The Tufts Daily - Thursday, December 5, 2019 by The Tufts Daily

Tufts for Bernie returns to energize campus for Sanders see FEATURES / PAGE 3

TV ROUNDUP

‘Atlanta’ headlines top TV series of decade

Men’s soccer ready for Final Four showdown see SPORTS / BACK PAGE

SEE ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 4

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VOLUME LXXVIII, ISSUE 59

Thursday, December 5, 2019

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Tufts’ voting rate eclipses national average in 2018 midterms by Renner Kwittken Staff Writer

The Institute for Democracy and Higher Education (IDHE) from the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life published the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) for Tufts University, which showed Tufts students had a voting rate of 45.2% in the 2018 midterm election, up from 18.4% in 2014. The IDHE also recently published data describing the national college student voting rate, which was at 39.1% in 2018, up from 19.7% in 2014. This Tufts-specific profile uses the same data methods employed in the national report. Because the National Student Clearinghouse, where Tisch College acquires its voting data on students, has not previously collected data on race, gender and other demographic data, the report was unable to compare these points between 2014 and 2018. It’s also difficult to compare Tufts to the national averages across demographics as the composition of the nation’s students varies widely. For instance, nationally, roughly a third of college students are attending a two-year institution. Consistent with national trends, women at Tufts vote at greater rates than men — 42.9%

against 35.4% — and racial demographics were also relatively similar to national trends. Jen McAndrew, director of communications, strategy and planning at Tisch College, stated that Tisch College uses these demographic disparities in an effort to foster greater inclusivity in civic engagements with the student body. “It’s something we need to think about. Are we engaging everyone, are we doing it in a way that’s inclusive to everyone and safe and comfortable for everyone? …[Our goal] is to help reduce [barriers] for participation and increase students’ motivation for wanting to be involved in elections,” she said. One of the largest disparities occurs between disciplines. Consistent with national trends, STEM majors tend to vote far below the average while majors such as education vote far above. “We need to meet those students where they are and engage with them all the time, not just during election cycles,” McAndrew said. “We need to engage with them to make sure public policy, politics and civil responsibility are all woven into a Tufts education for everyone in a bipartisan way for any major.” In response to this, Brinker and the IDHE have been developing a “teaching tool” to further clarify the issue. This is in conjunction

with a multitude of other efforts by the IDHE to insert civics into the everyday curriculum, according to McAndrew. According to Brinker and McAndrew, the cause of the disparities is unclear since certain fields of study tend to contain specific demographics which tend to vote differently more than others, and types of demographics “self-select” into certain disciplines. Brinker’s tool attempts to control for demographic information and provide modified voting rate numbers that only assess the field of study itself. Therefore, the university can better ascertain the impact of courses in civic participation. The most notable difference was in firstyear students. Nationally, age is positively correlated with voting rate. This holds even for undergraduate students. However, for Tufts, the largest voting demographic was the 18–21 age range. They voted in a higher frequency than any other group under 40. Additionally, first-year students voted at a higher rate than any other undergraduate or graduate class. “What I saw here with the JumboVote students and the JumboVote team made a persistent effort to engage Tufts students the moment they stepped on campus. And there was a lot of support from students to register and then remind them to vote. I would

also credit the first-year class and all the undergraduate classes with being incredibly engaged on the issues,” McAndrew said. JumboVote has long played a role in dealing with the logistics of student voting. One of the more complex issues surrounds absentee ballots and domiciles. “In the tax world, you can’t just decide that your domicile is somewhere else. There has to be some conformity about where you are and where your income is from and who is collecting it. So for tax purposes, you don’t get to choose. But for voting you do, And the reason for that is that the Supreme Court ruled it would be an unreasonably suppressive assumption that college students who have gone to another state for education are presumptively not domiciled there,” according to Brinker. According to McAndrew, in certain states, one needs to get their first absentee ballot notarized. Finding a notary is not the easiest thing for a college student. JumboVote, therefore, found two notaries and scheduled office hours before the 2018 midterm elections. “The progress that was made on the percent of registered students who actually voted, and that sort of conversion comes from keeping them engaged, and voting was the big story of the report,” McAndrew said.

Former UN ambassador speaks at inaugural memorial lecture, sheds light on moral global policy by Sarah Sandlow Staff Writer

The Tufts Institute for Global Leadership (IGL) hosted the inaugural Jonathan Moore Lecture on Moral Global Leadership, the beginning of a lecture series honoring the late Ambassador Jonathan Moore. The lecture was held in the ASEAN Auditorium of the Cabot Intercultural Center and over 150 people were in attendance. Ambassador Samantha Power, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, was chosen as the speaker for the lecture. Abi Williams, professor of the practice of international politics at the Fletcher School and director of the IGL, said it was important to honor Moore for his contributions as a public servant and his years spent on the external advisory board of the IGL. “Ambassador Power was a personal friend and protegée of Ambassador Moore and [he] had an enormous impact and influence on her life, and we also thought

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her career, in and out of government, as a journalist and as a public servant, exemplified both the values which underpinned Ambassador Moore’s life and the values that he tried to promote, and also the values that we try to promote in the Institute for Global Leadership,” Williams said. According to Williams, it was important to set up the lecture series to provide a discussion platform for important global issues. As future lectures are held, there will be different speakers who will address the issue of moral global leadership from different perspectives. Moore, who served on the IGL’s External Advisory Board, served as Ambassador-atLarge and Director of the Refugee Programs Bureau in the U.S. Department of State. The introduction of the event, given by University President Anthony Monaco, was followed by a memorial video introducing Moore, his contribu-

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see LECTURE, page 2

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power speaks at the Tufts Institute for Global Leadership’s inaugural Jonathan Moore Lecture on Dec. 4.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Thursday, December 5, 2019

THE TUFTS DAILY Jessica Blough

Power speaks on importance of gratitude on world stage

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continued from page 1 tions during his life and the impact he made on friends and family. Accounts of his life from close friends were interwoven with his quotes and sayings, read aloud by students. A second video was played to broadcast Robert Bendetson, who was unable to attend the event, and his presentation of the Robert and JoAnn Bendetson Public Diplomacy Award, posthumously, to Moore. His daughter, Jennifer Moore, accepted the award on his behalf. Following the presentation of the award, Maria Figueroa Kupcu, chair of the IGL external advisory board, introduced Power. Power began her lecture by explaining the history of her relationship with Moore and her impressions of him. “One of the reasons [Moore] achieved as much as he did in his life … is [because] his focus was on what mattered. … A great writer once said that he found himself falling in love with a different face every day. … He saw people. He saw in people,” Power said.

Power said that she leaned on Moore, who was a person with very strong views yet still a listener for advice. The lessons she learned came from ones he tried to teach her as well as ones he taught by example. Power outlined four lessons Moore taught her throughout their relationship, discussing gratitude, the importance of family and friends, the importance of dignity and having the opportunity to serve. When talking about gratitude, Power talked about her time in the Balkans, working as a war correspondent. She witnessed the many atrocities in the region and was able to retain perspective and be grateful for the privileges she had. When she returned to the U.S. she began to lose sight of her gratitude, but Moore reminded her of how lucky she was to live in the U.S. because, according to Power, he had the perspective of practicing gratitude. As she continued her lecture, Power referred to dignity as an “underestimated force in politics.” She went on to explain her work as a UN ambassador, having to meet with people with whom she was not enthused about meeting. She

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discussed the importance of dignity as taught to her by Moore. “Part of valuing dignity for Jonathan meant seeking out the humanity of those with whom we disagree,” Power said. When Power talked about the opportunity to serve, she explained how Moore’s life was one of service, and how public service offers people many opportunities to do good. Moore taught her how to make the most out of every day in her job and how to stay grateful. Power concluded her lecture by discussing the power individuals have and how many ways there are to serve, explaining how Moore often served locally, in government, in the community and by spreading gratitude. “The integrity and spirit that Jonathan brought to serving others will be sorely needed in the coming years,” Power said. “Ultimately, for all the policy prescriptions and structural reforms one can offer, Jonathan taught us never to lose sight of the fact that the direction of our communities, our country and the broader world will always come down to the actions of the individuals.”

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Features

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Tufts for Bernie debuts in time for 2020 Democratic primary

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Bernie Sanders speaks to a community of his supporters during a rally at the Boston Convention Center on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. by Fina Short and Rhys Empey

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Tufts for Bernie has returned to campus. First formed in support of Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid, the student-led group was recently revived after a hiatus by co-organizers Anthony Davis-Pait, Ben Auerbach, Rabiya Ismail and Justine Chung. The organizers draw from a wide range of previous political experience. First year Davis-Pait comes to the group after a summer of training with Students for Bernie, a national campaign, while the group itself began through Auerbach’s involvement with Tufts Progressive Alliance (TPA). Today, TPA remains recognized by the Tufts Community Union Senate, but many members have pivoted to focus specifically on Sanders’ campaign. “I started Tufts for Bernie by reaching out to Tufts Progressive Alliance, which was originally Tufts for Bernie in 2016,” Chung said. “There was no Tufts for Bernie [anymore], so I got into contact with Anthony who also had interest, and Ben.” Auerbach, a junior, noted that Tufts for Bernie has recently coordinated with Tufts Democrats on matters related to budgeting. However, the groups still act as an independent entity with distinct leadership. “We are actually getting funding through the Tufts Democrats, but I would still say we’re certainly more separate than the other active groups,” Auerbach said. “It’s nothing particularly against the Tufts Democrats. We just wanted to be somewhat independent — and that is partially because we do think Bernie is something different.”

Ismail described two key objectives for the group’s current organizing efforts, many of which thus far have centered on canvassing in neighboring states. “One is to be as effective as possible from a local angle to a nationwide movement, working with the official campaign and going to New Hampshire,” Ismail said. “The second mission is just as important. We fundamentally believe in a grassroots democracy … a lot of our meetings are dedicated to discussion of issues that impact communities across the country.” Chung said that the group currently co-organizes with students both on campus and away from Tufts, including existing local chapters of progressive group Our Revolution. “We emphasize working with adjacent activist groups and not being an insular group on campus,” Chung said. “We’re student-run, but we are building a network of local student groups that support Bernie … Going to Bernie rallies and volunteer events and meetups and seeing all of these people from all backgrounds and all walks of life coming together at the events has been a really transformative experience for me.” Davis-Pait added that they work with Sanders’ supporting teams from other local universities to brainstorm strategy. “There’s a group called Massachusetts for Bernie where a student group with 8–9 affiliate college groups that are listed, so we have our own group within that and all the leaders talk and share tips,” he said. Going forward, the group plans to run events highlighting differences between Sanders and other close competitors such

as Senator Elizabeth Warren. Ismail said that she hopes to increase student awareness of the candidates’ key differences on issues including climate activism and perceived demographic focus. Chung spoke to why the group decided to form explicitly in support of Sanders’ platform. “Bernie and AOC [Alexandria OcasioCortez] have shown that grassroots democracy is the way forward for the progressive left, and we need the maximal participation of everyday Americans who might not have engaged in part of the political process before,” Chung said. “What Bernie is calling for is something that is fundamentally different from any of the other candidates this year.” Davis-Pait, a first-year, cited priorities beyond simply beating incumbent President Donald Trump in the general election that have drawn him to support the candidate. “We cannot forget that it is not just about beating Trump, but about what happens when we beat Trump,” he said. “Bernie’s plans show that we have in mind what’s best for this country even after … he is making this grassroots-based mass movement of working-class people that are taking back the government from the 1%.” “The main difference between [their] emphasis — Warren’s emphasis is on the middle class, where Bernie focuses on the working class and poor,” Ismail said. When asked if they would move to support any Democratic nominee other than Sanders, multiple organizers said that they planned to do so but refrained from making

broader statements about the group’s plans in such an event. “We’re focused on electing Bernie right now. I can only speak for myself — I would support the Democratic nominee — but I can definitely say that you will not see the degree of active support and willingness if the nominee is Joe Biden, for example. The energy is there for Bernie within our group,” Auerbach said. For her part, Ismail said she would support any Democratic nominee if Sanders did not obtain the nomination. “The mistake in 2016 was Bernie supporters not jumping on Hillary’s campaign,” Ismail said. “It’s really important for us to unify at the end with any candidate it is. At the end of the day we all have the same goal, which is both beat Trump and have Democrats take back over the House, Senate and White House.” The group meets weekly on Thursdays. Going forward, the group plans to continue weekend canvassing and weeknight fundraising efforts, with phone-calling events every other week. Ismail said Bernie’s large quantity of donors bodes well for the campaign. “People are doubting Bernie for fundraising, but he has more than a million donors which is more than any candidate in U.S. history, so you can tell it’s grassroots,” Ismail said. Chung expressed enthusiasm for the current and future prospects of the campaign. “The campaign’s been going through its strongest stretch of time since it started, with a lot of endorsements coming in and record-breaking donations,” Chung said. “We’re really excited about that.”

4 Thursday, December 5, 2019

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Top 10 television shows of the decade

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Top TV shows from the last decade as selected by Daniel Klain are pictured. by Daniel Klain Arts Editor

It’s pretty fair to say that over the course of the last decade, television as a medium has changed forever. In fact, there have been so many waves of change, not to mention the absurd amount of content produced, that you could say that maybe three decades have been mashed into the 2010s. First there was the end of cable’s stranglehold, probably best encapsulated by the series finale of “Lost” (2004–10) and the ensuing copycat shows that never got off the ground. Then came the era of “peak TV,” as titled by FX Chairman John Landgraf, where brooding characters like Don Draper and Walter White ruled the television landscape. Now, we find ourselves on the other side of the peak. Quality television led to such an arms race of producing content and fighting over already existing intellectual property that, in a weird way, the mode of cable now exists in the form of streaming television: there are a few big operators that viewers all go back and forth between watching. What was once the proliferation of television soon became the oligopolization of television. Below is a list of the top ten TV shows of the decade. Like all rankings, this list is incredibly arbitrary; but given the circumstances of the last decade, it’s probably more arbitrary than ever, and that’s kind of the point. As the amount of content grows with each passing year, people are watching more and more different content. The amount of overlap in everyone’s top ten list is only going to keep declining. There are a number of shows on this list that continued to rise in popularity or were given second lives thanks to Netflix, but just as many you’ve probably mentioned in conversation only to hear back, “Oh, I’ve totally missed that show but I’ve heard so many good things about it! Should I check it out?” So if you haven’t watched any of the shows on this list, or you think this list is lacking anything, then honestly that makes sense. With that in mind, here are the definite top 10 television shows of the decade:

Honorable Mentions: “High Maintenance” (2016–), “Halt and Catch Fire” (2014–17), “Fleabag” (2016–19), “Nathan For You” (2013–17), “Parks and Recreation” (2009–15), “Happy Endings” (2011–13), “American Vandal” (2017–18), “Better Call Saul” (2015–) and “True Detective” (2014–)

thanks to the chemistry between the cast members. Donald Glover, Alison Brie, the Russo Brothers: the show caught so many actors and creators just before they exploded to greater fame and were powered by them. Best Episode: “Remedial Chaos Theory” (2011)

10. “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005–), FX/FXX Consistency deserves at least some respect and admiration. More importantly, as this show got older it also adapted and became self-aware. In an era where the word “antihero” became a well-known term for television watchers, no group of people was more disgusting and vile than the gang. Still, it’s their vileness and stupidity that makes them so hilarious. Best episode: “The Gang Solves The Bathroom Problem” (2018)

6. “Mad Men” (2007–15), AMC The mythic ad salesman figure came to life. No words better describe this show than Don Draper’s epic monologue at the end of the first season: “Nostalgia - it’s delicate, but potent ... This device isn’t a spaceship, it’s a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards. It takes us to a place where we ache to go again.” The show itself was a time machine back to a historically significant era of American culture — the 1960s. Best Episode: “The Suitcase” (2010)

9. “Game of Thrones” (2011–19), HBO Arguably the last grasp of television’s hold on popular culture, it was the show everyone was talking about thanks to its epic plot twists and reveals. A heavily-debated last season aside, it cannot be disputed how the show was able to build a world and its characters despite having nothing really based in reality. Best Episode: “The Winds of Winter” (2016)

5. “Twin Peaks: The Return” (2017), Showtime Filmmaker and auteur David Lynch returned to his great television show in only the most Lynchian manner possible: a show that made little sense but still was incredibly captivating. It is peak “this TV show is actually a long movie,” an idea showrunners loved to toss around this decade. Episode 8 is one of the most confounding things ever to be on television, but also encapsulated an entire filmmaking philosophy into a TV episode: the moving image as an opportunity to teleport to a dreamlike scape and unearth the deepest parts of our subconscious. Gotta light? Best Episode: “Part 8” (2017)

8. “Veep” (2012–19), HBO No television show this decade more accurately followed the narrative arc of its subject. Transitioning from hilarious ineptitude to pure evil, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ performance as Selina Meyer is absolutely one of the most memorable lead characters of the decade, not to mention the hilarious ensemble cast. So many great one-liners, so little time. Best Episode: “C**tgate” (2016) 7. “Community” (2009–15), NBC/Yahoo This is a long-gone show whose best episodes were definitely on the earlier side of the decade, but in no way should it be forgotten. The meta-construction of so many episodes made it clever, but on a superficial level, it was just as hilarious from episode to episode

4. “The Leftovers” (2014–2017), HBO The first season was one of the toughest seasons of television to get through, thanks to its never-ending dark tone, and if viewers were able to get to the other side, they were absolutely rewarded. With all the spotlight on how he would move past the controversial ending of “Lost,” showrunner Damon Lindelof came back with an even more thoughtful examination of trauma and the process of grieving. Best Episode: “The Garveys at Their Best” (2014)

3. “Breaking Bad” (2008–13), AMC Say his name! Walter White is the single most memorable character of the decade and for good reason. Watching a chemistry teacher descend into a meth-making king was an absolute thrill ride, and watching it all come crashing down was arguably even more satisfying to watch. In an era filled with great TV show after great TV show, few if any had a more complete start-to-finish run than “Breaking Bad.” Best Episode: “Ozymandias” (2013)

2.“BoJack Horseman” (2014–20), Netflix This show constantly took on issues and was able to consider them with a level of nuance that no other show this decade could match. Constantly, when it felt like characters were completely understood or like they were simplistically cornered, “BoJack” was able to play on your expectations and go deeper. It expanded its universe to give each of BoJack’s friends and family a level of depth and background most shows don’t. BoJack and Diane’s ability to describe their own shame and depression is so impressive and admirable because at the end of the day, they have the words many wish they were able to find. Best Episode: “Free Churro” (2018)

1. “Atlanta” (2016–), FX Here it is. The best show of the decade. In an era when it felt like a myriad of shows were changing or pushing television, “Atlanta” felt like it was redefining what was possible week after week. The level of invention and creativity it packed into a half-hour series had not been seen before. Racing Michael Vick, the invisible car, Florida Man, The Alligator Man, the fake commercials: this show had a running series of absurd bits that also felt somewhat relatable. And that’s what makes this show the greatest of the decade: its absurdity which could shock and surprise, but was also able to give you relatable moments you could connect with, made it an absolute revelation. Best Episode: “B.A.N” (2016) / “Teddy Perkins” (2018)

Thursday, December 5, 2019 | FUN & GAMES | THE TUFTS DAILY

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6 Thursday, December 5, 2019

Sports

Men’s soccer prepares for Final Four

Aiden Herrod The Zone Read

Saying goodbye and a playoff primer

ell, it’s been quite a year, both for the Zone Read and the NFL as a whole. I’d like to thank the league for providing endless content, and the paper for giving me a space to spill all my thoughts to the world. I want to close out coverage of the regular season with a playoff primer, where I walk you all through my projected bracket and how the games might play out come January. I’m really excited for this to age horribly, and substantially less excited to pour some salt on my Dallas Cowboys. Without further ado, here are my predictions for the 2019 NFL playoffs. AFC playoff prediction and breakdown: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Baltimore New England Houston Kansas City Buffalo Tennessee

NFC playoff prediction and breakdown: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

New Orleans Seattle Green Bay Dallas San Francisco Minnesota

Team by team breakdown: NFC The NFC playoff field boasts a lot more parity than the AFC. The No. 6 seed could easily hand it to the No. 1 seed. Nothing feels certain, especially with some incredibly tight division races coming down the stretch. Minnesota can’t always tie it together, but they have the most talented roster of a potential No. 6 seed I’ve seen in a while. They can beat any of the teams on this list, but the question lies in Kirk Cousins and his performances in big moments. San Francisco is a great team that will likely lose another close game or two to other great teams. Don’t let that fool you, though. Its defense is downright suffocating, and its run game can score in bunches. They’re the first team on this list that has a Super Bowl ceiling. Dallas made me sad on Thanksgiving, which is hard to do. Jason Garrett should get fired for limiting this roster’s ceiling so much. Come back next year and don’t disappoint me. The less said about this season the better. Green Bay will likely get the better side of Aaron Rodgers come playoff time, and its defense has the ceiling to smother an opposing offense. The team has some kinks to iron out but has proven capable of doing so on the fly. Seattle is putting together a transcendent run. The team wins situational football, and they win close games. Russell Wilson is getting them to both spots every time. The roster could collapse at some inopportune

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time, but right now they’re playing out of their minds with a formula that works. New Orleans feels primed for a run to the Super Bowl. Playing at full strength with talent oozing out of every spot in the roster, the team has a coach and quarterback that get it all done. They’re playing angry after some truly heartbreaking moments the past two years, and I see that as the best motivation to win a ring. Team by team breakdown: AFC The AFC has been a top-heavy conference for a while. There are still some lesser teams scrambling for the final spots, but I think this bracket will hold due to how all of these teams are playing right now. Funny how taking Ryan Tannehill out of Miami and into Tennessee led to playoff-caliber quarterbacking out of the 31-year-old. However, the Titans feel like the best of the mediocre field, and likely wouldn’t make it past the wild card. Good story for Tannehill, though. Congrats to Buffalo for being both from the AFC East and also not being the absolute property of the Patriots. The team has a great defense that is burdened by the unenviable task of carrying Josh Allen’s offense. The defense will keep them in games, but a high-flying offense is needed to have a true playoff ceiling. Kansas City has Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. Their defense is kind of thrown together, but it doesn’t really matter when you can put up 40 points on anybody. This team is filled with playmakers groomed for the playoffs, and it feels like they’re saving their best football for January. Houston is riding Deshaun Watson through the regular season, a quarterback who should be discussed more in this MVP race. He is playing lights-out football, and this team has proven more than capable of overcoming its roster holes. New England angers me. Anyone who’s been winning fantasy football with their defense angers me. The team looks awful against upper-echelon teams but will probably turn it around and go on another deep playoff run. I refuse to count them out until they’re beaten and dead on the side of the road to the Super Bowl. Baltimore has the best quarterback in the league right now in Lamar Jackson. His athleticism is dangerous to any defense and impossible to properly game-plan against. He can make any team look silly on the field, and he’ll likely do that for most if not all of the playoffs.

Aiden Herrod is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Aiden can be reached at aiden.herrod@tufts.edu.

by Alex Viveros

Executive Sports Editor

On Friday, the men’s soccer team will compete in its fourth Final Four appearance under coach Josh Shapiro in Greensboro, N.C. The team will face a familiar foe in the Calvin University Knights, who the Jumbos beat by one point in their last two NCAA Div. III championship finals appearances in 2016 and 2018. Last year, the Jumbos beat the Knights by a final score of 2–1 to claim the NCAA title on Dec. 1, 2018. In the game, Calvin trailed for the entirety of regulation as both of Tufts’ scores were unmatched in the first half. Shapiro spoke about his excitement in returning to Greensboro, emphasizing the grit the team has had this season on its path to the semifinals. “I’m just super excited. You know, I think it’s exciting to get back to that stage and to know that you’re a game or two away from that chance to claim as much as you possibly can at our level,” Shapiro said. “First of all, I think it’s amazing that our group has been able to get back to this level, and all that we’ve achieved this year has been pretty special.” For the Jumbos, the road to the Final Four has been one marked by a postseason filled with both aggressive play and tightly contested games. While Tufts thrived over SUNY Maritime College and Conn. College by respective scores of 5–1 and 3–1 in the opening round and the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, last-minute game-saving goals propelled them past Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Washington and Lee University in the second and third rounds. Following their Elite Eight win over Conn. College on Nov. 24, senior midfielder/forward and co-captain Gavin Tasker spoke in a press conference about the team’s excitement heading into the Final Four, while also stressing that the team must focus on preparing adequately for a tough Knights squad. “Obviously it’s pretty special, really can’t take it for granted,” Tasker said. “But at the same time, we have a lot of work to do over the next two weeks, and I think right now we’re excited about this win but also a lot of work going forward.” Calvin is coming into the game with a remarkable 23–1–1 record, with the only loss of the season coming against Ohio Wesleyan in the second game of the season on Aug. 31. Averaging 3.08 goals per game, the Knights have outscored their opponents by a margin of 77–15. Shapiro spoke about the respect he holds for the Calvin attack, stressing time and time again the offensive threat the Knights possess. “I think Calvin is excellent, and I have a massive amount of respect for them. I really think they’re the best attacking team in the country,” Shapiro said. “They play beautifully branded soccer, and they’re going to ask amazing questions of us. But I also think that we’ve seen them, we know what they’re about, and we’ve got a veteran group that’s been to this stage before and we’re so excited to see what we think are two of the best teams in the country go at it.” The experience of Tufts’ veteran group will be a huge contingency factor in Friday’s semifinal matchup. The senior class — which is comprised of a multitude of key leaders — has faced Calvin twice in their collegiate soccer careers. Both times, the Jumbos won the national championship as a result of the game.

Shapiro praised the leadership held by his senior class, emphasizing how he hopes they will find success in a potential third championship title in four years. “They’ve just been great leaders and stewards of what we think Tufts soccer is all about,” Shapiro said. “Their track record, their four years have been exceptional, and I hope they’re able to finish it off in a way that is kind of a worthy feather in a cap of what’s been a wonderful career for that group.” Overall, the senior class holds a record of 15–1–2 in NCAA tournament play. Shapiro commended the statistical success of the class. “This senior class has been amazing,” Shapiro said. “Just from a statistical standpoint, with the results that they’ve achieved, I think they’re the winningest and most dominant senior group we’ve ever had in the program. Their record in NCAA tournament play is kind of ridiculous.” Aside from the veteran status of the class, depth will play a key factor in the Final Four weekend for the Jumbos. With a polished squad of 28 players, the Jumbos will rely on a constant flow of aggressive play from the entirety of the roster. Seventeen players on the team have scored at least one goal this season. With over half of the roster scoring this season, it’s uncertain where a potential game-saving goal could come from. Shapiro spoke about this spread of talent on his team, stating how he’s excited to see who will perform for his team this weekend. “Our soccer quality in both layers of our team is really strong, and we’ve got guys in that second layer who have kind of really stepped up in the postseason here,” Shapiro said. “I think I’m really excited to see who’s going to pop up and be the difference-maker this weekend because I don’t think we know who that will be. There’s enough ball that it could be coming from any one of seven, eight or nine different guys.” Against Calvin specifically, Shapiro cited the depth of his team as a recipe for past success. “I think last year when we played them in the final, we played several more guys then they did. I think they played 13 or 14 and we played like 20,” Shapiro said. “I think they’re going to stress us, and we’ll be asked to play in both directions with intensive energy for at least 90 minutes. We’re hopeful that our depth can work to kind of wear them out a little bit but also create problems for them just in the run of the play.” With a win over Calvin, Tufts would advance to the NCAA Finals. The other semifinal game will occur before Tufts’ matchup between Amherst and Centre College. Amherst is one of just two teams to beat Tufts this year. Originally, the team had hoped to face Amherst in the NESCAC finals. However, because Amherst lost to Middlebury in the semifinal of the conference tournament, that rematch never happened. When asked about the possibility of an all-NESCAC championship final matchup, Shapiro stated how the team must first prepare for a tough Calvin matchup. “I think they know that we have our hands full with Calvin,” Shapiro said. “We need to be focused on that, but I think no one is going to be disappointed if it’s us and Amherst in the final.” Kickoff for the Final Four matchup is set for 7:45 p.m. on Friday. The game will be broadcasted live from Greensboro, N.C.