena of Georgetown life has not spared gaming. Challenging academics and daunting tuition investments have prompted gamers to make creative use of their hobby in the career hunt.

Georgetown Gaming Founder Delbert Tran (COL ’15) even channeled his interest in gaming into a successful law-school application essay.

“It’s easy to get lost in the professional orientation. The pre-law advisor [said], ‘No, don’t write about law

school — write about video games because that’s what you’re interested in.’ It’s been working out for me; I’ve been hearing back from places saying yeah. That’s been the affirmation that video games are something that can be beneficial as both something you enjoy and something that matters to other people.”

Competitive League of Legends Player Patrick Kellett (COL ’15) takes his passion one step further, considering his dream of potentially turning his interest in video gaming into a career.

“Spending all my time working toward a degree here, [playing professionally is] sort of outside my realm of thinking right now. Could I be that good if I, you know, dedicated my entire day to playing, maybe,” he said.

“I’m certainly very into the professional scene. There’s many aspects of it — there’s journalism involved, testing, the production side. That’s definitely an option, but I’m just kind of trying to focus on finishing school right now and then that stuff when the time comes. It would be great to be part of the gaming side, but realistically more part of the production side.”

Emma Hussain sees the plausibility of a video gaming-related career as well, albeit through a different route. “I actually came into Georgetown thinking I would [study] either biology or English, and then took one comp-sci class and just completely fell in love with it. My dream job would be to work at a game-development company,” she said.

Video gaming is not simply a growing consumer market; it is a culture making its way into the everyday lives of Georgetown students. Although professional-gaming careers remain outside the realm of reality for most college students, these gamers are finding different ways to incorporate their hobby into related fields.

--Video games are most often contained to individual playing sessions or a small group of friends, so it is unsurprising how long it took for a formal gaming organization to form.

Founded in 2013 by Tran, GU Gaming is dedicated to forming a Georgetown community across all gaming platforms: be it a computer, a console or even board and card games.

The club boasts around 150 members on its Facebook page and has sponsored several successful outings and events.

One such event, a gaming tournament at The George Washington University, drew particular pride from Tran.

“We had maybe a dozen people from all different games sort of show up together and walk together all the way to GW,” Tran said. “We all played there together, and it was that team environment regardless of what game you were playing.”

Hussain, the vice president of GU Gaming, described the similarly positive experiences she has had through the club.

“It’s just very fun to meet people that you can nerd out with about all these different games and stuff, and then, yeah, they’re a particular kind of person that I was looking for here at Georgetown, and it’s just like this niche,” she said.

However, the group is not without its difficulties, given how disparate many gamers’ interests are.

“I think it’s been pretty difficult to

get everyone to show up in a singular event,” Tran said.

“Each subgroup has kind of taken its own turn,” he said, commenting on the evolution of the club. “There are pros and cons, [but] I think each individual group is strong enough to stand on its own now.”

With the limitlessness of gaming options and the boundaries placed on gaming ambition by schoolwork, it is unclear how much potential there is for a unified group to grow.

--Aside from GU Gaming, which does not focus on a single game or competitive circuit, there also exists a competitive League of Legends team on campus.

Team member Kellett said, “Different tournaments [are] set up called collegiate championships. The whole goal is to make top four in any one of those tournaments to get sent to Los Angeles to compete in the top 16. We practice two to three hours per week usually in three to four hour blocks and then have matches on Saturday.”

The national collegiate gaming scene has rapidly taken off in the past few years, becoming part of a new category of competitive gameplay called “esports.” Last year, Robert Morris University in Illinois became the first school in the country to offer varsity sports scholarships for top video gaming students. These players have formed a university team that competes in the popular North American Collegiate Championship tournament, which pits League of Legends teams against each other from schools across the United States and Canada.

These tournaments provide players with the chance to attain additional scholarship money for any of their home institutions. In the Los Angeles collegiate finals, first-place team members each earn $30,000 in scholarship money, second place wins a $15,000 scholarship and third and fourth-place players each get a $7,500 scholarship. Educational expenses such as meal plans, housing and books can also be covered.

Kellett pointed to the University of Southern California, the University of Texas, Austin and Robert Morris as the nation’s top competitors and acknowledged that Georgetown’s fledgling team — only about a year old — is far behind these teams in terms of skill. He did, however, label a win against USC in a scrimmage as one of the team’s proudest moments.

Internationally, the stakes are much higher than the collegiate winnings. Hundreds of thousands of dollars await victors of the biggest tournaments as well as sponsorships from companies as high up as Samsung. League of Legends and DOTA, the two most prevalent competitive games, can become full-time careers for those skilled and willing enough to commit their lives to the screen.

--League of Legends is notoriously called a “toxic” community, as players use their anonymity to harass others via the game’s in-game chat feature. These players have a range of different motives, whether they are venting their frustration at other players for performing poorly or simply stirring up trouble.

“It comes from a place of people

just wanting to win, but people can go as far as to criticize [not only] your game playing but also you outside the game,” Kellett said. “You have to take it for what it is; you know it’s just somebody playing a game. You just have to remember that at the end of the day, it’s just a game.”

This aggressive keyboard toxicity is not a new phenomenon, especially when it comes to the place of women in gaming. The field is heavily maledominated, and women are not represented at the top of the gaming hierarchy on the professional, competitive level.

Anonymous vitriol flooded to the surface of mainstream media last fall during #Gamergate, an incident in which a rumor about a female video game developer’s personal life unleashed a

ously. Culture things like comic books, video games, coding — people think women won’t be as serious about it.

Women who say they like those things have this pressure to prove it, and men don’t have that pressure. That’s really alienating in a lot of ways.”

For most girls growing up, playing video games was considered to be out of line with typical gender norms.

“I grew up with two older brothers, so my parents often assumed that my interest in games was because of my brothers’ influence, and not a lot of my girlfriends were that into games either. When I was younger, I actually used to wonder why I was so ‘boyish’ by liking games, until one day I realized that there’s actually no reason for games to be considered boyish,” said Lim.

MICHELLE LUBERTO/THE HOYA

Georgetown students Emma Hussain (COL ’17) and Delbert Tran (COL ’15) demonstrate their passion for gaming through the GU Gaming Club. flood of death threats, rape threats and insults so aggressive that she was forced to move out of her home.

At Georgetown, the climate is far more welcoming for women interested in gaming, but participation is still relatively low. Most of the gamers featured here were hard pressed to think of female acquaintances who identify as gamers, and Tran estimates that GU Gaming has, at most, 15-percent female participation.

“We’re in a weird transition phrase right now from just guys playing games to a lot of girls wanting to, and guys have been playing [much longer],” Seth Menghi (COL ‘16), a general club member, hypothesized.

“I’ve been playing games for like 15 years, so it’s easier for me to just pick something up and understand it.”

Ida Dhanuka (COL ’17), a female recreational gamer, recalled her struggles identifying with this gaming world.

“I don’t really like the label ‘serious gamer.’ I love playing, and I’m interested in gaming and gaming culture. But, there’s a lot of judgment that goes with that label. How do you decide who is a serious gamer and who’s not? Is it based on what games you play? I’m not too fond of that.

Towards women especially, there is the idea that girls can’t be serious gamers because they’re not necessarily attracted to all of the games that serious [male] gamers play,” she said.

“In the last few years, [the video gaming community] has become so much more female-friendly. But I feel like women still aren’t taken as seri-

Hussain, who began playing video games at an early age alone and with her sister, recalled a warmer reception into the GU Gaming community and how she was even encouraged to apply for its leadership positions.

“I was used to more stereotypical gamer guys being like, ‘Oh, you’re a girl, you must be pretending to be a gamer, or you’re not a real gamer.’ But these guys have actually been really welcoming and really kind,” she said.

As recreational gaming becomes more commonplace, female participation has grown along with it, but it remains unclear whether and when Georgetown women will cross into serious competitive gaming.

--The nationwide gaming scene is grappling with the social implications of growth and popularity. With the rise of competitive tournaments and the beginning of esport university scholarships, video gaming seems to be verging on greater acceptance within academic and professional environments.

At Georgetown, tension exists between one’s passion as a gamer, the vast energy and time commitments required of a Georgetown student and the stigma surrounding members of the gaming culture. GU Gaming has provided a new outlet for players to socialize, but the overall community still has a ways to go before it can effectively unify gamers across genders as well as different gaming platforms.

center stage

A Poetic Voice From an Unexpected Place

LuAnne Buzzanca has worked at the GU Bookstore for 30 years, but her creativity stretches back much further Hannah Kaufman Hoya Staff Writer

On this hectic campus, it is all too easy to forget about the employees working almost every day to provide services for Georgetown students. LuAnne Buzzanca is a full-time cashier and customer service employee for the Georgetown University Bookstore.

This past week, she and her coworkers celebrated her 30th year on the job. Along with her officially recognized outstanding customer service, Buzzanca brings a love for poetry and life to the University.

How long have you been writing poetry?

I have been writing poetry since I was 14. In elementary school, we used to have to write in our journals all the time. I loved English. In high school I got a B in English and a B in Spanish. Everything else I got a C. I’m just an average person — just basically average. It’s O.K., though — surprises come out when you least expect it.

I didn’t think anything more serious of it until I got older. I like writing, I hate reading. It’s just fun [and] I formed my own style. Then it just became easy. It releases whatever ten-

DANIEL SMITH/THE HOYA

Georgetown Bookstore employee LuAnne Buzzanca likes to spend her free time finding ways to express herself and getting creative in the form of poetry.

sion you have. I’ve written about a hundred poems.

Do you have any plans for your writing in the future?

I’m trying to make a 100-page book.

I have about 50 more pages to get, but that’s not going to be hard. It’s going to take a while. I want to break it down into attitudes; I’ve got many different ones. [Poetry] is a hobby, but I also want to see where it goes.

As time goes on, whatever money comes from that is going to be for my kids.

Can you tell me about your children?

I have two boys. They’re 27 and 31. My oldest one was born in April, so he’s my diamond, and my youngest one was born in June, so he’s my pearl. They’re totally opposites of each other; it’s like mixing oil and water. When I say opposite, I mean totally opposite: one was born by day and the other was born at night, one’s into country and one’s into hip-hop, one dresses down and one dresses up, even down to jobs — one works as a night clerk, the other is a doorman at clubs.

Can you recite one of your poems?

Yes — this one is called “Inspiration.” Don’t look farther than you can see / For if you do — / You will see nothing / Don’t just stop and take a glance / For you might miss out on

something / Take a look and make it last / For before too long / The future will be a past.

Why do you handwrite all of your poetry?

Writing seems a lot easier for me.

It’s more personal; I don’t like electronics. By the time you’ve pulled out your phone or whatever, I’m already writing on a piece of paper. I’m old school.

Can you tell me about why you write poetry as well as any problems you’ve had along the way?

Poetry is an expression of what you feel; it gets a lot of stress out, it helps, it’s therapeutic. I like to make people happy — I like to let people know that they’re not the only ones in that position and that it’s not the end of the world. I write [poetry] for everybody. I like to see people smiling. Out of nowhere I just started writing once for Christmas, and my manager liked it, so he asked me to write Christmas poems. This was about five years ago, so I’ve been writing for the past four years for the book store. It was scary because I have stage fright — as you can see, I’m stuttering. Shortly after one of our coworkers had passed on, I had a dry spell. For the longest time, I couldn’t write. I actually wrote a poem for her about the time she worked for us — it was in honor of her.

How have students played a role in your life?

I like working with them. When I first got here I thought, well, a job’s a job. But I work with students now and I see their personalities stand out and their friendliness stand out; they smile a lot.

Does a particular writing experience stand out to you?

When I lived in D.C., we used to have a reading group [with] critiques.

We would read things out loud and everyone would have a page of it that they would mark and tell us what we should change or could improve on. I am so bad with titles. They would help me with a title sometimes. I just read it and people would suggest things. But we had this one lady who was an English teacher, and she would not let go of a thing. One time, she got on this one girl’s case about her poetry. Some poets feel that whatever you write on paper is your final impression; you should leave it like that. But she kept saying, “You need to cut this shorter, you need to cut this shorter, you need to change this,” and the girl goes, “No. Why should I change this? It is what it is.” It helps when you get critiqued on your poetry and you can take their advice or leave it. But this one woman was so gung-ho about changing this to that, which is wrong. Leave it alone; it belongs to the person; the way they express it is their own.

the guide

friday, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

Life unlabelLed

THE HOYA

B3

Arts FEATURE

Patrick Bylis

Embracing Unabashed Infatuation W

hen I think about my contributions to bettering the LGBTQ community, one of the most important things I bring to the table is my unreserved admiration for attractive Hollywood celebrities.

Among friends, I am known to fawn over, to adore, to fall in love with and to talk over and over again about men whom I find gorgeous. Even friends I do not know extremely well get a glimpse of this adoration; I probably “like” about a hundred male model Facebook fan pages.

If you see a picture of a hunk pop up on your News Feed, you can most likely thank me for that. You don’t have to tell me about the gravity and importance of this task. Without me, who would give these guys the attention (and drooling) that they most definitely deserve? That’s right — I get as just as celebrity boy-crazed as the rest of you.

Before I get into the way that my admiration for beautiful, famous beaus plays out in my life, I want to emphasize my firm belief that everyone is beautiful in their own way. However, who I am attracted to, especially in terms of physical attributes, is a preference unique to me.

When I go googly-eyed over a celebrity crush, it usually comes in steps. And if you’ve ever been obsessed with a boy band at one point or another during your adolescent years, then you should be quite familiar with this experience.

As an example of this process, I will use One Direction. If you even know me just a little bit, you will know that I have a deep love for One Direction. I mean, look at them; they are so effortlessly cute in all of their music videos.

Step one in the admiration process? Realization. With One Direction, I remember the day like it was yesterday. It was a Friday afternoon of my junior year of high school, and I took the New York subway uptown to meet up with my sister at Radio City Music Hall. Since her sassy, seventh-grade self could not bear the thought of going to see a concert with our parents, I was recruited to go with her.

Because One Direction was not that popular in the United States yet, the band was just an opening act for Big Time Rush.

My little sister was, in her spare time, a Tumblr extraordinaire, and through the site she had discovered the beauty, the talent and the cuteness of One Direction far before every other preteen girl in America.

When One Direction hit the stage and started singing a beautiful rendition of “Na Na Na,” I was instantly hooked. How could Harry Styles’ hair be that impeccably wavy? Was it even possible for Zayn, or any human for that matter, to hit notes that high? And who in God’s name was that beautiful blond boy with that equally beautiful Irish brogue?

Step two in the admiration process?

Prolonged affection. After that night, I could not stop talking about One Direction. I cleared out the CVS by my house of “Popstar!” and “J-14” magazines, plastering the walls of my bedroom with posters of the band. I listened to their first album, “Up All Night,” on repeat, I wrote lyrics to their songs in all of my notebooks, and I meticulously updated the background of my Blackberry with a new picture of them once a week.

By far, one of the best days of my life was Christmas day senior year, when I received individual cardboard cutouts of each member of the band as a present from my parents.

Now the final step in the process comes with a gradual shift in my attention.

Often, this step happens when another handsome Hollywood bachelor catches my eye. The old celebrity crush can be completely erased from my mind, or just take up less of my attention and energy.

Yet sometimes, though this is rare, this old crush can remain just as significant in my present mind, coexisting with my newfound love for the latest superstar.

Nowadays, though I really do still love One Direction, its band members are not the only people I express my undying devotion for anymore. Zac Efron and Nick Jonas, who are, in a word, stunning, are among the top contenders for my heart these days. Nick Jonas even replaced One Direction as my phone background, which in my world is revolutionary.

My infatuation with all of these men is pretty common. Most of us have fawned over a celebrity crush at least once — some of us more obsessively than others — and, in a way, that interest adds to who we are and how we define ourselves.

My role in the LGBTQ community comes by embracing what I love and who I love wholeheartedly, and I hope that others will find the courage to do the same, be it a faraway Hollywood hunk or someone much closer to home.

Patrick Bylis is a sophomore in the College. Life unlabelled appears every other Friday.

DAN GANNON/THE HOYA

Stemme is a group of Georgetown women, led by Maggie Hansen (COL ’16), Czarina Ramos (COL ’16) and Cailin Grant (NHS ’16), hoping to overcome and equalize the male dominance in science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Women in STEM

Georgetown Students Lead Way in Science Jasmine White Hoya Staff Writer

STEM is a commonly used abbreviation referring to science, technology, engineering and math, and traditionally, the descriptor of a male-dominated industry.

However, there is a group of women here on the Hilltop that are currently working to change that through a new on-campus organization — Stemme.

“We are so excited about the opportunities that Stemme could provide to women at Georgetown. We aspire to create an intellectual, professional and social network for students to connect with each other and discover the many possibilities that exist in the STEM fields, where women are typically underrepresented,” Vice President of Campus Engagement Cailin Grant (NHS ’16) said.

“I envision Stemme as a type of catalyst for bringing together like-minded women and helping them develop, both professionally and intellectually, through this network of individuals,” added Marketing Director Maggie Hansen (COL ’16).

One reason for the group’s creation was to address the lack of community felt among women interested in STEM here at Georgetown.

“It’s really easy to get caught up in these classes and just worry about your GPA. I really want to see this kind of intellectual community in the sense that we’re friends, we have some kind of bond, but underneath all of that is the fact that we’re all really passionate about our fields, and to have an environment that’s welcoming to the female voice,” President Czarina Ramos (COL ’16) said.

Ramos is a neurobiology major, which she admitted is made up mostly of men.

However, she does think that the university has done well, at least in the science department, in maintaining a balance in the gender of staff members.

“Georgetown has done a really good job of hiring female professors. You can put yourself in their place and see yourself doing science like they do, which is something super central for girls,” Ramos said. “I think that’s what sometimes society doesn’t understand. The biggest thing about [having] women and young girls do STEM is that you have to have them see someone who they could be like in the next few years.”

A big problem in the area of STEM is that the few women who do end up pursuing careers in these fields tend to leave prematurely, an issue that the group is working to address.

“We want to know why. Is there something driving them away? Is there something unappealing to women? Is there an issue that needs to be addressed? [We want to talk] about the social aspects of [STEM] freely in an environment that is predominately women,” Ramos said.

The group is contemplating adding a mentorship program in order to further address the problem.

The skewed ratio of males to females can be a difficult topic to broach, which perhaps contributes to the lack of conversation concerning it.

“Nobody wants to talk about … the disparity because you look at science and you look at math and you see this kind of objective world where knowledge is the only thing that matters … but that’s not true. I think that science and math could really benefit from a female perspective. It should be welcome to all types of people. And there are a lot of ideas that come from women that aren’t necessarily highlighted just because they don’t get a lot of coverage and I

think that’s something we should work to change,” Ramos said.

However, while concerned with women’s issues, Stemme’s ultimate goal is to spread love for its respective fields and to, perhaps, make up for areas where Georgetown falls short.

“A good deal of the more science-oriented professional resources at Georgetown are geared toward pre-med students or the health care industry, but STEM fields encompass so much more than that — the fact that I’ve had people ask me what I was going to do with my chemistry degree, since I am not pre-med, is indicative of this disconnect between what opportunities the university offers to non-pre-med science students and what opportunities actually exist in the professional world. I hope that Stemme is able to help mitigate this tendency to ignore other options which are detrimental to every non-pre-med STEM major regardless of gender,” Director Hansen said.

“We are brought up in an education where everything is compartmentalized,” Ramos said. “One of the things that Stemme want[s] to push is the idea that we live in a world where science and technology is everywhere. Stemme is not only a world for scientists or nerds; you can be in advertising or accounting.”

Members of Stemme can expect to garner a variety of benefits from the club, such as having the opportunity to network with professionals, engage in dialogue with fellow peers, or perhaps just simply gain a new friend to eat ice cream with after a bad science exam.

Currently there is no application to join, and while the club is still in the process of finalizing some of its developmental issues, a number of activities and events are in the works.

Arts Feature

‘Frozen’ Play Impresses East of River Michael Fiedorowicz Hoya Staff Writer

The Anacostia Playhouse is currently showing its newest play, “Frozen,” a suspenseful and high-stakes drama that is nothing like the identically titled Disney film phenomenon. Written by Bryony Lavery, the play debuted in 1998 and moved to Broadway in 2004, after which it received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Play. This entrancing play revolves around the human condition, an exploration of what it is that we all possess in common, even when we feel as though we are worlds away from those around us.

“Frozen” tells the gripping story of the disappearance and murder of a 10-yearold girl. However, the story is told nontraditionally, through the separate in-

ANACOSTIA PLAYHOUSE

teractions that the girl’s mother, Nancy Shirley (Adele Robey), and killer, Ralph Wantage (Frank Bliss), have with their psychiatrist, Dr. Gottmundsdottir (Jo Sullvan).

This makes Dr. Gottmundsdottir the play’s focal point in that she symbolically bridges the gap of sin that exists between Nancy and Ralph. It is also extremely important that she is a psychiatrist, indicating that the one thing that can connect a transgressor and his victim lies somewhere in the human psyche — in our unique humanity.

Gottmundsdottir is also an expert on serial killers, which is the primary reason she is seeing Ralph — he is one of her case studies. In several scenes, the doctor is portrayed as though she is giving a speech at a conference, in which she projects her recorded conversations with Ralph onto the wall. Intriguingly, the projection is a live feed of Ralph, who is sitting at a table on the other side of the stage. This projection stays on the wall throughout much of the work, as Gottmundsdottir approaches Ralph several times.

Eventually, as the play progresses, she switches seats with Ralph, and she is the only one in the projector’s frame. Now, she has been put under the lens. Gottmundsdottir points out that entering the mind of a serial killer, as she must do so often, takes a toll. She calls the serial killer mind a frozen “Artic sea,” so she is an Arctic explorer. Of course, she explains that, sometimes, when you stay out in the cold for too long, you may begin to freeze. This exploration of what effects the study of the human mind may have on an individual is interesting — Gottmundsdottir becomes attached to her subjects, as she believes that their problem is primarily clinical. Thus, blaming them is difficult for her — she protects them as though their transgressions are only “crimes of illness.” As the cliche dictates, the psychiatrist Gottmundsdottir struggles to cope with her own personal

problems in an emotionally stable fashion.

On the other hand, Nancy has struggled for years with the loss of her daughter. She wishes to move past this difficult point in her life. For her, “Frozen” is an extremely powerful play about learning to forgive, learning to accept all humanity and moving on — even amid some of the greatest tragedy.

Gottmundsdottir’s study of the serialkiller brain calls some important things into question for the audience. For one, Gottmundsdottir’s arguments about the specific physical differences between the brain of a killer and a normal one are worth noting. Regardless of the scientific accuracy of her statements, the play is encouraging audiences to consider whether it is possible for someone to be so socially unaware and so lacking in a moral compass without possessing some physical abnormality that enables serial killing.

All three of the actors are rather impressive in their performances, accentuating their very distinct characters while simultaneously making it clear that each of them is dealing with and trying to understand his or her own emotions.

The Anacostia Playhouse makes for a very unique and cozy viewing experience, as the stage is centered in the middle of the room at ground level, surrounded on both sides by incrementally tiered rows of seats. This means that actors have to account for both sides of the room — naturally giving a very different angle of view, and thus perspective, of the play for every viewer.

Not only is the work of high quality, but this is also a great opportunity to cross the bridge and support the arts east of the river. “Frozen” is an extremely well-written, thought-provoking work.

Paired with the cozy atmosphere created by the Anacostia Playhouse, this is a very worthwhile performance to see.

“Frozen” will run through March 1, 2015.

B4

the guide

THE HOYA

Friday, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

APPS

Kitchen Stories Free With its elegant interface and pleasing aesthetic, Kitchen Stories is the go-to app for any aspiring chef who wishes to replicate MasterChef at home. Besides filters which allow one to navigate recipe types in terms of category, ingredients, calories or duration, each recipe features an easyto-follow, step-by-step guide to creating your desired dish. It also includes videos of basic food preparation methods such as trussing a chicken or beating egg whites.

A definite plus is the social media aspect allowing one to assemble and share “lookbooks” of favorite recipes. Remember the motto “anyone can cook” in the movie “Ratatouille”? Kitchen Stories might just prove it right.

JEREMY DANIEL

“Chicago” has been brought to life on the stage in D.C. With mostly new choreography, the play’s high energy, humor and excitement are sustained and as powerful as ever.

National Theatre’s ‘Chicago’ Pleases Fans Old and New Chicago, from B1 Richard Gere as their defense attorney. But, make no mistake: The two, while ostensibly telling the same story, are very different. One thing that the stage show nails that was lost in translation during the film was a sense of humor.

The movie takes itself very seriously.

The musical, on the other hand, is chockfull of visual gags and the kind of subtle, live vocal humor that film fails to capture.

Much of this humor comes from the egofueled diva at the center of the story — Roxie Hart. Played by Bianca Marroquin, she is captivating to watch, with even the most subtle facial expression leaving the audience in stitches.

Compared to the variety that the film was able to capture, the set and costumes are very simple for the stage production, with every actor wearing the same slinky costume to occupy a variety of roles. But don’t worry, you’ll barely notice.

The cast on this stop of the production’s

national tour gets an added dash of pizazz with the addition of the legendary John O’Hurley.

While he may be best known today as the runner-up in the first season of “Dancing with the Stars” and the current host of the dog show that appears on TV after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, O’Hurley has had a long career on the stage and on the screen. He perfectly fills the slimy shoes of lawyer Billy Flynn, who knows that all you need to do to win a case in Prohibitionera Chicago is to give the jury a little bit of “razzle dazzle.” O’Hurley certainly knows how to ham it up, and with a role like this and co-stars as strong as Marroquin, he has plenty of opportunities to shine.

With an impressive ensemble, this Washington, D.C. performance of “Chicago” is a worthwhile one. Whether you’re a major Broadway fan or a newcomer to the genre, the production is sure to have you tapping your feet with a grin on your face, so be sure to grab some tickets before it packs up and moves on to a new town.

Political Digest

District’s Daily Grind Steams in Coffeehouses

T

he coffee bean has deep roots in West- a small bookshop, but quickly expanded to ern political life, and Washington, become one of the foremost locations for D.C., is no exception to this tradition. political engagement in the District. In an Originating in the modern Middle East, inconspicuous storefront on Connecticut coffee is a fragrant and stimulating drink Avenue near the Maryland border, Politics that proliferated explosively in Europe and Prose boasts an impressive selection of upon its arrival; by the time the first coffee- books — political and otherwise — as well as house was opened stateside in 1676, Britain an impressive lineup of guest speakers and boasted over 3,000 nationwide. These rowdy lecturers.

On any given Sunday, expect to see the establishments were hotbeds of political dispopulace of Politics and Prose clambering cussion and Enlightenment-era thought.

In today’s constricted bookselling indus- over each other for seats at the afternoon’s try, the coffee shop seems to be merging lecture, which likely features a White House with the independent bookstore to create official or celebrated author of some kind. a streamlined consumption experience. But below the bookshop’s main room lies a In order to remain competitive and stay small coffeehouse, serving lattes and paniabreast of the day’s mouthwatering de- nis to the dozens of young thinkers scattered bates, these locales jam-pack schedules of throughout the store’s caverns of books on every topic imaginable. poetry readings, nonThere is an impressive fiction panels and celevel of engagement that lebrity author talks. In these establishments Washington, the three encourage in their cushighest-profile hybrid tomers, and their ownbookstore-coffeehouses ers bring political asare Kramerbooks and Afpirations of their own terwords Cafe, Busboys to the beltway. Busboys and Poets, and Politics and Poets owner Andy and Prose.

Katy Berk & Shallal made a bid as a Established in 1976, David Chardack Democratic candidate Kramerbooks and Affor mayor in last year’s terwords holds the title of first bookstore-cafe in the country. One election. Never mind that Shallal earned street entrance in its Dupont Circle location only about 3.3 percent of the vote in April’s leads into the typical cozy American book- primary, it is a testament to D.C.’s intellecstore. Bespectacled employees hustle back tual and political scene that a restaurateur and forth between the towering shelves to and bookseller could be a force in the race assist D.C. intellectuals, yuppies and tour- to become the region’s most powerful figists. But enter from the back, and the scene ure in local government.

The owners of Politics and Prose, too, boast shifts to a lively high-ceilinged dining room.

A full wall of windows and one of mirrors an involved political background. When play off of the red accents of the vinyl chairs. Bradley Graham and Lissa Muscatine bought Waiters serve up lobster, steak and quinoa at the shop from the founders in 2011, they night to patrons who might not even guess made it official that P&P is a powerhouse establishment for D.C.’s insiders. Graham, who that Kramer is a purveyor of words.

If Kramerbooks operates on a somewhat was a journalist for The Washington Post, separate, but balanced, scale of restaurant and Muscatine, who was a longtime speechto bookseller, Busboys and Poets’ layout is writer for Hillary Clinton, expanded the presall about the food and performance. With ence of the store and its role as an incubator five locations scattered through D.C., Mary- for progressive intellectual political thought. land and Virginia, the famous foodie des- Their performance in their first year in this tination’s name derives from groundbreak- role earned them a spot on GQ’s “Most Powering black poet Langston Hughes’ stint as a ful People in Washington” list in 2012.

Few cities’ bookstores boast the same busboy in a local hotel in the 1920s. Now, the space is dedicated as “a place to take a influence as these bookstore-restaurantdeliberate pause and feed your mind, body performance spaces wield. And while opand soul ... a space for art, culture and poli- erating a bookstore may not qualify sometics to intentionally collide.” With weekly one for the position of mayor, the power of open mic nights near constant other tick- these places is a testament to the District’s eted events, a blog, local art and emphasis longstanding respect for literature, diaon sustainable practices, Busboys and Poets logue and, of course, caffeine. certainly keeps up with the times.

Politics and Prose, however, as its name Katy Berk and David Chardack might suggest, has a history and clientele are juniors in the College. intimately involved in the political scene Political Digest appears in Washington. P&P started in the 1980s as every other Friday.

Hopper Free Want to travel during Spring Break but haven’t found the right price or time for air tickets yet? Like a pocket-sized travel agent, Hopper monitors airfare prices and notifies you the instant it hits the lowest possible price. A nofrills app, it simply requires the departure city and destination before pulling up the optimal dates for travel and offering you a list of flights to choose from. It also gives a price prediction for the time period up till before the departure date. Of course, it can’t find low-cost flights at the last minute, but for someone planning vacations in advance, it is a handy little app that beats trawling dozens of websites to find the best deals.

Reuters TV Free, $1.99 subscription after first month We increasingly consume our news on mobile devices rather than traditional television broadcasts, but Reuters TV promises the best of both worlds by using broadcast-style programming with a personalized twist. It is easily navigated, allowing you to choose the length of broadcast preferred (from five to 30 minutes) and to swipe over stories you’re not interested in. There is also a live feed for updates on the latest news. Sleek, welldesigned and carefully curated, “Reuters TV” is an attractive choice for news onthe-go for the busy college student. A slight drawback might be the $1.99 subscription fee after the first month, but it is easily worth it.

HOYA HISTORY GUSA Candidates Face Off at Forum Feb. 20, 1987

This week in Georgetown history, GUSA candidates for the 1987 election held a forum to debate issues regarding their platforms. Six presidential candidates vied for executive position (candidates include current beekeeper Bob Redmond [CAS ’88] and Greek island villa renter Scott Stavrou [CAS ’88]), and met in a Village C Community Room to discuss what they had in mind for the student body. One student had a “three-prong platform” of spirit, service and student representation. Another student emphasized greater student input for large decisions, while a third wanted to reform GUSA and rule based on “consensus, not command.” Over 100 students attended the debate to hear out what the candidates had in mind for the future of Georgetown while WGTB radio covered the event live.

BALLOONS OVER BURMA | BAGAN, MYANMAR

Kathleen guan FOR THE HOYA

the guide

friday, February 13, 2015

THE HOYA

B5

RESTAURANt review

Six-Course Mediterranean Meal Is Worth Its Price iron gate

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1734 N St. NW | Cuisine: American, Greek | $$$$ ALLIE HILLSBERY Hoya Staff Writer

A historic setting, great service and impeccable food will always add up to a truly memorable dining experience — but that combination is not easy to find.

Luckily, this trifecta is the hallmark of Iron Gate, an upscale restaurant located just a block away from Dupont Circle.

Until its recent brief closure in October 2010, Iron Gate was the oldest continually operating restaurant in Washington, D.C. The dining space, a converted stable and carriageway that once belonged to a Civil War cavalry officer, is a convenient choice for your next special occasion. The restaurant reopened in 2013, and the menu now focuses on cuisine inspired by Greece, Sicily, Sardinia and Southern Italy. Executive Chef Anthony Chittum transforms fresh local ingredients into simple, classic bites as well as complex dishes to create an impressive and satisfying meal.

It would be hard to feel overdressed at Iron Gate. Upon arrival, my date and I were immediately led through the highceilinged bar and carriageway, past a patio shaded by a 100-year-old wisteria tree and into a room paneled with dark wood and glowing with candlelight. It is easy to see why Iron Gate was deemed

by Zagat as “the most romantic restaurant in D.C.,” and it’s definitely the place to go to celebrate milestones or to impress your significant other.

When making reservations for dinner, patrons can choose to enjoy prix fixe tasting menus in the dining room

or to order a la carte items on the patio, which is open year-round. We opted for the tasting menu, and our server was very helpful in explaining the differences between the four-course tasting ($60), six-course tasting ($80) and chef’s tasting ($110). Ultimately, we strategized that if my date ordered the six-course meal and I ordered the fourcourse meal, we would be able to jointly taste almost everything on the menu.

The first thing served was a simple olive plate, which was anything but ordinary. I do not love olives, but it was one of the most delicious things I have tasted recently, setting the tone for the entire meal.

Next came the seasonal sharing plates, six or seven small dishes that include a potato focaccia, curried cauliflower and foie gras. All of the plates were distinct and delicious, but the freshness of the locally sourced ingredients was the underlying commonality.

The kuri-squash tortellini and yellowfin-tuna crudo came next, and although the fish was obviously high quality, the tortellini was the table favorite. The sweetness of the squash was complemented by crunchy almondcookie crumbs, and the two textures really set the dish apart. The cauliflower soup was good, but not a standout, though the small amount of Maine lobster floating in the center of the bowl was highly appreciated. The cheese plate was also delectable, as was the chocolate panna-cotta dessert, but both paled in comparison to the focal point of the meal: the two meat dishes.

The veal sweetbreads dish was served

ALLIE HILLSBERY/THE HOYA

Despite a high price tag, Iron Gate provides a delicious variety of Mediterranean-inspired cuisine that offers something for the palate of every guest. Pictured is the Berkshire-pork belly with dippy egg and potato fritter. two ways, both with a perfect melt-inyour-mouth texture and excellent garnishes. The grilled Berkshire-pork belly melded with the charred onion, potato fritter and dippy egg to become easily the best plate of food I have enjoyed in the past year.

We did not order any drinks, but the cocktail menu should certainly not be overlooked. Jeff Faile, the beverage director at Iron Gate, was named Eater’s Bartender of the Year in 2011 and has lived up to his reputation by crafting innovative and tasty cock-

tails that reportedly rival the incredible food. The Nikolaki ($12), a blend of vodka, honey, Greek yogurt, lemon and rosemary, was highly recommended. If wine is more your style, in-house Wine Director Brent Kroll provides an extensive list of vintages to suit every palate. If you opt for the tasting menu in the dining room, you can pay extra to enjoy a beverage pairing with each course.

The staff at Iron Gate were all friendly and extremely good at their jobs. Servers kept water glasses full

and timed the progression of the meal perfectly, explaining what was sitting in front of us at the start of each course. In addition to the 10 courses that we actually ordered, the olive plate, a pre-dessert orange blossom beignet and a post-desert amaretti cookie arrived compliments of the house. Needless to say, I would jump at the chance to return to Iron Gate and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fancy night out on the town or a grad night dinner spot.

RECIPES

RESTAURANT review

Red Velvet Chocolate-Swirled Brownies OPEN TABLE

Despite a large menu, the classic American dishes are the most impressive at Chef Geoff’s, a restaurant and sports bar. Offerings include steak, burgers and a variety of fish, and the pictured Eggs Henry.

Original Dishes With a Twist chef geoff’s

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3201 New Mexico Ave. NW | Cuisine: Fusion | $$$$ Nick Biggs-Chiropolos Hoya Staff Writer

On New Mexico Avenue, near American University, lies Chef Geoff’s: a classic American restaurant with five locations — though each has a slightly different name — in the Washington, D.C. and Maryland area.

Chef Geoff’s somewhat surprisingly combines high-quality food and an interior of white tablecloths, silverware and wineglasses with a sports-bar feel. At 6 p.m. on a Saturday evening, the restaurant was a crowded mix of people eating slow sit-down dinners and many others watching the several games being broadcast live on TVs by the bar.

This unique combination of upscale food and top-notch service with the liveliness of watching sports gives Chef Geoff’s a warm and inviting atmosphere, particularly on a cold January evening.

Luckily, I went during D.C. Restaurant Week, which allowed me to get an atypical deal --- my appetizer, main course and dessert totaled a reasonable $35. However, without this discount, the price are much steeper. On a regular day, that same selection of food would have cost around $50 --- obviously a very expensive dinner, especially on a college budget.

The first dish to come out was the shrimp and avocado spring rolls ($10.95) with a kimchee and ginger-chile sauce. The rolls were crispy and generously stuffed with shrimp-and-avocado. The jumbo shrimp were smoothly cooked, but

the fairly greasy shell of the rolls and spicy sauce drowned out the avocado flavor. The appetizer was decent, overall, but it could have combined flavors more effectively.

For the second course, I again took advantage of the Restaurant Week deal and ordered steak frites with a 10-oz hanger steak ($26.95).

This classic steak dish came with house fries, bordelaise sauce and an arugula salad. The arugula salad was just a pile of arugula leaves, which made it rather bland and a bit disappointing. However, the steak and fries could not have been any better. Neither was overly complicated, but the thick, golden, and slightly crispy fries and thick, juicy steak slices complemented each other just as they should in a classic steak-frites dish.

To top it all off was the flourless chocolate cake with milk-chocolate malt ice cream. The chocolate cake was one of the richest desserts I’ve ever had — a roundish mound of seemingly pure chocolate. Evidently, flourless chocolate cake does not have the breaded texture of typical cake, but this particular variety was almost more of a custard.

The milk-chocolate ice cream was slightly less sweet. The extreme decadence of the dessert leaves one full after only a few bites.

Chef Geoff’s offers a large menu, but, overall, the best dishes seem to be the simpler, classic American ones. Just to name a couple, there are the hanger steak frites ($26.95) and the hamburger ($12.95), which the restaurant knows how to get right. There are multiple topping variations as

well as a salmon burger ($15.95), a black-bean burger ($12.95) and a crab-cake burger ($19.95), which is a signature item. The macaroni and cheese and fruit-salad dessert are also recommended as two of the best items on the menu, which reaffirms Chef Geoff’s focus on serving simple American cuisine in a well-prepared, technically adept fashion.

Like the cheerful atmosphere of the restaurant, the staff members were very friendly. They pointed out the Restaurant Week deal multiple times and generously brought my guests sample glasses of their Argentinean red wine recommendation.

I went with my great aunt and uncle, who are retired D.C. restaurant frequenters. On our way to sit down, they recognized multiple customers as well as members of the wait staff, which left the impression that this restaurant has a loyal following of consistent patrons. However, many other patrons appeared to be college students — probably from AU since that part of town is mostly residential and thus has a smaller restaurant selection.

This array of seniors and college students in an upscale restaurant with a sports-bar feel may sound a bit odd, but it works well in the setting of a modern American restaurant. It may not be the best place to go for a quiet, peaceful meal, but for solid, good-quality food and a nice dining experience that can easily please a group with varying desires, Chef Geoff’s will provide a pleasant experience.

averiecooks.com Nothing says “I love you” like a warm batch of brownies. This Valentine’s Day, create a tasty treat for your significant other, for your friends or for yourself to enjoy. These easy-to-make brownies combine the delectable taste of red velvet with classic chocolate.

INGREDIENTS

1 stick unsalted butter, melted 1 large egg 1 cup light-brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup unsweetened natural

cocoa powder

2 vials red food coloring 3/4 cup all-purpose flour Pinch of salt 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate

chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch, square baking pan with aluminum foil; spray with cooking spray.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add the cocoa and food coloring; whisk. Add the flour and salt; stir.

Put batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula; set aside.

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips in 10-second bursts. Drizzle the chocolate over the pan.

Bake for about 28 to 30 minutes. Allow bars to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Red Valentine Cocktail

thestylishtypeblog.com Share a sweet cocktail with your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day --- or whip one up for yourself! With grenadine and lemonade, this drink is both sweet and tart --- a perfect complement to any tasty meal or savory dessert.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 ounces of Patron silver tequila 1 ounce lemonade Splash of Rose’s Red grenadine

syrup Red sugar for rim Lemon wedge Ice Pour sugar into a shallow plate or bowl. Wet the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge. Dip glass into the sugar.

Fill glass with ice. Combine tequila, lemonade and grenadine into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake for 45 seconds.

Strain into the prepared, sugar-rimmed glass. Garnish with lemon wedge. Enjoy!

La Marca Prosecco DOC Extra Dry

seriouseats.com This light, sparkling wine is the ultimate finisher for any heavy meal. It is light and fresh, with fruity notes and zesty accents that take your taste buds on a journey. The scent of apples pairs nicely with the dryness of the wine, making an overall lasting impression. At only $13, it is both affordable and delicious for your weekend celebrations or to unwind after a long day.

B6

the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

MOVIE REVIEW

Kingsman: The Secret Service 

Starring: Colin Firth Directed by: Matthew Vaughn DARIA ETEZADI

Special to The Hoya

Although “Kingsman” has an all-star cast, it lacks originality and is only able to bring about a laugh with some of its shock value. With Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson, this film was surrounded with high expectations. But the movie draws too heavily from other films and lacks a coherent vision. Without consistent concepts, the humor fails to really hit home.

Based on Mark Millar’s and Dave Gibbons’ comic book series “The Secret Service,” “Kingsman” follows the life of a young man whose legacy as the son of an honorable secret serviceman pulls him off the streets as a new recruit for a spy organization by the same name. Modelled after King Arthur’s Round Table, the Kingsman secret service prides itself in conducting its worldwide services unnoticed through the combined efforts of respectable and gentlemanly agents.

The protagonist Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton) is trained under the watchful eye of Agent Harry Hart (Colin Firth). As Eggsy learns about the conduct of a true gentleman and focuses on acquiring the necessary skill set for fieldwork, a tech genius launches a global threat against the entire human population in a twisted, evil plot, posing the ultimate challenge to the Kingsman service.

As a parody, “Kingsman” certainly lives up to its genre with unapologetic jabs at existing figureheads in the media, referencing public policy drama, scandals and celebrity gossip. The lead cast members execute engaging performances, with Colin Firth whipping out his British accent and tapping into his former roles as both King George VI and Mr. Darcy to portray the ultimate gentleman.

Meanwhile, Samuel L. Jackson suc-

cessfully plays the role of the villainous megalomaniac Chez Valentine, a walking contradiction characterized by an exaggerated lisp and a ridiculously hypocritical repulsion by the sight of blood. All the while, he orchestrates multiple mass murders.

Eagerton’s performance is weaker, as the relatively young actor finds his footing only intermittently throughout the movie. While he thrives as the protective brother and the concerned son, Egerton seems less comfortable with role of the dismissive, emotionally detached agentin-the-making.

However, in his attempt to pay tribute to Millar’s and Gibbons’ work, director and producer Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation leans too much on the compilation of past successes, thereby producing a film wherein “This is the End” meets a satiric James Bond remake.

In spite of its best efforts, “Kingsman” lacks continuity, as its over-dependency on past films and many unrelated cultural references detract from the plot. The film also aims to combine tones of genuine sentiment with outrageous satiric digs; however, these elements lack balance and “Kingsman” teeters between elements of all film genres.

Finally, there is a seemingly endless, gory blood bath in a chapel, at which point the film does a complete 180-degreeturn into a full-blown imitation of “This is the End,” complete with projectile vomiting and the impalement of several bodies with any available poles and rods.

While the graphics and overly dramatized fight scenes are well choreographed and filled with thematically appropriate head explosions orchestrated in time with Elgar’s “Land of Hope and Glory,” the transition from more heavily censored scenes in the beginning to incessant close-ups of messy dismemberment and stabbings is

20TH CENTURY FOX

ill-prepared. Even the violent outbreaks, though unmistakably characterized by Vaughn’s signature slow-motion close-up shots, seemed slightly discombobulated when followed by a shaky camera that is awkwardly distanced from the characters.

While the cinematography is generally easy to follow throughout the film, it faltered at the quick-footed action sets and resulted in a few too many disorienting fight scenes that were hard to follow.

There were also several parkour scenes, seemingly inspired by videogames, which created somewhat awkward transitions between substantive, almost sentimental insights into Eggsy’s home life, and short-lived chase scenes shot as though the cameraman were operating a game controller.

The orchestral numbers also lacked originality, with many pieces that seemed far too familiar for Vaughn’s attempts at artistic license; in fact, one particular piece sounded eerily similar to a theme song from “Wreck-It Ralph.” Regrettably, the lack of investment in an original musical score that isn’t suffocated by an excess of neither violinists nor electric guitarists could very well be the missing piece that could have strengthened so many scenes.

Vaughn can be credited for succeeding in the shock department and leaving his audience stuck somewhere between confusion and transfixion, interrupted only by spurts of chuckling. But “Kingsman” would have been an infinitely stronger film if the focus had been on depth, not breadth. The fast-paced hodgepodge of dozens upon dozens of overdone and alltoo-familiar thematic and technical elements doesn’t allow for the development of an original storyline.

MOVIE REVIEW

McFarland, USA Starring: Kevin Costner Directed by: Niki Caro GRAHAM ASHBY Special to The Hoya

As far as feel-good sports movies from Disney go, “McFarland, USA” is one to be remembered.

This heartwarming film directed by Niki Caro is sure to have the viewer out of his or her seat, cheering for the underdog from beginning to end.

“McFarland, USA” tells the true story of Jim White (Kevin Costner), the downtrodden, recently fired high school football coach who is relocated to a less-than-ideal job. After his impulsive anger leaves him unemployed, his family moves to McFarland, Calif., a dilapidated, predominately Hispanic town in which his family feels out of place. He lands a multifaceted job at the local high school as an assistant football coach/physical education teacher/life science teacher. As White struggles to find his niche, his two daughters and his wife also struggle to fit into this foreign town. One day during P.E., White notices that several of his students are extremely fast, well-conditioned runners because of their work as pickers in the fields just outside of town. Coach White recruits seven Hispanic boys with no clear future and starts a crosscountry team at McFarland. The White family forms a special bond with the runners as well as the town of McFarland, and Coach White helps lead the runners to become the 1987 California cross-country state champions.

In typical Disney fashion, the film is injected with just the right amount of appropriate humor at the right times. Costner, a typically serious, hardcore actor in his other films such as “3 Days to Kill” and “The Guardian” makes no exception in this movie. His tough, wise exterior is only compromised in a few moments with sarcastic, witty comments to his athletes, or

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concern for the safety of his daughter after she unintentionally gets involved in deadly gang activity. Costner does a good job of embodying the “down-on-luck” kind of coach whose tough exterior is eventually cracked because of the love and respect he has for his athletes.

Caro, known for her heartfelt films, made no exception with the directing of “McFarland, USA.” Just as in “Whale Rider” and “North Country,” her storyline follows an unassuming character or group of characters as they rise to the pinnacle of success and become heroes.

The film is extremely well written and directed in a way that never makes the viewer lose interest. Each scene is well thought out and adds its own special touch to the whole movie. That being said, in many feel-good sports films, it is easy to feel at times that the drama and emotion is a bit forced and “cheesy.” This film, however, shows no signs of cliche, overly emotional sports scenes, which can be easy to overdo in these types of movies.

The filming itself pays much attention to detail, often zooming close into each characters face and showing their emotions, blood, sweat and tears just about as close up and personal as one can get. Filmed in California, diverse scenery of fields, mountains, deserts and oceans makes this film very visually pleasing. Sweeping high deserts of the Palo Alto area contributes to the visual aspect while spotlighting the difficult terrain that the young athletes must learn to master.

In addition, the fact that the sport in the movie is not a seemingly overdone highimpact sport such as football, soccer or basketball is a refreshing change. It is new and exciting to see an often overlooked sport such as cross-country be exposed in a positive light.

WALT DISNEY PICTURES

This film is the “Friday Night Lights” of crosscountry.

Another subtle but effective addition to the film is the musical score. Comprised of primarily instrumental pieces, the background music is largely made up of traditional Latin sounds. This type of music plays during scenes in the field while the boys are picking produce, or at the local dining spot. Like any good musical score, the music in “McFarland, USA” never distracts the viewer from the scene, but instead enhances the viewing experience and adds subtle but necessary nuances to the film.

This is an absolute “must see” film for this year, but it seems this film will be extremely underrated and underappreciated.

While the trailer makes viewers excited to see the film, it does not do it justice.

This feel-good, classic tale of the underdog rising to victory is certainly a treat to watch, and to have it be based on a true story is the icing on the cake. This movie seems too good to be true in all the right ways. This film causes viewers to experience a wide range of emotions from beginning to end. “McFarland, USA” will have you laughing, crying and cheering for the underdog as you watch the McFarland Cougars race to victory.

FACE THE MUSIC

Sia Shakes Things Up F

or an event that is self-proclaimed, marketed, branded and sold to audiences worldwide as “music’s biggest night,” the Grammy Awards are only somewhat about music.

The formula for the Grammys, and the plethora of other entertainment awards ceremonies during the winter awards season, is fairly unwavering, save for a few blips (see: Kanye West and Taylor Swift, circa 2009) here and there. Network television devotes hours to dissecting the gowns, tuxedos and makeup of each artist on the preGrammys red carpet while performing hardcore journalism along the lines of, “Who are you wearing?”

Publicists, stylists and a village of others train artists how to walk the walk, talk the talk and adhere to the unspoken rules of the carpet. Inside, the host — here, LL Cool J — attempts to bring relevant, light-hearted humor and link the various performers and sections of the drawn-out ceremony.

But the Margie Grammys, this year’s in particular, are not just a ceremony anymore; they’re an allout spectacle.

At the Grammys, being a talented musician is too often equated with being a talented showman.

Yes, you may have made it onto the airwaves across the globe, but at the Staples Center you need to put on a show, not just for the hundreds of famous and equally talented musicians in the room, but for the millions of people watching at home. Artists no longer sing, they perform.

Some perform to shock, some to awe, others to create an atmosphere.

No matter the goal or inspiration for each performance, they serve as a visual representation of the artist’s work and to further the artist’s public persona.

With any luck, their performance will go viral, driving the musician’s fame higher and higher. With any luck, buying into the system of over-the-top, shockvalue-driven performances will pay off.

But what happens when an artist’s public persona is having no visual public persona?

Sia, the haunting chanteuse behind the smash hit “Chandelier” and songwriter for the likes of David Guetta, Rihanna and Flo Rida, built her industry persona on being an enigma. Famous for being a media recluse, Sia shies away from being the star of her own public performances and appearances, rarely showing her own face to the audience or conducting interviews.

With an introverted

BEST BETS THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

This performance will tell the stories of girls and women from around the world. Part of the proceeds will go to V-Day 2014, an international activist movement aimed at stopping violence against women and girls.

WHERE: Davis Performing Arts Center, Devine Studio Theatre WHEN: Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.

INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Student $10; General $12

FACING LEVIATHAN: THE IMPLICATIONS OF RUSSIAN ISOLATION

personality at odds with her public persona, Sia struggled with fame and suffered a breakdown before negotiating an unheard of deal with RCA: no press and no tours for her newest album. Her stage performances are known for being unconventional and noticeably devoid of the central figure: the artist herself. Instead or inserting herself into the act, Sia paints a kaleidoscopic world through avant-garde performance art. Her performance at the Grammys, featuring Kristen Wiig and 12-year-old dancer Maddie Ziegler, broke the monotony of pop performances and was nothing short of incredible.

Standing in the corner of the messy room pop-up set, Sia belted out “Chandelier” with her back to the Grammy crowd. Wiig and Ziegler, donning platinum blond bob wigs matching the one on Sia’s head, interpretively danced around the cluttered room while embodying the two warring sides of Sia. The two stripped Fuchs to nude bodysuits before uniting next to the actual chanteuse in the corner of the room at the end of the performance.

Sia’s nearly identical performance of “Chandelier” on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” last May was “possibly the first example of proper performance art on mainstream U.S. daytime television,” according to the London-based Dazed and Confused Magazine.

With Sunday night’s performance, introduced by Shia LaBeouf reading a handwritten poem, Sia breathed artistic life and ingenuity back into awards show concerts. Her performance brought the avant-garde to the masses in an easily digestible three-minute sketch, led by the familiar face of Wiig and set in an ambiguous, messy room that could easily be any of ours.

Following her overarching concept to create visual art with her performances, Sia placed aesthetics over her own celebrity.

In an age of scantily clad artists gyrating on stage, this authentic piece of performance art should be commended. Although Sia did not walk away with a Grammy, she proved that true art still exists in the popular music world. And she did it without showing her face. For a three-hour Tinseltown schmoozefest more focused on glitz than lyricism, that’s something actually worth applauding.

Margie Fuchs is a junior in the College.

FACE THE MUSIC appears every other Friday.

ON CAMPUS CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION GALA CREATE A POWERFUL GLOBAL RESUME

Maxim Trudolyubov, a Fellow at D.C.’s WilsonCenter, will come to speak about what things may occur with Russia’s continued isolation.

Isolation is likely to have serious political and economic implications, which could foreshadow significant change in citizen’s freedoms.

Celebrate the year of the sheep with this event hosted by the Georgetown Chinese Students and Scholars Association. This gala is open to anyone interested in Chinese culture, and will incorporate many aspects of a typical Chinese New Year celebration. Journey across the Pacific just by walking over to Gaston this Saturday night.

WHERE: ICC 301 (McGhee Library) WHEN: Thursday 12 p.m.

INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

WHERE: Gaston Hall WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

Passport Career (passportcareer.com) is giving a free virtual presentation on tips and tricks to creating an impressive global resume that will intriguie employers. The workshop will be done with culture in mind to help increase global outreach and write culturally appropriate statements.

WHERE: Cawley Career Education Center, Seminar Room 1 WHEN: Thursday, 3 p.m.

INFO: careercenter.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

the guide

friday, february 13, 2015

THE HOYA

album Review

Tetsuo & Youth

Lupe Fiasco Shea Crowley

Special to The Hoya

In his new album “Tetsuo & Youth,” Lupe Fiasco dives back into the rap game with a fervor that produces his best work in a long time. While there are moments where the energy falls a bit flat, this album is a mix of imagery and interesting political statements that require multiple listens to truly appreciate.

Lupe Fiasco has been off the radar for a while now, and rumor has it he did not even want to release “Tetsuo & Youth.” Some sources attribute the album’s release to the hackers in a group called Anonymous, who publicly threatened Atlantic Records if Lupe did not release his album.

Coincidentally, Atlantic announced the release of the album just a few days later.

With a name like “fiasco,” you

OKAY PLAYER

In comparison to past albums, Lupe Fiasco’s latest release is an improvement, but overall it lacks energy and does not impress.

Reflection Anna shuster

Special to The Hoya

Where did all the girl groups go?

With solo powerhouses like Beyoncé, Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift snapping up the biggest Top 40 hits, there is not much room for a fivepiece like Fifth Harmony at the top.

Although boy bands made a comeback with One Direction, we have not seen a girl group climb the charts since Destiny’s Child’s final album “Destiny Fulfilled,” in 2004.

With a single in the iTunes Top 50 and a relatively positive public response to their debut album, ”Reflection,” it looks like Fifth Harmony have a chance to follow in those stiletto-ed footsteps. Their first full-

MUSIC

New Releases

  had better be incredibly confident or ironic. Lately, Lupe has taken it a bit too literally and downplayed his own music even before it was released. His doubts are evident in this album, and his reluctance to venture outside of his comfort zone permeates the work with a sense of his lacking confidence.

The album opens with “Mural” in which Lupe raps for almost 9 minutes with no hook and no guests. Listeners get a seemingly unfiltered look into Lupe Fiasco’s thoughts from rhetorical questions to the phases of any party he throws. His stream of consciousness, set to a beat, seems to start the album off on a disjointed, but introspective, note.

Disjointed may in fact be the overarching theme of the album, but it seems fitting. With fewer upbeat songs than previous albums, Lupe explores the advantages of a variety of instruments such as the banjo in “Dots and Lines” and trumpets in “Body of Work.”

His strongest tracks are the ones that tell stories where his lyrics can really shine. In “Prisoner 1 & 2” he attacks the systematic problems of prisons for eight minutes. He first raps from the perspective of a prisoner; about halfway through the song, his tone changes as he portrays a guard who is equally constrained by the existing prison system, only in a different way.

The weakest part of the album lies in its production. While many more mainstream rappers are finding increasingly interesting beats and using them to create variety within their albums, Lupe Fiasco’s fall flat. At the most energetic parts of the album, his

“Show Me Love” Sam Feldt  ATLANTIC RECORDS

lyrics carry him as he engages with meaningful issues, but he rarely receives support from the other musical elements.

Four of his tracks are instrumental interludes, one for each of the seasons, but despite their careful lyrical construction they fail to add anything significant to the album. These low-key interludes are unnecessarily sandwiched between tracks which are already fairly relaxed. The album finishes with “Spring,” featuring the sounds of birds chirping and children playing, neither of which are impressive or memorable. It’s in such uninspiring moments that a new producer or artistic director should come in and push Lupe in a new direction to add some variety and apply his lyrics to a slightly different sound.

While this album probably won’t be winning any music awards, it is some of his better work since “The Cool.” It suffers from a lack of consistency and could be strengthened with more input from better guest artists.

Overall, there is a sense that Lupe Fiasco rapped about whatever he wanted, but because of this experimental freedom, the lyrics are the sole highlight of “Tetsuo & Youth.” This album requires more than one listen, as well as careful attention to the lyrics, but it is worth the time for fans of Lupe Fiasco and even those who had forgotten about him.

  length album shows promise with a versatile style and impressive vocals from every member.

Some of their other hits, including “Sledgehammer” and “Worth It,” have gained popularity and can be heard among mainstream music fans. These two dance tracks have earned their place as party staples.

The rest of the songs are also danceable, but these two standouts have nudged Fifth Harmony into the spotlight.

Unfortunately, they do not lead off the album with such a song. The synth riffs of the album’s opener, “Top Down,” suggest this group has nothing terribly original to offer. They struggle to rhyme pop buzzwords like “ride” and “style” and squeeze lyr-

CONTACT MUSIC

Versatile voices and outside influences make up Fifth Harmony’s latest album, providing an overall average, unoriginal sound.

It will be surprising if Sam Feldt’s career does not take off in the near future.

In this newest single, he shows off his impressive bravado as a tropical house producer not unlike that of rising star Kygo. The song melds beats similar to modern-day pop with a voice that seems as if it should belong in a choir. However, while an interesting combination, the merging of style in this song doesn’t seem quite natural. Check out Sam Feldt, an impressive talent, and support his rising musical career.

“Sweet Harmony” Jess Matic  This song is largely reminiscent of older ’90s techno, with hard beats and striking sound in between. The song has few lyrics, but where it does, they are meant to support the very relaxing concoction of electric sound. While many may assume that modern electric music is all geared toward the EDM scene, this particular track is likely to cause some to reminisce about the roots of today’s electronic music.

“I Want Your Love” Donae’o feat Lumidee & D Double E 

Album Review

Fifth Harmony

B7

ics out of the typical themes of drinking, partying and boys.

The good material emerges as the album progresses, and many of the later tracks rise from the haze of cliches and manage to do something new with the pop genre. The title track “Reflection,” for instance, starts off sounding like a typical love song glorifying some guy’s swagger and style. The girls turn this right around with the hook — “Boy I ain’t talkin’ about you / I’m talking to my own reflection” — making this potentially insignificant tune into the kind of pump-up song to belt into a hairbrush on a Saturday night.

These kinds of positive, girl-power lyrics are the strongest aspect of the album. “Them Girls Be Like” is all about forgetting trivial things like social media affirmation and appearances. “Brave, Honest, Beautiful” stays true to the track title by delivering a straightforward message of female empowerment while namedropping famous women who embody that spirit: “You can dance like Beyoncé / You can shake like Shakira /’cause you’re brave.” The five singers back up the girl-power message with forceful vocals, each with their own unique vocal flavor.

The versatility of the voices in this group — from sugar-sweet soprano to soulful alto — lends a lot of musical diversity to the album. As the tracks roll on, touches of jazz and R&B come in, and the occasional throwback harmony recalls the glory days of the girl-power band. They have put in an honest effort to mix up their traditional poppy dance tracks with jazzier ballads like “Everlasting Love.” This eagerness for variety is jarring in songs like “This is How We Roll,” which begins with

EPIC RECORDS

a strumming guitar that could have been ripped from a sun-soaked One Direction sing along, but changes abruptly when a thumping bass drops in. Other than that, the genre mixing does not interfere with the continuity of Fifth Harmony’s girlparty sound.

It is obvious that they have been influenced by the pop goddesses.

“BO$$” emulates Beyoncé’s unapologetically empowering style, and many other tracks carry her distinctive defiance. “Like Mariah” calls back to yet another female powerhouse, and “Sledgehammer” scans like an Ariana Grande love song, possibly explaining its relative success in reaching the Top 40 Billboard charts. Some vocals even borrow Iggy Azalea’s trademark grit. The group enlisted another icon to help them out; the album closes with a track featuring Meghan Trainor, who also wrote a few of their songs.

It is clear that this group has come a long way from their thirdplace performance on the TV show “The X Factor” back in 2012. Their sound has matured from The Cheetah Girls vibe of their early covers to a more polished and powerful femininity. With their current standing on the charts, they have the chance to revive the girl-power band and join the ranks of Destiny’s Child and the Spice Girls, but they have to deliver a lot more punch if they want their sound to be the survivor.

With a n a m e per fectly timed for a Valentine’s we e ke n d release, this song has a hefty dose of passion packed into it. With a very strong club beat underpinning the whole, the combined vocals from Donae’O, Lumidee and D Double E create a varying song. Donae’O provides the soothing singing, Lumidee comes on with her strong raps, and D Double E breaks the song up with his short, hard to understand verse. For as short of a song as it is, too much is going on. But, the beats on this single are particularly impressive.

“Never gonna let you go” SI cranstoun  You’re not getting rickrolled and this isn’t Rich Astley.

But “Never Gonna Let You Go” isn’t far off. This is nothing like today’s pop, but much more vintage.

Si Cranstoun has a very soulful voice that pairs well with the full band playing behind. The song plays on all the old pop styles of years past, so if that’s your thing, then this is song for you. However, it definitely lacks originality.

AROUND TOWN SweetARTS and Valentines

Love in Every Language

Capitol Hill Volleyball Classic

Monday Night Trivia at the Brixton

Where: Smithsonian Museum of American Art When: Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 7p.m.

Info: http://washington.org/ Price: Free

Where: Freer and Sackler Galleries When: Saturday Info: Washington.org Price: Free

Where: Walter E. Washington Convention Center When: Saturday through Monday Info: capitolhillvolleyball.com Price: Free

Where: The Brixton When: Thursday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Info: brixtondc.com Price: Free

This all-day event celebrates all the joys of Valentine’s Day. From making cards for your special someone to picking flowers, there is something for everyone at this festival. Stop by at any time to check out all there is to offer. With all materials and costs provided, all you need to bring is yourself.

Learn more about love in every country with this unique exhibit that combines digital displays, hands-on activities and linguistics to provide the ultimate learning experience. Translate the word “love” into hundreds of languages, learn the art of origami and critique ancient art all in the same place. Go on a cultural journey and experience love internationally.

Watch the action-packed sport of volleyball as over 35,000 athletes compete for a bid to the national championship. Teams from across the United States and Canada will provide an entertaining, fast-paced showcase of athletic ability.

Hop on an Uber over to Ninth Street, because you will not want to miss Monday night trivia --- especially when prizes up to $75 are at stake.

Gather a group of friends and compete with one another to get the highest score, and possibly win a prize, all while enjoying a meal not at Leo’s.

B8

Sports

THE HOYA

Women’s basketball

Friday, February 13, 2015

WOMEN’S Tennis

A 2nd Chance to District Rivalry Looms for Hoyas Defeat Xavier Madeline Auerbach Hoya Staff Writer

XAVIER, from B10

a Jan. 16 game that was tied on eight different occasions and included seven lead changes.

Georgetown went into the locker room at halftime leading by six points but saw that advantage vanish quickly as Xavier opened up the second half by scoring seven unanswered points. The Hoyas trailed by only three points with less than a minute and a half left in the contest but were unable to overcome the deficit before the final buzzer sounded.

Georgetown will look to eliminate the scoring droughts and defensive lapses that plagued them during their first matchup with Xavier. The Hoyas struggled to find the bottom of the net for significant spans of time while allowing the Muskateers to score 18 points from the free throw line.

“We need to go hard for 40 minutes, not just 20 minutes,” freshman guard Dorothy Adomako said. “We need to trust Coach and trust our teammates.”

Adomako led the way for the Hoyas in their first matchup against Xavier. She finished the game with six rebounds and a team-high 18 points. Following her impressive performance against the Musketeers, Adomako was named Big East Freshman of the Week, an honor she has received five times this season.

Adomako is Georgetown’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 13.5 points and 7.0 boards per game. Georgetown will need another big performance from her to stay competitive with Xavier on Friday.

“Dorothy has gotten better and more confident as the season has progressed,” Head Coach Natasha Adair said. “The second time around just takes the tension off and I think she will be way more relaxed. I don’t anticipate her having any problems [against Xavier].”

Horne also performed well against the Musketeers, scoring 10 points. Junior forward

Logan Battle added nine points of her own as well as five rebounds.

Sophomore guard Raeshaun Gaffney had the biggest impact for Xavier, scoring a game-high 21 points against the Hoyas. Gaffney ranks second amongst her teammates in terms of scoring, averaging 10.2 points per game.

Gaffney trails just behind junior forward Briana Glover, who averages a team-high 11.7 points per game. On Friday, the Hoyas will have to be attentive to both Gaffney and Glover and must be prepared to make defensive adjustments aimed at containing these two scoring threats.

“There are tough players in this league that are going to compete and that are going to give it their all,” Adair said.

“We want to make it hard for them. We want to limit their easy baskets and easy touches.”

Adair is confident that her team has the ability to avenge its earlier loss to Xavier.

“I think if we are focused on what we need to do offensively and defensively, we will come out on top,” Adair said. “On our gym floor, our terms. That is how we want to approach the game. It is a game we can win.”

In addition to what will likely be another close contest between Georgetown and Xavier, Friday’s game will feature the much-anticipated “Hail to Kale” promotional event. The first 100 fans to arrive at McDonough Arena will receive free bowls of kale Caesar salad, and any fan whose name contains the letters K, A, L and E will be let into the game free of charge.

Attendees will have the chance to win gift cards to D.C. restaurants known for their kale dishes and to choose from a number of specially created kale dining options at the concession stand. “[Hail to the Kale] has taken on a life of its own,” Adair said.

“I think we are going to get some people here just to see what it is like.”

Tipoff will be at 8 p.m.

After a loss to the St. John’s Red Storm in its first Big East competition last weekend, the Georgetown women’s tennis team (3-2, 0-1 Big East) will host crosstown rival George Washington (2-1) at Yates Field House Courts Sunday at 6 p.m.

Head Coach Gordie Ernst is looking forward to the matchup.

“We always have great matches with them — it’s always a rivalry, there’s no other way to say it,” Ernst said.

Georgetown and George Washington play regularly, meeting in this and last year’s Georgetown Classic. In their last regular season meeting, the Hoyas defeated the Colonials in a 4-3 decision.

“It’s always a very competitive match, but there is definitely a lot of respect between the two teams,” sophomore Victoire Saperstein said.

The match gains much more significance considering that it will be played at Yates.

The team is only allowed a single match on those courts yearly, so the Hoyas are working hard not to disappoint.

“GW is going to bring a lot of energy and loud cheering to Yates and we’re going to have to match that energy,” freshman Casey Marx said. “Being at home will be a bonus because of all the energy our friends will bring.”

Over the course of the week, the Hoyas have devoted practice to tightening up doubles play

and improving on fitness. Because the doubles matches are played first, success in those contests often determine the tone of the match.

Especially for Georgetown, doubles play tends to make or break the rest of the competition.

“We’ve been working a lot on doubles,” Ernst said. “In the James Madison match, we barely won the doubles point, and for St. John’s we lost the doubles point almost instantly. … We’ve been trying to find the right doubles combinations, so we’re working a lot more on doubles.”

Succeeding in this competition would help Georgetown bounce back from its loss in against St. John’s last weekend. Even though the Hoyas dropped the match 6-1, the tight competition in singles play made the match much closer than it appeared on the scoreboard. However, the team does not bear the St. John’s loss in mind heading into the contest with GW. “They’re not dwelling on that loss at all,” Ernst said.

Marx added that she is redirecting her focus on the challenges ahead.

“You just have to learn from your loss and work on the things you might not have done well,” Marx said. “Personally, I have to forget about the past and just worry about my next match and what I can do to improve and get a better result. We have to make sure to keep our energy positive.”

GW will take on Navy (5-2) the day before its match against Georgetown. Most recently, GW lost to James Madison in a 5-2 decision

at home. Georgetown beat James Madison 4-3 just a week beforehand. However, those results will not alter the Hoyas’ mindset.

“Anything can happen on any given day, so we have to stay focused and not let anything get to our heads,” Saperstein said.

“No matter what, we have to be ready to compete and fight our hardest,” Marx said.

The location of the match is key, for being in such close proximity to campus and cheering fans is encouraging for the Georgetown squad.

“It’s going to be an exciting match, and I know that our team would be able to thrive on positive energy from our friends and peers,” Marx said.

Like Georgetown, GW is also a very young team. With three freshmen, three sophomores and two juniors, the overall strength of the Colonial squad certainly comes from its youth. Freshman Teodora Radosavljevic remains unbeaten in singles play and will potentially face off against Saperstein in the number one singles slot. Freshman MarieLouise Decamps has also performed well; she is currently 2-1 in singles play in 2015.

“They have some very strong young new players so it should be very competitive,” Saperstein said.

The match will begin at 6 p.m. on Sunday at the Yates courts, and the team is looking for fans to make an appearance.

“We would love to have as much support [as possible] from the Georgetown community,” Saperstein said.

The Water Cooler

Woods Should Consider Retirement IPPOLITO, from B10

has a recent history of problems with his left knee and Achilles tendon. Since winning the 2008 U.S. Open, his last major victory, Woods has sustained a combined 10 injuries to his back, elbow and left knee.

As cliche as it sounds, constant injuries, especially to vital areas like the knees and the back, usually force an athlete into retirement.

Woods’ inability to maintain the physical stamina necessary to complete tournaments is probably having psychological effects.

Some, like noted swing coach Butch Harmon, feel that Woods’ swing could provide some explanation for the injuries.

Tiger is known to have one of the hardest, most vicious swings in golf — one fellow golfer speculated that the amount of torque Woods’ back generates during his swing is the cause of the harm, and many believe he actually spent too much time working out and not enough time resting after his previous injuries.

Sean Foley, Tiger’s former coach, also receives much of the blame as he encouraged Woods to change the swing that won 71 of

his 79 career wins and all of his 14 majors in hopes of acquiring the “perfect swing.”

Any discussion of Tiger Woods will inevitably bring up his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major tournament victories. In 2015, we can almost definitively say Woods will never eclipse 18 major wins; it would be a miracle if he even got his 15th. This would have been unimaginable just a few years ago, considering Woods earned his 14th major win at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines with a heroic and essentially one-legged performance.

It was Tiger at his most fierce, but recently, aside from a brief hot streak in 2013 in which he won three golf invitationals between January and March, Woods has rarely been his old self, especially at the world’s biggest and most important tournaments.

After Michael Jordan retired in January 1999, Tiger Woods became the most feared athlete in all of sports. You did not have to like him — many did not — but his sustained dominance earned him unparalleled respect. Tiger’s famous Sunday red was the sign that he was out for blood, and rarely did his prey escape him.

For over a decade, if Woods was atop the

leaderboard after the third round, his victory was almost guaranteed. He was victorious 53 out of 57 times when holding at least a share of the lead after three rounds. Now, fans just hope that Tiger can make the cut.

Is there a chance that, if given the necessary time to heal, Woods can continue to contend?

Sure, there are still probably few people on the planet as competitive as Tiger Woods, but with young stars like Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler establishing themselves as the perennial contenders of the next generation, Woods may struggle to reclaim his former glory.

One of the hardest things a great athlete must do is decide when to stop. It took Brett Favre and Michael Jordan multiple retirement attempts, and it is something Kobe Bryant is currently struggling with now. Woods has done too much, won too much and meant too much to sports and the game of golf to go out like this.

Now, with an increasingly fragile body and mental state, Woods must act before time does any further damage to himself and his legacy.

Michael Ippolito is a sophomore in the College. THE WATER COOLER appears every Friday.

sports

FRIDAY, February 13, 2015

THE HOYA

B9

Men’s Lacrosse

Saxa synergy

John Wall GU to Face Former Conference Foe Blossoming Into Star I

n a recent interview with Mike Wise for ESPN, John Wall illuminated the turbulent past that plagues many NBA players.

“Where would you be if the NBA never worked out for you?” Wise asked.

“I’d probably be in the streets or in jail. …

I was going down the same road as my dad,” Wall said.

Wall’s father, John Carroll Wall Sr., was a felon. The Wizards’ point guard’s past was plagued with crime, prison visits and the untimely death of his father to liver cancer when John was eight years old.

Wall went on to tell ESPN about how basketball, as cliche as it sounds, was his escape. It saved him. To avoid the fighting and the mischief that colored the future superstar’s childhood, Wall turned to basketball. It stopped him from going too far, from pulling the trigger, from pulling out a knife, from plunging himself into a life from which he never could have escaped.

In his senior year of high school, Wall was

Paolo Santamaria

A matured John Wall can lead the Wizards to the playoffs — and maybe beyond. expected to play for the Memphis Tigers under Head Coach John Calipari. However, in a stunning move, Calipari took a coaching job at the University of Kentucky in March 2009, and Wall immediately followed Calipari to join the Wildcats for the 2009-2010 season.

Throughout his freshman year, Wall was electrifying. He was the best point guard in the country. Along with DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Patterson, he led Kentucky to a stellar season.

In spite of his success, scouts and critics still doubted him. They questioned whether he had too much attitude, if he was willing to work hard to win and if he could control himself on the court.

The Washington Wizards selected Wall as the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft. Questions followed his selection, just as they had followed him in college — would Wall pan out or would he bust? Would he be just another reckless NBA point guard with an attitude problem?

In his first three seasons, Wall failed to give definitive answers to those questions, and the Wizards lost more games over that three-year stretch than any team other than the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had just lost LeBron James to the Miami Heat.

Though the Wizards’ record was troubled, it wasn’t wholly Wall’s fault. He didn’t win Rookie of the Year, overshadowed by Blake Griffin’s monster rookie season. Wall’s statistics didn’t stand out, aside from one that showed that he turned the ball over too much, and he had terrible shot selection.

In spite of his shortcomings, Wall’s athleticism was still as marvelous as ever. He could still run the full length of the court in 3.5 seconds. He could still dunk over anyone with his non-dominant left hand.

It was just a matter of time before Wall, and the Wizards as a team, blossomed. A string of sudden, under-the-radar offseason moves brought Nene, Marcin Gortat and Trevor Ariza to the nation’s capital. In addition, the Wizards drafted guard Bradley Beal to play alongside their incumbent point guard.

And then Wall changed. It happened sometime last season, when he realized that going 100 miles per hour straight to the rim could end in a pass to a teammate instead of a wild shot.

Wall has learned to fuse his athleticism with his incredible passing ability and a much more developed basketball IQ. The Wizards finished fifth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference last year and squared off against the injury-plagued Chicago Bulls, an old rival. Wall and the rest of the team dispatched them in five games before facing the heavily favored, top-seeded Indiana Pacers. Though the Wiz-kids fell in a grueling six-game series, Wall flashed his potential, showing that his ceiling wasn’t even in sight.

This year, he has come back even better.

Named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a starter, Wall has led the Wizards to the third-best record in this year’s Eastern Conference, arguably a much more competitive conference than last year’s. Wall’s success transcends his team and his conference; the point guard has risen to superstar status.

Known for his acrobatic 360-degree layups and incredibly athletic passes, Wall leads the NBA in assists with 10.2 per game and has erased all of the doubts surrounding his game.

The same experts who raised doubts about his game and his character are now the ones labeling him as the best point guard in the East and a top-five point guard in the league. The tables have turned, but it wasn’t by chance — John Wall turned his own tables. And maybe, just maybe, he has turned a Wizards franchise that has struggled for most of the past two decades around for good.

Paolo Santamaria is a freshman in the College. SAXA SYNERGY appears every Friday.

FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA; FILE PHOTO: CLAIRE SOISSON/THE HOYA

Senior midfielder and co-captain Charlie McCormick (right) had 13 goals and five assists last season. Senior attack and co-captain Reilly O’Connor scored 15 goals last season, which was tied for third on the team, and 12 assists for 27 points last season.

IRISH, from B10

Dame include junior attack Matt Kavanagh, a preseason All-American who led the Fighting Irish offense in 2014 with 42 goals and 75 assists.

Kavanagh can find open connections between teammates just as well as he can find the back of the net, and he will be a difficult offensive threat to contain. Sophomore midfielder Sergio Perkovic will also help lead Notre Dame’s attack; Perkovic had a breakout freshman season with 28 goals, five of which were scored in Notre Dame’s NCAA championship effort against Duke.

As of right now, Warne is less concerned about individual opposing talents than he is about addressing early season goals for his own team.

“We can’t play to a jersey,” Warne said. “We have faceless, jersey-less opponents. Early on in the season, you have to play yourselves and make sure you’re do-

ing all the things you need to be doing. … They’ve got some guys that we’ll make a game plan for, but we need to make sure our foundation is really strong.”

Georgetown will also bring a deep roster to Saturday’s game. Several of the Hoyas’ freshmen have already started to make their mark on the team; in particular, freshman goalie Nick Marrocco is touted to have a strong rookie season as he anchors the Hoyas’ defense in the net.

Senior midfielder and co-captain Charlie McCormick says that Georgetown’s freshmen will likely step into important roles early in the 2015 campaign.

“They’re a really talented class on both sides of the ball — both offensively and defensively, we have guys in starting positions that really need to have an impact,” McCormick said.

For Georgetown’s seniors, Saturday’s game is an important milestone in their careers. Fac-

ing off against Notre Dame not only marks the beginning of their last season on the Hilltop, but it is also a chance for vindication against a former Big East rival — the Fighting Irish switched to the ACC after the 2013 season, and Saturday will be their first appearance on the Hoyas’ schedule since they left the Big East.

Georgetown’s seniors are 0-2 in their past efforts against Notre Dame, which included a 9-7 loss in 2012 and a 10-8 loss in 2013.

“We missed them last year, and we haven’t beaten them yet, so as seniors, we’re definitely fired up,” McCormick said. “It’s an opportunity for us to take what we’ve learned in the preseason so far and see what we’re made of and what we can do in the face of a big challenge.”

Opening faceoff between Georgetown and Notre Dame is slated for 12 p.m. at Arlotta Stadium in South Bend, Ind.

indoor Track & Field

Valentine Invitational Poses Next Test Jimmy McLaughlin Special to the Hoya

The Georgetown indoor track and field team will roll into this weekend’s Valentine Invitational at Boston University on a remarkable hot streak. At last month’s Penn State National Invitational, both the men’s and women’s Distance Medley Relay teams posted the fastest times in the nation thus far for the indoor season — and they are not anywhere close to being finished.

“It’s great that we ran those times relatively early in the year,” sophomore Amos Bartelsmeyer said. “Now we can have guys focus on the individual events.”

For the men’s team, this opportunity to have runners focus on qualifying individually for the NCAA Tournament could be monumental, particularly during the 1-mile race at this weekend’s Valentine Invitational, during which a stable of Georgetown middle-distance runners will be especially primed to try and chase down junior sub-four-minute man Ahmed Bile.

“I think we have at least four or five guys who could do [run a sub-four-minute mile],” Bartelsmeyer said. “Even if you have the potential, though, it’s still a big thing to do it so we’re hoping for the best this weekend.”

Along with Bartelsmeyer, Director of Track and Field Patrick Henner notes that sopho-

more Ryan Manahan, senior Cole Williams and junior Michael Lederhouse are in contention to join Bile in Georgetown’s esteemed sub-fourminute mile-club this year.

“Paul Lederhouse in particular, he ran a 4:03 in the mile last year,” Henner said. “He is very capable of being right there.”

Unfortunately, Williams will have to wait for his chance to break the four-minute barrier due to a flu that will keep him out of this weekend’s race. Additionally, graduate student Billy Ledder, who is one of Georgetown’s top runners, and freshman Joe White, who ran with last week’s notable DMR relay, will not join the team in Boston this weekend in order to train and rest up for the last few meets of the season.

The women’s team arguably rolls into the Valentine Invitational meet with even more steam than the men. Sitting mightily with their new ranking of ninth in the country just two weeks before the Big East Championships, the Hoyas are hitting their groove at just the right time.

Despite being an individual sport by nature, the runners have been feeding off each other’s energy and successes in recent weeks and are functioning as a team in every sense.

“Everyone has been running so well,” junior Samantha Nadel said. “Everyone is so pumped up to be racing, and with the postseason in two

weeks, we are all excited [for] what’s to come.”

Some of this exhilaration can be traced to some of the new talent surfacing during the back half of this season.

“During cross-country season, all of our top seven runners were upperclassmen,” Nadel said. “But the freshmen have come out during this season, and it’s been great.”

In particular among this bunch of freshmen are middle-distance runners Piper Donaghu and Kennedy Weisner, who are looking to continue their recent success this weekend.

“Piper has been running [personal records] and same with Kennedy — they’ve been killing it,” Nadel said.

This adrenaline could be just the surge the women’s team needs heading into this weekend’s invitational. In this home stretch of the season, a whole host of runners are on the cusp of qualifying for nationals. “[Senior] Katrina Coogan in the 3000-meter, Sam Nadel and [junior] Haley Pierce in the 5000-meter, and [sophomore] Sabrina Southerland and Piper Donaghu in the 800-meter are all right there to qualify for the NCAAs,” Henner said.

With just two weeks to go until the Big East Championships, this weekend could prove to be an excellent chance for this slew of women’s runners to realize their postseason goals.

Baseball

Pitching Depth Elicits Optimism BASEBALL, from B10

position. This year, the pitching staff is deep and Georgetown has at least two viable options at every position in the field.

Wilk, however, is cautious and plans waiting to see how the season plays out.

“Last year we were playing three or four guys way out of position and it was a nightmare. We had a bad year last year,” Wilk said.

“This year, we’re two deep in each position.

But it’s all relative; that could collapse in the first game. I don’t know that I would be boasting about our depth, but we’re a lot deeper.”

In addition to retaining several important players, Georgetown adds a talented freshman class that is expected to contribute from day one, further accentuating the team’s depth.

“Chase Bushor is probably going to start at second base right now and then [outfielder] Austin Shirley — if we leave the state of North Carolina without him getting a start in the outfield, I’d be shocked,” Wilk said.

In addition to those two, pitcher Kevin Superko is another freshman that will get early playing time, as he is starting on the mound for the Hoyas on Sunday and will be the third pitcher in the rotation to start the season.

Overall, the team is focused, heading into the season with one goal in mind.

“This season we were voted dead last in the conference and the main goal is to prove everyone wrong,” sophomore center fielder and 2014 Team Rookie of the Year Beau Hall said.

“I know we didn’t have a great year last year and this year is looking good, and we just want to make the Big East Tournament.”

Wilk made that goal even simpler.

“Win. Win as many games as we possibly can. Treat every game as a solo entity that we need to win. We’re going to do everything we can to win. We’ve got a lot of talent. We have a nice mix of upper class and younger guys.

We’ve got nice leadership going right now.

I’m really excited about this club.”

FILE PHOTO: MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

Junior pitcher Tim Davis recorded a team-high seven saves and 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings last season. Davis appeared in 22 games and pitched a total of 30 innings.

SPORTS

Women’s Tennis Georgetown (3-2, 0-1) vs. George Washington (2-1) Sunday, 6 p.m.

Yates Field House Courts

FRIDAY, FEBR UARY 13, 2015

WOMEN’S LACROSSE No. 16 Georgetown will begin the 2015 season on Saturday when it faces Delaware.

See thehoya.com

TALKING POINTS

“

NUMBERS GAME

[Hail to the Kale] has taken on a life of its own.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH NATASHA ADAIR

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BASEBALL

GU Stays Hopeful Despite Losing Skid MOLLY O’CONNELL Special to the Hoya

The Georgetown women’s basketball team (4-20, 2-10 Big East) is set to take on conference rival Xavier (14-10, 6-7 Big East) Friday at McDonough Arena.

The Hoyas, whose last victory came on Jan. 9 against Providence (5-19, 2-11 Big East), will attempt to end their current eight-game losing streak.

5

The number of years since Georgetown men’s lacrosse last defeated Notre Dame.

NICK COLLINS #33 JUNIOR CATCHER

MATT SMITH #27 JUNIOR PITCHER

BEAU HALL #4 SOPHOMORE OUTFIELDER

“I don’t think [the losing streak] has affected us at all,” junior forward Brittany Horne said. “We just keep moving forward, knowing that we are getting better every day.”

The Hoyas will seek to demonstrate their growth as they take on Xavier for the second time this season. The Musketeers beat Georgetown by eight points in See XAVIER, B8

FILE PHOTOS: MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

Last season: .418 OBP 38 RBI

Last season: Led team with 84 IP 55 strikeouts

Last season: 2014 Team Rookie of the Year Pitched 10.2 innings in 12 appearances

2015 Team Returns Top Players NADAV SENENSIEB Hoya Staff Writer

JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Junior forward Brittany Horne is averaging 8.5 points, good for third on the team, and 20.8 minutes per game.

THE WATER COOLER

Friday afternoon, the Georgetown baseball team will open its season against Bucknell at the Wake Forest Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C. Coming off a disappointing season that saw the team finish sixth out of seven teams in the Big East, the Hoyas will hope for better results in the new year.

There are many positive signs that point to a much more successful campaign for Georgetown. Only two of last year’s starters left the team, though one of the players was 2014 Team MVP first baseman Steve Anderson. However, the Hoyas are confident that they can overcome the loss of Anderson.

The pitching staff will include Georgetown’s 2014 Pitcher of the Year junior Matt Smith and senior and co-captain Matt Hollenbeck, who was voted to the Preseason allBig East Team. Junior catcher Nick Collins, who led the conference in

S

ports, much like the animal kingdom, are Darwinian in nature. The old guard always gives way to the next generation; the only question is how long it will take Father Time to complete this natural cycle.

While the all-time greats will be eternally remembered, there is still nothing sadder than witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime athlete struggle through the final years of his career.

Such is the case of Tiger Woods. He is easily the greatest golfer of our generation and brought golf to heights it had never reached, but now is the time for Woods to seriously consider retirement.

Currently, Tiger is suffering from yet another back injury. The latest aggravation occurred last week at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif., and Woods had to withdraw from the Farmers Insurance Open after just 11 holes.

Two weeks ago, Woods was atrocious in his first two rounds at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz., and his last round there was a career-worst 82 — only the second time Woods has shot 80 or higher as a professional. Consequently, he is taking an indefinite leave of absence in order to properly heal.

The back injuries should not be a surprise; he endured three last year and also See IPPOLITO, B8

PETE WILK Head Coach

“I think you first look at your captains: Hollenbeck, [redshirt senior pitcher Jack] Vander Linden and [senior shortstop Ryan] Busch.” Wilk said. “I think there are a few other bodies in that locker room that will lead as well. I think leadership is going to be a strength of this team.”

One interesting player to look for

See BASEBALL, B9

GU’s Season Starts at No. 2 Notre Dame Hoya Staff Writer

Time’s Up For Tiger Woods

“I think leadership is going to be a strength of this team.”

this season will be the aforementioned Vander Linden. Entering the 2014 season, Vander Linden was expected to be the staff ace and to have a very good senior season. Instead, he needed Tommy John surgery after only throwing six innings. As a result, the senior decided to redshirt in order to retain eligibility for this season.

Vander Linden is going to be eased back into pitching and is only expected to throw two or three innings during his first couple of starts before increasing his workload. If he can return to his pre-injury form, a trio of Hollenbeck, Smith and Vander Linden would be a dangerous pitching rotation heading into the Big East season.

The Hoyas are also thrilled about overall depth of their roster. Last year’s team was riddled with injuries. Many pitchers sat out the entire season and multiple position players were forced to play out of

MEN’S LACROSSE

ELIZABETH CAVACOS

Michael Ippolito

total hits last year with 66, was also named to the Preseason all-Big East Team.

Head Coach Pete Wilk, who will be entering his 16th season coaching the Georgetown baseball team, will lead the team once again. Wilk is eager to start the 2015 season and is looking forward to seeing who will step up for his team.

After completing months of training and two preseason scrimmages, the Georgetown men’s lacrosse team will finally open its 2015 schedule when it travels to South Bend, Ind., for a matchup against No. 2 Notre Dame.

Georgetown hosted exhibition matches against the University of Maryland Baltimore and No. 18 Drexel on Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, respectively, which provided the first opportunities of 2015 for the Hoyas to suit up against their opponents.

Head Coach Kevin Warne believes that after a long preseason of scrimmaging their own teammates, it was beneficial for the Hoyas to apply their skills to a real game situation — especially in preparation for an opening weekend against a formidable ranked opponent.

“We’ve got to make sure we do things our way — the right way — consistently, and I think scrimmages are a great evaluation of whether we’re consistent enough [and] whether we’re applying what we learned in practice,” Warne said.

With a 2015 slate that features five top-10 teams, an early matchup against a talented Drexel squad was an especially welcome opportunity.

“We just played a top-20 team, and that’s the kind of caliber team that we want to emulate,” sophomore midfielder Peter Conley said.

With the preseason drawing to a close, senior midfielder and co-captain Joe Bucci says that Georgetown is refocusing on the challenges of the regular season ahead.

“We definitely have been work-

ing on changing our image and becoming the team that we want to be,” Bucci said. “Moving forward, we have to be a little more disciplined and play with a little more energy at times, but I think we’ve done a good job both offensively and defensively.”

Saturday will also mark the beginning of Notre Dame’s regular season. The Fighting Irish are a perennial lacrosse powerhouse; they return many players from a 2014 squad that won the ACC championship and advanced to the NCAA national champi-

onship before falling to Duke.

Notre Dame’s roster is as deep as it is experienced — it currently boasts a freshman class ranked second nationally.

Particular threats from Notre See IRISH, B9

CLAIRE SOISSON/THE HOYA

Sophomore midfielder Peter Conley (No. 24 this season) led Georgetown’s offense in 2014 with 24 goals and 37 points. Last month, Conley was named to the Preseason all-Big East team for 2015.

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