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THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
November 13, 2018
Men’s basketball sends Wagner packing in overtime thriller
In This Issue Op Ed: Self-defense on campus
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Marcos Aguilar
Quoth the River THE QUOTH Hawks RIVERHAWKS
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Men’s hockey ties UNH
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Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
M. Basketball at UMass
L 83-75 0-1
M. Soccer at UNH
Overall Record
L 2-0
Connector Staff
The UMass Lowell men’s basketball team (1-1, 0-0) earned their first win of the season on Saturday afternoon against the visiting Wagner Seahawks (0-2,0-0) with a final score of 8884 in overtime. The River Hawks had four play-
ers in double figures and outscored the opposing bench 27-14. “I thought it was a great college basketball game, “said head coach Pat Duquette. “A really fun, intense environment so I’m happy for my guys because it’s always fun for a player to play in that type of environment. But
not so much for the coach to be honest with you.� The home opener for the River Hawks saw the teams exchange leads 14 times while both teams found themselves leading for an even 20 minutes each. The River Hawks started strong with a 13-4 lead seven minutes into the first half while caus-
10-6-2
W. Basketball vs. Saint Peter’s
W 59-57 1-1
Volleyball at UAlbany
W 3-1
5-21
‘Bohemian Rhapsody:’ Not Killer Queen Owen Johnson Connector Editor
For a personality as idiosyncratic as Freddie Mercury and a band as revolutionary as Queen, their biopic is incredibly lackluster and surprisingly uninspired. From the early days when he first met his band mates to Queen’s performance at the Live Aid benefit concert for Africa in 1985, “Bohemian Rhapsody� follows Farrokh Bulsara, now known as Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek), through his and Queen’s rise to fame. On a stylistic level, the movie shares some similarities with Queens’ music. It is always trying new things, and there are a lot of scenes that are much more visually different than others. In a sense it works because it is reminiscent of Queen’s vast array of musical styles in their work, but at the same time it can feel like it does not necessarily fit with the rest of the movie. Alongside the style, the aesthetics of the movie are incredible. The costume designer does a fantastic job, especially with Mercury’s wardrobe, and the directing and editing that happens when one of Queen’s songs is playing is remarkable to say the least. With all of
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
Freshman guard Alex Rivera, a Lowell native, had 14 points against Wagner.
â–ş See “Men’s basketball,â€? page 11
City of Lowell considers rental amendment Conor Dawson & Hannah Manning Connector Editors
Students at UMass Lowell may encounter roadblocks to living with their friends off-campus if an amendment by the City of Lowell gets passed, which would make it
harder for more than two students to rent an apartment together. This amendment proposed by the Pawtucketville Citizen’s Council defines a housekeeping unit as “dwellings or units in a dwelling occupied by an individual, or by
â–ş See “Bohemian Rhapsody,â€? page 5
Sections News.............................3 Campus Life.................. 8 A&E.............................. 5 Sports..........................10
ing multiple shot clock violations on the defensive half. The visitors would not stay quiet as they took the lead with six minutes to go in the half. Both teams traded leads but Wagner lead at the break 36-34. “Alex gave us a boost in the first half,� said coach Duquette. “He got a little too excited and took some very tough shots but he settled won. And that’s all we can ask for. He was even more comfortable in the second half.� Freshman Alex Rivera, a Lowell native, was part of that bench effort scoring 14 points and 5 rebounds. “It felt great [playing in home town],� said Rivera. “A lot of my family and friends came out so I just wanted to get a win.�
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The meeting for this amendment will be held Tuesday, Nov. 13.
two (2) or more individuals all of whom are related by blood, marriage or adoption, living together, or by not more than three (3) individuals, where at least two (2) of said individuals are not related by blood, marriage or adoption, living together.� As mentioned in the amendment, a copy of which was forwarded to The Connector, the owner of the rental unit will need to provide the name and address of the owner, emergency contact for the owner or corporation renting, the number and size of rental units, the number of occupants in each unit and documentation for the kindred relationship of renters if four or more individuals are residing in one unit. If the owner does not provide said information, the amendment states that the ability to rent the unit “may be revoked.�
â–ş See “Rental Agreement,â€? page 4
November 13, 2018
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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS Follow The Connector!
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Twitter: @UMLConnector Instagram: @UMLConnector Facebook.com/UMLConnector www.UMLConnector.com The Connector meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in University Crossing room 241 General: The UMass Lowell Connector is a non-profit student public forum serving the University of Massachusetts Lowell community. The paper is published weekly and distributed to the university community every Tuesday. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be aware that members of the University community are entitled to free newspapers. Please take one! All UMass Lowell students, regardless of major, are invited to join the Connector staff. Interested students should contact an editor or manager listed above, or visit the Connector Office in University Crossing 241. Advertising: The UMass Lowell Connector advertisements reach an estimated 16,000 UMass Lowell students--their friends
and families. To tap this group of future high-income earners, contact our Advertising Manager at 934-5009. DEADLINE for ALL advertising (TO INCLUDE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS and ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE UNIVERSITY) is Tuesday, 12 p.m. for the following Tuesday’s publication. No exceptions will be made. Late submissions WILL NOT be accepted. Classified advertisements are free for students. The UMass Lowell Connector does not endorse, promote or encourage the purchase or sale of any product or service advertised in this publication. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The UMass Lowell Connector disclaims all liability for any damage suffered as the result of any advertisement in this newspaper.
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Editors and Opinions) is Friday at midnight for the following Tuesday’s publication. Submissions must be e-mailed to Taylor_Carito@student. Editorial: Letters to the editor must be less uml.edu, attached as a Word document (any version). than 500 words in length and may be submitted via campus Accompanying visuals must be mail, e-mail, or in person. All submitted separately; do NOT include graphics in Word file. letters must bear the author’s name, relationship to the All press releases, articles, advertisements, and photographs University and student body, and a phone number. The author submitted become the property may request to have any part of The UMass Lowell Connector and will not be of this information withheld, if published. returned. The Connector Opinions expressed in individual reserves the right to edit or refuse all submissions for copy, content, columns, the Opinions Section, advertising, and/or features are and length. those of the author, NOT of the The Connector will make every effort to prevent inaccuracy, Connector. The Opinions and Editorials but assumes no responsibility for errors in advertisements or section will not be edited in any way, to include spelling/grammar opinion letters. The Connector mistakes. will reprint without charge any advertisement which is incorrect. Credit for errors are made only Submission: The deadline for all submissions for first insertion. (to include Letters to the
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November 13, 2018
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NEWS Constant Fox Hall fire alarms spark angry residents and staff Brigid Archibald Connector Staff
Fox Hall fire alarms are undoubtedly everyone’s least favorite UMass Lowell tradition. Whether it was last year’s busted pipes or various residents’ run of the mill cooking mistakes, it seems that Fox Hall’s alarms are wired to go off at the worst possible time and disrupt everyone’s sleep and studying. According to returning Fox Hall residents, the building has seemingly doubled down on alarms this year. The residence hall has had nearly nine alarms since the beginning of the semester, averaging about one a week. For the most part, the alarms are a result of minor cooking accidents such as people forgetting to add water to ramen or using unclean ovens. However, some residents speculate that students smoking is a part of the problem. Many residents are understandably frustrated with the alarms. Bill Moriarty, a resident assistant (RA) who has lived in the building for the past three years, assures students that this isn’t as bad as years past. During his freshman year, the alarm was pulled every night during finals week. “I think one of the reasons so many students think it’s so bad this year is because last year was one of Fox Hall’s best years,” said Amalia Collins, another RA at Fox Hall. While the fire alarms are a nuisance, many students believe that when living in a building that houses so many students a few alarms are inevitable, but wished something could be done to prevent them from happening so frequently. Some asked for their neighbors to be courteous
Hannah Manning/Connector
Fox Hall fire alarms have irked many residents this semester.
and cut down on cooking and smoking during the later hours of the night. They suggested opting for late night snacks that don’t require cooking and that students vape outside the dorms and find somewhere off campus to smoke. Currently, Fox Hall RA’s are being asked to close down the kitchens after their last rounds around 11 p.m., in the hopes that late night fire alarms will begin to dwindle. Some students want Residence Life to take more
severe action. Debbie O’ttair, a chemistry major, suggested that placing security cameras near the alarms and kitchens might encourage students to be more careful when cooking, and prevent any temptation to pull the alarm. The idea isn’t new, but some shared sophomore English major Emmy Misail’s concern that these measures wouldn’t do any good since most alarms are set off entirely on accident. Misail continued saying she doesn’t care who set off the alarm, but would like to know why the alarm went off. She pointed to an earlier time in the semester where Residence Life sent an email out explaining why one alarm had went off and how students could prevent it. Misail said emails like that could help prevent others from making the same mistake. “The length is the worst part, not the frequency,” said Sam Win, a criminal justice major who has lived in Fox for the last two years, which is a common sentiment for many residents in Fox. They wish there was a way to expedite the process of getting back into the building, such as having more than one line or setting rules that require people on floors below a certain point to take the stairs. There is not much that could speed up the process of returning students to the building, but RA’s ask students for patience. Running into the building does not get students into the building quicker and is unnecessary. Collins also recommends that students wait a moment after tapping their UCard, that way if it doesn’t go through the line will not be held up as RA’s call them back.
It ‘takes a village’ to help students at UMass Lowell Brigid Archibald Connector Staff
For the last two years, UMass Lowell has doubled down on its commitment to helping students succeed through the efforts of the Student Success Committee. The sole goal of the group is to look at what factors that contribute to student success. This year the school has increased their effort tenfold establishing communities based on data collected over the past two years. Each committee will focus on one factor that affects students’ success; financial wellness, experiential learning, mental health, communicating resources. The Student Government Association (SGA) hosted another open forum on student success with Chancellor Moloney, the vice chancellor of Academic Affairs Larry Siegel, and representatives from the SGA to explain what changes students can expect to see in the coming years as a result of these new communities. Andre DeFilippo, SGA President, spoke about the results from last year’s student success survey, which showed that more students than ever were asking for more mental health resources. DeFilippo said the board was quick to react and made mental health a number one priority. The school has since added two to three new councilors with the hopes of adding more in the future and made same day appointments a possibility. Additionally, the school’s new mental health committee has begun a campaign called Mindful.
DeFilippo says the campaign will target, “the effects of anxiety, stress, depression and overall weakening mental health on campus through preventive education, programming and creating a more open and inclusive culture on campus.” Students also used the survey to express a need for 24-hour study spaces on campus. DeFilippo announced that the school was looking into using UCrossing for this purpose, allowing students card access to the building all day and night from Sunday to Thursday. Larry Siegel followed up telling students that it’s not definite, but that it looks promising “The chancellor said to make it happen, so we’re going to find a way,” he said. Another big topic at the forum was finding ways to help international students. The survey showed many international students were not participating in campus activities and connecting to the community. SGA Vice President Vilma OkeyEwurum, an international student herself, explained that these students are only allowed to enter the country 30 days before classes start after most orientations have already ended. The new onboarding committee is looking into how to alleviate this problem by revamping orientation and finding new ways to get these students information earlier. Another new committee called the Students of Color and International Students intend to help by making them feel more included and less isolated once they get here.
Another issue raised was that international students struggle to find work on campus as they are only allowed to work for the school, and students can only work 20 hours a week. These jobs are far and few between and the applicant pools are large including domestic students in need of employment as well. Okey-Ewurum explains that they are reaching out to the school’s vendors like Aramark and asking they consider hiring more international students. The committee of Students of Color and International Students will work with the office of international students and scholar’s office to help students find resources and give them more information. Another project announced by Okey-Ewurum, was the Tampon Initiative. They were looking into putting period-hygiene product dispensers in bathrooms campus-wide. Vice Chancellor Siegel was able to confirm that the contracts had been signed and that by the end of the semester the dispensers would be installed. “This is just a small example of all the little things it takes. It really does take a village,” said Siegel at the end of the panel. “It’s not just the big things that make students successful. Each student is going to have a unique challenge be it financial personal emotional, mental health or academic advising. Everything needs to be done because of our students,” he said.
See anything on campus that we need to cover? Contact us via direct message on Twitter:
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We meet every Monday at 6 p.m. in UCrossing 241
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November 13, 2018
NEWS
Off-campus housing in crisis?: City of Lowell considers rental amendment ► Continued from front page
“If this goes through, I think we should [expletive] riot,” said Nick Kim, a junior political science major who lives in an off-campus apartment, albeit with a sense of sarcasm. “If this affects my lease it’s total [expletive].” The amendment addresses student renters, saying that “the City of Lowell welcomes matriculated college students,” and states that the City will let students occupy those dwellings and dwelling units “even though such occupancy would be contrary to the definition of a housekeeping unit.” The owner of a property rented by a student, unless that property is owned by someone related to the student by blood, marriage or adoption, would need to register the address and apartment unit with the city’s Division of Development Services. One bedroom would only be allowed to hold one student and living spaces may not be used as bedrooms or “additional sleeping areas.” Student renters would also not be permitted to receive parking permits or stickers for street parking. The amendment states that either the owner must provide parking, or the students need to make their own legal off-site parking plans. The possible amendment is not being welcomed by students or land-
lords who rent to students. “It is clear that student residents are being punished,” said Mina Gizzi. Gizzi is an associate of the Lowell Property and Business Owners Group, and states that the amendment unfairly targets both student renters and landlords who rent to students.
sible amendment to be against the Fair Housing Law, which states that it is illegal to discriminate against potential renters on the basis of age, familial status, marital status or source of income among several other factors. “If [landlords] do not register with the City of Lowell and supply them
Courtesy of Heritage Properties
If the rental amendment is passed, students may have a harder time renting offcampus apartments with other students.
“It is clear that landlords that dare to rent to students are required to do so much more,” said Gizzi. “Landlords are basically being forced to no longer rent to students.” Gizzi said that she believes the pos-
with extreme details including marital status and kindred relationships of tenants, landlords will be fined,” Gizzi said. “In addition, if we have a complaint against us, we are no longer able to collect compensation from that
unit.” Gizzi called the amendment an “outrage,” and said that “The City of Lowell, especially Eric Slagle, [is] terrorizing landlords and student residents.” Slagle, the Director of Development Services for the City of Lowell, shared his thoughts on the amendment over a phone call. Slagle said that the amendment is being looked at by Lowell chiefly because of noise complaints filed against students in off-campus housing and the problem of students taking up street parking. The amendment would be attached to a 20 year old law, and according to Slagle, the amendment simply is for “better enforcement.” The Pawtucketville Citizens Council could not be reached for comment by The Connector. A meeting will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 13 in Lowell City Hall at 5:30 p.m. to further discuss the amendment. The Connector plans to attend the meeting in order to perform a follow-up on the news.
Do you have any news pitches? Email AndreAleksei_ Ragel@student.uml.edu
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November 13, 2018
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ gives Queen a bad rap ►Continued from front page that said, though, the elements that are below the movie’s pretty look are not as strong. The biopic’s main focus is on Freddie Mercury, and his character is as dull and uninteresting as the movie is. For the first half of the movie, he has no meaningful flaws. He is a smart, fairly likable guy who is a musical genius and all of his ideas work out excessively well for him and the band. When the second part of the movie starts and there needs to be personal drama, Mercury is suddenly a toxic personality who treats everyone around him like dirt. Finally, at the end of the movie, Mercury is being portrayed as a real person with actual depth, but this is 100 minutes too late. Malek does a good job with his portrayal, but the character never feels like a real person and thus is someone that is hard to be invested in. A lot of this most likely falls on the back of the script, which is passable at best, cliché and rudimentary at worst. There are a lot of lines that feel overly contrived or simplistically deep, and there are a number of times where people’s relationships have to be de-
scribed instead of shown. For example, the audience knows that the band members are close with one another not because of the actor’s chemistry or how the audience sees them interact, but because they continually refer to themselves as a family. Alongside this, the movie feels rushed and simplified. The audience
manager, then they are recording an album and it all happens too quickly and without any room to develop the relationships or the characters. This all serves to simplify the story, as does making Mercury’s personal manager Paul (Allen Leech) an antagonist with no redeeming qualities for the audience to root against. This is Queen’s
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Rolling Stone magazine noted multiple historical inaccuracies in the film.
never gets a chance to know Mercury as a character; he just attends a concert one night and finds his bandmates and future wife (Lucy Boynton) all within the first ten minutes; then they are popular, then they have a
true story, but it is played as generic as possible. A good way to represent how generic the film acts is with the climax of the movie, which is Queen at the Live Aid concert. What is important in
UMass Lowell is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action, Title IX, H/V, ADA 1990 University. This ad was produced at no cost to the Commonwealth.
this scene movie-wise is that Mercury and the band are all playing together again and have set their past feuds behind them. However, it also plays like the overused plotline from any generic story about a group of performers where they need to put on a show to do something important. This is the case as during Queen’s set, it cuts to the phone banks ringing off the chart and the fundraiser’s goal being met. Granted, this happened in real life, but the movie’s portrayal of it is done in that overused and generic style. The musical scenes are the highlights of the movie. One, because they are well choreographed and Malek is a talented singer, and two, because they are the only creative or energetic moments in the whole film. That being said, seeing these recreations of Queen performing their music is all the movie really has going for it, so one would be better off just purchasing one of Queen’s albums off of iTunes. It would be more time efficient, much more enjoyable and cost about the same as a movie ticket. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is not the champion, my friends. Final Grade: C
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November 13, 2018
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CupcakKe finds new life in ‘Eden’ Troy Lafond Connector Staff
CupcakKe is potentially one of the oddest success stories of recent years. She first found recognition on her viral sensation “Deepthroat” in 2015. In most cases, the artists that tend to go viral in this regard simply fail to make anything else that captures anyone else’s attention, whether it be from a lack of creativity, an inability to keep people interested or some combination of the two. However, CupcakKe defied the odds. Her debut mixtape in 2016 found itself being recognized positively in Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, and she has only gathered more praise since. With her new album “Eden,” she is certain to keep up this winning streak. Since the beginning of her career, CupcakKe has thrived on making extremely raunchy, sex-positive songs. This makes sense, as it is what gave her attention in the first place and it is what her fans enjoy the most from her. However, for a while, it seemed she was risking typecasting herself as “that raunchy rapper.” While she certainly made other songs, these were the only ones giving her recognition. On “Eden,” CupcakKe finds herself going into extremely new and more mature lyrical content. The most glaring example of this is the closing song “A.U.T.I.S.M.” Here, she dedicates her closing two minutes to lifting up those who have autism, cleverly making “autism” into an anagram for “a unique thinking individual strongly matters.” It is an extremely sweet and thoughtful moment from a rapper who is usually extremely brash. The most unavoidable moment on the album
Connector Staff
is the lead single, “Quiz.” The beat in the song is on “Eden.” She switches up her flow effectively potentially one of the most interesting of any rap throughout the album, and never takes herself too songs this year. It is a stunning electronic backing seriously. It is clear that she is aware of what peoover an otherwise very hard rap song. It is a fantastic ple will find amusing in her songs, and she clevercontrast that demands attention, with a deceptively ly structures her delivery and song to give that the catchy hook to boot. In fact, the production across most attention. The most blatant example of this the board is something special. It is usually difficult being the incredible chorus of “Typo.” for production to stand out on independent album “Eden” stands out as CupcakKe’s best work to releases, due to the lack of resources that would date. With clever one-liners, diverse subject matcome with a record deal, but CupcakKe has man- ters and pure skill, CupcakKe delivers what may, to aged to find some incredible producers to work with most, be a career defining album with ease, but will her. Every beat not only stands out on the song, but also likely continue to go up from here. also compliments the song itself well. The most entertaining thing about listening to a Final Grade: A CupcakKe song is the sheer number of hilarious Courtesy of Shaun Michael one-liners she can fit into a short song. Nearly every other line in a CupcakKe song deserves to be framed somewhere, and the songs on “Eden” are no exception. Two of the less explicit personal standouts are, “I got so many bars that Azealia Banks call me when she needs soap,” on “Petsmart,” and “They ask, ‘Is it Cupcake or CupcakKe?’ I said, ‘However the money pronounced’ on “Prenup.” Her lyrics range wildly from hilarious, like in these examples, to extremely meaningful like on the aforementioned “A.U.T.I.S.M,” to extremely raunchy such as on “Typo” and “Garfield.” However, none of these things would matter without pure skill. Rap is a hard genre to break into, because it is so easy to deliver lyrics poorly or ineffectively, or to simply not be talented enough to make a captivating album. However, CupcakKe proves herself to be a master of delivery once again “Eden” is CupcakKe’s second album of 2018.
Imagine Dragons need little introduction. The Las Vegas-based rock band burst onto the music scene in 2012 with three of the defining hits of that year: “It’s Time,” “Radioactive” and “Demons.” Since then, they have been touring the world almost nonstop, capitalizing on this initial wave of success while paving their way forward. They spent some time refining their sound with the less successful album “Smoke + Mirrors,” before returning with another massive bang in their three “Evolve” singles in 2017: “Believer,” “Thunder” and “Whatever It Takes.” It is very uncommon for a music act to peak twice, but it seems that Imagine Dragons has done the impossible. Their fourth studio album “Origins,” released Nov. 9, 2018, is their form of a victory lap. The album opens with the lead single “Natural.” In a way, it is the perfect indicator of the album to come. While it is certainly a bit more upbeat than what is to follow, it showcases a sound that is both like something that could fit right on their debut album, while also still adding elements that make it sound fresh. They do not reinvent their own wheel on “Natural,” or really anywhere on “Origins,” but they take the sound that they have been working ontheir whole career
and make an album chock full of it at its best. “Bad Liar” is a sonic follow-up to the smash hit “Demons,” the drop in “Only” would fit as the perfect slower counterpart to their
mental. “Zero,” made originally for the “Wreck-It Ralph” soundtrack, is probably one of the most upbeat pop, fun songs they have made, and pulls the style off flawlessly. With tracks
Courtesy of Billboard
The album’s lead single “Natural” has peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Kygo feature “Born to be Yours” and the triumphant final song “Real Life” sounds like it may as well have been ripped right off of their debut album “Night Visions.” That being said, there are certainly some moments that are unique for them. “West Coast” meshes their traditional arena rock sound with a more Mumford and Sons style folk instru-
that deviate from the status quo like this, “Origins” is not just an album full of great songs that are representative of all their work thus far, but an album full of unique sounds as well. One criticism that Imagine Dragons have fended throughout their career is that they have become sell-outs. Fans and non-fans alike have accused them of sacrificing their original rockier
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT One-hundredth article extravaganza: ’21 Jump Street’
Imagine Dragons look back on ‘Origins’ Troy Lafond
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sound for more pop songs to attain greater success at the sacrifice of musicality. Imagine Dragons address this criticism directly on the masterful bridge of the track “Bullet in a Gun.” It serves to put down these criticisms, accusing people of failing to consider the mentality of the people making music. It is a surprisingly self-aware moment from a band that usually makes songs of general appeal and do not necessarily reflect on their public image. Despite this, “Origins” is not pure gold. It serves as a perfect reminder that there can be too much of a good thing. Once the album hits “Stuck,” it begins to enter a downbeat rock rut. While none of these songs are necessarily bad, the album as a cohesive set may have been a bit more enjoyable if only one of these were included, to prevent the feeling of sameness that starts to arise. “Origins” is not going to win over anyone who did not ever like Imagine Dragons. It is very much an album that is reflective of the music they have been making their whole career. However, for fans, it is a pure triumph from start to near finish. Old styles and some new ideas are blended to make what will go down as one of the stronger albums of the year. Final Grade: A-
Owen Johnson Connector Editor
With this article, I reached the milestone of having 100 articles, mostly movie reviews, published with the UMass Lowell Connector. Over the past three years of me doing this, I know I have garnered attention as being “That guy who hates all of the movies,” and I thought as a treat to mark this occasion, I would review the first movie I saw where I had this vastly different and negative reaction to it compared to everyone else. Ladies and gentlemen, that movie was the 2012 comedy film “21 Jump Street.” “21 Jump Street” does everything wrong. Not only is every major component wrong, but if one were to examine the movie closely, every single second of the film would most likely purvey an egregious or incompetent issue. Once antagonists to each other in high school, police recruits Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) befriend one another at police academy and are assigned to an undercover assignment. That undercover assignment: go back to high school and figure out who is selling drugs to students? Right off the bat, the emotional core of the movie is horribly established. The relationship between Jenko and Schmidt is what the audience is supposed to latch on to, but the way their relationship is established is by them becoming friends for selfish reasons.
Schmidt uses Jenko to pass the physical aspects of police training while Jenko uses Schmidt to pass the academic parts. That is all the audience sees before a montage of clips where the audience is just supposed to accept that they are now true friends. This ruins the rest of the movie because when things start to decline in their friendship, there is no reason to want them to make up because their relationship was formulated on selfish reasons, not
beyond unfunny. Is it really surprising that the jokes and comedy are terrible in what is probably one of the worst screenplays ever written, though? Everything from the jokes to the characters to the story are done badly, and that is all on screen writer Michael Bacall. The story is badly written, and the characters are inconsistent. In terms of story, everything is put into place because Jenko is dumb and
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
“21 Jump Street” was the sixth most illegally downloaded film of 2012.
true camaraderie. As this toxic and poorly developed relationship ruins the film throughout its two hour run time, so too does the comedy, if it can even be called that. The jokes in “21 Jump Street” are the lowest of the low, with the funny moments mostly being made up of characters yelling or swearing. It is not only lazy, but more importantly, it is
gets their identities mixed up when he and Schmidt go to the principal’s office. Instead of just going to their pre-decided classes and coming up with a reasonable explanation as to why the screw up happened in the first place, both characters just decide to go to each other’s classes because everything is already screwed up and it would be fun to do.
An example of inconsistent character comes within the first ten minutes of the movie. Schmidt and Jenko make an arrest, and Schmidt fires his weapon up into the air in celebration. Jenko has been established as the dumb one who can barely comprehend police protocol, yet Schmidt is the one who fires a pistol into the air in the middle of a public park. That is literally dumber than anything Jenko does. This inconsistency with the characters, mixed with the ruined emotional core, helps indicate another one of the movie’s major issues, which is that the main characters are beyond unlikable. As it has already been established, both are selfish and dumb, but on top of that they are awful police officers. In police comedies, it needs to be established that these police characters, while eccentric, are still capable at their jobs. A perfect example of this is Frank Drebin (Leslie Nilsen) from “The Naked Gun” trilogy. In “21 Jump Street,” Schmidt and Jenko can barely do any of their police duties, and just go around harassing and abusing people while breaking the law at every turn they make. The best-case scenario is that they are characters with zero redeeming qualities who might say something funny to make the audience laugh. That is not good. “21 Jump Street” is not good. Nor is it funny. It has nothing to offer. Final Grade: F
UMass Lowell’s ‘Macbeth’ soars with strong acting and set Vernon Gibbs Connector Staff
When one first thinks of Shakespeare, their first memories with his works often come in the form of a confusing read and a paper due on Monday. The UMass Lowell Theatre Arts program disproves this boring idea of Shakespeare with their latest play “Macbeth,” which played between Nov. 7 and 11. Following the classic tale of the ambitious murderer, the play leaves its audience with more than a desire to pull out a lexicon. “Macbeth” is a Shakespearean play taking place in medieval Britain, where the Thane Macbeth receives a prophecy of himself becoming king. Spurred on by both his wife and his own desire, Macbeth kills the King of Scotland and takes his title. But politics and his own guilt drives Macbeth to kill more, all in the name to protect his new Kinghood. Soon, he is seen as less of a
noble ruler and more of a deranged tyrant. One of the first things that happens upon the transition to play form is how the script’s words need to be interpreted and translated into the actors. Thanks to the combined efforts of all involved in this production, the play follows through with the twisted, psychotic landscape of Macbeth’s mind. Much of the play’s success can be linked back to the actors, who play their parts with great enthusiasm and ability. Special props should go out to Matt Hayes, playing as Porter, and displaying his ability to add his own flair into the character. He really knows how to handle a feather boa. An actor is only as good as his stage, and once again the UMass Lowell program delivers. Though minimalist scenic design, the use of props, costumes and positioning lent Macbeth to be more than what one could get out
of an audiobook. An interesting detail was in how one costume, belonging to a secondary character, began to tear at the seams more as the play went on. Whether or not this was intentional, this small inclusion really added to the tension of some scenes. However, that does not mean the play was perfect in execution. The one distinguishing flaw that can be observed is the simple lack of props to serve as swords. This did not affect the play during the majority of its runtime, but as Macbeth is seen dueling others and fighting with small daggers like they were proper swords, one cannot help but chuckle at the absurdity. Overall, “Macbeth” was a delight to watch, and served as an excellent substitution to actually reading the script. There is a certain magic behind the stage, one that a simple reading cannot recreate. Shakespeare or not, this play adapted its material well. For
Courtesy of the UMass Lowell Theatre Arts department
UMass Lowell Theatre Arts students performing “Macbeth.”
the meager price of five dollars for student tickets, it is definitely worth one’s time. Final Score: A -
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November 13, 2018
November 13, 2018
CAMPUS LIFE
CAMPUS LIFE
Why-fi: Eduroam frustrates students Aaron Robinson Connector Editor
UMass Lowell’s wi-fi network, “eduroam,” crashed over the first weekend of November and the network has been sluggish ever since. UMass Lowell students and faculty know about “eduroam” all too well; the recent outage isn’t the first time the network has gone down, and it won’t be the last. But why does the network keep faltering? Most wireless networks go down due to connectivity issues, and those issues are usually remedied by unplugging the router and plugging it back in, or restarting the device someone is trying to connect with. On campus, however, students don’t have the luxury to just locate the central router and disconnect it. Simply restarting a laptop or cell phone doesn’t do the trick either. Common wireless networks run typically between 2.4 to 5 gigahertz, which means that outside of confined spaces, one shouldn’t be reliant on a strong signal. For large businesses and college campuses, connectivity issues can occur for multiple reasons as the wireless frequency crosses larger areas and other networks. Many electronics can
cross signals, slowing down multiple wi-fi connections. An abundance of wireless appliances and an unexpected influx of users can also contribute to a slow or nonexistent connection. UMass Lowell thankfully has a full-time IT team that is constantly updating and checking to make sure “eduroam” is running efficiently and all of UMass Lowell’s technology is up to par. The team also works to aid students and faculty in repairs, maintenance, or just general questions. With a campus as large as UMass Lowell, it is understandable that “eduroam” will be slow at times. UMass Lowell also offers a second wi-fi channel named “UMass Lowell” but it is an unsecured network and nearly impossible to get a halfway decent signal. Some students, especially the students who live on campus, say that the wi-fi network is cumbersome to work with as there seems to be constant issues with connectivity. “There are times when I’m here on the weekend and I can’t even submit assignments on my laptop because eduroam is down,” said Angie Lanier, a junior nursing student. “I end up having to use my phone data because of the wi-fi. 90 percent of the time it’s fine, but the other 10 percent is far too
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much.” Freshman criminal justice major Adam Konieczny echoes this sentiment. “We’re paying a lot of money to this school and there’s just some things we shouldn’t have to worry about. Reliable wi-fi should be a given. I even contacted [UMass Lowell’s IT team] about “eduroam” crashing and I never heard back. There isn’t even a second option so if eduroam is down, then the whole school is basically down.” The student frustration with the IT team may or may not be unwarranted. But what exactly caused the outage during the first weekend of November? And is there a reason as to why eduroam is running so slow across campus? “I have a theory,” Lanier said. “I think it might have to with the amount of students using the wi-fi at once mixed in with other wireless devices on campus. But if that’s the case, shouldn’t UMass Lowell be more aware that the signal might not be strong enough for the school?” UMass Lowell’s Student Solution Center refers the UMass Lowell community to the IT team regarding internet issues or questions, but unfortunately the IT team was unavailable
Christmas shopping for the average college student for comment. “It’s totally bizarre. Students can’t live in a constant state of worry if they’ll have internet access or not. There were some near breakdowns on my floor because of eduroam,” Konieczny said.
Hear of anything interesting on campus? Write for The UMass Lowell Connector! Or send us flyers for events YOU think we should cover! Connector@uml.edu Conor_Dawson @student.uml.edu
QUOTH THE
NECC WINTER RIVERHAWKS INTERSESSION Catch up on your credits from last semester or get ahead for next semester with an NECC Winter Intersession course. Transfer the credits to your college or university, and save money on tuition. ONLINE COURSES run January 2 – January 25
HES201
Healthcare Law & Ethics
HIS102
U.S. History II
You've got to find your passion, follow your passion, and nurture your passion. You need to spend a disproportionate amount of time on something you enjoy... Wait that's your passion? Weird.
Cultural Anthropology
MAT020 Foundations of Math
Human Nutrition & Health
MAT022 Foundations of Algebra
BIO104
Human Nutrition & Health Lab
MAT125 Statistics
BUS105
Managerial Business Communications
MAT130 Precalculus for Business Social Life Science
Student 1: Do you know what spotted dick is? Student 2: Yeah, it’s a lizard? Student 3: No, it’s canned bread.
CHM111 College Chemistry I
MKT210 Principles of Marketing
- Fox Dining Hall
CIS112
MUS101 Intro to Music PSY101
Intro to Psychology
ECO201
Micro Economics
PSY110
Lifespan Psychology
ECO202
Macro Economics
HES102
Learning Strategies for Success in Healthcare
HES103
RICCS: Preparing for Success in a Healthcare Career
HES130
Intro to Patient Care
Register today! For more information, visit www.necc.mass.edu/winter-2019 or contact Enrollment Services at 978-965-3900 or admissions@necc.mass.edu.
- O’Leary Starbucks line
Somebody best be dying. - Fox Hall Fire Alarm
I will literally cut off both my big toes to prove you wrong. - Fox Hall
ON CAMPUS COURSE runs January 2 – January 11 on the Haverhill Campus. COM111 Public Speaking
- Dugan Hall
How much would you pay for this 3-D printed multi-surface rock that relieves stress?
ANT101
COM112 Interpersonal Communications
Student 1: Why does your family go through so many phones? Are Y’all drug dealers? Student 2: Well… not anymore.
- Fox Dining Hall
BIO103
Integrated Computer Applications
No one is taking my blood! I don’t have the Measles. - O’Leary Library
So, like is Rowdy a furry? - U Crossing
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UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
If you’re mainlining cocoa powder, we have an issue. - Weed Hall
The best seasons of Seinfeld were the last four. - Fox Dining Hall
Troy Lafond Connector Staff
Halloween has just ended, which means there’s one thing on everyone’s minds now…Christmas! Yes, it may be a little soon for some people, but don’t underestimate the advantages of starting to think about Christmas shopping in early November. Christmas shopping can add a lot of stress and burden to people’s lives regarding finances, figuring out what to get and figuring out when to actually get it. No one wants to be the one rushing out on Christmas Eve with five dollars left to their name and no idea of what they want to get anyone! So, here is a definitive guide to getting Christmas shopping done as early as possible. .To start out Christmas shopping, it is best to plan out what to get people in advance. It is very easy to get side-
tracked in a shopping mall and end up coming home with 30 things for yourself and nothing for anyone on your list. Coming up with a list of not only what to get everyone, but also where to get it, saves time and prevents sidetracking. It is also gets the hardest step out of the way first. It is best to get this done before Black Friday, so any deals can be taken advantage of. .Black Friday in Massachusetts starts a bit later than in other states. Across the country, many stores will open as early as 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, but Massachusetts blue laws prevent major Black Friday stores from opening until Friday. In past years, the likes of Walmart, Target, and other similar stores have opened around 1 a.m. on Black Friday statewide (except in towns that require the opening be later), so it is likely the start time will be
around then. Make sure to check local stores in case there’s an exception! .Most stores will post their Black Friday ad spreads in advance. If nothing on the list is highlighted prominently on these spreads, it is unlikely that they will sell out early in the day, so getting in line and getting into fights to checkout may not be necessary. Generally, anything beyond the best deals in electronics and the hottest new kids toys will be available throughout a decent amount of the day. .For anything that is not picked up on Black Friday, the coming Monday is also Cyber Monday, where many online retailers will have deals of equal quality to their Black Friday equivalents. This is a bit harder to plan for since the start time and content of these deals is much less promoted, however, it can be a convenient way to
pick up a gift or two. For those who plan to get their . shopping done while still at school, there are quite a few accessible malls from campus. The city of Lowell’s bus systems run to the Burlington Mall, making it an easily accessible choice for those without their own transportation. Other mall options include Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, N.H., the Merrimack Premium Outlets in Merrimack, N.H. and the Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, N.H., all within a half hour drive of campus. Lastly, trains run daily into Boston, free of charge for students, for those who would rather shop there. With these options in mind, Christmas shopping should be a breeze!
An experience worth the world: Study Abroad Fair preview Jason Ounpraseuth Connector Editor
“It changed my life,” said Dr. Christopher Carlsmith, chair of the history department at UMass Lowell when talking about his experience studying abroad in Italy in his junior year at Stanford University. He says that it helped expose him to other cultures and see the world as much bigger than he thought before. Dr. Carlsmith also says that traveling abroad has increased his appreciation for countries outside of the U.S., and he expresses hope that his children and have a similar type of experience in their future. .Students can have the opportunity to learn more about study abroad at the International Experiences and Study Abroad Fair. According to different fliers and the Office of Study Abroad and International Experiences, the fair will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at the UCrossing Lobby. “Study abroad, in general, is something that I think all students should have the opportunity to participate in and explore the opportunity,” said Emily Zeitsev, assistant director of the Office of Study Abroad and International Experiences. “I was excited to help the university grow the study abroad program, and since the office opened in 2012, we have seen a lot more growth and a lot more students study abroad.” .She says that the International Experiences and Study Abroad Fair will host partners that for students to talk with as well as other people who have done study abroad before to learn from first-hand experience what study abroad is like. This kind of experience was not the case when the study abroad program first started. .Zeitsev, says that before 2012, students could only get advising on study abroad on a part-time basis through the Centers for Learning. She says that in 2012, the Office of Study Abroad and International Experiences was established in UMass Lowell by Director Fern MacKinnon and herself. .Students can also find a lot of information about study abroad that can be found on the study abroad page on the UMass Lowell website, the study abroad website and the study abroad office at UCrossing 370. The study abroad website offers a variety of different programs. The Study Abroad office also passes out fliers for students who visit and talk with either
Courtesy of newzealand.com
New Zealand is one of the many places you can study abroad.
Mackinnon or Zeitsev. Many fliers provide many kinds of opportunities during the summer and winter periods to study abroad either with faculty-led program or a partner-led program. Zeitsev says that these programs are open to all students of all majors and backgrounds. Dr. Carlsmith says that when he took Italian in college, he instantly fell in love with the language. He felt that it was reasonable for him to go to Italy and put it into practical use. He encourages his students that go to him to take a language study approach, so they can also learn more about their field of study in that countries’ native language. Dr. Maria Matz, the chair of the world languages department and an associate professor of Latin American Studies and Cultures, said she believes in the practical elements of learning a language. “You are going to do something with your language,” said Matz. “You are not going to be in a corner talking to yourself or experience [a] culture by yourself. It doesn’t make much sense.” Dr. Matz says that she and the world languages department work together with the Office of Study Abroad and International Experiences to help answer students’ questions and to have the students learn more about the study abroad program. A misconception that Zeitsev frequently hears . about study abroad is that it is too expensive. The study abroad website and the homepage on the UMass Lowell website offers many scholarships and grants that students can apply to and receive. Zeitsev says that herself, Mackinnon and their team work consistently to provide students any financial help they need through scholarships, grants and through financial aid. Dr. Carlsmith and Dr. Matz also said that their departments also work to provide information for
students to receive scholarships or grants if the student needs help financially to study abroad. .Zeitsev says that she always encourages students who come in for an appointment at the office to at least think about studying abroad. .“I would just encourage all students to consider it whether it’s for a semester or for a short-term program,” said Zeitsev. “We do have short term programs over the summer or the winter that are as short as about two weeks so that’s a good opportunity if you’re not ready to commit a longer program just yet, but I would just encourage all students to look into it and consider it because it’s a life-changing experience.”
Casey O’Dwyer/UMass Lowell
Peter Adler/UMass Lowell
Courtesy ofUMass Lowell
UMass Lowell sends students all over the world.
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November 13, 2018
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November 13, 2018
SPORTS
The strange saga between Mayweather and Rizin FF Jason Ounpraseuth Connector Editor
On Wednesday, Nov. 7, Floyd Mayweather Jr. released a statement on his Instagram account where he claimed to not have agreed to an official bout with Tenshin Nasukawa. Mayweather and Nasukawa appeared in a news conference on Monday, Nov. 5 (Sunday in U.S. time) in Tokyo streamed worldwide in which a fight between the two would be held on New Year’s Eve at Rizin FF 14. However, it appears that Mayweather will remain retired Courtesy of AFP/Getty Images
This fight will only live in the imaginations of fight fans
for now. Rizin Fighting Federation is a Japanese promotional company, founded in 2015, that puts on MMA (mixed martial arts) and kickboxing events. 20-year-old Nasukawa is one their rising stars holding a 27-0 record in kickboxing and a 4-0 record in MMA. According to Mayweather’s statement on Insta-
gram, he had not heard of Nasukawa before the news conference and believed that their bout would be a non-televised private exhibition held in front of a “small group of wealthy spectators”. He claimed to have been blindsided by the announcement and that he was misled into the true nature of the fight. He said that he went along with everything that was going on in the news conference as he did not want to create a disturbance. Fans can agree with the confusion due to the unspecified rules announced for the fight. It was reported as early as Dec. 20, 2017 by ESPN that Mayweather was in discussions for a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) deal. A month later, TMZ reported that Mayweather had begun training at a MMA gym creating the idea of him in the UFC octagon a reality rather than a fantasy. However, he has not officially signed with the UFC yet, but his interest still remains if he was going to fight Nasukawa. Combat sports fans on social media speculated on how much of a stunt the Rizin news conference was. Rizin president Nobuyuki Sakakibara has not released an official statement in regards to the New Year’s Eve fight, and Nasukawa has remained silent as well. MMA journalist Ariel Helwani claimed on his ESPN+ show, “Ariel and the Bad Guy”, that only Rizin and Nasukawa have something to gain from this affair. More people now know more about Rizin and Sakakibara and Nasukawa’s faces are known to more people now than they were before last week. The only comparable situation that can be cited is a potential 2003 fight between Mike Tyson and Bob Sapp. Tyson confronted top K-1 fighter Sapp in the ring after his victory against Kimo Leopold. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract, but the fight never happened due to Tyson’s inability to obtain a visa to enter Japan because of his felony history. The fight never happened, but fight fans still wonder what a
mega fight like Tyson vs. Sapp could have done for the legacies for each fighter. The same can arguably be said for Mayweather vs. Nasukawa. The age difference in this potential fight (21-year age difference) is much more greater than Tyson vs. Sapp (seven-year age difference). Age does not always matter in MMA. Legendary fighter Fedor Emelianenko is still fighting at age 42, Courtesy of Rizin FF
SPORTS Basketball wins home opener ► continued from front page
Both teams came out shooting well and even trading multiple 3’s early on in the second half. The River Hawks were able to take the lead back with over 13 minutes to go but continued to trade blows with the visitors. Costly turnovers and missing open shots would allow the visitors to go on a 9-0 run midway through the second but the River Hawks would battle back. Senior captain Josh Gantz gave the River Hawks a one-point lead off a crucial 3-point shot giving the River Hawks a 70-69 lead with two minutes to go.
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
Mayweather and Nasukawa meet face to face.
and UFC Hall of Famer Chuch Liddell (48) is making his return to MMA against long-time rival Tito Ortiz (43). However, a boxer making the switch to MMA could prove difficult for Mayweather if he ever makes the jump. All fight fans can do is wait and read the rumor mill as it appears Mayweather will remain retired until another big money fight comes his way.
Obadiah Noel led UMass Lowell with 17 points.
LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell women’s basketball team suffered a heartbreaking, 58-57 defeat in the final second of the season opener to the visiting Bryant Bulldogs at the Tsongas Center on Tuesday night.
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
McKie paced the River Hawks in their opening game.
With the game tied at 57-57 and the River Hawks (0-1) holding for the final shot, the Bulldogs’ (1-0) Sydney Holloway was able to swipe the ball and convert one free throw with 0.7 seconds on the clock to steal the win as the hosts could not get a final shot off. “I’m really proud of the way our team fought and the effort that the ladies put in,” remarked Head Coach Tom Garrick. “We’re not going to be
a team that lives on moral victories but we know that there’s a way to win and a way to lose, and if you go down swinging and giving maximum effort, and that’s what I thought we did tonight. We have a few things to clean up, but it’s everything we can control so overall I’m happy with the effort we put in tonight.” Holloway led all players with 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, scoring 15 in the second half alone. Haley Connors and Hannah Scanlan added 16 and 14 points respectively for the Bulldogs. In her River Hawk debut, Ren’Cia Rolling (Lansing, Ill.) paced the offense with 11 points, including a three-pointer that put UMass Lowell up 5753 with 92 seconds to play. Katie McKie (Austin, Texas) matched her career best with 10 points, and Brianna Rudolph (Lynn, Mass.) added 10 as well. Before Rolling’s triple, Bryant missed six consecutive free throws to allow the hosts to erase a 48-44 deficit and take a 52-50 lead, but Connors brought the Bulldogs back within 54-53 to set up the dramatic conclusion. UMass Lowell jumped out to a 9-4 run in the first five minutes capped by a Saoirse Power-Cassidy (Dublin, Ireland) three-pointer, and after both teams traded triples the River Hawks lead 12-7 at the opening media timeout. The Bulldogs scored the opening bucket and led 4-2 before Bri Stiers (Denver, Colorado) and McKie put the hosts in front before Power-Cassidy’s three. With an 18-11 advantage after the first quarter, the hosts saw Bryant chip away with a 5-1 run and trail 26-23, but a Katherine Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and-one pushed the River Hawk lead back up
to 29-23 with 2:34 remaining in the half. McKie led the River Hawks with eight points and three rebounds in the opening half, as UMass Lowell held a 32-28 buffer at the intermission. Rudolph opened the second half with six straight River Hawk points, as the hosts built a 40-32 in the early minutes. The Bulldogs rallied to draw even at 42-42 and took their first lead since the opening minutes at 44-42 behind Holloway’s fourth bucket of the quarter, as the clocked showed 2:45 to play. McKie scored her 10th point of the night in the final minute of the third, but Bryant answered back to hold a 48-44 edge to enter the final period. The River Hawks continue their three-game home stand to open the season with a matchup against Saint Peter’s on Friday night.
Write sports for The Connector! Email Jason_ Ounpraseuth@ student.uml.edu
Wagner would have their own momentum swinger with one of their forwards crashing the boards and dunking on the River Hawks defensive rebounders, completely quieting the home faithful at Costello. Sophomore guard Obadiah Noel would bring that home crowd energy right back. “I’ve been waiting for this game since last year,” Noel said. “It was so exciting to play in front of our fans again. My family also came out all the way from Maryland so we couldn’t disappoint.” Noel, assisted by senior captain Ryan Jones, followed up the Wagner dunk with his own. Except this one being finished off with an athletic reverse alley-oop that sent the crowd in chaos and put the River Hawks down by just one. “It’s the first time I’ve ever done something like that,” said Noel. The River Hawks would follow up the Sports center worthy dunk with a pivotal stop that saw Jones come up with the defensive rebound. On the next possession, leading scorer Christian Lutete would get fouled. He tied up the game on the free throw line. 73-73. A strong River Hawk defensive stop at the end of regulation concluded that they were headed to overtime. The River Hawks would win the tip off to overtime and never looked back. 3 pointers from Rivera and Lutete saw the hosts take an early lead. A
UP CO MI N G
River Hawk Games Tuesday, Nov. 13
7 pm
WBB vs. Fisher College
Tuesday, Nov. 13
7 pm MBB at Central Conn. St.
Friday, Nov. 16
7 pm
Saturday, Nov. 17
10:45 am
Saturday, Nov. 17
2 pm
WBB at Cornell
Saturday, Nov. 17
7 pm
Hockey vs. UConn
Hockey at UConn XCTF at Wisconsin
For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com
lead that would never be relinquished as the River Hawks finished out the overtime period with big defensive stops. A final rebound to Lutute, who was able to finish off the game at the line, saw the River Hawks leave Costello with an 88-84 win. “It’s good to get our first win here at home in front of a really good crowd,” said Duquette. The men’s basketball team will continue their season when they visit Central Connecticut State on Tuesday Nov. 13th at 7pm.
River Hawks knock off Saint Peter’s, 59-57, for first win UMass Lowell Athletics
LOWELL, Mass. – Ren’Cia Rolling (Lansing, Ill.) connected on the game-winning jumper with eight seconds left and Katherine Smith (Fort Wayne, Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
River Hawks drop season opener in final seconds to Bryant UMass Lowell Athletics
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A team effort helped the River Hawks earn a win.
Ind.) set a new career high with 17 points as the UMass Lowell women’s basketball team knocked off Saint Peter’s, 59-57, on Friday night. Head Coach Tom Garrick became the third fastest coach in program history to earn his first win
with UMass Lowell (1-1). “I thought our kids played hard and grew from our first game,” remarked Garrick. “We learned from our mistakes and played really hard and were able to pick up the intensity on defense in the last five minutes of the game.” Rolling scored the final four points of the contest, including a pull up jumper from the free throw line to decide the game following a Brianna Rudolph (Lynn, Mass.) steal as the Peacocks (1-1) were holding for the final shot. The River Hawks entered the final quarter with a 46-44 lead, and built up a 53-47 advantage after a Katie McKie (Austin, Texas) bucket as the clock ticked under five minutes to go. Saint Peter’s rallied to take a 57-55 lead with 1:15 to play, before Rolling took over and knotted the game up with 64 seconds to play. Rudolph and Rolling joined Smith in double-figures, adding 11 and 10 respectively and Rolling set a personal best with six assists. En route to her 15-point first half, Smith broke a scoreless tie with 7:36 to play in the opening quarter and scored the first five UML points as the River Hawks led 9-6 at the first media timeout. Smith added two more on a pair of free throws to push the
advantage to 11-6. Saint Peter’s responded with a 7-0 spurt to retake the lead, but Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) connected on her first career triple as time ran out in the first to put the hosts on top 14-13 after the opening period. SPU didn’t score for the first 4:35 of the second quarter, but the Peacocks connected on five three-pointers in the first half to take a 29-28 buffer into the halftime break. Smith surpassed her previous career best with 47 seconds to play in the first half, as the graduate student went 6-of-11 from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. With the visitors leading 31-28 in the early stages of the third quarter, Rudolph sparked an 8-0 run with six points, including the first four of the spurt. The River Hawks rode the momentum to take a 4238 lead into the final quarter, outscoring Saint Peter’s, 14-9, in the third. Saint Peter’s was led by Zoe Pero’s 17 points, while Wil’lisha Jackson and D’Aviyon Magazine added 12 and 10. The River Hawks wrap up their three-game home stand with a matchup against Fisher College on November 13 at 7 p.m.
River Hawks suffer defeat in America East Semifinals UMass Lowell Athletics
DURHAM, N.H. – The No. 3 UMass Lowell men’s soccer team fell 2-0 in the America East semifinals to No. 2 New Hampshire on Wednesday night. The River Hawks’ (10-6-2) outshot the Wildcats (11-3-2), 8-2, including a 7-0 mark in the second half. Owen Miller (Medford, Mass.) and Roko Prsa (Sisak, Croatia) were named to the All-Tournament team. “I thought it was a tale of two different halfs out there tonight,” said Head Coach Christian Figueroa. “I wouldn’t say that we came out flat, but we absorbed a lot in the first half and giving up two goals is always tough on the road. The guys responded really well in the second half to get some momentum and create opportunities, but credit to UNH for limiting the chances.” For the second time in 12 days the hosts built a two-goal first half lead, as Antonio Colacci sent a one-timed volley just over the outstretched hand of Patrik Gujic (Bjelovar, Croatia) at the 24 minute mark.
In the final minutes before halftime, a deflected header found its way into the back of the net for New Hampshire’s second goal. Jakov Basic (Zagreb, Croatia) and Dario Jovanovski (Zagreb, Croatia) led the visitors with two shots each, and Ivan Blaskic (Zagreb, Croatia) recorded UMass Lowell’s lone shot on target with a header at minute 69. The River Hawks’ overall postseason record goes to 24-15, including a 2-2 mark in Division I.
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UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
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November 13, 2018
SPORTS
River Hawks tie New Hampshire with Lohin’s late game heroics Alecia Connolly and Aaron Robinson Connector Editors
Ryan Lohin scored two goals in 27 seconds after returning from injury, and the UMass Lowell River Hawks overcame a 2-0 third period deficit to tie the University of New Hampshire Wildcats Friday night in Hockey East action. The River Hawks (4-4-1) were playing from behind most of the night until Lohin’s breakout third period against the Wildcats (2-4-2). Lohin’s first goal came with 2:13 left in the third period after the River Hawks pulled goaltender Tyler Wall to gain the man advantage, finally catching Wildcats goaltender Mike Robinson off guard and cutting the River Hawks deficit in half. The second goal came shortly after the center faceoff when Lohin hit a beautiful one-timer from the right faceoff circle through the pads of Robinson, again with Wall pulled and an extra skater on the ice. With the extra skater, the River Hawks were able to crowd the net, making it more difficult for Robinson to stop the puck. “I thought we started off a bit slow. [the Wildcats] really took it to us in the beginning,” Lohin said. “But we were able to bounce back and show some resilience in the final two periods. Luckily, we were rewarded late and able to come away with a tie.” The River Hawks offensive barrage finally turned into positive results as the team showed once again that the third period is when they play their most inspired hockey.
“I liked our response,” said River Hawks head coach Norm Bazin. “Obviously getting a point like this is a good thing.” The River Hawks had their chances early but failed to capitalize on their scoring opportunities. After a potential power play goal was waved off by officials six minutes into the game, Wildcat Ara Nazarin buried a shot past Wall with 8:21 remaining in the first period to get the scoring started After a five-minute major for boarding on the Wildcats Anthony Wyse, which led to Lohin’s injury and subsequent removal, and a two-minute minor for interference on River Hawks Sam Knoblauch, Marcus Vela sniped a beautiful shot from the slot over Wall’s glove hand as the first period neared its end and the Wildcats lead doubled. The boarding call on Wyse was worthy of a game misconduct, his first of the season. The River Hawks rebounded in the second, outshooting UNH by the tune of 15-1, yet were unable to net a goal past Robinson. The River Hawks had a pair of power play chances, but UNH killed off each penalty successfully. “We need to get better on the power play, no question,” said Coach Bazin. “We had eight or nine [power play goals] in our first five games, but only three since. It’s not enough… we have to improve.” Although the River Hawks were unable to score, they dominated time controlling the puck, in large part to three penalties called against the Wildcats. Shortly after the third period began, the River
Matt Dwyer/Connector
The game brought UMass Lowell’s record to 1-4-2.
Hawks were once again on the power play but once again came up empty. The defense stepped up after the first period, only allowing 4 shots on goal in the second and third period as well as killing off a key power play midway through the third that could have potentially iced the game for the Wildcats. “Tyler played great,” Lohin said. “He definitely gave us a great chance to come back.” In overtime, neither team could break through but Wall held his own as the Wildcats held the puck in the River Hawks zone through most of the overtime period. As Wall turned away shot after shot, fans counted down in glee as the clock hit zero and the River Hawks escaped with the tie. “We’ve got a lot of young guys in that locker room looking for guidance, and I thought some of the upperclassmen were very slow… we’re looking for strong starts, but it’s a team game and we’re not going to blame any specific [players]; we have to have a better start in the Hockey East to hope to have success,” said Coach Bazin.
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