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CHELSEA
GRANGER TALKS ART THE MASSACHUSETTS
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Thursday, October 22, 2015
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Student leader: Filipe Carvalho UMass orchard Senior has fought for improves harvest college affordability By Stuart Foster Collegian Staff
Filipe Carvalho, a senior economics and finance major, has spent much of his two years in the Center for Educational Policy and Advocacy advocating for tuition freezes and divestment of the University of Massachusetts from the fossil fuel industry. Now serving as the policy and legislative director for CEPA, he divides his time between coordinating the organization’s advocacy and coordinating ball movement on the basketball court. You’ve been involved in a lot of activism on campus regarding student debt. How did you get involved with this type of activism? I started in my sophomore year, more so in my second semester than in my first semester with the access and affordabil-
ity core team at the Center for Education Policy and Advocacy. With that, I applied for the position of access and affordability director for my junior year and I happened to actually get that position. That really launched what I’ve since done. I am now the policy and legislative director for the year for the Center for Education Policy and Advocacy and I am also the New England regional chair in my second year for the United States Student Association. In both of these roles I try to fight for free higher education, amongst other things that students find important, but that’s one of the biggest things I’ve done. I believe education is a right and that every student that wants one should get it. I think it’s highly unfair that we have a system that tells people they need an education in order to succeed, but then they need to be successful in order to get an education in order to
Cold Spring works to yield good apples By Nicole DeFeudis Collegian Correspondent
ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN
Filipe Carvalho is the policy and legislative director for CEPA. succeed. That doesn’t make of it comes from where I’m any sense, so that’s why I do from. I grew up in Worcester, what I do. Massachusetts and I went What was your motivation for getting to a high school where a lot of kids are low income, involved in this activism? not that many kids actually I’ve always had a pen- go to college and if they do chant for politics or policy. they go to community colI was the kid at the lunch leges. Even then they have table in high school who to hold full time or at least would say, “Let’s talk about part time jobs just to pay immigration reform.” So for their loans and a lot it’s always something I’ve enjoyed, but I think a lot see LEADER on page 2
chillin’ out
ROBERT RIGO/COLLEGIAN
Students pet Sprout, a corgi, in the Cape Cod Lounge on Wednesday as part of the PAWS program, created for students to destress during exam weeks.
For students, going apple picking is a delightful seasonal pastime. For Cold Spring Orchard, , though, apple farming is much more than simply a fall festivity. Cold Spring Orchard was established as a University of Massachusetts research facility in 1962 after the college’s original orchard was demolished for the construction of Orchard Hill dormitories. The UMass orchard and farm stand operates with the help of students year-round to reform traditional apple farming methodology. Farmers cultivate experimental trees to test groundbreaking agricultural processes on rows of research trees, which are distinguished from public picking trees by color-coded ribbons. “Technology has made the apple a better apple,” Cold Spring education coordinator Janet Foy said of the discoveries made by research. Through scientific experiment, new techniques have been developed to assist apple farmers with effective planting, pesticide spraying and harvesting. “You can (now) do in a morning what would take you three days to do,” Foy said. Among the new technologies that Foy referenced is the system of Integrated Pest Management. In the past, apple trees were sprayed for pests seven days a week, a laborious practice that killed beneficial pests as well as harmful ones. Currently, trees are adorned with electronic bug zappers that stun bugs, count them and transmit the information to a computer. From this data, along with the consideration of external factors such as weather, growers can estimate when pest eggs will hatch to determine the optimum time for spraying. Modern IPM technology limits cultivators’ frustration of having to spray every day and the harm done to crops by excessive spraying.
Another form of innovation on the farm is spraying to prevent black spots on apples caused by calcium deficiency. Apples don’t always extract enough calcium from the soil, making them less appetizing in appearance. Fortunately, Cold Spring found a solution in spraying calcium chloride on the trees biweekly to promote favorable apple nutrition. Cold Spring’s experimental practices are not organic, a fact that farmers and consumers alike can look past to receive bountiful yields. Freshman Jetta Cook remembers struggling while working on an organic apple farm over the summer. “Apples are very fickle trees,” she recalled, “and it seemed like we put in a lot of effort for not a lot of apples.” To ensure a generous harvest with healthy apples, Cold Spring monitors not only IPM and calcium intake, but also the amount of apples per cluster on trees. There are normally five to seven apples per cluster – the more apples in a cluster the fewer nutrients each apple receives. Too many apples per cluster can result in cramped, undersized apples, and, in extreme cases, even crabapples. Growers at Cold Spring try to limit the growth to one apple per cluster. In addition, trees are pruned to arrange for optimum sun exposure, giving the apples a better color. The science of apple farming is especially prevalent during harvest. To decide the prime stage of ripeness, farmers drip an iodine solution onto sliced-open test apples. The solution turns the apple starch gray; white color signifies that the apple starch has turned into sugar. An apple ready for plucking is neither too gray nor too white in color. In regards to the physical harvesting of apples, picking is made easier by shortening the height of trees to accommodate the ability of farmers. Wild apple trees can grow as tall as 40 feet tall, which is an inconvenience to those who must climb to retrieve the fruit. At Cold see
APPLES on page 2
UTAC to hold first steering committee meeting UMass-Town planning group to meet Oct. 28 By Stuart Foster Collegian Staff
The steering committee of the University/Town of Amherst Collaborative, an organization created to oversee policies regarding housing and economic development that benefit both the University of Massachusetts and town, is scheduled to meet for the first time next week. The first meeting, which will be held at 5 p.m. in the Campus Center on Oct. 28, will be focused on organizing the UTAC and how the collaborative can accomplish its goals for
development most efficiently. The UTAC steering committee was formed after a recommendation by the less formal Town-Gown Steering Committee, and will try to continue the work it began. “I think we’ll really just focus on how we’re going to do this work,” associate vice chancellor for University relations Nancy Buffone said,. Buffone, along with interim town manager of Amherst David Ziomek, co-chairs the committee. The first steering committee meeting will be composed of members of the committee and members from each of the other three subcommittees: economic development, housing, and arts, culture and living. “It’s to have everybody in the room
and to answer any questions that the steering committee members might have,” Buffone said. The Economic Development subcommittee will look into ways that research conducted by the University can result in opportunities for economic innovation and success within Amherst. The Economic Development subcommittee will also examine how UTAC can keep graduates and alumni of UMass within the town of Amherst, as well as creating more professional and entrepreneurial opportunities within classroom settings. The second subcommittee, Housing, will look at increasing the number of staff and faculty living in Amherst, in addition to examin-
ing the interaction between the University and housing development within the town. It seeks to create a wide variety of diverse and affordable housing for Amherst residents and those who work at the University. The third subcommittee, Culture, Arts and Living, will attempt to increase collaboration between UMass and Amherst on creating more opportunities for cultural development in the town. It is also tasked with working to create a more vibrant and welcoming downtown area of Amherst, while preserving the town’s character. The steering committee’s role is to review the work done by the three subcommittees and assess their findings. A reception will follow
Wednesday’s meeting, which Buffone said would serve as a chance for members of UTAC to get to know each other, encouraging closer business relationships. The Town-Gown Steering Committee recommended the creation of UTAC last January. Consultants hired by the Town Gown Steering Committee last November concluded that Amherst town growth, which is driven by the University, has not been keeping up with the rate at which UMass has been growing due to constraints created by the zoning laws and the developmental approval process. Stuart Foster can be reached at stuartfoster@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @ Stuart_C_Foster.
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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Thursday, October 22, 2015
CALENDAR
WEEK END
FRIDAY
LATIN@ HERITAGE FESTIVAL The event will feature live performances sampling the richness of the Latino heritage representing Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. MEN’S HOCKEY Head to the Mullins Center for a 7 p.m. puck drop, as the 3-0 Minutemen take on 1-2 New Hampshire.
SATURDAY
AMHERST FARMER’S MARKET Take in the oldest market in the valley offering a range of products from hard cider to meats and mushrooms. Come listen to live music, take in a story with the library or just get some shopping done from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Amherst Town Common.
FACULTY CONCERT: NADINE AND FRIENDS II A faculty concert features Nadine Shank with Estela Olevsky at 7:30pm at the Fine Arts Center Bezanson Recital Hall.
SUNDAY
MISTER G’S HALLOWEEN FIESTA Head to 274 Main Street, Northampton, to listen to Latin GRAMMY nominated children’s artist Mister G perform from his five original albums. CONCLUSION OF HACKUMASS The 36-hour hackathon comes to an end and at 1 p.m. in the ILC students from colleges across the U.S. and Canada will present their projects to be judged. An awards ceremony will follow at 3 p.m.
APPLES
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JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN
The Cold Springs Orchard uses a variety of techniques to produce the highest quality apples possible.
LEADER
Spring, a device is placed at the tops of trees to stunt the growth, keeping the limbs at a manageable 10 to 12 feet in height. Foy said ingenuity on the apple orchard benefits everyone – from those who work hard year-round running the orchard, to those who make the annual autumn trip to fill their bags. “This is a happy place. The breeze is here, the apples are here,” she said. As for UMass students, trips to Cold Spring are gaining popularity according to Foy. “Our school group tours have increased significantly in the past five years and we have also been receiving more publicity.” Nicole DeFeudis can be reached at nmdefeudis@umass.edu.
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of them end up dropping out of even community college, which is highly unfortunate. So I come from a situation where everyone’s telling us ,‘You need to go to college, you need to get an education, you need to be successful,’ but they’re not actually given any of the tools and resources needed to do that. I work two jobs on campus, I know a lot of low income folks working jobs on campus and so I just want to help out myself and the community I come from for the most part. That’s the stake I have in this. What sort of major events in the past have you helped coordinate with CEPA regarding student debt? I think the one I can recall right off the bat is that last year we had a student debt rally called Wear Your Debt Day. This is something that we coordinated with a grassroots community organizing class, they were great and the idea behind that is that a lot of the time we don’t actually talk about student debt. So by being out, being physical, saying, ‘This is how much I have- I’m just like you,’ it allows people to make the connection that this is a very large problem, this is a problem we should actually be talking about. We collaborate with the Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts, the (Student Government Association), MASSPIRG on putting together recruitment for our lobby visits every year demanding tuition freezes. Hopefully, this year we can take it a step forward
and just demand free higher education altogether, but that’s in the works if you will. Could you elaborate on the demand for free higher education that’s in the works? While on the federal level we already have proposals for free higher education, you have Bernie Sander’s plan with the Robin Hood tax, a lot of people understand that there’s really heavy gridlock in Congress that would probably prevent a federal plan from being successful just about any time soon. It’s great symbolically and it definitely moves the conversation forward. The idea would probably be that if we were going to get anything passed it would probably be on the state and local levels. We had the community college plan in Tennessee and that spurred on Obama wanting free community college. If I remember correctly I think just recently Oregon is another state that decided to join the idea for free community college. We want to use the state now to be the ones that are going to give us free higher education along with pushing the federal plans forward. This could be instead of going to Lobby Day and asking for a tuition freeze we can go out in full force and make an exciting demand that actually is: We want free higher education, this is how students want it to look. We think if we’re going to pass a plan like that it’s going to be on a state level. There might not be the expectation that it’s going to happen this
year or next but I think it’s important to start demanding what we want as opposed to just very small things. What types of advocacy have you been involved with that is unrelated to student debt? We have many core teams in CEPA so we work on a lot of things. I’ve worked in the past on trying to move the conversation forward in increasing the recruitment and retention of students of color on campus. If you recall last year there was a big rally for a diversity town hall, and we tried to get our demands for increased recruitment and retention of students of color onto the Diversity Strategic Plan in order for the University to make a more conscious effort to recruit and retain those students. Now as the policy and legislative director I try and help support the other campaigns that are going on, so I support the Fight for 15 campaign to increase the minimum wage. I support the Divestment from Fossil Fuels campaign which basically says we don’t want our endowments from our public institution to be funding an industry that is effectively destroying our planet amongst other things and other problems that arise when we’re talking about climate justice which we could go into for a while. Do you think your field of study, finance and economics, has had any impact on your work in CEPA? It’s interesting because it’s not necessarily the type of major you would expect of a lot of the peo-
ple doing activism on campus. I don’t think it has negatively done it but it’s cool because I can have a different perspective sometimes on how to think about things. When talking about divesting from fossil fuels for example I think that there’s a very good moral argument for it but there also happens to be a very good financial argument for it. If you do take money out of your portfolio from the fossil fuel industry, given that it seems to be in decline and its volatility is increasing, then you are actually making a sound financial decision on top of a sound moral decision. I think having some knowledge of that has been kind of useful. What do you enjoy to do when you’re not involved in advocacy? Yeah, I like to lift. One of the things we do with some of the folks at CEPA is get together three times a week and try to lift together. I love power lifting; I’ve been in one competition in August that was a lot of fun. I also love to play basketball despite being 5 feet 4 inches and I really like hip hop. I love listening to hip hop and going out on weekends and dancing as opposed to just partying. What position do you play in basketball? Technically (point guard), mostly (point guard) because I like to pass the ball and am not very good at shooting. Stuart Foster can be reached at stuartfoster@umass.edu or followed on Twitter @Stuart_C_Foster.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
DailyCollegian.com
Thursday, October 22, 2015
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Putin, Syria meet to discuss military operations Encounter took place in secret late Tuesday By Patrick J. McDonnell Los Angeles Times
BEIRUT — Syrian President Bashar Assad made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian and Syrian news media reported Wednesday, as Russian jets continued to pound opposition strongholds in the war-ravaged Middle Eastern nation. The meeting, which took place late Tuesday, according to media accounts, was only announced early Wednesday as part of an apparent effort to maintain some hours of secrecy. It was Assad’s first publicly announced trip outside Syria since the armed rebellion against his rule erupted in 2011. Moscow has long been a chief ally of Assad and last month significantly escalated its aid, launching an intensive aerial bombing campaign in Syria against antigovernment insurgents – including some groups that reportedly receive
clandestine support from the CIA. Moscow says its warplanes are solely targeting terrorists in Syria, including various al-Qaida-linked extremists who have come to dominate the armed opposition. Washington has condemned the Russian aerial offensive in Syria as counterproductive and “doomed to failure,” in the words of President Barack Obama. In Moscow, Assad and Putin discussed the military situation in Syria and agreed that a political solution is urgently needed to end the conflict, Russian news agencies reported. “Naturally, the talks focused on fighting terrorist extremist groups, carrying on with the Russian operation, and support for the Syrian army’s offensive,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow on Wednesday, according to Russia’s RT news service. On Russian television, Putin lauded Syria’s role. “The Syrian people practically by themselves have been fending off and fighting against terrorism for several years,” Putin said. Images on TV showed Assad speaking with Putin in a formal gath-
ering that included several other high-level Russian officials, such as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that Secretary of State John F. Kerry would meet Friday in Vienna with Lavrov and their counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The conflict in Syria was expected to be high on the agenda. Whether the top-level meetings would result in a new peace initiative for Syria remained unclear. U.S. officials maintain that Assad has been a magnet for terrorism and must leave office before any permanent political resolution can be reached. Recently, Washington has modified its stance and said Assad could remain for an unspecified but limited period as part of a negotiated transition government. Officials in Moscow and Damascus say the Russian campaign has been a major boost for the Syrian military. Pro-government forces in Syria suffered significant territorial losses earlier this year to various opposition groups, including Islamic State, the breakaway al-Qaida faction that is being targeted by a separate, U.S.-led air bombardment campaign.
The Syrian army, backed by Russian airstrikes, has in recent weeks launched ground assaults in key strategic areas of western Syria, including in coastal Latakia, where Russia has refurbished an air base as a platform for its campaign. Russia is coordinating its attacks with Damascus, which says it requested Moscow’s military aid. With Russian air support, Syria says, its forces have also been pushing back “terrorists” outside Damascus, the capital; in Homs, Hama and Idlib provinces to the north; and in the vicinity of the northern city of Aleppo, which has long been divided between government and opposition control. Assisting Syrian ground troops are hundreds of military advisers from Iran, another key backer of Assad, and thousands of militiamen from Hezbollah, the Lebanese-based group allied with Iran. Russian officials have said the air operation would last several months, but have not set a precise date for its conclusion. Russia says it has no intention of sending ground forces. Since Moscow’s air onslaught began Sept. 30, Russian and Syrian
officials say, Russian aircraft and guided missiles have hit scores of “terrorist” targets, including ammo dumps, bomb-making factories, underground bunkers, gun emplacements, headquarter compounds and armed vehicles. U.S. officials have voiced concern that Russian attacks are striking moderate rebel factions, including some backed by the United States and its allies. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and other U.S. partners have provided substantial military aid to those rebels and have denied arming terrorist fighters in Syria. The Russian air campaign appears to have injected new urgency into long-stalled initiatives to craft a political solution to the Syrian war, which has cost more than 200,000 lives, left much of the country in ruins and forced more than 4 million into exile. A wave of refugees from Syria and elsewhere into Europe has triggered a crisis in some European nations and resulted in calls from U.S. allies to ramp up efforts for peace talks.
Biden: No presidential run, Human fist evolved to but I won’t be staying quiet punch, new study says
By Lesley Clark, Anita Kumar and David Lightman
McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden’s dream of the presidency is over, the end of an always elusive, always frustrating lifelong quest for the White House. Biden was mentioned as a possible president almost from the day he came to the U.S. Senate as a 30-year-old whiz kid in 1973. But some of the very skills that made him a respected lawmaker also helped doom his efforts. He was a deal maker, a compromiser, long-winded even by Senate standards and a backslapper in a chamber where such qualities were welcomed. It never translated on the campaign trail. And polls this year suggested a White House bid was unlikely, long before he made it official on Wednesday. At first, 1988 looked like a promising year, with no Democratic favorite after the party was crushed in the 1984 elections. Biden’s campaign, though, ended with a plagiarism scandal after he admitted to borrowing from a speech by a British politician. He tried again in 2007, only to stumble out of the gate with a gaffe, calling Obama “the first mainstream AfricanAmerican who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” Biden went nowhere, finishing just ahead of “uncommitted” in the Iowa caucus with 0.9 percent of the vote. This time, there was opportunity among restive Democrats for a straight talker, with presumed Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton facing questions of honesty and trustworthiness amid revelations that she had elected to use a private email server while serving as secretary of State. But for Biden, who always seemed to speak with his heart on his sleeve, the May death of his eldest son, Beau, upended any political calculations as he and his family grieved their loss. On Wednesday, standing in the White House Rose Garden just outside the Oval office, with his wife at one side and Obama at his other, the 72-year-old Biden acknowledged that although he and his family had reached the grieving point where the thought of Beau “brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eyes,” it was too late for a presidential campaign. He would have started at an almost insurmountable disadvantage: no campaign staff, no
MIKE THEILER/CNP/ZUMA PRESS/TNS
Joe Biden announces he will not be seeking the Democratic presidential nomination alongside his wife Dr. Jill Biden and President Barack Obama on Tuesday. campaign structure in early voting states and no fundraising dollars like Clinton and challenger Bernie Sanders have amassed. There were also looming questions about his candidacy, with he and Clinton appealing to the same Democratic Party constituency, and few polls suggesting that there was a hunger among voters for his candidacy. He awoke Wednesday to find two new polls showing his already tepid support ebbing and Clinton pulling farther ahead since her strong performance in the first Democratic debate. Biden had the support of just 15 percent of Democratic voters in a new NBC/Wall Street Journal survey, down from 17 percent last month. And a Washington Post-ABC poll showed his support dropping from 21 percent in September to 16 percent. This while Clinton was climbing from 42 percent to 54 percent. Biden made it clear that he wanted to get there, but conceded, “we’re out of time.” Dick Harpootlian, a longtime Democratic activist in South Carolina and an ardent Biden supporter, said he was disappointed with Biden’s decision but understood his motivation. “You respect the guy who doesn’t kick his family to the curb,” he said. “He’s an honorable man who did the honorable thing.” Talk that Biden would run ramped up over the summer when New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd reported that Beau in his final days battling brain cancer had urged his father to run for the White House. Biden pledged Wednesday to push for cancer research in his last 15 months as vice president. “If I could be anything, I would want it to be the president that ended cancer,” he said. Talk of a Biden run, championed by an outside group, Draft Biden, reached a fever
pitch in recent days when it appeared that Biden was criticizing Clinton while cementing his relationship with Obama and touting his expanded portfolio as a modern-day vice president. His decision is good news for Clinton, who already was gaining and now does not have to worry that the warm, genial Biden will be on the trail inviting comparisons to her personal weaknesses. His folksy, heart-on-thesleeve approach would stand in sharp contrast to the former secretary of State’s oftscripted style. And a long record of support and leadership on favorite Democratic issues such as gay rights, gun control and domestic violence has won him a passionate following. Polls suggest that with Biden not in the race, Clinton’s lead over Sanders will grow. Biden did manage a swipe at Clinton as he called for an end to divisive politics, saying Democrats should not “look at Republicans as our enemies. They are our opposition; they’re not our enemies. And for the sake of the country, we have to work together.” Clinton at last week’s debate had listed “Republicans” when asked which enemies she was proudest of. And Biden did not signal that he would endorse any candidate but urged Democrats to run on Obama’s record, saying they’d “be making a tragic mistake if we walk away or attempt to undo the Obama legacy.” Clinton in recent weeks has sought to put distance between herself and Obama, calling for a no-fly zone in Syria and opposing Obama’s ambitious Pacific Rim trade package.
By Amina Khan Los Angeles Times
Human hands may have developed the ideal shape over time for punching, according to a new study using male cadaver arms. By using the arms to punch a dumbbell while in different positions - a clenched fist, a relaxed fist and an open-palmed slap - scientists were able to determine that the clenched fist made it much safer to serve someone a knuckle sandwich without getting hurt. The findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, bolsters a controversial theory that ties human physiology to a violent past. Compared with nonhominin primates such as chimpanzees, humans have developed a very different hand structure, with a shorter palm, shorter fingers and a relatively longer thumb. This is thought to be a result of hands evolving for more dexterity, allowing our predecessors to wield and manipulate tools. “That’s the standard argument, it makes all kinds of sense. ... There’s every reason to believe that,” said lead author David Carrier, a comparative physiologist at the University of Utah. But Carrier and colleagues have put forth a different, perhaps complementary idea: that as the
human hand was becoming more delicate, it may have evolved into just the right shape to fit into a fist _ all the better for punching opponents without accidentally breaking one’s own bones. It’s a controversial idea, and one that Carrier has been building upon for some time: Last year, he and colleagues released a paper showing that the male human face may have evolved to withstand more impacts from being punched - presumably during competitions for mates. For this study, Carrier focused on the fist. He obtained nine male arms from body donor programs and, by attaching fishing line to the tendons connected to muscles in the forearm, researchers could control the wrist, thumb and forefingers. They attached strain gauges to the delicate bones in the palm known as the metacarpals, which would be at a high risk of being damaged or broken during a fight. The researchers mounted each hand to a platform that swung like a pendulum, bringing the fist into contact with a padded dumbbell with an accelerometer embedded in it. This allowed them to measure the force that the fist was experiencing on contact. One arm ended up being too arthritic, but the scien-
tists used the other eight to wail on the padded weight in three different positions _ a clenched fist, an unclenched fist (without the protection of a thumb and fully curled fingers) as well as an open hand slap. As expected, they found that the clenched fist, with the fingers tightly curled into the palm and the thumb providing reinforcement across the knuckles, reduced deformation in the metacarpals, lowering the risk of breakage. As hands grew more dexterous and delicate, the first shape allowed male humans to keep using it as a weapon, presumably to compete for access to potential mates _ a behavior that’s seen in many other primates, Carrier said. Carrier’s line of research has its critics and has attracted controversy. The comparative biomechanist says it’s because some might (incorrectly) come to the conclusion that such findings could be used to sanction violent behavior. “I think some of that’s understandable. There’s a fear that if there is evidence that we are anatomically specialized for aggressive behavior, that might in some way justify violence, might justify aggression, might justify bad behavior,” Carrier said. “And the way I respond to that is by saying understanding is not justification.”
Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
“Never mistake motion for action.” - Ernest Hemingway
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Editorial@DailyCollegian.com
US, Russia both hypocrites As the fighting in bears a striking resemSyria rages towards what blance to the United some have started to call States’ alliance with Saudi Arabia. Ian Hagerty While the United States looks down upon a proxy war between the Saudi Arabia’s constant United States and Russia, use of brutal punishment, it is beginning to be diffi- such as the recent impriscult to tell who is fighting onment and flogging of for whom. a 74-year-old British citi Earlier this year, the zen for carrying homeUnited States began an made alcohol, the two effort to train moderate countries still consider rebel groups in Syria. This themselves close allies effort came as a response and trade partners. The to the human rights vio- United States manages to lations cited against the ignore certain violations Bashar al-Assad regime of morality in order to in Syria when it violently maintain this relationresponded against anti- ship with Saudi Arabia. government protests, We have, since the end of killing about 1,000. It has World War II, when the been widely believed that United States and Saudi since civil war began in Arabia struck up an alli2011, al-Assad’s govern- ance fighting the comment military has also mon enemy of commuused chemical weapons nism. Earlier this year, against it’s own people. the United States assisted Russia has spent the last the Saudi military with
“The United States and Russia are incredibly similar world super powers – their difference mainly lying in their position along the web of alliances.” two weeks conducting air strikes, mostly on rebel held territory, in support of the Syrian government and the al-Assad regime. Simultaneously, Russia has claimed that its main target in the air strikes is that of ISIS. This all creates a very confusing situation. While Russia and the United States both claim to want to destroy ISIS, Russia is fighting for the al-Assad regime to stay in power, and the United States is fighting to overthrow it. Not to mention the fact that the rebels are divided into many different groups with opposing views and there is also a large Kurdish population in the country fighting for their livelihoods and freedoms. As an American, it is easy to see Vladimir Putin as the big bad guy dressed in red and Russia as the cold menacing threat we once became conditioned to hate during the Cold War. While it may be true that our countries have some decided differences in policy and worldview, it is actually pretty easy to see how similar the two countries are in terms of foreign policy. The Russian government supports the Syrian government. The Syrian government is guilty of war crimes including mass killings and use of chemical weapons against the public. Russia continues to support the Syrian government by providing weaponry and supporting air strikes throughout the region. This all seems so wrong. On the other hand, the Russian support of Syria
intelligence for air strikes in neighboring Yemen. The United States and Saudi Arabia are nothing short of comfy and close allies. Russia has long had a similar situation with Syria. Ever since 1946, Syria and Russia have been allies both militarily and economically. For years, Russia has had strong trade ties with Syria, as well. While it is easy to look down upon Russia for supporting the al-Assad regime, and it’s brutal ways, it is just as easy to hate the United States for so openly supporting Saudi Arabia amongst all of it’s human rights violations. It’s easy to pick the side of the country you live in, and it might even make the most sense. Who knows whether a prevailing ideology will ever surface to bring the cold tension between the United States and Russia to a warm simmer. Maybe a common enemy will do the trick; it has always seemed to in the past. Whatever the case, the United States and Russia are incredibly similar world super powers – their difference mainly lying in their position along the web of alliances strewn about over the years, and how to navigate that web without tearing the whole thing down. Syria marks an interesting kink in the web and only time will tell where it will take the United States and Russia, along with much of the rest of the world.
How to occupy a country (if you must) United States police actions have a cyclical quality to them. Policymakers feel threatened by foreign unrest, begin trickling
Frank Schulze United States troops into the area to topple the existing power structure, and then start investing in a strategy to prop up a self-sufficient government, friendly to United States interests. It has not worked. Two years after United States withdrawal from Vietnam, Communist forces toppled the government that the US spent twenty years creating and “saving.” Three years after United States withdrawal from Iraq, the Islamic State declared itself a global caliphate and began confiscating territory from the US-backed Iraqi government. On Oct. 15, 2015, President Obama told the nation that the United States would not be withdrawing from Afghanistan, delaying the repetition of history for another day. None of this story is a secret; all of this information is available to those who continuously insist
on intervening to mollify an enemy into a regional ally. Why then, does the United States continue to do this? History does have a successful counterexample to an otherwise obvious trend to failure: the postwar Occupation of Japan. After World War II, the United States was able to rebuild Japan as an industrial powerhouse and as a stable Pacific ally that never fell to communism or harbored terrorists. Indeed, President George W. Bush used Japan to rationalize his long-term plan for the War in Iraq. In a 2005 appearance at Bethesda Naval Medical Center, President Bush recalled, “Harry Truman… recognized the power of freedom to transform an enemy into an ally. That’s what happened. And so Japan adopted a Japanese-style democracy. And… democracies don’t fight each other.” Unfortunately, the success of the United States Occupation of Japan was largely circumstantial and should not be looked to as a blueprint to justify future foreign interventions. A legitimate government is a product of its culture. Japan
was able to embrace democracy because its people had already hosted elections starting in 1890, despite a brief dance with imperial militants. The people of Japan had already decided, without any external help, that an elected government was one that it could support. By contrast, the media lauded the first elections in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2004 and 2005, respectively, as United States triumphs. Human beings need to learn to walk on their own, and they will do so when they are ready. By the time US General Douglas MacArthur was given the power to democratize Japan, the nation had already taken its first steps. MacArthur also realized that the people of Japan highly respected their emperor, Hirohito, and he was a symbolic force that kept the people anchored to their nation. He allowed the emperor to stay in power as the figurehead of Japanese society, but his power was diminished under the postwar Constitution Japan would later ratify. Compare this merciful approach to the immediate top-
pling of Hussein’s government or the United States’ snubbing of Ho Chi Minh. Regardless of their moral shortcomings, these rulers meant something to the people they represent that Cold War America and War on Terror America fail to understand. General MacArthur’s reforms also included a progressive tax structure, an industrial departure from defense contracting to consumer goods, and a labor-centric economy, all to facilitate the participation of working families in the new Japan. Later reforms have not followed suit. The stack of United States foreign entanglements has accumulated throughout the last seventyfive years in pursuit of emulating the success of Japan, but never once was it the United States that “recognized the power of freedom” to develop a stable ally in Japan, it was the Japanese themselves.
Frank Schulze is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at fschulze@umass. edu.
Ian Hagerty is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at ihagerty@umass.edu.
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The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is published Monday through Thursday during the University of Massachusetts calendar semester. The Collegian is independently funded, operating on advertising revenue. Founded in 1890, the paper began as Aggie Life, became the College Signal in 1901, the Weekly Collegian in 1914 and the Tri–Weekly Collegian in 1956. Published daily from 1967 to 2014, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.
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Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
“I’ve never made a bad song.” - Justin Bieber
Thursday, October 22, 2015
A RT I S T I N T E RV I E W
Local artist Chelsea Granger sees art as a magically innate process By Aly Nichols
Collegian Correspondent
It was only recently that Chelsea Granger became more comfortable calling herself an artist. One look at her work would confirm the validity in this belief: Granger has a true talent. Granger is an artist originally from Southwick that strives to make affordable art. She first attended – and later dropped out of due to expenses – Parsons School of Design in New York, but eventually went back to school and graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting from the University of Massachusetts. Though Granger says art was the place she felt most comfortable, she doesn’t think she ever identified as an artist. She knew art would remain an unwavering constant in her life but one that would be overshadowed by making substantial money for living expenses. Only in the past few years have these two things started to overlap for Granger. Granger described her particular style as “rooted in the human condition – the fragility of existence, both gorgeous and horrible. To paint with the intention of the work being a blessing of sorts – to be presented to the viewer but also to the universe, sky, fields, spirits, et cetera. “I have believed for a long time that there is some sort of other-worldly thing happening when making art, that some sort of magic is taking place – painting as some sort of healing-ritual-offering-tool. My work concerns gathering, grief, land, plants, the animal world, mourning,
grief, liminal spaces, celebration, crowds, processions, love and beauty.” Her work can vary with how long it usually takes to complete, ranging from hours for some paintings to days or months for others. And for her collaborations, it can take much longer because of the time spent communicating between her and her partner. Granger has been a part of many collaborations with other artists. Most Deathmarch, pictured above, features many often, she works inspiring to her work. with another artist, Brittany Nickerson. They co-created of art, most work is inspired an herbal-moon poster five by other work or people. years ago and have annu- Granger’s favorite artists and ally collaborated on it since. inspirations are her friends, Granger describes the collab- family and the community orative partnership as sup- that surround her. portive. “I am inspired by how Collaborations start- they show up in this world,” ed after Granger took she said. “I am inspired by Nickerson’s Home Herbalism old botanical illustrations, class and began making by scrap fabric, folk artists, pictures in her notebook folk medicine, junk piles to remember things better. and hand painted signs from Since then, Granger has fallyears ago. I am extremely en into the habit of drawing inspired by radical, beautiplants with no references. ful thinkers such as Audre “There is some sort of Lorde, Ursula Le Guin and magic that happens when I am able to draw something my dear old-lady friend Jo directly from life,” Granger – I think intergenerational said. “This has deeply affect- friendships are undervalued ed my art practice beyond our and so important and inspircollaborations. Collaboration ing to the health of humanhas also taught me to be a ity.” goals for better listener, question Long-term Granger consist of continuasker, problem solver, negotiator and businesswoman. ing down her current path Collaboration has made me and expanding her art into more confident and more more outlets. This includes returning to screen printing capable.” When it comes to the world as well as possibly creating
COURTESY OF CHELSEA GRANGER
figures. Garnger regards people as
some illustrated books with friends. She wants to become more fluent in Spanish to better connect and engage with the organizations and people doing work she believes in surrounding social and environmental justice. After living in a house with 10 others, she’s recently moved to Connecticut, where she spends any time not spent creating art on reading, listening to radio programs and being out in nature. Granger is mostly self-employed with her art and has an Etsy shop. Her current project is with another artistic outlet of hers: The Royal Frog Ballet, which she describes as “a group of artists and friends who make collaborative spectacles and performance art.” Aly Nichols can be reached at anichols@umass.edu.
Survivng the change to fall fashion Living in New England during the changing of seasons can be tough. While walking around campus during September and October, there is a wide range of outfit choices and temperatures. In 70-degree weather, scarfs are already hanging off of necks. Students walk to class dressed in sweaters and boots juxtaposed with tank tops and flipflops when the temperature drops to 50 degrees. It seems as though the weather and student closets are in a state of mass confusion. At one moment, the brisk air causes a retreat back inside for an extra layer, and a few hours later that layer will make you break a sweat. It seems almost impossible to find the perfect balance of clothing to adapt to the rapid transitional weather. This just adds even more stress to the conventional difficulties of college. Although it seems like an enormous challenge to be comfortable throughout the day, it doesn’t take a large bank account or require students to force themselves to
LAUREN CROCIATI/COLLEGIAN
Mariss Pati poses in her layered fall look which includes a hat, scarf, and boots. deal with stringent outfits for hours on end. The perfect solution? Layering. “In the morning I always feel like I have to dress for 20-degree weather with heavy coats and a lot of layers, and as the day goes on I take off a few layers depending on how warm it gets,” freshman Kelcey Hardy said. Marissa Pati, another freshman settling into college, has already mastered the summer to fall transition. “I love wearing scarves,
Poetry Spotlight Of the Week Standing in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum By Sarah Gamard
FA S H I O N
By Lauren Crociati Collegian Correspondent
Arts@DailyCollegian.com
price of $25 to $50. The online store Red Dress Boutique has adorable sweaters for just $30, and scarves for $15 to $20. The clearance section of this website even has numerous options that are perfect for layering for just $5 or $10. Jeans are perhaps the perfect method for staying cute and cool during the fall, and Charlotte Russe has them for just $25 and under. Despite the ridiculous argument that leggings are not pants, they pair perfectly with boots and can be found at Old Navy starting at $10. Their leggings have been known to provide many with years of use due to their high quality. When the temperature is warm and feels as though it is the last remaining heat from summer, take off the cardigan, jacket, scarf and hat. You’ll be relieved that you didn’t choose the fluffy sweater that could only be taken off in the privacy of your own room and switched out for a short sleeve shirt.
vests and hats in the beginning of the day so that during my warmer walks to afternoon classes I can easily take them off and still look fashionable. It’s been an easy way for me to adjust to the long walks around UMass,” she said. As college students on tight budgets, it is essential to find these layering options at a low price while still maintaining style. Forever 21 is a perfect example of affordable fashion. There are several options for both light and heavy jackets Lauren Crociati can be reached at and vests at the reasonable lcrociati@umass.edu.
I don’t know if there is a God. But I have felt God on the dew of elephant leaves, the arms of clouds on mountain trails. I have seen God in rain on Easter, the sulking branches of lemon trees, the dirt. I have heard God in long, cicada evenings, in frog ponds, in gravel, in the echo of my footsteps on the dull wood of the boxcar in the Holocaust Museum, the voice of my mother, telling me, as we did dishes, about the 42,000 camps and ghettos in Europe under the Nazi regime. I don’t know if God exists. But I hate the smell of shoes when they are piled together, refusing to decay into the floor, blue and colossal like a river at dusk, dead and colossal like a ditch of bodies, quiet and colossal like my mother’s mahogany armoire. White mannequins, three inches tall, throw up their arms to God in little gas chambers. They are naked behind the glass case, skinny like rats, mouths flung open like cottage windows in spring. I am a coward because there are bombs Syria, camps in North Korea, children who find corn cobs in the manure of cows, fighting over it, mouths salivating. Finally, they wash it in the river, break it in half. There is God in that corn Famous Poem Feature : Autumn Perspective by Erica Jong Now, moving in, cartons on the floor, the radio playing to bare walls, picture hooks left stranded in the unsoiled squares where paintings were, and something reminding us this is like all other moving days; finding the dirty ends of someone else’s life, hair fallen in the sink, a peach pit, and burned-out matches in the corner; things not preserved, yet never swept away like fragments of disturbing dreams we stumble on all day. . . in ordering our lives, we will discard them, scrub clean the floorboards of this our home lest refuse from the lives we did not lead become, in some strange, frightening way, our own. And we have plans that will not tolerate our fears-- a year laid out like rooms in a new house--the dusty wine glasses rinsed off, the vases filled, and bookshelves sagging with heavy winter books. Seeing the room always as it will be, we are content to dust and wait. We will return here from the dark and silent streets, arms full of books and food, anxious as we always are in winter, and looking for the Good Life we have made. I see myself then: tense, solemn, in high-heeled shoes that pinch, not basking in the light of goals fulfilled, but looking back to now and seeing a lazy, sunburned, sandaled girl in a bare room, full of promise and feeling envious. Now we plan, postponing, pushing our lives forward into the future--as if, when the room contains us and all our treasured junk we will have filled whatever gap it is that makes us wander, discontented from ourselves. The room will not change: a rug, or armchair, or new coat of paint won’t make much difference; our eyes are fickle but we remain the same beneath our suntans, pale, frightened, dreaming ourselves backward and forward in time, dreaming our dreaming selves. I look forward and see myself looking back
6
Thursday, October 22, 2015
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
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HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Anywhere on campus, you will hear the symphony of many coughs.
pisces
Feb. 19 - Mar. 20
leo
July 23 - Aug. 22
Better start knitting that sweater, Leo.
virgo
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
Paper, stop trying to make Netflix and chill happen.
Build a cafe. In fact, build many cafes. A cafe in each building.
aries
libra
Sept. 23 - Oct. 22
scorpio
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
Mar. 21 - Apr. 19
But seriously: what if I really just want to Netflix and chill?
taurus
Apr. 20 - May 20
gemini
May. 21 - Jun. 21
Start a social experiment. Help us understand the ways of humans.
Thank you for sneezing directly on my apple, sir.
Treating a service dog-in-training like a normal dog is not how it works.
sagittarius
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Spilling rice on the floor is the worst possible thing. Don’t let it happen to you.
You can finish that costume and that midterm. I believe in you!
cancer
capricorn
Jun. 22 - Jul. 22
Why do teachers put opinion questions on tests, but then mark them wrong?
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
It promised me citrus scent, but it gave me vanilla.
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7
Thursday, October 22, 2015
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Minutewomen in search of first road win UMass 0-4-1 in its “We are looking for the girls to play the same type of away games this season game on the road as they would at Rudd (Field). If we By Adam Aucoin Collegian Staff
2015 has been a year of positives for the Massachusetts women’s soccer team. Despite being hit hard by injuries early in the season, the team has come together to have one of the better seasons in head coach Ed Matz’s tenure at the school. Balanced offense? Check. Strong defense? Check. Good record at Rudd Field? Check. The one box that UMass (6-5-3, 3-2-1 Atlantic-10) cannot check off is the one reserved for success on the road. For the second straight year, the team has struggled on the road, going 0-4-1 in games away from Rudd Field this season. The Minutewomen now embark on their final road trip of the season, which consists of three games against A-10 opponents. The first of the three games comes Thursday against Duquesne (7-8, 2-4 A-10). The Dukes are coming off a game Sunday against Saint Joseph’s where they lost 1-0 on a
HOCKEY
can put a lot of pressure on them early, I think we can find some success.” Ed Matz, UMass Coach
penalty kick by Hawks midfielder Emily Gingrich in the 67th minute. Offensively, Duquesne rallies around freshman forward Katie O’Conner and sophomore forward Malea Fabean, who have five and four goals respectively. Sophomore midfielder Linnea Faccenda is also one to keep an eye on, as she has three goals and three assists on the season for the Dukes. Matz believes his veteran defense is up for the challenge of slowing down these offensive threats. “Our seniors are very competitive and focused on winning, so I know they will be up for the challenge,” Matz said. “They always cover for each other and if their players get past the backline, hopefully Cassidy is on her game.” Duquesne has been strong at home this season with a 5-3-0 record at Rooney Field. Matz is cognizant of this fact and that his team has struggled on the road, but hopes the team can
finally break through on Thursday. “We are looking for the girls to play the same type of game on the road as they would at Rudd.” Matz said. “If we can come out and put a lot of pressure on them early, I think we can find some success.” An encouraging sign for UMass has been the offensive surge the team has seen the last few games. In their last two games, the team has scored a combined eight goals, four apiece against Rhode Island and Davidson. Matz has loved the balanced scoring he has seen from the team recently. “Having eight goals scored by eight different players is always good for the balance of the team,” Matz said. “When you play like that, the opposition can’t just focus on one player. In our pregame film, we will stress to everyone the need to step up Thursday.” The team has scored 19 goals on the season and the only person who has more than two goals is
arated by two games in the standings, “The A-10 tournament is always the goal at the start of the season,” Matz said. “If we don’t find ways to win on the road, there is no way we will have success if we make it there. I think it’s pretty important that we win at least two of the last four games.” Adam Aucoin can be reached at aaucoin@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @aaucoin34.
JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN
Jackie Bruno (left) hugs Alyssa Fratarcangeli (right) after Bruno’s goal during UMass’ 4-2 win against URI Sunday.
ROCKETS
continued from page 8
praised their coaching and preparation. “They’re always well coached. I have a lot of respect for the job that coach (Dick) Umile does. Guys are always very well prepared. They play in transition offensively very, very well,” Micheletto said. The Wildcats are led by junior forward Tyler Kelleher, who scored 42 points in 39 games last season, and goaltender Danny Tirone, who was 14-6 with a .924 save percentage. This year, Kelleher has four points through the first three games, while Tirone has started all of them in goal. UMass will look for more strong offensive performances from players like Kravchenko and freshman forward Austin Plevy. Senior Shane Walsh is also off to a quick start, and UMass is hoping to see its excellent offensive start to continue. “We’re getting great defense which leads to even better offense,” Kravchenko said. “We have a lot of offensive power this year. Guys are doing the right things in all three zones, and it’s leading to goals.”
forward Megan Burke, who has three. Six other players on the Minutewomen have two goals. UMass currently sits in sixth place in the A-10 with four games remaining on the season. If the playoffs were to start today, it would make it, as the top eight teams in the conference qualify for the conference tournament. The Minutewomen can’t be too comfortable sitting in that position though because the third place and 12th place teams are only sep-
continued from page 8
“In order for us to play well, we just have to know the matchups and know who we’re going against” Shane Huber, UMass linebacker
JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN
The Minutemen’s 3-0 start is the best start to a season since 2009. The team is has also benefited from better goaltending after a shaky year in net last season. Sophomore Henry Dill is 2-0 with a .938 save percentage, and freshman Nic Renyard is 1-0 with an identical .938 mark. The numbers have been good, and the wins have been there as well. But the Minutemen will be opening Hockey East play Friday night, and the Wildcats represent
a step up in competition from the teams they have faced so far. UNH will be motivated after two close losses, and it should be a competitive game between the Hockey East foes. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the Mullins Center in Amherst. Ross Gienieczko can be reached at rgieniec@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @RossGien.
Huber added that filling the running lanes as a front seven unit will be key in stopping not only Hunt, but Toledo’s additional threats in the deep running back unit. “They’ve had a stable of running backs,” Huber said. “In order for us to play well, we just have to know the matchups and know who we’re going against. We don’t need to do anything extra, it’s all about filling our gaps and executing our assignments.” Huber said early practices this week have seen a large amount of energy from the defense in gang-tackling exercises and other drills. He said that sure tackling and winning the turnover battle will be key in Saturday’s game. Through six games, UMass is tied for 10th in the MAC in turnover margin.
“We’ve done a good job of forcing points and stopping teams on fourth down. But I think the turnover battle – interceptions, forcing fumbles, strip sacks – is something we can definitely work on,” Huber said. “It gives you sparks of momentum and can change the game,” Whipple added about the importance of turnovers. “(Toledo) has had the tendency to roll the ball back some so we’ll just work toward that. We’re working on it. They come in bunches, so hopefully it’s this week.” Saturday’s kickoff is set for 3 p.m. It will be UMass’ first game at Gillette Stadium since Sept. 19 against Temple. Anthony Chiusano can be reached at achiusano@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @a_chiusano24.
M L B P L AY O F F
Mets sweep Cubs in 8-3 win, head to World Series By Marc Carig Newsday
CHICAGO — It was quick. It was powerful. It was ruthless. And for these Mets, it all seemed so fitting. At some point amid the trades gone bad, the tears on the infield, the suspensions, the cold streaks, and then the second-half renaissance, the Mets underwent a metamorphosis. They became bullies. So, this was the persona they adopted in a four-game sweep of the Cubs in the National League Championship Series, a show of dominance made official with Wednesday night’s 8-3 victory. For the first time in 15 years, the Mets have the pennant. They are going to the World Series. Lucas Duda thawed from his October cold streak, tying a postseason club record with five RBIs. They came on a three-run homer in the first, followed by a two-run double in the second to give the Mets a 6-0 lead. Travis d’Arnaud added a solo shot in the first. Daniel Murphy, the Most Valuable Player of the NLCS, lashed four hits, including a tworun shot in the eighth that sent the chill of winter through the Friendly Confines. He crossed the plate, raised his hand to the sky, then lost himself in a sea of teammates in the dugout.
The Mets’ breakout star hit .529 (9-for-17 with three homers). He has homered seven times in the postseason, and in six straight playoff games, the first ever to accomplish the feat. Steve Matz worked 4 2/3 innings, forced to work out of trouble in the fourth and then again in the fifth, before he was pulled for Bartolo Colon. But with a big lead, he was good enough to hold the Cubs to one run, capping a brilliant run for the Mets’ stable of young arms. In banishing the Cubs to their 107th consecutive season without a championship, Mets pitching held one of baseball’s most explosive offenses to eight runs in four games. Meanwhile, the Mets set a franchise record with 14 homers, eclipsing the 12 by the 1969 championship team. After needing a heart-stopping Game 5 win to get past the Dodgers in the NLDS, the Mets made it look easy in the NLCS. The only downer of the night came in the second inning when Yoenis Cespedes left the game with what the team called a sore left shoulder. The severity of the injury is unknown. But the sweep will provide a useful buffer until the start of the World Series on Tuesday against the Royals or Blue Jays. Within the clubhouse, the Mets refused to treat Game 4 as a given. They remained wary of the consequences, however unlikely, of let-
The New York Mets advanced to the World Series for the first time since 2000. ting up. By the end of the second inning, Wrigley Field had gone from an autumn carnival to a sullen wake. Jason Hammel walked off the field to boos after 1 1/3 innings, chased by a Mets offense that pounced early and often. Duda delivered the first blow, launching his three-run shot just left of straightaway center field,
plunking the roof of the batter’s eye. Before the crowd of 44,227 could settle in, d’Arnaud ripped a solo shot the opposite way to right field. For the first time since the 1988 NLCS, the Mets hit back-toback homers in the postseason. In the second, against lefty Travis Wood, Duda came through again. With runners on first and second, he hammered a double that
MCT
rolled into the gap in right-center, driving in two. Perhaps the Mets’ streakiest hitter, Duda entered Game 4 3-for-24 in the postseason, all singles. His first hit of the NLCS did not come until Game 3, a bullet through the shift. “I’ve got to get back on track and I’ve got to get back on track soon,” he said. “Hopefully, today is a step in the right direction.”
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Weekend
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Sports@DailyCollegian.com
@MDC_SPORTS
FOOTBALL
Minutemen host No. 19 Toledo at Gillette Rockets enter Saturday with perfect 6-0 record By Anthony Chiusano Collegian Staff
Massachusetts coach Mark Whipple admitted the Minutemen may not have shown full focus in the recent weeks of their 1-5 start in 2015. Citing the aura surrounding its trip to Notre Dame Sept. 26 (resulting in a 62-27 loss) and the most recent homecoming weekend (a 15-10 loss to Kent State), Whipple said Wednesday that UMass has had its fair share of distractions. “I think there’s been some distractions and we haven’t been totally focused since the Temple game,” Whipple said. “They have
to focus on this (Saturday), and when they do that, we’re a good team.” However, with their next matchup coming Saturday against No. 19 Toledo (6-0, 3-0 Mid-American Conference), the Minutemen will have to fully regain their focus in their attempt to turn around a disappointing season at the midway point. “I think we came out (Tuesday) for practice and everybody was onto Toledo,” UMass linebacker Shane Huber said. “This is a game you circle on your calendar, getting to knock off the No. 19 team in the country and turn your season around. It’s a great opportunity to erase all the losses and deficits that we’ve had this season.” The Rockets enter Saturday’s matchup at Gillette Stadium with one of the conference’s top offens-
es, averaging 34.7 points per game and 446.2 yards per game. Leading Toledo’s attack is a strong running game, which leads the conference with 204.5 rushing yards per game behind a threeheaded attack of Terry Swanson (four touchdowns), Damion Jones-Moore (five touchdowns) and Kareem Hunt (three touchdowns). Hunt, a junior, is the reigning MAC player of the year. The tailback returned from a two-game suspension to begin the season for violation of team rules to rush for 86.3 yards per game in his three games of action. In last year’s matchup, Hunt led Toledo to a 42-35 shootout victory over UMass with 198 of the Rockets’ 304 total yards on the ground. After Wednesday’s practice, Whipple said stopping Hunt
ALEC ZABRECKY/COLLEGIAN
UMass’ defense lines up to block a field goal in its 15-10 loss to Kent State Saturday. is one of the Minutemen’s top priorities this weekend. “Swanson was really good against us last year and Kareem Hunt was voted the best player in the MAC and I don’t disagree
MEN’S SOCCER
with it,” Whipple said. “He’s getting his carries and he’s part of the reason why they’re the No. 19 team in the country.” see
ROCKETS on page 7
FOOTBALL
CAPTAIN CLUTCH
Da’Sean Downey pleads not guilty Massachusetts football linebacker Da’Sean Downey pled not guilty Wednesday to assault charges stemming from an off-campus fight last February, according to multiple reports. Downey, a sophomore, was arraigned in Hampshire District Court on two charges of assault and battery causing serious bodily harm. He’s due back in court Dec. 8 for a pretrial hearing, per the reports. Downey was involved in an altercation with two UMass men, former UMass student Brendan Hoffses and current senior Alex Stolicny, at a Hadley house party, that left both men injured. Stolicny required further medical attention at UMass Medical Center
in Worcester for facial injuries, per the Daily Hampshire Gazette. The University suspended Downey from the football team last spring and restricted him from various campus activities amid an investigation in the altercation. He was reinstated to the team this fall, and has not faced further punishment. According to the reports, Judge John Payne Jr. released Downey on conditions he have no contact with either men, and to stay at least 10 feet away from them. Payne appointed bar advocate Scott Rathbun to represent Downey. Sports Desk
HOCKEY
JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN
UMass captain Will Ellis (10) scored on two penalty kicks in the Minutemen’s 2-1 win over La Salle on Thursday.
Will Ellis converts two PKs in win UM now tied for second in A-10
This was UMass’ fourth victory of the season, surpassing last year’s win total of three and earning its third conference win of the year to By Ryan Donovan move to a tie for second within the A-10 with 10 points. and Jason Kates Collegian Staff For Ellis, whose goals were Massachusetts’ men’s soc- his first two off the season, this was a contest where three cer captain Will Ellis had two points was a must. separate opportunities to take “It was hard-fought. penalty kicks against La Salle Obviously, we needed to beat goalkeeper Mike Kirk. them to secure a spot over Both times, the ball found them in the tournament, so the back of the net. it was pretty big for us to In a game that was overbeat them and shadowed by 36 comknock them bined team fouls and UMass 2 off,” Ellis a series of controversaid. “They’re sial officiating calls, La Salle 1 a team that the Minutemen (4-10c o n s i s tently 1, 3-1-1 Atlantic 10) makes the defeated the Explorers (5-9-2, playoffs, so beating them 1-4-1 A-10) 2-1, extending their is pretty good, especially at unbeaten streak – including a home.” 0-0 tie against Saint Louis on Ellis added: “Going into the Oct. 10 – to four games. last three games of the season “It was a terrific result,” sitting on 10 points, anything head coach Fran O’Leary said can happen, so it’s pretty big after the game Wednesday. considering the start we had.” “We played a very good La The game-winner for the Salle team, we’ve said this Minutemen came in the 64th before–they have a fabulous minute, approximately 14 mincoach, they’re well set-up, and utes after La Salle’s Andrew have some talented players.” Connors had knotted the game “It was a real hard-fought at one in the 50th minute. encounter and we’re delight- A stranger to taking pened to come away with three alty kicks, Ellis was given the points,” O’Leary added. chance by his teammates to
“I haven’t been on penalties all year, and they gave me both of them. I stepped up and took both” Will Ellis, UMass midfielder take the lead not once, but twice for his team, and he delivered. “I haven’t been on penalties all year, and they gave me both of them,” Ellis said. “I stepped up and took both, the first one the kid jumped early so it gave me time, and the second one I had to do a little bit more, but it was nice. Ellis’ first penalty kick came in the 20th minute to break the scoreless tie. Senior forward Mark Morris drew a penalty against a La Salle defender in the box that allowed set up Ellis to beat Mike Kirk on his first goal of the season that gave UMass a 1-0 lead. UMass held the slight advantage in shots, 16-15, however the Explorers finished with six saves compared to the Minutemen’s two. O’Leary praised his captain’s ability to have success on both penalties, and felt it was a proper reward for a hardworking player. “It’s tough for the same
guy to have two in one game because he’s already shown his hand to the keeper in the first one, but they were two fantastic penalties, no doubt,” O’Leary said. “The keeper didn’t get close, he just kept his nerve.” Despite the number of fouls (36) and yellow cards (five) between the two teams, O’Leary didn’t believe the game was a dirty one. “You’re going to get games where it wasn’t dirty, but it was two teams fighting,” O’Leary said. “La Salle’s fighting, we’re fighting to get up the league, and I don’t think there was a bad foul in the game.” “Everyone knew it would be a bit sloppy,” Ellis added. “We were ready for it, every A-10 game is like that, so you have to come out ready to play.” Ryan Donovan can be reached at rpdonovan@umass.edu. Jason Kates can be reached at jkates@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Jason_Kates.
UNH visits UMass to open HEA play By Ross Gienieczko Collegian Staff
The Massachusetts hockey team could not have asked for a better start to the 2015 season. UMass (3-00) has outscored its opponents at a clip of 15-8, in its best start since the 2009 season. The Minutemen have also started to garner national attention at the individual and team level. Although UMass has gotten off to a hot start, their early season schedule does warrant mentioning. Colorado College was swept again by UMass Lowell to bring its record to 0-4. Sacred Heart, though 1-1-1, is a team the Minutemen were favored to beat. It’s not fair to penalize UMass for beating the opponents in front of them, but it’s also safe to say Friday’s matchup against New Hampshire will present the Minutemen with their biggest test of the young season. The Wildcats (1-2) started the season with a definitive 7-3 win against American International, but have suffered two close defeats leading up to their trip to Amherst. A late rally against Saint Lawrence ended in a 3-2 overtime loss, and UNH surrendered the game-win-
ning goal to Clarkson with under a minute left to play in a 4-3 defeat. Despite their own unbeaten start, the Minutemen are not getting ahead of themselves. A determined group of upperclassmen and energetic group of younger players are working to make sure they take it one game at a time. “Our returning guys I think have a requisite sized chip on their shoulder, and the new guys came here to make a difference,” UMass coach John Micheletto said after practice on Tuesday. “I think they feel good about what we’ve accomplished so far, but know we have a long way to go, too.” Sophomore center and Hockey East Player of the Week Dennis Kravchenko said the team was putting in the effort and staying focused. “We’re taking care of the video time, the practice time and working on the things we need to work on in games that we aren’t doing well enough,” Kravchenko said. In UNH, the Minutemen will face a team they’re 1-3 against in the past two seasons, and Micheletto see
HOCKEY on page 7