Eagles Lose, Students React

Chloe Miller Co-Culture Editor

Greased poles. One hundred dollar covers. A packed Broad Street.

Sunday night brought excitement and anticipation to the city of Philadelphia and Villanova’s campus. However, many students did not get the outcome or fun they had hoped for.

Following the Eagles’ loss in Super Bowl XLVIII, Villanova students have had a multitude of reactions to this year’s game. While many students anticipated a win for the Eagles, there seems to be a sense of sadness surrounding the atmosphere on campus. Villanova is home to many die-hard Eagles fans, those of whom are mourning the loss of their precious team.

One of these devoted fans is junior Matt Ryan, who described his reaction to the devastating loss.

“As a lifelong Eagles fan, Sunday night was incredibly tough,” Ryan said. “My family came into town to watch the game with me, and the ride back to Philly was quiet and sad. It’s days like today that make me appreciate everything else happening around me, something I can regrettably lose sight of from time to time.”

Being just a 20-minute train ride away from Philadelphia, a loss for the Eagles means no parade or festivities for students to take part in. With the excitement surrounding going into the city, and even professors mentioning canceling class for this momentous occasion, the excitement in the air was definitely exterminated by the aftermath of the Super Bowl.

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Shelly Pennefather was the best basketball player that Villanova had ever seen. She scored 2,408 total points, averaging 20.6 points and 10 rebounds per game over her four seasons as a Wildcat.

But, Pennefather never got to play on a larger American stage like the NCAA Tournament. Such a stage simply didn’t exist. When Pennefather graduated from Villanova in 1987, women’s basketball in the states was still very much in its infancy. The WNBA was not estab - league has ever made it more than five seasons before folding. So, Pennefather went to play in Japan and eventually became a cloistered nun in the Order of Saint Clare.

Pennefather is the past of Villanova basketball. A past that is certainly worth celebrating, but she is not the present. The present of Villanova basketball belongs to senior forward Maddy Siegrist. This is not a revolutionary statement by any means. Anyone who has been paying any semblance of attention over the past four years would agree, espe - mance vs. Seton Hall this past Saturday. part to Siegrist, doesn’t feel like David anymore. The ‘Cats are ranked No. 14 in the nation, just eight spots behind the Huskies. The ‘Cats brought down the Huskies in Hartford, just last season, and have an opportunity to take them down again, this time at home in front of a soldout crowd at the Finneran Pavilion for a share of the Big East regular season title. The ‘Cats haven’t claimed the Big East title, outright or a share, since Pennefather’s senior season in 1986-87. The importance of that game can’t be understated.

But, what Maddy Siegrist is going to have the opportunity to do in the future, both near and distant, is what will be essential to Villanova’s program.

Let’s start with the immediate future. Siegrist will follow up a 50-point performance this Saturday, a first for all of Villanova basketball, by playing against St. John’s. Then, the ‘Cats will have their shot at No. 6 UConn. Siegrist will lead the squad into a contest against what seems like the Big East’s Goliath.

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