The Spectrum breaks down what you need know UB holds women in STEM fields event THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950
ubspectrum.com
Friday, October 31, 2014
JORDAN GROSSMAN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
A minute and 30 seconds remained in the women’s soccer team’s season opener against St. Bonaventure Aug. 22. Nursing a 1-0 lead, Buffalo turned the ball over at midfield, resulting in a breakaway for Bonnies’ junior Lauren Hill. The Bulls had gone from comfort to desperation in a matter of seconds. As Hill raced toward the Buffalo net, the rest of the Bulls could only watch and hope their 18-year-old freshman goalkeeper, playing in her first college game, would come up with a game-saving play. “All of us were confident that she was going to stop any shot,” said senior midfielder and team captain Courtney Mann. And with good reason. As Hill let off her shot, Dougall strategically positioned herself and dived toward the ball, punching it over the net to preserve the first of Buffalo’s 13 wins this season. “In almost every game, she’s found a way to make an unbelievable save to keep our team in it,” said head coach Shawn Burke. “It gives every player on the field room to take more risks. If they miss assignment, the team does not worry. They know Laura is in goal.” The fact that Dougall is a freshman is irrelevant to her
PHOTOSOF LAURA DOUGALL BY YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM
A machine needs its parts to function – so does Laura Dougall teammates and coaches. She is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation in save percentage. Her 11 shutouts this season set a program record. She will lead the No. 1 seeded Bulls into the MidAmerican Conference Tournament this weekend. Coaches and players are just as confident in Dougall as they would be if a four-year starting senior were leading Buffalo into Sunday’s quarterfinal round opener at UB Stadium. It’s hard for the Bulls to not have confidence in Dougall when just looking at her standing in goal. She has the build for a perfect prototypical goalkeeper, according to Burke. Her 6-foot frame allows her to consistently tip shots over the net and her elongated legs
Taylor Swift’s album leaves reviewer much to desire
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allow her to cover each side of the goal. Her intangibles make her just as dangerous. She keeps her head up after allowing a goal. She plays well under pressure. Buffalo relies on her to be the last line of defense. Scouts came to her games when she just 15. How she is assembled physically and how she functions under pressure is impressive; it’s almost mechanical. A machine must function at its optimal performance at all times. All the components and parts are vital for the machine to carry out its functions. Dougall has performed consistently the entire season despite the pressure, and credits her experiences on and off the field as the ‘parts’ that have made her into the best goalkeeper in the MAC and one of the most revered goalkeepers in the nation. Her drive is that of a machine. “I want to be known as the No. 1 starting goalie,” Dougall said. “I play to be No. 1.” *** A good machine doesn’t break down easily. And neither does Laura Dougall. “It takes a lot for someone to break me,” Dougall said. “I don’t break down easily and being the goalie, that’s always a good thing to have. If I get scored on, I can’t let my head down. I need to make sure I am still confident … to make the next save.” SEE DOUGALL, PAGE 6
Miss Congeniality
UB student proves she is more than just a pageant girl GABRIELA JULIA STAFF WRITER
After being diagnosed with melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – at 18 years old, Anastasia Harisis turned to what some may deem a nontraditional outlet to raise awareness. Harisis, a Miss Syracuse 2014 Triple Crown Scholar runner-up, has been competing in pageants since she was in high school. She’s now cancer-free – she had a mole excised – but uses pageants as a platform to inform people about the dangers of melanoma. She believes pageants are not simply about winning a trophy and wearing a sash – they’re about earning scholarships, participating in service and breaking stereotypes. “I want the shiny crown, but that’s not why I do pageants,” Harisis said. Harisis, a junior biology major, was focused on singing and medicine in high school and was never a typical pageant “girly girl,” she said. She didn’t consider joining the pageant world until high school when a woman stopped her on a beach and told her she could earn scholarships if she competed in pageants. At the time, Harisis and her mother didn’t think much of the woman’s suggestion. After watching Nina Davuluri win the crown at last year’s Miss America competition, Harisis changed her mind about pageants. She was inspired.
She admired Davuluri for her plan to go to medical school after her reign as Miss America. “I saw this pageant on TV, wanted to do it and said, ‘Why not?’” Harisis said. She applied for the Miss New York USA competition. She made it to state finals and then decided she wanted to do Miss America competitions because they were more “up her alley” in regards to scholarships and service. In the Miss New York USA pageant Harisis competed against 170 girls. Although she did not place, she enjoyed the experience. After singing for the talent portion of the competition, Harisis won highest overall talent at the Miss Syracuse pageant. “I was really proud of myself because I was a little rusty,” she said. Harisis’ sang “Defying Gravity” from the hit Broadway musical Wicked during the talent portion for Miss Syracuse. She said the exposure from that competition gave her the opportunity to sing the national anthem at marathons and other events in the Syracuse area. She is currently preparing for the Miss Syracuse 2015 Triple Crown Competition. Harisis has won a total of $500 from the pageants she has competed in. She often turns to her family and friends for support and to help cover the cost of competing. SEE PAGEANT, PAGE 6
COURTESY OF MUSTAFA HUSSAIN
Harisis has been competing in beauty pageants since high school and uses the pageants as an outlet to teach others about melanoma, which she was diagnosed with at age 18. She is now cancer-free.