End Days ◄ UMass Lowell Theatre Department’s fall production ► Page 9
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
November 25, 2014
UMass Lowell to host seventh Relay for Life
Men’s basketball on pace for strong season
Lindy Reed
“More than one opposing coach has stopped me after the game and said how tough our kids are and how hard they play�
Connector Staff
UMass Lowell, as part of Colleges Against Cancer, is set to host its seventh Relay for Life event on April 10, 2015 at the Campus Recreation Center. The university community got a headstart at signing up for one of the American Cancer Society’s biggest events at the Relay for Life Kick-off at Moloney Hall. Thursday night’s kickoff event allowed students to register for Relay for Life, a 12-hour overnight walk to raise money for cancer research and commemorate those who are fighting or have fought cancer. The relay is a team event designed to symbolize the familial and communal support cancer patients must receive to fight. The event will start at 6 p.m. and end at 6 a.m., a timeframe chosen specifically to represent the emotional and physical battle endured by cancer patients. Members do not need to walk for twelve hours straight, but they are encouraged to alternate breaks so that at least one team member remains on the track at all times. ►See Relay for Life, Page 10
Reading and book signing: Andre Dubus III and Sandra Lim
-Coach Duquette
Nick Giannino Connector Editor
The UMass Lowell men’s basketball team more than held their own last season, exceeding expectations in their first full season as Division I with a .500 record in the conference at 8-8 and an overall record of 10-18. Considering the strength of their schedule (they played games against national powerhouses such as University of Michigan and University of Cincinnati) the 1018 record was respectable. Despite losing three seniors in the offseason, including starting point guard and second team all-conference member Akeem Williams, the River Hawks feel they can improve that record this year. “More than one opposing coach has stopped me after the game and said how
tough our kids are and how hard they play,� said second year head coach Pat Duquette after the River Hawks got their second win of the season at NJIT. For a young team with eight freshmen currently on their roster, playing hard against teams that might be bigger or more experienced than they are is a huge piece to getting into the win column. Even with over 50 percent of the teams’ roster being freshmen, the River Hawks don’t seem to have missed a beat thus far, proving to have some great young talent on the team. After sitting out the entire 2013-14 season due to injury, redshirt freshman Jahad Thomas has gotten off to a hot start replacing Williams in the starting lineup, averaging 14.5 points on 58 percent shooting from the field, to
go along with 7.5 rebounds and 1 assist per game. “He’s just a tough matchup,� said Duquette about Thomas after the River Hawks win at Sacred Heart. “He’s able to create offense for us.� Thomas isn’t the only player stepping it up this season. Duquette has also credited senior forward Kerry Weldon and sophomore forward Tyler Livingston, among others. It all starts on the defensive end for the River Hawks. Up to this point in the season, they hold a +1 turnover margin, good for third in the America East Conference. If they can keep that up and combine it with a balanced scoring attack, the River Hawks could be very successful moving forward. As of Sunday afternoon the River Hawks are 2-2 in
four away games this season. They look to improve that record in their home opener Tuesday, Nov. 25 against Division III Mount Ida College.
‘Far Cry 4’ review impressions Brendan Jacques Connector Staff
Sam Linstead-Atkinson/Connector
Faculty writers read exceprts of their recent collections to an audience at O’Leary Library.
â–şSee Book signing, Page 4
Sections Op/ed .......................... 2 Campus Life.................. 6 Calendar....................... 3 A&E.............................. 8 News .............................4 Sports.......................... 11
It’s rare to find a game that embraces total chaos as much as “Far Cry 4� does. From sprinting through an enemy camp, knifing everyone in my wake to killing wild animals with grenades and watching their bodies fly through the air, this game seems to have been built for the singular purpose of creating as many “wow� moments as possible. The result is one of the most beautifully realized worlds I’ve seen in a while coupled with rock-solid game-
play that makes almost every moment stand out. While I can’t say this game does everything perfectly, I am impressed with what I have seen thus far and am excited to jump right back into its violent and beautiful world. “Far Cry 4� follows the exploits of Ajay Ghale, an American-born immigrant who’s traveling to the fictional Himalayan country of Kyrat in order to spread his mother’s ashes. His plans go awry, however, when he discovers that his late parents were the former leaders of an armed resistance against the country’s tyrranical ruler, Pagin
Min, immediately forcing Ghale into the role of messianic figurehead of the rebellion and sworn enemy of Min’s regime. From there, you are tasked with helping the rebellious Golden Path wrest control of the country from Min’s clutches one region at a time, all the while trying to uncover the hidden mysteries of the country and learning the truth of what happened to Ghale’s father years before.
â–şSee ‘Far Cry 4’, Page 9
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Things not to say to UML Security
November 25, 2014
By Gryphon Lane
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD CHRISTOPHER TRAN Editor-In-Chief MADDIE KOUFOGAZOS Managing Editor
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AL GENTILE DAVE RUDDERHAM News Editors SHANE FOLEY NICHOLAS GIANNINO Sports Editors MARLON PITTER Campus Life Editor REGINA ALONGI JEN DESROSIERS Arts & Entertainment Editors KELLY FREITAS JENNA FREITAS Graphic Designers GRYPHON LAYNE Comics Editor
Staff SAM LINSTEAD-ATKINSON BENJAMIN ST. PIERRE HENRY ST. PIERRE BRENDAN JACQUES PATRICK RAISTRICK JOSH BEVERAGE EMILY TOOMEY
AMANDA DYSART TYLER COTE JOE MCDONOUGH GREG ALEXANDROPOULOS LINDY REED NICHOLLES KLEVISHA MICHAEL CAIZZI
Phone | 978.934.5017 ext. 45017 Address | University Crossing Club Hub Suite #241 220 Pawtucket St. Lowell, MA 01854
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
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November 25, 2014
ng happeni What’s us on camp th?! this mon
SUNDAY
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MONDAY
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CAMPUS CALENDAR
NOV./DEC.
TUESDAY
25
WEDNESDAY
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Women’s Basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson 2:00p.m. Costello Gym
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Condom Casino Night 6:00p.m.-10:00p.m. Moloney Hall UCrossing
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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MEISA Concert 8:00p.m.-11:00p.m. Fox Common
Space Science Lab Friday Seminar Series 3:00p.m.-4:30p.m. Wannalancit 405
Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Maine 8:00p.m. Tsongas Center
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27 GRE Prep Worshop Centers for Learning 4:30p.m.-7:0p.m. Olney Hall 218
M. Basketball vs. Mount Ida 7:00p.m. Costello Gym
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THURSDAY
3 Men’s Ice Hockey vs. UConn Pucks&Paws night 7:00p.m. Tsongas Center
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Men’s Basektball vs. NJIT 7:00p.m. Costello Gym
Sunday Holy Mass 7:00p.m. Moloney Hall, UC
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7 Sunday Holy Mass 7:00p.m. Moloney Hall, UC
Vocality Winter Concert Acapella Society 7:00p.m.-11:00p.m. Moloney Hall, UC
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Red Cross Blood Drive 11:00a.m.-4:00p.m. Cumnock Hall
Last Day of Fall Semester Classes
Drop-in or by appt.: 1-800-GIVE-LIFE
Reading Day
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Fall Semester Exams Begin
GRE Prep Workshop Centers for Learning 4:30p.m.-7:00p.m. Olney Hall 218
Calendar listings are FREE when space is available. To better ensure your listings placement, get your information in two weeks in advance by e-mailing Christopher_Tran@student.uml.edu
Dodgeball tournament leaves two teams standing ► Continued from page 6
With the loss, however, Navarro’s team had to Of the 25 six-person teams to participate in the One member of One and Done, who asked to replay an extra game to make the final round, and tournament, One and Done were one of the last main anonymous, said he was pleasantly surprised he said he noticed the extra play affect his partners. four teams in contention. After an early loss to with how far his team advanced in the competition, “A lot of people were feeling the fatigue, I think,” Team Mother, One and Done battled all the way even though they expected much less success. “We named our team ‘One and Done,’ and we Navarro said. “[There was] a lot of grinding, a lot to the semifinal game of the losers’ bracket, defeatof will power, but I think we’ll be rested for [the ing the likes of Team Steve, Terror Squad and River ended up going pretty far, so I’m happy with our Stags, before being eliminated by Wavy Crockett. overall performance,” he said. final round].” He said the team “decided to play extremeFor the rematch, Navarro says, his team ly conservative” by aiming their throws low has a strategy that will help them avenge and looking for two-on-one advantages after their loss to Not in the Face. their first loss. “They’ve got some key players on their “We faced some hard matchups, and overteam I think we’re gonna go after to start all, we just, we pulled through,” he said. the game,” said Navarro. “Once we get them “That’s what we do.” out, I think we can do what we do best and get the win.” Wavy Crockett narrowly missed a shot at the title match with their loss to Good Not Great in the losers’ final, finishing third in the tournament. Captain Brandon Rolli said he was proud of this team’s effort, despite falling just short of the final round. “We did everything we could, we played all day, and they were just a better team, I guess,” said Rolli. “You can’t really do much Marlon Pitter/Connector Good Not Great (above) will face Not in the Face Dec. 10 at Costello. about that.”
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November 25, 2014
Pradeep Kurup named Distinguished University Professor Professor Kurup recently received the honor of being made Distinguished University Professor, the highest distinction a UMass Lowell faculty member can attain. Distinguished University Professors are those of unparalleled excellence. During their three year term, University Professors receive one course reduction from their teaching load each semester, and also a $10,000 salary supplement. When asked about receiving the award, Kurup said “I didn’t even see it coming, but it felt really awesome.” Professor Kurup, who has been with UMass Low-
“In our field these [inventions] are novel, no one has ever done it before.”
Professor Pradeep Kurup, a notable researcher at UMass Lowell and Distinguished University Professor
Michael Caizzi Connector Staff
The old saying “Good things come to those who wait” is a lie. Good things come to those who go out and earn them, and by all accounts, Professor Pradeep Kurup of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department has earned them.
ell since 1997, is an expert in geotechnical engineering, a branch of civil engineering dealing with soil mechanics and foundation engineering. Kurup’s research is primarily concerned with geoenvironmental engineering, which he described as “a marriage between geotechnical and environmental engineering.” As a part of being made a Distinguished University Professor, Kurup will give a university-wide lecture in the spring. The lecture will be on Kurup’s interdisciplinary research, in which he has collaborated with the physics, mechanical engineering, plastics engineering, and chemical engineering departments. Kurup’s research has garnered a lot of attention.
Kurup has developed an electronic “nose” which mimics the human olfactory system to detect contaminants in the ground, such as gasoline. The sensors of this “nose” function very similarly to human nose. “The sensors are trained with what are called ‘artificial neural networks’ which function similar to the neurons in the brain that learn different odors. It’s an artificial intelligence software,” says Kurup. Kurup has also developed an electronic “tongue” which functions very similarly to the electronic “nose”, except it mimics the human sense of taste. The “tongue” is trained in the same way the nose is, and is used to detect heavy metals, such as lead or mercury. “In our field these [inventions] are novel, no one has ever done it before,” says Kurup. Professor Kurup’s groundbreaking work shows him to be a genuinely world-class researcher, and educator. The students of UMass Lowell are truly lucky to have faculty like him. Professors like Kurup help to distinguish this university, and ourselves as students as a cut above the rest.
Reading and book signing: Andre Dubus III and Sandra Lim Samuel Linstead-Atkinson Connector Staff
The English department hosted a poetry and fiction reading as well as a book signing, featuring faculty writers Sandra Lim and Andre Dubus III. Lim read poems from her collection “The Wilderness” and Dubus read from his book of novellas, “Dirty Love.” The event was dubbed “Writers on Campus” and students and faculty alike gathered in an O’Leary Library auditorium to listen. Dubus began by reading the title novella of his collection, which was narrated from the point of view of an adolescent girl named Devon. The excerpt went on to describe the girl bussing tables at work, and later absent-mindedly using an online video chat service, “[not knowing] if she was looking for anything.” Lim selected a poem titled “Amor Fati” to introduce her recent work. The poems she selected to read, such as “Amor Fati” and “Human Interest Story,” Lim said, “circle around the idea of wilderness.” Once the two writers had read excerpts from their work, they asked for questions and comments from the audience. Dubus asked Lim, “Where does a poem come from? How’s it start?” “A certain line will come to me,”
said Lim. She then related poetry to music in the way that it often starts as a line or a single thought. Dubus added that, for him, it was often “a sliver of an image.” He went on to describe how the novella “Dirty Love” came to him. “I could sense a young woman on the cusp of… womanhood and an old man living in a house together, without anything creepy going on, and with a lot of love and a lot of pain,” he said. The conversation then turned to the many young or otherwise aspiring writers among the group. Many directed a question at either Lim or Dubus, inquiring of the influence or
“Music is as much an influence for me as reading is.” inspiration of their work. A partial list of her influences, Lim said, were poets such as Sappho and T.S. Eliot as well as authors known for their prose, such as Grace Paley and Leonard Michaels. Dubus mentioned influences in a variety of creative fields including not only prose and
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NEWS
NEWS Michael Caizzi/Connector
November 25, 2014
Samuel Linstead-Atkinson/Connector
Andre Dubus III and Sandra Lim field a question from a student.
poetry, but music and art. “Music is as much an influence for me as reading is.” He listed musicians such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, and writers such as William Faulkner and Alice Munro. “I think it is important for younger writers, whether they are young in age or young at the craft, to know that the people who [write] are just people,” said Dubus. He also illuminated his own writing process as being tedious and not as fruitful as he would like. “I feel like I’m writing well one day out
of about 16,” he said, “but I still show up for those other 15.” Sandra Lim has published two collections of poetry and is an assistant English professor. Andre Dubus III is the author of six books including his most recent work “Dirty Love” and is also an English professor at UMass Lowell.
SGA update: parking, printers, books and fountains Tyler Cote Connector Staff
Senators of their respected colleges met at University Crossing, as they do every week, to discuss matters on campus. With deliberation and formal discussion by everyone involved, some important topics were brought to the table. A hot issue this year has been the bookstore and its overwhelming prices that tower over those of Amazon and Chegg. “We are looking for a way to have students get all their needed books from our bookstore,” said Sheila Angelo, vice president of the Senate. The understanding across the table was that students lean toward websites such as Amazon to purchase their books because of the affordability An idea for offering a discount or incentive to students who spend a certain amount in the bookstore was suggested. This of course would need cooperation from the bookstore and a positive response from the students to grow into fruition. The Senate spoke about the growth of EBooks and how the use of them by students can have a significant impact on education and cause less stress and balance out the number of books in both Lydon and O’Leary libraries. Philosophy major, senior and member of the Senate Christopher Del Monte, said “I hate EBooks, but as a Senator, we have to take into account that in the information era, there’s bound to be minimalism.”
UMass Lowell Senators Robert Callahan, a criminal justice major and freshman, and Tyler Farley, a political science major and freshman, submitted a request to install printers in each of the residence halls. They stated this would allow students better access to printing resources. With the printers comes the same need that came with the bookstore; the Student Government Association asks students for feedback concerning the printers, in order to decide whether running with this issue is a good use of time. Also, with the promotion of a “green planet” and UMass Lowell’s push to become carbon-neutral, the topic of increasing the number of hydration stations around campus arose. These are the water fountains that specifically refill water bottles. Senators commented on the high price of this issue. However this also promotes the “going green” movement that is sweeping across America. No disagreements were arisen on the Senate. The entire Senate discussed the price of parking, and whether they will be able to work out a deal for lowering its price. The hope for the Senate is to reach out to parking services and the university to compromise on a way to lower the parking prices, making it more affordable for the students to purchase the pass. With the way the university is growing, in both size and prestige, students from further out are being
attracted to the school, making a mode of transportation more necessary for the long road trips home. Del Monte had frustrating words concerning the meeting: “Vice President Angelo has called us a ‘working class university’, which makes the idea of having $400 parking passes a complete and utter farce. The university just spent $95 million to build University Crossing, and the price of parking has only been rising.”
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November 25, 2014
CAMPUS LIFE An introspective approach to class introversion Nicholles Klevisha Connector Contributor
For many students, public speaking is a dreaded prospect to be avoided, and that fear has translated into the context of the classroom. Professor Rita Sullivan of the English Department said she tells her students every semester that this fear will last unless they confront it. “If you’re not going to talk in the first two weeks, you probably won’t [for the rest of the semester] because you’ll build it up to be such a big deal,” she said. Students often feel some pressure before speaking up in class, sometimes coming from the students’ tendency to overthink the answer or the feeling that their input is not valuable, they say. “I typically assumed the answer was wrong and if the answer was wrong I’d be embarrassed,” said Cat MacDonald, a former Middlesex Community College student. However, whenever she was actually right, “It made me feel good, but lucky,” she said. There are some students and teachers who say they have difficulty empathizing with anxious students because they believe their anxiety is all in their head.
“Saying something is in their head is an interesting way to put it,” said Professor Dale Young, who has a degree in expressive therapy, which uses creative processes such as acting as a form of therapy. “We tend to think that if something is just in your head, we think, ‘Oh, it’s just in your mind. Get over it.’” MacDonald recalls a time in which she felt invalidated by one of her early childhood teachers. “I can actually think of the first example that made me want to stop participating,” MacDonald said. “In third grade, I told my teacher that the cursive ‘n’ looked almost like a non-cursive ‘m,’ and she, like, bashed on me for it. She said that I was wrong, and as a twenty-year-old now, I can definitely say it looks a lot like an ‘m.’” Mechanical engineering student Justin Litteral said he has no problem participating in class, but he remains conscious of his participation in relation to that of other students. “There are moments where I feel like I’ve been talking too much, and I try not say things as often. But if people aren’t answering or responding, I’ll talk more to fill in the space and get other people to talk more,” he said. Extroverted students and introverted students are
both susceptible to feeling a certain level of tension and anxiety from the dynamics of the class, but Young says we shouldn’t just ignore them. “Most of the fears that we have and most of the dangers that we experience are in our heads, but to ignore psychological fear is to do potential damage to ourselves,” Young said. “Stage fright is a very real thing. It’s also very different from somebody who is very shy or somebody who is very nervous or somebody who is risk-averse.” Young and Sullivan say they try to mitigate student fears. Young said introverted students should understand that what they are experiencing is not wrong. “First thing you do is normalize their hesitancy and normalize their fear,” he said. “I like when students can, with courtesy, disagree with one another,” she said. “The more vehement they get, the more interesting it gets.” However, Sullivan says she tries to cultivate an atmosphere in which students will not feel judged for their opinions, even if they are unpopular. Instead, she says, students should be able to respectfully disagree with their classmates. ►See Professors, page 7
Not in the Face, Good Not Great advance to dodgeball tournament final at Costello Athletic Center with a $1,000 Connector Editor grand prize on the line. The two teams threw, caught and dodged Students left everything on the court, but two teams outlasted the competition to advance to the their way into the championship game final round of the Seventh Annual $1,000 Dodge- Wednesday night at the Campus Recreation Center, but members of both clubs said ball Tournament. The two finalists, Not in the Face and Good Not their roads to the final round of the 25-team Great, will compete against each other during the double-elimination contest weren’t easy. Each best-of-three series Not in the Face intermission period of the UMass Lowell women’s basketball game versus Bryant University Dec. 10 played in went the distance, including a win over Good Not Great in the final match of the winners’ bracket. Captain Kyle Doran said, howJoe McDonough/Connector ever, that he was pleased that his Six team members line up to start a match. team won each game when it that they were really good, so we had to adjust our mattered most. “We didn’t have an easy go to the cham- game a little bit to play against them.” Good Not Great downed Wavy Crockett in the pionship,” said Doran. “Every series had final round of the losers’ bracket to set up a rematch to go three games, but we did it, so I’m against Not in the Face in the title game. happy about it.” The win was the best of both worlds, according to Of the five teams Not in the Face defeated to earn a spot in the title game, team captain Christian Navarro, not only for setting including American Snow, Team Steve, up a rematch with the team that defeated them but Blue Ballers and River Stags, Taylor for eliminating their intramural rival in the process. “We’ve played [Wavy Crockett] in a lot of difBreau said Good Not Great was the most ferent sports,” he said. “We watched a lot of their challenging to beat. Joe McDonough/Connector “It was definitely the hardest [match],” games, saw how they played and adjusted to that.” One competitor launches a ball at the other team. ►See Dodgeball, page 3 he said. “Our team, we knew coming in Marlon Pitter
November 25, 2014
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CAMPUS LIFE
An unorthodox physics major
Alexis LaViolette talks about her dedication to physics Adeja Crearer Connector Contributor
“Everyone thinks I must be somewhat of a genius for choosing to study medical physics,” said Alexis LaViolette, a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Striving to become a medical physicist, LaViolette says she puts in hours of studying equations until she begins to develop a slight migraine and blurry vision. “I’m not a genius at all,” she said. “I work hard so that one day I will be able to graduate with some kind of credibility in my field.” Exactly one year after being deferred from UMass Lowell because of low SAT scores, LaViolette is now one of few physics majors in the undergraduate program. Of those students, less than half of them are females. As disheartening as this may seem to her, she said she is grateful for the opportunity to study at UMass Lowell, even after being denied the first time. “It separates me from my peers because it means that I was one step below everyone else when I first got into this school,” she said. “It forces me to catch up and surpass everyone else. It’s kinda like a second chance.” Being amongst mostly male counterparts doesn’t seem to intimidate LaViolette, she says, and she did not bring it up as a reason for her struggles. “Grades do not matter to me as much,” she said. “However, understanding every single equation and format means everything because I need whatever knowledge I can get here, in order to apply it in my field.” Even dressed in sweats and a ponytail, LaViolette can be seen as attractive, and there is an undeniable sense of will power that emerges from her presence. Her passion for a subject like physics, which can give most students a hard time, is commendable. This drive to excel in the area of physics comes from her late grandfather. “My grandfather, whom I looked to
as a father, died slowly of cancer and I remember feeling helpless. Sitting there waiting for it to kill him, made me sick to my stomach,” she said. “I don’t like not being in control of things and situations, which is why I decided to go into a field that would give me a say in things that people tend to think we have no say in, like cancer.” LaViolette said she wants to take her degree into the medical side of physics, specifically and work with radiation and the way it affects cancer cells. To some extent, she says her college career has become a tribute to her grandfather’s death, as well as a tribute to her grandmother’s legacy as the medical physicist for Bay State Hospital in Western Massachusetts. LaViolette is in a five-year master’s degree program at UMass Lowell and needs to maintain a 3.0 overall GPA in order to stay in the program. She has long and tedious homework assignments that are due almost every other day that often time require her to re-teach the lessons to herself because the professor did not do so the first time around, she said. She further explained that most of her professors speak English as a second language, and it becomes difficult to understand concepts like “Bulk’s modulus and Avogadro’s law from someone with a thick German accent,” she said. “It’s tough being any kind of science- or math-related major at UMass Lowell, because it seems like only English teachers speak English on campus!” LaViolette said. With so much expected of her, LaViolette says she has a lot cut out for her as a medical physicist prospect of the future and that she understands how hard it will be to fully understand every single concept that is presented to her. “It’s a really hard subject, and to be honest with you, there are some days that I hate it and I want to quit, but then I think about my mother and that hatred gets washed away,”
Professors, students talk about speaking out in class ► Continued from page 6
However, Sullivan says she tries to cultivate an atmosphere in which students will not feel judged for their opinions, even if they are unpopular. Instead, she says, students should be able to respectfully disagree with their classmates. “Everybody’s viewpoint is legitimate,” she said. “If you’re out and wrong, I will tell you that as gently as I can. If somebody else knows you’re wrong, they should tell you that as gently as possible. An atmosphere where people are nice to each other.”
Young said the class might not see it, but introverted students will be able to see improvement within themselves. “The victory for them might be to get up in front of a group of people and say their name,” he said. “You can’t make anybody do anything, but you can offer them choice and hope that they choose to do something,” said Young. “It’s hard to do, but man, is it cool when it happens.”
she said. “I’m everything my mother couldn’t be because of the way her life panned out, I’m everything she wanted to be, and I just can’t mess that up.” Physics, according to LaViolette, has become an intimate part of her life, in which she spends days and nights tending to her knowledge and Photo Courtesy of Steinmetz Photography
Alexis LaViolette
skill on the subject because she is “bounded by it and feels like she can’t put anything before it.” “I have a social life though, thanks to having popular friends on campus,” she said. “Without them, I probably would’ve lost my vision to reading my calculus text book all damn day.” Although she lost a lot of time to being deferred her first semester of college, she has doubled up on classes this semester in order to keep up with her peers. “I don’t want to seem perfect or like the stereotypical perfect student, because I’m so far from it,” she said, her voice softening. “I lose sleep from my not-so-good grades, and sometimes I even skip meals because I have no time in my day to stop studying for an exam worth 50% [of my] grade to eat a turkey on wheat sandwich.” “I just wanna look back and say, ‘Wow, I deserved this for how hard I worked,’” she said.
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November 25, 2014
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Show review: Gerard Way, Paradise Rock Club
The end was nigh: ‘End Days’ at the Comley Lane Theater Nicholles Klevisha Connector Staff
Violet Sullivan Connector Contributor
A year and a half after the break up of My Chemical Romance, lead singer Gerard Way finally started his solo career with the release of “Hesitant Alien.” Stripping away the emo and pop-punk sound, “Hesitant Alien” is inspired by his love of Britpop, which includes bands such as Blur, Suede and Oasis. Along with this new album came a new tour, where he made his way to the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Opening for Gerard Way and his backing band The Hormones were The Eeries, a new alt-rock four-piece from Los Angeles who blew the crowd away. The show consisted of a crowd that was 95 percent hardcore fans of Way who had never heard of this little band from Los Angeles, but everyone was still singing along. If someone had walked into the venue not knowing who was playing that night, they would have thought The Eeries were the headlining band. The atmosphere The Eeries had established intensified once The Hormones took the stage; the crowd surged forward and seemed to explode when Way appeared. Taking his place in the front of the stage, he immediately seized control of the crowd and never lost it. Jumping, waving and singing, the crowd was under his complete control. Starting the show with “The Bureau” and going nonstop into “Action Cat,” it was as if Way had not taken a year and a half hiatus from performing. A notable point during the show was just before “Drugstore Perfume,” where he asked the crowd if any of them had felt like leaving home to move onto something greater, which showed an abundance of hands as he expressed his nervousness for his young daughter. This led into an inspiring feminist speech for all the women in the room that the old white men in the higher-ups are afraid of them, and that they are powerful and deserve to be feared. He performed the entirety of “Hesitant Alien,” including the Japan-only released
November 25, 2014
Courtesy of Violet Sullivan
Way performs at the Paradise Rock Club with his backing band, The Hormones.
track, “Television All the Time;” a stripped down, piano-heavy cover of “The Water is Wide (O Waly, Waly)” and the closing song “Snakedriver,” a Jesus and Mary Chain cover. At the insistence of the crowd chanting “one more song,” Way made his way back onto the stage, saying that he knew by the middle of the show that he was going to come back out and play for them again. He performed an unreleased track, “Dasher,” a song about a girl who fell in love with a reindeer. The show ended just like the show started: buzzing. If you’re looking for a high-energy show that leaves you like that from the beginning to the end, I highly recommend catching Way when he comes to your city. Unfortunately, the band is currently on break from touring, but they will be returning with a European stint, kicking it off in Portugal come January.
‘Far Cry 4’ review ►Continued from front page
The plot, for the most part, is a mixed bag. While the story starts off fairly interesting with plenty of intrigue surrounding the founding of the resistance and the player’s relationship with Min, the story falls apart thanks to bland and poorly realized characters. Ghale himself is as bland of a protagonist as you can get, passively moving from one set piece to another with almost total ambivalence to everything that is happening around him. Most of the other characters aren’t much better, either ending up boring or adhering a little too closely to racial stereotype. Even Pagin Min, whose actions drive the entirety of the plot, is played for comic relief more often than not and, as a result, never seems to be that much of a threat. The gameplay, on the other hand, is where “Far Cry 4” really shines. Fans of the previous game will feel right at home, as most of the gameplay mechanics and animations have been copied straight from “Far Cry 3,” though this is by no means a bad thing. Combat is as fast and fluid as ever, sneaking around enemy strongholds is even better thanks to smart level design and driving is vastly improved thanks to the new “Autodrive” mechanic. Part of me wishes for a little bit more enemy variety, as most of the enemy types are also copy-pasted from the previous game, though the few new enemies that it does introduce make up for this somewhat. presses me What immost about “Far Cry 4” sion, “Far and, by extenCry 3,” is how every activity in the game present withfeeds itself into player progression one way or another. While it’s true that you could play through most of the game without killing animals, animal skins Courtesy of Ubisoft can be used to craft essential ment, such as new equiplarger ammo pouches, extra weapon holsters, or stronger armor. While you could easily ignore the hundreds of collectables littered across the map, these collectables could be used for finding hidden side quests or unlocking that weapon upgrade you desperately need. Same goes for various colored herbs scattered around the land that can be used to create powerful performance-enhancing drugs, which may be useful in that next stronghold attack. The way every action the player makes plays its own part in the overarching economy gives an incredible incentive to do everything the game has to offer. It also has to be said that the game looks absolutely beautiful. From the dense forests of Southern Kyrat to the mountaintops of the Himalayas, every inch of the game’s world feels alive and bursting with detail, which is impressive considering just how large this game is. When it comes to the sound design however, there’s a lot of room for improvement. The voice cast for the game give generally average performances with the only standout being Troy Baker as Pagin Min. When it comes to the music, while most of the tracks fit the theme of the game, none are particularly memorable and some (like the game’s remixed version of “I Will Survive”) are just pretty bad. It’s not a deal-breaker, but coming off of the superb soundtrack of its predecessor, I was really expecting more. Overall, “Far Cry 4” is a very well-crafted and entertaining game. While it admittedly borrows heavily from its predecessor and has a very weak overarching plot, neither issue detracted from just how fun it is to play. This is the type of game that leaves you blissfully entertained for hours on end and gives you ample excuse to brag to your friends about every amazing feat you accomplished throughout its 40hour runtime... and I haven’t even mentioned the included two-player co-op or the intense competitive multiplayer. “Far Cry 4” comes highly recommended to fans of the previous game and anyone who’d like to see the sights and take a walk on the wild side. Kyrat is waiting, if you’re willing.
Manchester Orchestra’s stripped-down ‘Hope’ Tyler Peyman Connector Contributor
Serving as a companion piece to the group’s fourth studio effort, “Cope” (released earlier this year), all efforts to describe “Hope” will fall short without a proper explanation of it’s counterpart. “Cope” is, for lack of a better phrase, a bull in a China cabinet. It’s the wild, untamed twin of the album pair, filled to the brim with war drums and rebel chants. The record burns down the docile expectations for most “alternative rock” artists today and certainly contrasts the bands 2011 release, “Simple Math.” In a pre-release interview, frontman Andy Hull described “Cope” as being “unrelenting and unapologetic,” a fitting definition in every sense. The only honest shortcoming of the album, however, is that it’s perhaps too energetic. Each song is almost distracted with its own intention of sounding massive. While it undeniably forces your feet to stomp, it lacks the same passive intimateness and lyrical confession that Manchester Orchestra is loved for. “Hope” is a dusty sunbeam among the wreckage. As a surprise release just a few months following “Cope,” it highlights the truly moving aspects of Manchester Orchestra’s work. This reimagining features the same tunes, but with more liberal acoustic guitar and piano accompaniment, lush vocal harmonies (even including a shiver-inducing a cappella version of “See It Again”), and orchestral string interludes, providing the perfect backdrop for Hull’s almost nervous poignance. In fact, Hull’s vocal restraint on “Hope” is pleasantly reminiscent of his early 200712 acoustic side-project Right Away, Great Captain! At times, it even repaints the picture of Brand New’s beloved “Deja Entendu.” With the instrumental minimalism of “Hope,” it’s as if an entirely new image of “Cope” has been illuminated, like a battle-ready soldier has removed his armor. Some of the most notable tracks on “Hope” are actually some of the least notable on its younger, more reckless counterpart. Songs like “Choose You” and “Every Stone” for example, which had remained decently colorless behind the grit and distortion of “Cope,” now progress through a much more effective textural pallet, including acoustic piano, low strings and even Foxing-esque horn sections. Another otherwise unnoticed stand-out track on “Hope” is “Indentions,” proving that the record isn’t an exclusively acoustic rendition, with tastefully-delayed guitar lines and a warm underside of electric keyboard. The unobtrusive sonic layout of “Hope” also redirects the spotlight toward Hull’s lyrics and vocals, which cleverly weave in and out of the dynamic changes of the band. A shining example of this is in “Girl Harbor,” when the mix suddenly falls to just Hull’s wavering, cracking croon. Now that they’re so clearly distinct, his lines hit harder than ever before. “Hope” is everything a “stripped-down” rendition could ever aspire to be, filling each empty hole left in the band’s previous work. In many cases, though, the songs are so worth the time they occupy that you’re left questioning why the originals were even released in the first place.
The Steins have been fragmented ever since Arthur, a worker in one of the buildings that fell down during 9/11, withdrew from his family into a deep depression. His wife, Sylvia, has become a born-again Christian, and a 16-year-old Elvis impersonator is trying to court their Goth daughter whenever milk cartons are not bombarding him. The theatre department’s production of “End Days” by Deborah Zoe Laufer had the audience up close and personal with the actors on a black-box style stage in the Comely-Lane Theatre. The set looked like it came from some unreality, with its circular house and the odd polygonal panes on it that sometimes acted as cabinets or drawers. There were many levels for the actors to explore using ramps, crooked looking stairs or big steps that would be utilized during power struggles in dialogue. The show explored the duality of some big ideas that often clash, like religion and science, faith and doubt and trying to cope with different anxieties. While the play questions the characters’ ideals and make points against them, the beliefs are never invalidated or undermined. Hawking’s condescension in the play is tempered by Nelson’s pure wonder of the universe. Sylvia’s unyielding views are misguided, but her vision of Jesus is one of a benevolent leader. Sylvia, played by Alexa Lambert, is always trying to get her family to repent and this infuriates her daughter Rachel, played by Abby Crossley, to no end. Rachel’s burst of rage felt like it came from a real place of frustration, and it’s understandable when arguing with the adamant Sylvia, who could shift from sunny to explosive in moments. Yet despite their differences, they both had the odd tendency of having famous iconic leaders visit them. Stephen Hawking and Jesus, played by Julie O’Neil and Ryan Perry respectively, embodied the women’s ideals in unorthodox representations. Jesus is Sylvia’s frizzy haired personal savior in flip-flops, and Hawking is Rachel’s chance to disprove religion to her mother. Although Hawking is chalked up as being a pot-induced hallucination, Jesus’ character is a little more open to interpretation because of his mysterious exit. Arthur, played by Leighton Moylan, didn’t get a companion of cultural significance, but he did befriend his daughter’s courter, Nelson, who looked a lot like the King of Rock. Their relationship seemed to be formed out of sheer loneliness, but became quite charming once Arthur changed out of his pajamas.
The best mariachi-punk band you’ve never heard of Josh Beverage
The intimate cast of six allowed the audience to become very familiar with the characters, and their archetypal nature and quirky personalities would make it easy for anyone to pick a favorite one to identify with. The second half of the play showed the family less estranged from each other, but, while it became less conflict-driven as the family began resolving their problems, the viewers were still invested with the promise of an end to the world. It was nice to appreciate the small moments that distracted the family members from their usual worries and anxieties, though, such as Arthur teaching Nelson a Hebrew hymn in a tender scene of cultural homage. The play is thematic, existential and hilariously inquisitive. It makes the audience think and feel, while off-balancing viewers with comedy and tragedy, giving the viewer the option to focus on the good or the bad of a situation. Its greatest strength is its lack of bias toward any particular set of ideals. While it playfully criticizes, it gives the audience the chance to choose. As Nelson points out during the ending moments of the play, faith and science don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Nicholles Klevisha/Connector
The six-person cast of “End Days” from left to right: Ryan Perry, Jack Croughwell, Julie O’Neil, Abby Crossley, Alexa Lambert and Leighton Moylan.
Wigging out with Hedwig Nicholles Klevisha Connector Staff
Connector Staff
If you’re interested in hearing some new music, but you’re tired of the generic noise coming from the radio, then the new Mariachi El Bronx album might be worth your time. It’s something new and different, and perhaps the most dichotomous music crossover happening today. What started out as a side project for southern California punk rockers The Bronx has developed into an act that is getting more attention than ever expected. Growing up in southern California where there is a heavy Hispanic presence, the band was exposed to mariachi music, which influenced their styling and eventually resulted in an unconventional yet brilliant punk rock-mariachi group. If you’ve already been exposed to Mariachi’s other studio works, “I” and “II,” then “III” will be no surprise to you. The group originally was not taken seriously for their act, showing up on stage in mariachi suits and playing music that didn’t seem to fit into any genre. Not a lot of people understood it, but it’s not just an act; this new album is evidence that the band is serious about their music and have matured in the time they’ve spent playing it. In 2009 they toured with The Killers and again in 2011 with Foo Fighters, definitely no small feat. Their first two albums were really good, without a doubt, but this third album shows a level of comfort that the others did not. What “III” delivers is a full-on effort of mariachi music that the band finally isn’t afraid to put out there. Lead singer Matt Caughthran’s vocals also seem to follow this pattern, pairing nicely with the group’s instrumentals. The band released the first track off of the album, “New Beat,” in early September. The strings, the horns, the drums - they’re all hard-hitting and perfectly composed, of course supplemented with Caughthran’s signature vocals. It’s catchy, well written and certainly one of the best tracks on the album. Each one of the 10 songs on the album shows something different about the band and what they are capable of. They can create fast and epic tunes like “New Beat” and “Raise the Dead” or catchy pop-sounding ones like “Everything Twice” and “Wildfires,” and even softer songs like “High Tide” and “Eternal.” There’s something for everyone, but chances are if you like one song you’ll likely enjoy the rest. Mariachi El Bronx are far from what the rest of the music community is offering today. They’re unafraid to write the songs they want, to experiment and to put everything out there for the world to hear. While this music certainly isn’t for everyone (perhaps not at first, at least) it is something that is worth taking a listen to. Don’t let the name or the strange concept turn you off to the band. It’s rare today to hear something so refreshing, unrelenting and passionate, so give it a chance. The new album from Mariachi El Bronx, “III,” is available in stores and online now. Final Grade: A-
Transgendered people have often been depicted in media as being big, brassy and sassy and are sometimes used as a punch line. In “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” the “internationally-ignored song stylist” Hedwig is all of those things, but the jokes being told are on her terms. The Broadway rock-musical is about the titular character’s journey from escaping East Berlin’s oppression during the Cold War to chasing a musical career as a wig-rocking singer in a proto-punk band. Hedwig and her band, The Angry Inch, tell her story through aggressive and heart felt lyrics. Up until recently, the show had been starring Neil Patrick Harris. Now Michael C. Hall has taken the character to stage, which seemed like a strange but intriguing choice. Hall’s performance was spectacular and daring. Despite the character’s gender being androgynous, Hall found a way to look completely comfortable in his character’s skin. The story explores the gray areas of gender and sexuality and the internal confusion that Hedwig experiences. The band hardly had any dialogue, but they weren’t boring. The punk rock attire and the androgynous David Bowie-esque fashion gave the band a very dynamic look and their personalities glimmered in brief interactions with Hedwig that served the story by emphasizing her love of the spotlight. The most prominent band member was Hedwig’s husband, Yitzhak, who feels dwarfed and oppressed by her ego. Yitzhak strikes back by opening a giant door on stage to let in green light and the voice of Hedwig’s ex-boyfriend, Tommy Gnossis, who is also played by Hall. The pre-recorded voice of Gnossis is constantly praising the people in his life who had
propelled his career, but neglects to mention Hedwig, which parallels the one sided relationship that Yitzhak and she share. The Belasco Theatre’s stage looked almost post-apocalyptic with a broken down car in the middle flanked by guitar amps, keyboards and a drum set. The tones were drab, dark grays that were brought to life by the lighting, which used strongly saturated pinks and blues that cast the most interesting shadows. Lighting also played a key role in the song “Origins of Love,” which used projectors to animate a scrim with images of lightning and snakes and body parts. The song reflects the scriptwriter’s fascination with mythology, describing a creation myth in which love was unnecessary because people were attached to their other half. But the Gods grew intimidated and Zeus cut them in half and “some Indian god” sewed their wounds shut. The Nile Gods scattered them away and they were warned: “if we don’t behave, they’ll cut us down again and we’ll be hopping round on one foot and looking through one eye.” The story echoes anxieties about social norms and conformity. Zeus symbolizes a patriarchal figure that disempowers a creature by taking away a key part of its identity: “You better let me use my lightning, like scissors, like I cut the legs off the whales and dinosaurs into lizards.” Hedwig herself struggles to reconcile her own identity and how it relates to love. “It is clear that I must find my other half. But is it a he or a she? What does this person look like? Identical to me? Or somehow complementary?” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” provokes and surprises. It encourages empathy and understanding and transcends the stereotypes of transgender culture by showing a character that was pushed by circumstance and mishap to be the person she knows she is.
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Continued from Relay for Life, Front page The track of the recreation center will be lined with paper bags containing glow sticks, and each bag will have a message written in marker. Then, immediately before the relay starts, the lights will be shut off and the track will glow, lit by the paper bags and illuminating the messages. This ceremony is called Luminaria, and is a part of the opening ceremony. The bottom portion of the Rec Center will be divided into two sections. One section will have team campsites, where teams can set up food and refreshments for themselves. The other section will feature activities such as dodgeball. The next stage of the opening ceremony is a speech given by a cancer survivor, sharing his or her experience with cancer. The survivors will do a lap around the track alone, then caregivers will join them, followed by student participants. Around 4 a.m., the fight back ceremony will take place, which features another
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CONTINUATIONS
speaker who will share the story of his or her battle and will provide one last push to motivate the walkers. An energizing fight back activity, such as Zumba, will follow the speaker. At 6 a.m., the closing ceremony thanks everyone for their involvement and participation. Over the past six years, the Relay for Life at Umass Lowell has raised over $175,000, supported over 90 survivors and included more than 1,600 student participants. Last year, the Relay for Life sent a bus full of cancer patients and support groups from the Lowell General Hospital to the Rec Center to take part in the survivor lap and a survivor dinner. The Relay for Life, established in 1985, has raised $5 billion for the American Cancer Society, and has funded cancer research, cancer awareness, advocacy efforts and patient services, including Look Good Feel Better, which provides wigs and make-up to patients, and the
Hope Lodge, in which families traveling for cancer treatment receive free overnight accommodations. UMass Lowell’s newly-formed Colleges Against Cancer Club, formerly the Relay for Life Planning Committee, will participate in similar services. The club’s primary goal is organizing the Relay for Life and has been preparing for the event since September. The committee conducts fundraisers and plans to participate in the Hope Lodge. Members will also cook dinner for cancer patients and their families. MaryKate Horan, a senior nursing major, says she encourages all students to sign up and walk. She has participated in every walk since her freshmen year, starting out as a participant but has since joined the planning committee. “Unfortunately, most people are going to be affected by cancer some point in time,” Horan said, “and we need to do things to help raise awareness and raise
funds to help fight cancer with research and the different patient programs that they (American Cancer Society) have.” There is a $10 per person registration fee, and once a team has registered, each member will receive a Relay Page, an electronic template that can be shared on social networking sites or emailed to friends and family, asking recipients to donate to the cause. Teams can also hold their own fundraisers during the Relay. UMass Lowell Relay for Life specialist and American Cancer Society employee Bridget Gilroy said she urges students to register. “Everyone that participates knows that it’s more than an event. It’s an experience,” said Gilroy. “Everyone should join us in the fight because we can’t finish the fight alone.” If you have any questions for the author, please email Malinda_Reed@student.uml. edu.
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November 25, 2014
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SPORTS
River Hawks battle to fend off NJIT in 63-61 win UMass Lowell Athletics NEWARK, N.J. – Graduate student Marco Banegas-Flores (Boston, Mass.) recorded a team-high 15 points and freshman Lance Crawford (Davie, Fla.) tallied 14, as the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team battled to a 63-61 win at NJIT (1-3) on Saturday. “Just like our last game, we didn’t play perfect, but our defense was so good in the half court, we were able to give ourselves a chance to win the game,” said Head Coach Pat Duquette. “It was a hard-fought game on both ends that was very physical. Being able to win a couple games early and still learn from our mistakes is a great situation to be in.” The score was tied six times in the closely-contested outing, and there were eight lead changes. Despite UMass Lowell taking the lead for good and pulling ahead by eight in the final four minutes, it was still a one-point game with seconds to go. With the victory, the River Hawks move to 2-2 so far this season, improving on its best start as a Division I program. Banegas-Flores made a career-high three, three-point field goals in the decision. Redshirt-freshman Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) pulled down a game- and season-best 13 rebounds, as well. UMass Lowell won the opening tip for the first time this season, although NJIT jumped out to a 10-6 advantage with just over 13 minutes remaining in the first half. The River Hawks would not stay behind for long, however, as Thomas hit a layup that sparked a 10-2 run, giving the visitors a 16-12 advantage at 10:38. The River Hawks maintained at least a twopoint margin until the Highlanders scored nine in a row to regain the upper hand at 23-18 with 5:47 to go in the period. In the waning minutes, Crawford converted on a pair of free throws and dribbled in for a layup to make it a one-possession game, but NJIT held on to take a slight, 25-23 edge into the break. Banegas-Flores drained a pair of threes from the corner in the first minutes of the second
half to keep the River Hawks within two points of the lead at 33-31. UMass Lowell then pulled back in front, 39-36, thanks to back-to-back, three-point jumpers from sophomore Tyler Livingston (Hudson, N.H.). The Highlanders knotted the score twice before a pair of steals by Livingston and one by senior Chad Holley (New York, N.Y.) helped Crawford score six straight points, giving UMass Lowell a 47-41 lead with 10:24 to play. The battle continued, as NJIT used a sixpoint spurt to erase the difference, but redshirt-senior Kerry Weldon (New York, N.Y.) gave UMass Lowell the lead for good, and Banegas-Flores buried a pull-up jumper and a three to give visitors their largest lead of the day at 56-48 with 3:57 left to go. The Highlanders would not go quietly, though, pulling within one three more times, including at 62-61 following a three by Damon Lynn with just 12 seconds left, but Banegas-Flores converted on a free throw before NJIT missed an opportunity, sealing the 63-61 decision. Livingston rounded out the double-digit scorers for the River Hawks with 10 points. Weldon, who added nine points, registered a career-high five steals. Holley led the squad with six assists, as well. As a team, UMass Lowell shot 38.2% (21-55) from the floor, including 33.3% (7-21) from beyond the arc. Lynn notched a game-high 20 points to pace the Highlanders, while Ky Howard added 12 boards. As a whole, NJIT shot 45.5% (20-44) from the field, 42.9% (9-21) from three-point territory and 80.0% (12-15) from the foul line. Saturday’s contest marked the fourth meeting ever between UMass Lowell and NJIT. The all-time series is now tied at 2-2. The River Hawks wrap up their five-game road swing with their third game of the week tomorrow, Sunday, November 23, at Fordham University beginning at 2 p.m. “We’re going to make sure our guys get some rest tonight before we play Fordham tomorrow night,” concluded Duquette. “Pulling off that win would be a great way to end our road trip.”
River Hawks hold on to edge past Sacred Heart, 57-54 UMass Lowell Athletics FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Redshirt-freshman Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) posted a game-high 17 points and redshirt-senior Kerry Weldon (New York, N.Y.) logged 11 points and 10 rebounds to help the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team (1-2) hold on for its first win of the year, a 57-54 decision at Sacred Heart University (1-1) on Thursday. “I’m real excited for these guys,” said Head Coach Pat Duquette. “We all know how many freshman we have in our lineup, so to get a road win under these conditions in the third game of the season is a great sign. It wasn’t a pretty game on offense, but we built on the progress we made on our half-court defense at Rhode Island, and that’s what kept us in the game long enough to win today. I’m especially proud of the team for that because that is one of the foundations of our program, and we know that we’re going to win basketball games with tough, man-to-man, half-court defense.” Thomas scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half, allowing the River Hawks to pull away by as many as 12. Weldon’s double-double marked his first since 2012, and the team’s first of the season. Although the Pioneers were quick to jump out to an early lead, senior Chad Holley (New York, N.Y.) knotted the score at 7-7 with a three-pointer from the top of the key. The River Hawks took their first lead of the game on a second-chance layup by Weldon before sophomore Tyler Livingston (Hudson, N.H.) and freshman Matt Harris (Erie, Pa.) knocked down back-to-back threes, giving
Courtesy of goriverhawks.com
6’2” guard Jahad Thomas pulled down a game high 13 rebounds in the win.
River Hawk hockey downs Notre Dame, 3-1 UMass Lowell Athletics NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 5 UMass Lowell hockey team defeated Notre Dame, 3-1, on Thursday night at Compton Family Ice Arena. With the victory, the River Hawks improve to 8-2-2 overall, 5-0-1 in league play. Notre Dame falls to 6-61 overall and 2-2-1 (HEA). Junior forward Michael Colantone (Cave Creek, Ariz.) got the River Hawks on the board first in the game with his fourth goal of the season at 10:29 of the first period. He cleared the puck from top of the faceoff circle in the UMass Lowell defensive zone and the puck fluttered over Notre Dame goaltender Chad Katunar’s glove. Notre Dame tied the game at 1-1 at 17:44 on a goal by Sam Herr for his fourth goal of the season for the Irish. Freshman forward Michael Louria (Wexford, Pa.) gave UMass Lowell a 2-1 lead as freshman forward C.J. Smith (Des Moines, Iowa) brought the puck in the offensive zone down the left wing and passed to Joe Gambardella (Staten Island, N.Y.) in the slot, who fed the puck
their squad a 15-8 edge with 15:09 remaining in the first half. Over the next nine minutes, UMass Lowell maintained at least a fivepoint margin, and led by as many as eight on three occasions, until Sacred Heart scored five unanswered points to cut the difference to just three at 26-23 with 5:50 to go in the half. Harris drained another jumper from beyond the arc in the waning minutes, and although De’von Barnett put in a layup at the buzzer, the River Hawks took a 31-27 advantage into the break. Coming out of halftime, the sides battled for possession for almost three minutes before SHU’s Evan Kelley completed a three-point play to pull his team within one at 31-30. Thomas responded for the River Hawks with five straight points, however, sparking a 17-6 UMass Lowell run that gave the team its largest margin of the night at 48-36 with 12:26 remaining. Sacred Heart would not back down, answering with an 11-2 spurt, to make it 50-47 with six minutes left. Thomas and Weldon notched a pair of buckets for the River Hawks, but the home team made it a one-possession game twice more, including at 56-54 with less than a minute to play. However, in the final seconds, Holley came up with a great steal and was fouled on the play to give UMass Lowell the 57-54 edge that they would hold onto to secure the win. Livingston added to the River Hawks offensive per
to Louria. Louria took the intial shot on the right side of the crease, but scored on the rebound off Katunar’s left pad. Senior captain Zack Kamrass (Atlanta, Ga.) had a great point blank chance in the low slot with 8:08 left in the third period, but Katunar was up to the task and made the save between his pads. Kamrass made it a 3-1 game with a wrist shot from the left point with 4:38 left in the third period. Adam Chapie (Oxford, Mich.) and Louria led the River Hawks with a team-high four shots on goal apiece. UMass Lowell outshot the Fighting Irish, 35-27 for the game, which included a 16-5 shot advantage in the second period. Junior Kevin Boyle (Manalapan, N.J.) stopped 26 shots in his fifth win of the season, while Katunar dropped to 3-2-0 with 32 saves in the losing effort. The River Hawks return to action in the series finale on Friday, November 21st vs. the Fighting Irish. Game time at Compton Family Ice Arena is 7:35 p.m. and will be broadcast live on NBCSN.
formance with eight first-half points. Holley logged six points, while graduate student Marco Banegas-Flores (Boston, Mass.) had a team-best three assists. As a team, UMass Lowell shot 38.1% (24-63) from the floor, including 26.1% (6-23) from beyond the arc, and 60.0% (3-5) on free throws. Kelley was the only double-digit scorer for the Pioneers, while Steve Glowiak added nine points and six assists. As a whole, Sacred Heart shot 35.3% (18-51) from the field, 25.0% (4-16) from three-point territory and 66.7% (14-21) from the foul line. Thursday’s contest marked the 40th meeting between UMass Lowell and Sacred Heart, but was just the first as Division I opponents. SHU still holds a 23-17 advantage in the all-time series. The River Hawks will play two more games this week, beginning at NJIT on Saturday, November 22. Tipoff for that contest is slated for 2 p.m.
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 12
November 25, 2014
SPORTS
Women’s basketball loses thriller to URI Shane Foley Connector editor
Asia Mitchell-Owens, sophomore from Roxbury, Mass., wasn’t really worried about her shooting last Wednesday night. “I don’t really worry about it,” she said. “I just worry about playing defense and doing other things to help my team.” Whether she was trying or not, Mitchell-Owens was 5-5 from the 3-point arch, as the River Hawks women’s basketball team lost a tight battle to University of Rhode Island 75-66. Wednesday night can be summed up as a tale of two halves. The River Hawks played solid defense in the first half, holding their opponent’s field goal percentage to 30%. They went into the locker room at the half with a tie game at 34 points apiece. Rhode Island ended up shooting a much higher percentage after the half. The River Hawks got off to an aggressive start, pressing Rhode Island on defense and running the floor well on offense. With only 4:30 left in the half, Rhode Island was 9-30 from the field. Of the 26 points they had, 14 were in the paint, as it was difficult for Rhode Island to develop any outside shooting game. “The girls did a good job of reading the scouting report,” said Head Coach Jenerrie Harris, who made her home debut for UMass Lowell. At that same point in the game, the River Hawks were shooting 62.5 percent from the field. Melissa Frase sunk two big 3’s, as well as Mitchell-Owens. After that 4:30 mark however, things began to turn in
Rhode Island’s favor. They switched to a full court press, and trapped guards Jasmine McRoy and Shannon Samuels as they crossed half court. Rhode Island prevented UMass Lowell from scoring for the rest of the half, tying up the score at 34-34. “When they went to their full court press, their 2-2-1 zone, we lost a little bit of our minds,” said Coach Harris. Rhode Island kept that defense through most of the second half. They got significant separation from UMass Lowell at points, including one point where the score was 54-47. However, UMass Lowell came back to cut it close, with a score of 56-53 with 8:24 remaining. Mitchell-Owens shot three of her five 3-point shots in the second half, and two of them were after this 8:24 mark. As a team, UMass Lowell ended up shooting 24 threes in the game. The River Hawks were very happy to see the frequent shooting. “I’d like to see us get more shots,” said McRoy, senior shooting guard. Mitchell-Owens shot her last three of the game with 55 seconds left. It cut Rhode Island’s lead to only one point at 67-66. Unfortunately, UMass Lowell had two players foul out, including power forward Brianna Rudolf, who filled in for injured Nicole Riddick with six points and two rebounds. UMass Lowell didn’t score for the rest of the game, and Rhode Island emerged victorious. Although it was a loss, the River Hawks had many things to hang their hats on. “It’s tough to lose a game when you shoot 50 percent from the field,” said Coach Harris.
U P C OM I N G
River Hawk Games Tuesday, Nov. 25
7 pm M. Basketball vs Mt. Ida,
Saturday, Nov. 29
7 pm
Ice Hockey Vs Harvard
Sunday, Nov. 30
1 pm
M. Basketball at BU
Sunday, Nov. 30
2 pm W. Basketball vs Fairleigh D.
Wednesday, Dec. 3
7 pm
M. Basketball vs NJIT
Wednesday, Dec. 3
7 pm
W.Basketball at Columbia
For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com
No. 5 River Hawk hockey skates to 2-2 tie at Notre Dame UMass Lowell Athletics NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- The No. 5 ranked UMass Lowell hockey team skated to a 2-2 tie at Notre Dame on Friday night in front of a soldout crowd of 5,022 at Compton Family Ice Arena. With the tie and a Vermont loss, the River Hawks are in sole possession of first place in the Hockey East standings with a 5-0-2 in league play (12 pts.) and now own a 8-2-3 overall mark, while Notre Dame is now 6-6-2 overall and 2-2-2 in conference action. The Fighting Irish took a 2-0 lead on goals by Mario Lucia just 1:52 into the first period and Sam Herr’s goal at 8:54 of the second frame. Freshman forward John Edwardh (Calgary, Alberta) got the River Hawks on the board with 1:23 left in the second period off a rebound from a shot from A.J. White (Dearborn, Mich.), beating Katunar low glove side in a scrum in front of the net. Sophomore forward Joe Gambardella (Staten Island, N.Y.) tied the game at 2-2 just 3:23 into
the third frame for his sixth goal of the season. Gambardella had a breakaway chance with two seconds to go to, but Notre Dame goaltender Chad Katunar was up to the task. Notre Dame’s Austin Wuthrich scored on the power play with 13:52 left in the third, but the officials waved off the goal to keep the game knotted at 2-2. Junior Kevin Boyle (Manalapan, N.J.) made his ninth start (5-1-2 record) of the season and posted 21 saves, while Katunar had 32 saves to his credit for the Irish. UMass Lowell outshot Notre Dame, 34-23, for the game with an 11-6 advantage in shots in the middle frame. The River Hawks went 0-for-3 on the power play, while the penalty kill was 2-for-2. White and C.J. Smith (Des Moines, Iowa) finished the night with a game-high five shots on goal for the River Hawks. Sophomore forward Chris Maniccia turned in a solid performace winning 8-of-12 (75%) faceoffs on the night. The River Hawks return to action on Saturday, November 29th against Harvard. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Tsongas Center.
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