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TheTowerlight.com
March 6, 2018
LIVING HIS TRUTH Transgender activist Ryan Sallans shares his journey to accepting his identity, pg. 12
Photo by David Kirchner, Photo Illustration by Victoria Nicholson /The Towerlight
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March 6, 2018
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Editor-in-Chief Marcus Dieterle Senior Editor Jordan Cope News Editor Bailey Hendricks Asst. News Editor Mary-Ellen Davis Assoc. Arts & Life Editor Kerry Ingram Asst. Arts & Life Editor McKenna Graham Sports Editor Karuga Koinange Asst. Sports Editor Billy Owens
Senior Staff Writer Sarah Rowan
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Connect with companies recruiting business, accounting, e-business and economics majors for internships, part-time and full-time positions.
Noon, West Village Commons, Ballroom A. .
HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE BY PAULA VOGEL
Under the direction of faculty member Donna Fox, TU students present Paula Vogel’s “How I Learned to Drive.”
7:30 p.m., Studio Theatre, CA 3060. Staff Photographers Jordan Cope David Fisher Simon Enagonio Marcus Dieterle Brittany Whitham Lacey Wall Joe Noyes David Kirchner Tiffany Deboer
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The Center for Student Diversity invites you to this performance of the award-winning play, “The Vagina Monologues.” All proceeds from the event benefit The House of Ruth, a local organization working to end violence against women.
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES
7 p.m., University Union, Potomac Lounge.
HIKING AT ROCKS STATE PARK
Register by March 7, to experience Rocks State Park and the impressive rock formations of King and Queen’s Seat almost 200 feet above you.
EVENTS.TOWSON.EDU
10 a.m., Rocks State Park, Harford County, Maryland.
Circulation Staff Shawn Halerz Dom Capparuccini Elssa Kenfack
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TRENDING. 8000 York Road University Union Room 309 Towson, MD 21252 (410) 704-5153 editor@thetowerlight.com thetowerlight.com The Towerlight print edition is published by students of Towson University on Tuesdays. The Towerlight is owned by nonprofit Baltimore Student Media Inc., BaltimoreStudentMedia.com. The Towerlight’s advertising deadlines are firm: Wednesday noon for space; Friday noon for art. Classifieds appear online and in print and are self-service at TheTowerlight.com/classifieds. We encourage letters to the editor and online feedback. Commentaries, letters to the editor, editorial cartoons and other editorials express the opinions of their authors and not necessarily the views of the newspaper. The Towerlight does not discriminate based on age, color, condition of handicap, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. ©2018 by The Towerlight, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved.
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@ Ny_duhhail It’s snowing and the wind is literally shaking the building... but Towson thinks we can still go to school
@ racqueltheboss Why Towson’s nut ass don’t wanna close school? This wind Deadass just smacked me in my face and threw my fat ass around. It obviously wants to fight
All fun and games with the wind up towson till someone fly off that bridge they so proud about
@TowsonFHCoachJ No power?! No problem. Enjoying a movie afternoon with two of my favorite little fellas.
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Opinion
March 6, 2018
Democrats hope to rebound The DACA debacle continues in U.S. RYAN KIRBY Columnist
As the 2018 election continues to inch closer each day, Democrats hope to recover from the shocking upset that was the 2016 election. 2018 is a must-win scenario for Democrats if they have any hopes of making true progress in this country. So what do Democratic candidates and voters need to do to get back into power? Actually, I think the answer is pretty straightforward: They need to campaign on the horrible policies the GOP have enacted at the local, state and national levels. Democrats need to embrace the issues that they stand on and not back down to the GOP. Every candidate for national office should campaign on the Russia investigation. The GOP-run Congress is unwilling to put the national security of our nation before
their party, and Democrats need to tell their voters that they will hold Russia and the Trump administration accountable for their actions. Democrats are the only ones who will use Congress's constitutional duty to provide a check on the countless unethical and criminal acts taken by the Trump administration. Our party will force the Trump administration to hold Russia accountable for their actions in the 2016 election because our party knows that we will not allow a foreign adversary to choose our leaders for us. Democrats need to take the fight to the GOP on their horrendous tax scam. The GOP have passed a tax bill that places our country deeper into debt and gives the vast majority of benefits to the wealthiest of Americans. Democrats need to attack the GOP for literally borrowing $1.5 trillion from the future and distributing it to the wealthiest of Americans
in the present. Don't back down because a few corporations throw out PR stunts and try to credit the tax bill. Fight back and continue to talk about how the GOP gave Trump and his billionaire friends a giant tax cut while raising the taxes of millions of middle-class Americans within a decade. Democrats cannot back down to the gun lobby and need to campaign on the common sense gun reform that over 70 percent of the country supports. The Republican party is the single biggest obstacle to achieving sensible gun control in this country and the only solution is to vote them out of office. Democrats have to make the case that they will support gun control legislation because no American should have to live in fear of being gunned down by an assault weapon in public. - To read the rest of this column online, visit thetowerlight.com.
CONNOR McNAIRN Columnist
While the U.S. Congress regularly receives much flak for its inactivity and general dysfunction, it is often easy to disregard the Supreme Court’s real and impactful influence on the legislature’s regular stagnancy. Last Monday, through its declination of president Trump’s challenge to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the Supreme Court effectively kicked the proverbial can down the road with regard to immigration policy as DACA’s March 5 expiration date – albeit relatively ineffectual – encroaches. After a lengthy and monotonous series of January budgeting debates, the Congress failed to provide any
I’M INTERESTED EVENTS.TOWSON.EDU
infrastructural guidelines or clarity pertaining to U.S. immigration policy. While Democrats tried to use DACA protection as a hard line spending demand during these debates, their ultimate acquiescence to a Republican spending deal failed to protect Dreamers. Since the conclusion of the budget debates, neither the House nor the Senate have prioritized meaningful immigration legislation, and dialogues pertaining to the issue have remained sparse. But analyzing the mechanisms of the court systems in conjunction with the actions of the president provides a unique and productive illustration of the intricacies of a tripartite governmental system. - To read the rest of this column online, visit thetowerlight.com.
Opinion
March 6, 2018
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uninterrupted
New year, but the same results at the 90th Oscars KYNDALL CUNNINGHAM Columnist
I’ve always had an affinity for watching famous people interact with each other and celebrate their art in the most pompous way. That’s why Oscars Sunday is the best Sunday of the year for film and pop culture-obsessed millennials like me. What else do Sunday nights offer anyway? This year marked the 90th ceremony that celebrates the year’s best in film, acting, writing, directing and the technical stuff you don’t care about as much. Since April Reign created the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag in 2015, the larger issue of fair representation for minorities in Hollywood has hung over the ceremonies in a more palpable way than years past. Additionally,
the Harvey Weinstein scandal thatlaunched the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements also echoed throughout awards season this year, demanding better treatment for women and highlighting their contributions to the film industry. That being said, this year’s Academy Awards made for the most painful ceremony to watch in years. When the Academy announced the nominees about a month ago, I was pretty excited. Movies like “Call Me by Your Name,” “Get Out,” “Lady Bird” and “The Shape of Water” that explored the inner lives of minorities, women and disabled people in authentic and nuanced ways were being celebrated. New directors and screenwriters like Dee Rees, Kumail Nanjiani, Jordan Peele and Greta Gerwig snagged historic nominations. Rachel Morrison became the
first woman ever to be nominated for Best Cinematography for her work in “Mudboud.” Mary J. Blige became the first double nominee for an acting and music nomination. Timothee Chalamet, who I have come to adore over the last year, was the youngest man to be nominated for Best Actor at 22, which is kind of ridiculous. As one might assume, I was rooting for each and every one of these people - Peele most of all because “Get Out” is an anomaly and he deserves everything. But despite a more diverse group of nominees and first-timers who made excellent films last year, Oscar voters marked the ballots like it was 1986. Most of the historic nominees I just mentioned went home empty-handed. Their work was excellent, the best of 2017 in my opinion, and deserved to be celebrated beyond the offensive
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tokenism that the Academy likes to congratulate itself for. Jordan Peele did win Best Original Screenplay for “Get Out,” making history as the first black screenwriter to do so. But it wasn’t enough for me. “Get Out” was an incomparable masterpiece that encapsulated the cultural climate of the Trump era in a masterful way. It deserved Best Picture, and Peele deserved Best Director. “The Shape of Water,” which won Best Picture and Best Director for Guillermo Del Toro was well-deserved, but well-deserved about ten years ago. Best Picture of the year should be the most culturally relevant and actually say something about the year. “The Shape of Water,” while it explored disability and difference, could have been made decades ago. And Del Toro shouldn’t be receiving his first Oscar in 2018.
In other disappointments, Gary Oldman, alleged wife-beater and Mel Gibson sympathizer, won for Best Actor, robbing Timothee Chalamet of what he deserved. Is it really that hard to give Best Actor to a man under 50? Greta Gerwig didn’t win anything, which I suspected, but it still hurts. There was a cute, little video about inclusion in Hollywood, which means absolutely nothing if Oscars voters are still going to vote for safe, white movies despite the excellence that minorities provide them. Also, Jimmy Kimmel was a weirdly awful host this year. His jokes were flat, and he looked like he didn’t want to be there. I pray his sad performance is motivation for more women to host these shows. But I’m sure another straight, white guy will be hosting next year.
Departure dates & times
Thursday, March 15, 2018 Departure from Union Garage bus slip for BWI & Penn Station at 5:00pm Friday, March 16, 2018 Departure from Union Garage bus slip for BWI & Penn Station at 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm
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dates & times Sunday, March 25, 2018 Bus returning to campus will depart BWI International Arrivals Terminal at 5:00pm and 7:00pm Bus returning to campus will depart Penn Station (Charles Street side) at 5:15pm and 7:15pm
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March 6, 2018
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News
March 6, 2018
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University denies Pride flag
GYMNAST BECOMES FIRST MALE TO ACCUSE NASSAR OF SEXUAL ABUSE LANSING, MICHIGAN
Marcus Dieterle/ The Towerlight
The Center for Student Diversity’s Rainbow Lounge features flags representative of various LGBTQ+ groups, including flags for pansexual, transgender and bisexual community members. KERI LUISE Staff Writer
Junior Philip Taylor and other members of the LGBTQ+ community at Towson University are advocating for a permanent Pride flag to be displayed on campus, but so far the University has refused the request. Last semester Taylor approached the Center for Student Diversity to establish an LGBTQ+ Pride flag on campus between the Liberal Arts Building and Burdick Hall. Taylor said the Pride flag would have black and brown stripes at the top to honor people of color in the LGBTQ+ community, who are often underrepresented on campus, to show a commitment of solidarity. After meeting with the CSD, Taylor was then directed to the SGA and has since been working with them to accomplish his goal, along with members of the LGBTQ+ student organizations on campus. “I met with each of the LGBTQ+ student organizations (Queer Student Union, In The Life, Pride Mentor Program, SpeakOut Speakers Bureau, and Gender Blur) to ask for their support on this initiative,” he said. “All five of the student organizations wrote letters to the admin stating why a Pride flag would benefit TU as a whole.” But after various emails and in-person meetings between Taylor and University administrators, the University decided not to allow the Pride flag to be flown on campus. “The University needs to be able to have a moral backbone to stand up and say ‘no’ to any organizations who wish to fly oppressive flags,” Taylor said. “A Pride flag is a symbol of unity and
liberation. Any opposing side would be actively working to oppress marginalized identities.” Taylor is determined to gain the University’s support for the establishment of a Pride flag as a way of giving queer students at TU “the visibility and representation that they are so greatly lacking at this university.” “I am queer, and I will say that Towson University does not feel completely inclusive to my identity,” Taylor said. “This university needs to do more. Yes, TU has student organizations and support services for LGBTQ+ students, but our campus and administration can and should do so much more. Establishing a Pride flag shows the ultimate support that the University not only stands with you, but also embraces you for who you are.” In The Life co-event coordinator John Patterson said that having a Pride flag on campus would let LGBTQ+ students know that Towson University is a place where they can express their identities. “Having a rainbow flag on campus would mean the world to so many Towson students,” Patterson said. “Flying a rainbow flag, especially one with the black and brown stripe, would be such a great way to show the LGBTQ+ community on campus, and those in the community who are looking at this campus, that this is a place for all of us. A place where we can come and be our full authentic selves.” SGA Director of Communications Katie McClanahan said the SGA is in full support of having a permanent Pride flag on campus. While the University has denied the flag request, McClanahan said the SGA
will continue to support Towson’s LGBTQ+ community. “Towson University should strive to support LGBTQ+ students and provide them with a space where they feel safe and included,” McClanahan said. “This starts with a permanent Pride flag. We want to see safe spaces fostered on campus, and a Pride flag would represent our commitment to inclusivity.” In addition to providing general support to the LGBTQ+ community, Towson’s SGA has also planned and funded its first ever Pride Fest. According to McClanahan, the festival will be full of events starting in the beginning of March. Pride Fest will officially begin with an opening ceremony on March 8, and the closing ceremony will be on March 15 at 12:30 p.m. in Freedom Square “where we will have speakers (including student leaders) pledge their support of the LGBTQ+ community at Towson,” McClanahan said. Taylor is on the planning committee for TU Pride Fest and is hoping to see a great unity between all students despite their differences. “I expect this week to be a great celebration to honor TU’s underrepresented queer community and I hope it continues to grow every semester/ year,” Taylor said. “Finally, I want for this week to be an educational experience not only for TU students but also for the administration. I hope that people are challenged by Pride week to learn something about the LGBTQ community and to possibly break down possible stigmas or internalized homophobia that they may hold.” -- To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
University of Michigan gymnast Jacob Moore recently accused Larry Nassar, a convicted serial sexual abuser and former USA Gymnastics doctor, of assaulting him in April of 2016. The freshman is the first male to accuse Nassar, and joins more than 150 other plaintiffs in the case, including his sister, Kamerin Moore, who was also a victim. According to Jacob Moore, Nassar allegedly invited the teen into his home to treat a shoulder injury Moore had at the time. During the incident, Nassar exposed Moore’s genitalia to a female gymnast, and told him he would use acupuncture in his pubic area to treat the shoulder injury. Nassar was sentenced to a maximum sentence of 275 years in January.
TEACHER BARRICADES HIMSELF IN CLASSROOM, FIRED SHOT DALTON, GEORGIA Dalton High School teacher Jesse Randall Davidson barricaded himself in a classroom and fired at least one shot from a handgun on Feb. 28. According to Dalton Police Department spokesman Bruce Frazier, students were trying to enter the classroom when the social studies teacher allegedly “forced the door closed.” Students then alerted an administrator who tried to open the door using a master key, when Davidson fired the shot causing the school to go into lockdown. Students were evacuated from the building and bused to a nearby convention center. One student suffered an ankle injury during the evacuation due to the resulting chaos, but no other injuries were reported. The school alerted parents to the event and evacuation through a Facebook message, to which one parent replied saying they wanted metal detectors in schools, “Every one of them.” Frazier says they will be pressing charges.
GOOGLE DASHBOARD HELPS CONVICT KILLER IN GRUSOME SLAYING GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN George Steven Burch Jr. was convicted by jurors of killing 31-year-old Nicole Vanderheyden by beating her to death and leaving her body in a farm field. According to the medical examiner who testified, Vanderheyden had 241 injuries, including contusions that suggested sexual assault, as well as the blunt force trauma and ligature strangulation which ultimately resulted in her death.The almost two week trial came to a conclusion after six men and six women deliberated for approximately three hours before delivering the unanimous verdict. According to prosecutors, Burch’s Google Dashboard locations helped to prove that he had been at various crime scenes during the night in question including Vanderheyden’s home, the field her body was left in, and the highway where he disposed of her clothing. Burch also viewed stories on Vanderheyden’s death 64 times in the days following the incident. -- Stories compiled by Mary-Ellen Davis. Stories from The Daily Beast.
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News
March 6, 2018
UN conference educates youth BIPE teaches TU MARCUS DIETERLE Editor-in-Chief @marcusdieterle
Over 200 high school students packed into the University Union Chesapeake rooms to negotiate solutions to civil war and refugee crises during the 16th annual Model United Nations conference at Towson University on March 3. Unlike other Model UN conferences, Towson’s conference does not charge an individual student fee. Hugh Kearney, who is now a world history teacher at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, co-founded the conference with TU political science professor Alison McCartney. Kearney approached Towson University’s political science department in the summer of 2002 with the idea of creating a Model UN program that would accessible to students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, including those who could not afford the expensive entry fees of other conferences. “The purpose of this opportunity is to give everyone, regardless of financial need, an opportunity to participate in Model United Nations and to have the eye-opening experience that people who go to the larger, very expensive conferences get,” Kearney said. According to McCartney, students do not pay any fee, but each school pays a flat fee of $225 for up to 12 students and one teacher to participate in three days of Model UN events: the training day in November, and the two day conference in March (one conference day this year). For any additional students or teachers, schools can pay an additional $20 per person. McCartney said Towson’s first Model UN conference was held in March 2003 when TU hosted 74 students from six Baltimore County high schools. This year’s conference hosted 226 students from 15 high schools across Baltimore County, Baltimore City and Charles County, according to McCartney. “I didn’t realize how big it would get,” McCartney said. Although the conference was planned to be a two-day event, it had to be condensed into one day after Baltimore County schools closed on March 2 due to inclement weather conditions. Still, the conference plowed ahead Saturday as 110 of the 193 countries that are part of the actual United Nations were each repre-
sented by two student delegates. McCartney said she hopes the high school students gain an understanding of how difficult international negotiations can be. “Every year, very few resolutions pass and [the high school students are] always surprised,” she said. “There have been years where nothing has passed and they wonder if they’ve failed. And I say ‘no, you haven’t failed. They didn’t pass for good reasons. They didn’t pass because you played the part that you were supposed to play and didn’t make unrealistic trade-offs.’ So I’m hoping they get this better understanding of the real difficulties in coming to agreement on an international stage.” McCartney also hopes the conference will help students sharpen their skills when it comes to researching, writing, debating and learning about their assigned countries and other nations. In addition to those traditional academic goals, McCartney wants students to come away with a cando attitude as they approach their college careers. “I also really hope that they get the idea that ‘I can do this,’” she said. “And ‘I can do this’ in the sense of the specifics of the conference, but also they can be out there in the world promoting their viewpoints. They will know how to do the research behind it, and then they will know how to effectively present their ideas.” McCartney said “building this sense of efficacy is really important, especially for kids at this age,” but that it has also been a valuable learning experience for Towson University students. “When [TU students] are able to take the knowledge that they have developed here and teach others, they are also developing that sense of efficacy,” she said. McCartney teaches a class called “Civic Engagement and International Affairs” which works directly with the high school students to prepare for the conference. After the high schoolers found out who their assigned country was in November, they visited TU’s campus for a training day. Towson students gave the high schoolers an overview of the UN with groupbased learning activities on current issues in the UN, and negotiation and diplomacy workshops. The high school students also gathered in regional groups to learn about that region from TU professors,
according to McCartney. Towson students from McCartney’s class also visited high schools in December to present projects on an organ or associated agency of the UN in which they evaluated the success of the agency’s mission and explored global-local connections of that agency. TU sophomore and political science major Madeleine Henderson said she has enjoyed getting to interact with the high schoolers in the months leading up to the conference. “We got to train the students last semester and they were all really cute and excited about Model UN and I really liked that,” Henderson said. Henderson said the conference allows the high school students to practice valuable communication and collaboration skills. “They all have to get up and talk, which they’re really nervous about…. They have to talk about very difficult issues. This year they’re talking about civil war and refugees. They’re going to learn a lot,” she said. Carver Center 11th grader Molly Gaither said this is the second year that she has participated in the Model UN conference. Gaither, who represented North Korea, said the conference has helped her become more comfortable with speaking in front of people. “Before the conference, especially last year, I had a lot of public speaking issues,” she said. “But I feel like I’ve overcome that a lot. I went and read the preliminary statement today.” TU junior Ezihe Chikwere, who is majoring in international studies and political science, said Model UN prepares students to be civically engaged citizens and members of the international community. “I feel like people often confuse civic engagement with only doing volunteer work and community service,” Chikwere said. “But really civic engagement is just participating in political discourse or any type of discourse. For the students to be able to come together and discuss worldly topics that they don’t even realize apply to them, and me being able to help initiate that, is everything.” Jacob “Kitchi” Lev, a 10th grade student at Western School of Technology and Environmental Science, represented Austria in the conference. Lev said being part of Model UN has expanded his worldview. -- To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
about eating disorders
Lacy Wall/ The Towerlight
The Body Image Peer Educators hosted events as part of National Eating Disorderes Awareness Week from Feb. 25 to March 3. SOPHIA BATES Staff Writer @sbrookebates
Towson University’s Body Image Peer Educators hosted different events during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which ran Feb. 25 to March 3, to raise awareness of eating disorders on college campuses. “Our group primarily focuses on bringing awareness to eating disorders and eating disorder recovery,” lead peer educator Amy Dupuis said. According to Dupuis, there were four events throughout the week. The first event, “Happiness Isn’t Size Specific,” was held on Feb. 26 where students were encouraged to pick out free T-shirts without size tags and to pick one that fits. “The idea behind this is that we shouldn’t be going off what a label says or what a number is, because you are more than a number and more than a size,” Dupuis said. The “Posting Responsibly” event was held in Burdick Hall on Feb. 27 to inform students on how to post on social media in a conscious and responsible way for everyone, according to Dupuis. The group also hosted guest speaker Ryan Sallans for “Becoming Ryan” in the University Union on Feb. 28. Sallans spoke about his experiences as a transgender man, his transition, and his recovery from an eating disorder. “It was really interesting to see how his transition into becoming who he really felt like and his body image issues kind of mirrored each other,” Dupuis said. This event brought a large turnout, according to peer educator Victoria Wolsh, who recognized the number of men engaged in the event as well. “There were many more males than I expected who turned out to
the event, and they seemed interested in the talk,” Wolsh said. “I thought that was really good to see, because men struggle with eating disorders too.” The last event was held in the Potomac Lounge on March 1. The TEDTalks panel invited students to watch and discuss four different TEDTalks focused on body image and eating disorders. Wolsh noted the increasing importance of awareness for this issue. “I think the fact that we have events throughout the week will hopefully have a ripple effect and at least make people more aware of the fact that a lot of individuals struggle with eating disorders, particularly on college campuses,” Wolsh said. Graduate assistant for the Body Image Peer Educators Kiran Kaur agrees, addressing the prominence of this issue on campus. “Eating disorders can impact up to 20 percent of college students, which is about one-in-five, and it’s an issue that can affect both men and women,” Kaur said. “It’s really important to spread awareness around that because this is a prime time for developing unhealthy eating behaviors and exercising behaviors.” Kaur added that the group plans on hosting and attending more events throughout the semester to encourage more awareness and education on campus. Sophomore Shai Jean-Baptiste was unaware of this week until she saw a flyer on social media. “I think that students, like myself, weren’t really aware of the week and the effect of the actual issue on college campuses,” Jean-Baptiste said. “It’s neat to see that this group is taking the initiative to put this information out there.”
News
March 6, 2018
Getting politically engaged on campus Q & A with residential learning community
Towson University offers a variety of residential learning communities, which are meant to engage students and are structured around specific themes and interests. With 11 different communities, options for students include academia-based societies like the Honors Community, as well as others such as Alcohol Free and Career Exploration communities. Sophomore and psychology major Sophie Bertrand spoke with The Towerlight about her experience as part of the Political Engagement Residential Learning Community. Tell me a little bit about the Political Engagement Community. What kinds of things do you guys do? What does it mean to be in the community? Well, the community itself is kind of responsible for being present on campus, being engaged in any of the political events we go on. We have New York Times talks. We volunteer in Baltimore sometimes. It’s not only about being politically engaged but also civically engaged and taking responsibility for what goes around on campus, so we attend College Democrats and College Republicans events, go to meetings and pass out information and help people register to vote. Why did you get involved? Why did you want to be part of the community? To be honest, when I saw the community name while I was registering for housing I was like “Oh, that’d be cool.” I had no clue what it was going to be about and honestly, I can say that I’m really glad that I did it. Why are you glad that you joined the community? It’s been a really rewarding experience. There’s a sense of community on this floor like you won’t find on another floor here. The common room is empty right now but at 8 or 9 p.m. everyone will be in here listening to music, doing homework, telling jokes and just hanging out with each other. And there are a lot of opportunities you do find out because of all
the connections you make on the floor, and I feel like a lot of people have made lasting connections on this floor. Would you recommend this community to other people? Why? Absolutely, I feel like it’s just a really fun experience and it’s a great way to get involved on campus. No matter what your major is, no matter what you’re doing, you can always just relate it to political engagement, civic engagement, stuff like that. What do politics mean to you? What are their impact on your life? I didn’t really understand the impact of politics until the 2016 elections. Because I was always looking at politics and thinking “ok that’s cool, that’s cool, that’s cool,” but after the 2016 election I was paying more attention and I realized what was going on. And I feel like there are a lot of issues discussed that affected me and people around me, like DACA, health care, stuff like that. I realized that politics kind of directly affects people and I looked around and was just kind of like “wow.” People aren’t really like, following politics. People just kind of check the news on their phone every once in a while, and they don’t really realize that it affects everyone’s day-to-day life and what goes on. Why do you think political engagement is so important? I think that people should just be involved in the government around them, like local government, federal government, everything that happens. People say “oh, I have one vote. What does that matter?” That’s not all you have to do to get involved. You can write a letter to your senator. You can go and visit. You can go to Tiger Pride Day like we’re doing, and you can get in touch with people in offices and make them do things. You can sign petitions, you can call them, and especially voting. Your say matters. It affects everyone. - Compiled by Mary-Ellen Davis
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Arts & Life
Becoming Ryan: Transgender activist accepts identity through transitioning and recovery SUZANNE STULLER Contributing Writer KERRY INGRAM Assoc. Arts & Life Editor
Growing up in Aurora, Nebraska, Ryan Sallans had been born into what he deemed a “relatively normal” family. He enjoyed the outdoors and participated in sports, but one of his favorite things to do as a child was play dress-up, especially as Superman. Superman was Sallans’ idol, and they had a lot in common. Both held optimism and strength in their characters, but the biggest similarity between the two didn’t lie in their certainties. Both Superman and Sallans had split identities that they were trying to wrap their heads around. One of them had to face the world as a “Clark Kent” while hiding their strongest self from those around them. The other had to face the world as someone who was assigned female at birth, despite knowing his true identity. Sallans, a transgender activist and author, knew he was a boy when he was two years old. However, it wasn’t until he conquered anorexia and felt confident in his sexuality that he transitioned from female to male at age 25. On Feb. 28, roughly 100 Towson students gathered in the Potomac Lounge of the University Union to
listen to Sallans speak about his life story as a transgender man and survivor of anorexia. Sallans, who felt uncomfortable in his body from a young age, struggled with the eating disorder as a teenager, and found that therapy and art were his outlets. After attempting suicide twice, he began to search for more meaning to his life. Sallans continued his schooling, and served as a peer educator for an eating disorder awareness and prevention group during his time at college. “I loved doing education,” Sallans said. “I had anorexia, so I wanted to help educate others about the topic. But I never shared my story, especially with my eating disorder.” Sallans initially came out as a lesbian. But at age 25, after coming across a photography book titled “Body Alchemy: Transsexual Portraits” by Loren Cameron, which documented the process of transitioning and how trans men live their lives, he was inspired to make a change. “Seeing everybody’s pictures of who was born female and transitioned to male made me realize it was possible for me to do too,” Sallans said. He came out again, although this time as a transgender man. From that point on, Sallans went through the process of transitioning. He began his physical transi-
tional journey with having chest surgery, before taking testosterone and eventually undergoing gender confirmation surgery. When Sallans graduated from graduate school, he was hired as a health educator with Planned Parenthood, with a focus on doing LGBTQ+ work and speaking on body image and eating disorders. “I was fortunate in this time to be part of a documentary called ‘Gender Rebel’ on the Logo TV network,” Sallans said. “That documentary aired and I had a student reach out from Ohio and say, ‘Hey, will you come to our campus and speak?’ And so I said yes, and each year it slowly evolved to the point where I started doing it, where it was now my job.” Ashley Ayoub, a Towson alum, expressed how beneficial it is for survivors of eating disorders like Sallans to share their stories and support students who are going through similar situations. “I’m a family therapist,” Ayoub said. “I work for Sheppard Pratt and it’s National Eating Disorder Week (Feb. 26 through March 4). I’m here to support people who have experienced struggle with anorexia or eating disorders like Ryan.” Sallans now speaks on various college campuses, talking about his difficulties with anorexia and living life as a transgender man. He encouraged Towson students
David Kirchner/ The Towerlight
Ryan Sallans opens up to a crowd of Towson students about his life as a transgender man and his experiences with overcoming anorexia. He shared his story to let others know that they are not alone.
David Kirchner/ The Towerlight
Sallans’ journey was showcased in Logo TV’s 2006 “Gender Rebel,” a documentary that investigated society’s notions of gender identity. to be more vulnerable and honest with who they truly are. “It can be so scary when we start to learn more and more about ourselves,” Sallans said. “It may be different than what other people assumed about us, or what our family excepted from us, since we have different views from them, but it’s so important to just be who we are and work through the tensions we have in our relationships. If we’re not our authentic selves, we can’t push ourselves or other people as well.” Sallans also emphasized that those who are critical often are the ones with the problem. He said his father was unsupportive of his transition but finally accepted him over time. To Sallans, his dad’s evolution in viewpoint showed that it was possible for people to change, but that they must be educated first. Although Sallans continues to receive negative comments on Twitter and YouTube, he stays positive by connecting with those who support him. “When people are saying things about you, it’s not you, it’s them,” Sallans said. “We must detach from negative energy.” Elizabeth McLaren, a junior at Towson, shared how she was glad Sallans came to speak, especially
since she expressed that the transgender community is growing but its exposure is limited. “I wanted to come to this event to see a transgender individual actually talk about their struggles … because the community itself is really underrepresented,” McLaren said. “This could really open up people’s understanding of individuals like Ryan.” Chris Cobb, a Towson junior, had a better sense of clarity on the LGBTQ+ community after hearing Sallans speak. “I really enjoyed this event,” Cobb said. “It gave me a better sense of what transgender [individuals] actually go through.” According to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins Medicine, the number of transgender people receiving gender confirmation surgeries increased nearly four-fold between 2000 and 2014. Sallans encourages those who want to transition to honor their truths, encouraging many individuals to take charge of their life. Sallans’ book, “Second Son: Transitioning Toward my Destiny, Love, and Life” is a biography about his eating disorder and transgender life that was released in 2012. Copies were sold after the event Wednesday night and can be found on his website.
Arts & Life
March 6, 2018
13
“Atlanta” returns for season two Premiere episode explores darker tone ALEX HELMS Contributing Writer
This recap contains spoilers from season 2, episode 1 of “Atlanta.” After a 15-month-long absence from the airwaves, Donald Glover’s acclaimed comedy-drama “Atlanta” has finally returned, but the eponymous city is much colder than when we saw it last. Summer and all its awkward Juneteenth celebrations have now passed. Instead, Christmas is coming to Atlanta, and with it, “robbin’ season” -- a spike in crime looming over the city during the holidays. From the very beginning of the second season premiere, Glover casts the shadow of robbin’ season to take the series in a new, decidedly darker direction. Echoing the cold open of series’ first episode, “Alligator Man” leads with a shooting. Earn (Glover), Al (Brian Tyree Henry), and Darius (Lakeith Stanfield) are noticeably absent from the scene, however. In their place, we’re introduced to Curtis (Jasun Jabbar Wardlaw Jr.) and Droop (Frederick Williams), two young men who stick up a drive-thru for a drug stash rumored to be hidden in the back of the restaurant. The boys are well-armed, but so is the employee working the drive-thru register, which they soon realize as he unleashes a barrage of bullets onto their getaway car. Although the car stops for a brief moment during its escape, it is only to unload an unknown young girl from the back seat, who steps out screaming and covered in blood as she’s abandoned in the parking lot. Unlike the series’ first shooting, the scene lingers on after the bullets fly, revealing the horrified faces of the victim and the shooter in their aftermath. And as the title credits roll, “Atlanta” confirms with its new subtitle that robbin’ season is, indeed, upon us. After showing how the city has changed with the seasons, “Atlanta” shows us how our characters have as well. When we return to Earn, he’s exactly how we left him: sleeping in a storage unit. But now it’s time to wake up. Although his storage unit home had been a small victory in his season-long struggle to be independent, it’s clear that Earn must move out to move forward, whether he wants to or not. As the episode progresses, it’s clear that change has already come to Earn in big and small ways. For one, he’s cut his hair much shorter, so he certainly looks different. He’s been acting differently, too, as we learn from his
parole officer that he’s been charged with narcotics possession with intent to sell. This recent addition to his criminal history also harkens back to the last conversation he had with his on-and-off girlfriend, Van (Zazie Beetz), in the previous season’s finale. Earn handed her a roll of cash, Van jokingly asked if he had become a drug dealer, to which he replied with an unchanged serious face. Before she could go on a full tirade about his irresponsibility as the father of their child, Earn stops her and laughs, “No, come on. You think I could really do that? I’d be so bad at it.” Having been caught, Earn was right that he’d be bad at it, but in doing so, he’s also proven that he really could do that. Van isn’t mentioned or in appearance at any point in “Alligator Man,” so it’s certainly possible that Earn’s relationship with her has been damaged by his most recent arrest. Earn and Van aren’t the only ones with a seemingly damaged relationship this season. Earn learns soon enough that Al and Darius are on the rocks. They still share the same house, but it’s much more somber now. Their silence around each other speaks louder than words, especially when the only thing
Earn can get out of them about their current falling out is, “I don’t want to talk about it.” Although the show has never been heavily story-focused, the past and all its mystery have played a part on “Atlanta”, and there’s a chance that the specifics of their situation will remain unclear, just as Earn’s dropping of Princeton has. Towards the end of the episode, though, Al and Darius do share a laugh together over Earn’s embarrassment, giving them common ground to reconnect on for a least a few moments. But all of these details are simply context to the main plot of the episode, where Earn visits the house of the titular Alligator Man as a favor to Al, who believes his friend might be held captive there. It’s a textbook example of an “Atlanta” story, using its signature blend of surreal and awkward situations to explore very real emotions and experiences. Yes, Earn eventually finds himself in a house where only a few doors stand between him, a fully-grown alligator trying to get out, and four flustered cops trying to get in and control the situation, but the ridiculous escalation of it all only raises the personal stakes. He cannot
Courtesy of fxnetworks.com
Donald Glover’s “Atlanta” brings a comedic lens to urban life and the rap music scene, while also addressing social structures and battles. afford to violate his probation with another arrest nor can he lose his good standing with Al, who seemingly needs Earn less and less now that his rap career is really taking off. It’s a story about the struggle of proving your worth in a situation that con-
stantly limits your choices and ability to succeed. Most importantly, however, it’s a story worth watching, and I’m looking forward to where Glover and his wonderfully talented cast and crew take us next. It’s good to be back in Atlanta.
14 March 6, 2018
Arts & Life
Sold my soul to cycling
Taking TU’s new spin class at Burdick KERRY INGRAM Assoc. Arts & Life Editor
Like a lot of people in the U.S., I made a new year’s resolution to get more in shape. What I didn’t plan on when making that goal was going to a spin class. However, that’s exactly where I found myself Friday afternoon, in the cycling studio of Burdick Hall. Spin classes have always seemed a little weird to me. I’m not the type of person to be cynical about a lot; I try to make a habit of looking at new or different things with an open mind. When I was growing up, exercise wasn’t heavily enforced in my household. I never exercised as a kid and I ate terribly (although what’s a childhood without Fruit Roll-Ups and McDonalds?). But as I grew into a young adult, I began to look at the foreign entity of “fitness” in a new light. I was eager to try new
workouts and I’ve even stuck to some of them ever since, from running regularly to practicing pilates. Despite all this, if you would have told me I would be participating in a spin class a week ago, I would’ve laughed my head off. To me, spin always seemed like an overrated workout class that hipsters and wannabe models went to as a way to get an aesthetically pleasing picture for the ‘gram between Starbucks runs. It never seemed like a fit for me. Who would want to be stuck in a dimly-lit room, pedaling away as your crotch sits uncomfortably on a tiny seat, making no progress since your bike is stationary, sweating up a storm, and being yelled inspirational sayings over cheesy music? That was the idea of a workout I was willing to pass. As the famous Randy Jackson once said: “That’s gonna’ be a no from me, dog.” However, I found myself clicking
on a link that advertised a free cycling session at the newly renovated Burdick Hall, and before I knew it, I had signed up. The cycling studio is one of the new features Burdick has to offer. Although cycling was always a group session available, the new studio space was made to enhance the experience, equipped with its own lights, sound system, and video display. Sessions are free and guided by an instructor, with times and instructors varying by day. The week leading up to the class, I was extremely nervous. I spoke with friends about it, in which I often received a “good luck,” or a look of pity as a response. I brought it up to my family -- they thought I was crazy. By the time Friday came around, I figured there was no way I would get through the class. I arrived at Burdick, water and sense of humor in hand, and made my way to the cycling studio, to be
greeted by Mandy Smorgens, the instructor for the time slot I had chosen. The room had a blue-cast light that added clarity to the space without it being overly bright – the color choice making the area seem calming with a small undertone of exhilaration peeking through. Rows of stationary bikes took up most of the space, with one closest to a wall of floor-length mirrors facing all the rest. Pop music was softly playing as I signed in, the check-in process being extremely fast with the tap of a finger on each individual’s Towson ID picture, displayed on an iPad. As I set my belongings down and mentally prepared myself, I watched others make their way into the studio. Some looked experienced and were well-versed in the proper way to prep their bike (I had no clue what I was doing and had to be helped adjusting mine); however, others looked just as nervous as I felt. When it was time to start, Smorgens asked the class for a show of hands of who was new to cycling – the majority of hands rose as my nerves began to take a seat. The first five minutes of cycling were the hardest for me. As soon as
I stood and began pedaling my feet, as we were learning the stances, my glutes began to feel as if they were on fire. I remember thinking “Really Kerry, already?” but as I got used to the motions and stances, my mind took a back seat and my body took full control. The class lasted 45 minutes, with a range of high-interval pedaling to lower speeds and changes in positions. A mixture of music played throughout (all of which I had enjoyed, whether I was familiar with the tune or not), and the session ended with us pedaling to the heavy beat of Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble.” Once we cooled off and stretched, it finally hit me that I had gotten through the class. And I survived. Looking back, I’m mad I hadn’t tried cycling sooner. The experience taught me that not everything is as it initially seems. Hipsters, crotch discomfort and annoying faux-motivational shouts being spat out over indie-pop were not at all a part of my spin experience, and had I not taken the class, I would have continued to look at this source of fitness so narrowly. I can now say with confidence that I sold my soul to cycling, and I’m not planning on asking for a refund.
National Nutrition Month nutrition fair: march 7th, noon - 2pm • union, 2nd floor lobby
prizes & free food
Food specials and events all month long, see events page on towson.edu/dining for more info! join the tu nutrition club on facebook: nourishtu for more nutritional info! FREE NUTRITION COUNSELING; EMAIL KBALLEK@TOWSON.EDU FOR AN APPOINtMENT OR DETAILS!
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16 March 6, 2018
Sports
senior slump tribe trump tigers Towson falls to Delaware 81-55 TU drops CAA quarterfinal to William & Mary 80-66 MIA WILLIAMS Contributing Writer
Towson’s women’s basketball suffered an 81-55 loss to Delaware in its final home game at SECU Arena. The team honored fourthyear members of the program with a senior day ceremony prior to tipoff. Head Coach Diane Richardson said the wide range of emotions may have contributed to morale of the Tigers (9-20, 4-14 CAA) in the blowout loss to the Blue Hens (1811, 11-7 CAA). “I saw energy was low in the locker room,” Richardson said, “The girls were extremely emotional about the seniors. The seniors have contributed a lot to this program, and it was emotional for them to know that they won’t be [with us] after the tournament.” The first quarter began with back-and-forth scoring. Redshirt senior guard Raine Bankston scored seven of the home team’s first eight points, but Delaware took control of the game late in the first with a 15-0 run to close out the period. The road team did not look back after getting out to a big lead as they held a 36-14 advantage midway
through the second. Towson simply could not keep up as Delaware took a 46-29 lead into halftime. Freshman guard Reyna Barbour and redshirt junior center Maia Lee tried to get the Tigers back in the contest. Barbour hustled for several loose balls throughout the game, while Lee finished the game with 18 points and 12 rebounds, recording the second double-double of her career. Despite their impressive play, the Tigers could not get past the smothering defense of the Blue Hens as the road took a 64-40 lead entering the fourth. Towson showed more energy as a team in the fourth, moving the ball well and amping up the intensity on defense. However, it was not enough to catch up to Delaware as the visitors held on for the convincing win. “This was not the way we wanted to end our last home game, but I think it was a nice way to send our seniors off,” Richardson said. Up next, the Tigers kick off the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament by facing the UNC Wilmington at the Daskalakis Athletic Center Wednesday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
Solutions for
Puzzles on page 15
File photo by Lexi Thompson/ The Towerlight
Senior guard Mike Morsell crosses over a defender in a matchup against Frostburg from earlier this season. Morsell was the second leading scorer for Towson as he averaged 14 points per game this year.
KARUGA KOINANGE Sports Editor
Towson men’s basketball fell 80-66 to William & Mary in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) quarterfinals Sunday afternoon at the North Charleston Coliseum. This marked the final game for seniors Mike Morsell, Eddie Keith II and Brian Starr. “They were disappointed,” Head Coach Pat Skerry said. “They’re some good guys and good players, but [their careers] didn’t end in the way they hoped it was gonna end. I thank them for all their contributions, but they were disappointed [because] they didn’t play their best game. That’s not something they intended.” The Tigers (18-14) dominated the inside by scoring 36 points in the paint, but the Tribe (19-11) outshot them. The Tribe hit 44 percent of their shots beyond the arc, and 46 percent of their shots from the field. “[William & Mary] made some timely threes,” Skerry said. “They’re the best three-point shooting team in the country. I thought we took too many threes
and we really lost out. We didn’t get too many offensive rebounds or free throw attempts, things that we normally do so that hurt us more than just their shooting. They’re tough to stop.” Towson started the game off strong thanks to three consecutive makes from sophomore forward Justin Gorham. Both teams traded baskets early, but William & Mary took control of the game with a 13-3 run midway through the first half. Faced with an 11-point deficit, the Tigers tried to claw their way back into the game, but failed to hit shots. The Tribe extended their lead to 15 with five minutes left to go in the half, but Gorham and Keith II cut the score to 41-32 going into the break. Towson came out of the half looking locked in as Gorham and sophomore guard Zane Martin each powered down a dunk to cut the team’s deficit to three. “It’s their team,” Skerry said. “They were our two best players this year and if we want to get to what we’re capable of being we’ll need them to grow into leaders.” William & Mary responded with an 11-3 run to shut down Towson’s momentum, and secured a 53-42
advantage with 11 minutes left to play. Redshirt senior guard David Cohn and redshirt junior Paul Rowley nailed several jumpers during that run. Towson looked to rally, but the team committed two quick turnovers and Cohn capitalized with a layup and a three-pointer. William & Mary extended its lead to 18 with seven minutes remaining and played tight defense the rest of the way to hold on for the win. “It seemed like we were just running uphill this game,” Skerry said. “Some guys played hard. Zane and Justin played particularly well.” With the season over, the Tigers look to regroup for next season. “We started great, but didn’t finish great,” Skerry said. “We were choppy and lost a lot of close games. 18 wins has become something that we’re disappointed in.” Despite an abrupt end to the year, Skerry looks to foster leadership and consistency with his returning players. “We’ve got a lot of work to do this offseason,” Skerry said. We’ve got a lot of guys returning and some guys waiting in the wings. We’ve got some really good players returning with the capability of leading.”
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18 March 6, 2018
Sports
tigers suffer third straight loss BILLY OWENS Assistant Sports Editor
Towson opened spring 2018 conference play with a closely-contested 6-1 loss to James Madison indoors at Coppermine Racquet & Fitness Club in Baltimore Friday evening. The Dukes came into the match nationally ranked No. 80 in Division I by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), carrying a perfect 8-0 record on the season. James Madison started the match by winning two doubles flights to take the opening point. Anna Makarova and Emma Petersen defeated the No. 2 team of Renate van Oorschodt and Barbora
Vasilkova 6-2, while Jona Roka and Dylan Owens beat the No. 3 team of Lucy Gloninger and Alexa Martinez 6-2. The No. 1 team of Lucy Williams and Jane Shusterman earned a strong 7-5 win over Liz Norman and Diane Flament, which prevented a sweep but came after the doubles point had already been clinched. “Credit to Jane and Lucy for stepping up at the No. 1 position,” Head Coach Jamie Peterson said. “They were down 3-0 at the start, but they changed some things and capitalized on that opportunity.” The Dukes applied steady pressure throughout the six singles flights, winning the first three to clinch the match and two of the next
three to finish. Makarova beat No. 3 Shusterman 6-1, 6-4 and Norman defeated No. 2 Williams 6-3, 6-3, while Peterson beat No. 4 Vasilkova 7-5, 6-0 and Kimmy Herrock defeated No. 6 Martinez 7-6 (6), 6-2. The last two matches to finish were both three-setters. No. 1 Nicole Shakhnazarova won the second set of her match to tie it, but it came after James Madison had clinched the overall victory, so a 10-point match tiebreaker was played in lieu of a twelve-game third set. She ended up falling to Roka, 7-5, 3-6, 10-6. No. 5 van Oorschodt’s match had already entered a third set before James Madison clinched the win, so that set was played out in its entirety. She held on to eventually win
6-2, 2-6, 6-6 (ret.) over Flament, and was leading 5-1 in the third-set tiebreak before her opponent succumbed to injury. “Ren exemplified everything that we’re looking for — physically, mentally tough,” Peterson said. “She showed some fire, which is a bit out of character, but it’s good for her and her teammates to see that. She really wanted to win and she showed it.” The Tigers dropped to 3-5 with Friday’s loss, but they have two weeks to train for their next three matches over spring break. They begin by facing Division II opponent Denison Monday, Mar. 19, before taking on NAIA opponent Keiser and finish up against Colonial
Athletic Association (CAA) rival Hofstra. All three matches will be played at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida.
Sports
March 6, 2018
more bite than bark TU falls to 2-7 following two losses to Great Danes
19
USTORE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Jon Mazza Men’s Lacrosse
Tiffany Deboer/ The Towerlight
A Towson pitcher delivers the ball in the team’s three-game series against Albany at home this weekend.
JILL GATTENS Staff Writer
Towson dropped two out of three games in a series against non-conference opponent Albany in its home-opener at John B. Schuerholz Park this weekend. On Sunday, the Tigers (2-7) trailed 6-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, but rallied to defeat the Great Danes (3-3) 8-7. In the bottom of the sixth inning, redshirt junior outfielder Mark Grunberg was walked with the bases loaded, allowing redshirt freshman infielder Dirk Masters to score. On the next at-bat, sophomore outfielder Bo Plagge delivered an RBI single. Senior infielder Billy Lennox followed with a sacrifice fly, and senior outfielder Colin Gimblet singled down the third base line and scored the fourth run of the inning to bring Towson within one. Sophomore outfielder Andrew Cassard tied the game in the seventh inning with a line-drive single to right field. The Great Danes scored a run in the top of the eighth inning to retake the lead, but the Tigers answered back when Plagge scored on a double by senior infielder
Charlie Watters. In the bottom of the ninth, Plagge delivered a walk-off single to left center to complete the 8-7 comeback. Junior pitcher Dean Stramara (1-0) earned his first victory of the season. He allowed one hit through 3.1 innings, while senior Michael Adams struck out seven over 5.2 innings in his best start of the season. “Today we came out and showed what kind of resiliency we have,” Head Coach Matt Tyner said. “We could have easily packed it in and let this one slip through the cracks, but we kept fighting. That’s a great way to end the weekend based off how we started it.” Saturday, Towson lost in a pitchers duel in which the only two runs of the game came in the seventh and eighth innings. Albany broke the scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning, scoring on a wild pitch. The team scored again after loading the bases with one out in the eighth to take a 2-0 lead, and held on to win. Plagge (0-1) was the losing pitcher of record. He gave up one run on one hit and three strikeouts through 1.1 innings of work. On Friday, the Great Danes took an early 1-0 lead from a sacrifice fly and added an unearned run in
the fourth off of a double down the third base line. Albany dominated the next two innings, scoring seven runs in the top of the fifth on four hits and five walks. They pushed across five more runs in the sixth as the Towson bullpen continued to struggle. “When you get into cold weather like this, your fingers start to swell, and you lose contact with the baseball,” Tyner said. “We just didn’t have really good control on the bump.” The Tigers got on the board in the sixth inning as junior infielder Richie Palacios scored on a fielder’s choice by Gimblet, but they could not overcome the early deficit and fell 15-3. Junior pitcher Gavin Weyman (0-2) took the loss, allowing two runs and four hits while striking out five through four innings of work. “We gotta continue to throw strikes, challenge hitters, put the ball in play and everybody will play on their toes,” Tyner said. The Tigers travel to George Mason for a mid-week game at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Virginia, March 7 at 2:30 p.m. They return home to host a series against Ohio at Schuerholz Park March 9-11. First pitch is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m.
Junior attacker Jon Mazza posted a career-high seven points thanks to five goals and two assists in Towson’s 8-6 victory over UMBC Saturday afternoon at Johnny Unitas Stadium. Mazza sparked a comeback win, scoring three of Towson’s four goals in the final period.
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20 March 6, 2018
Sports
tigers rally from behind to tame retrievers Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight
Junior attacker Jon Mazza takes on a defender in Towson’s 8-6 win over UMBC Saturday afternoon at Johnny Unitas Stadium. Mazza had a career-day with seven points on five goals and two assists. He sparked a fourth quarter rally by scoring three of the team’s four goals in the period. Towson improved to 2-3 on the season after its comeback win.
KARUGA KOINANGE Sports Editor
Towson men’s lacrosse avoided a three-game losing streak with an 8-6 come-from-behind victory over University of Maryland, Baltimore County Saturday afternoon at Johnny Unitas Stadium. “We’re pumped to earn a win after our third game in eight days against what we knew would be a challenging opponent,” Head Coach Shawn Nadelen said. “They throw a lot of different things at you defensively and they’re patient offensively, but also aggressive at the same time. Our guys responded as best we could.” Both teams played at a rapid pace to start the game. The Retrievers (1-3) got on the board first as freshman attacker Trevor Patschorke scored a goal midway through the first quarter. However, junior midfielder Jon Mazza responded quickly for the Tigers (2-3) as he ripped in an unassisted goal to even the score.
Patschorke scored his second goal of the day following a turnover by Towson to give his team a 2-1 lead going into the second. The Tigers stayed aggressive in the second as junior midfielder Timmy Monahan tied the game on a rhythm goal off of a feed from Mazza, but the Retrievers regained the lead just two minutes later when freshman attacker Ben Keller put in an unassisted goal to make it a 3-2 game. Keller added another goal as he nailed a shot from well beyond the cage with five minutes left to go in the second, but Mazza answered back to narrow the score 4-3 going into halftime. Towson knotted up the score early in the third as sophomore midfielder Jake McLean knocked in his first career goal on a long distance shot just six minutes into the period. The Tigers faltered on their next defensive possession though as senior defender Sid Ewell was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving UMBC an extra-man opportunity. The Retrievers converted on the
advantage as Patschorke put in a goal to give his team a 5-4 lead going into the fourth. Mazza continued his strong play early in the final quarter as he sprinted around the cage and flipped in a quick shot to tie the game four minutes into the period. The Retrievers picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of their own on their next defensive possession, giving the Tigers an extra-man opportunity. The Tigers capitalized on the numbers advantage as Mazza scored off a feed from redshirt senior attacker Jean-Luc Chetner, giving the home team its first lead of the day. “We made a couple mistakes in the third and fourth quarter so to have an opportunity like that was huge,” Mazza said. Towson stayed hot on offense as junior midfielder Grant Maloof scored an unassisted goal after a ground ball pickup from Chetner, giving his team a 7-5 advantage with seven minutes left to play. Mazza added to his impressive stat line just one minute later when he
put in another unassisted goal, his fourth of the day. He finished the game with seven points on five goals and two assists, leading the Tigers to a fourth quarter rally. “To be able to dig in in the fourth quarter, which has been a little bit of [an] issue to this point in the season, and get a win was something I was excited about,” Nadelen said. Junior midfielder Alex Woodall was also a key component in the comeback win as he finished with 15 faceoff wins out of 18 attempts despite UMBC throwing three different faceoff opponents at him. Woodall did not play much in the team’s loss to Loyola on Wednesday, but he responded with a convincing performance in this game. “He didn’t play a ton against Loyola and hopefully that had him be a little bit fresher for today,” Nadelen said. “I know he wasn’t happy with how Loyola panned out, so it was good to see him respond the way he did today. I didn’t expect anything different.” Towson looks to carry its momen-
tum from this win into its next competition against Ohio State Saturday
afternoon at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Game time is set for 4 p.m. “[This win] should be a good [confidence boost],” Nadelen said. “We know our next opponent is going to be just as tough. They’re coming off a tough loss so they’ll be chomping at the bit to get after it again. Our biggest challenge is not beating ourselves so that continues to be our focus.”