Connector 12/9

Sammy Cupcakes

â—„ Dining hall employee doubles as T-shirt designer â–ş Page 5

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

December 9, 2014

In This Issue

Students compete to solve real-world problems

How to Get Away with Murder

A review of the ABC television show

â–ş Page 5

New Year’s Resolutions

Students plan to better them selves in 2015

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Hockey recap

\

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Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Overall Record

M. Basketball vs. Cornell

L 60-71

M. Ice Hockey vs. Maine

W 3-2(OT) 10-3-3

W. Basketball vs. Providence

L 54-66

6-3

3-4

Food pantry aims to assist hungry students Ayah Awadallah Connector Staff

Some people begin their days stressed and hungry, not knowing where they are going to get their next meal or how they are going to pay for it. For UMass Lowell students who are in need of food, one solution may be closer than most would think.

The food pantry located in the Fox Hall Mailroom on East Campus attempts to help students get the food they need to make it by.

Many would associate people with these needs as being poor and uneducated, but few are aware that people with these needs are students of UMass Lowell.

Students experiencing hunger and homelessness work closely with Stephanie Block, an assistant professor of psychology at UMass Lowell. “They tell us that they are living in a tent, or in a car, or they are couch-surfing, and we work with them with the goal of finding something more permanent,� Block said.

According to Block, when she joined UMass Lowell in 2011, she paired with Professor Doreen Arcus, who was already working with students that aged out of foster care and were dealing with food and housing needs. They created a new club on campus called the NAVIGATORS to help students “navigate� the college system and get the support they need.

Block also worked alongside Julie Nash, associate dean in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Debra Finch, a professor in the business school at UMass Lowell, and Jane Andrews, wife of Dean Frank Andrews. â–ş See page 11

Sections Genaral ....................... 2 Campus Life.................. 8 News............................. 3 Continuations...............10 A&E ..............................5 Sports.......................... 11

Team 18 (above) poses next to their project, a solar powered vehicle. Scott Silbernagl (right) explains the “Snooter Magruder,� a robot designed to help people in everyday life with simple tasks.

Photos by Dave Rudderham/Connector

â–ş For full story see page 4

SGA: Student opinion and tobacco-free enforcement Tyler Cote Connector Staff

In this week’s senate meeting, the Student Government Association wrapped up the semester, doing so in quite a fashionable way. Everyone dressed in their holiday ugly sweaters as they conferred on topics to approach in the spring semester while closing the books on others.

President Amanda Robinson and the members on the board thanked the senators for the hard work they put in this semester then opened discussion about what they could improve upon.

Something that was brought up by a number of senators was capturing the needs that the students have. It was agreed that they tend to speak in terms of personal cases and wish they were

more informed in terms of what the majority of the student body wants.

Phillip Geoffroy, a senior political science major and University of Massachusetts Lowell student trustee, wants the SGA to “stray away from imposing [our] personal views� into decisions.

Cody Case, a sophomore political science major, proposed the idea of comment boxes set up around campus as a way to get the concerns of students to the senate. “The idea of suggestion boxes has been brought up before and maybe we could revisit that,� he said.

The idea had positive feedback and was put on the agenda for the next semester.

In a shortened meeting, Robinson spoke on behalf of the tobacco-free act that is currently in place that she

played a vital role in passing. “I spoke with officers and public relations about enforcement of having a tobacco free campus,� she said.

She mentioned the possibility of a “hot-line� where students can email a location where smoking is happening and the situation will be taken care of by the UMass Lowell Police. These were merely stepping stones according to the board, and it will also be one of the top priorities when the senate meets again in January.

At the end of the meeting, the senate concluded with holiday fun and reminiscing over a successful semester with high goals to meet in the coming months before May 2015.

Shady XV album review Andrew Haverty Connector Contributor

Since the release of “The Slim Shady LP� in 1999, Shady Records has spent the majority of its existence at the top of the charts with only six out of the 22 major studio releases not reaching Platinum status.

With the release of “Shady XV,� Shady Records celebrates its past success with a collection of greatest hits and embraces the present and future of the label with 12 brand new, original

tracks featuring the label’s current acts. Fifteen years after the birth of Eminem’s wildly popular record label, it’s hard to not get excited

Trice, and other related acts that built me into the rap & hip-hop fan that I am today.

That being said, it’s pretty difficult to not set such a

about such an ambitious project. I grew up listening to Eminem, D12, Obie

high standard for Eminem and his band of lyrically talented emcees. It’s easy to get

caught up in nostalgia from tracks that take me back to when I first started listening to hip-hop, and it’s hard not to be disappointed by the occasional lack of effort brought to the table by such a well-rounded group of artists.

The current gang is all here: Yelawolf, D12, Slaughterhouse, Bad Meets Evil (a combo of Eminem & Slaughterhouse member Royce Da 5’9�), and the real Slim Shady himself.

â–ş See page 7

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

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Why I don’t play pong anymore

December 9, 2014

Twitter: @UML_Connector

By Gryphon Lane

Instagram: @UMLConnector Facebook.com/UMLConnector www.UMLConnector.com The Connector meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in University Crossing room 241 in the Club Hub. All are welcome to join!

To the UMass Lowell community, Through errors in communication the Connector staff published a comic that featured art which was originally published by another artist in our November 18 issue. We take plagiarism very seriously, and we will increase our efforts to ensure that only original content or content used with permission is published in the Connector. We apologize to the university community and the original artist, Dave Low.

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR

EDITORIAL BOARD CHRISTOPHER TRAN Editor-In-Chief MADDIE KOUFOGAZOS Managing Editor

SARAH PACHT KACI MCLAUGHLIN Copy Editors MARIE PIERCE Advertising Manager MELISSA ALMONOR Web Manager JENNIFER VIVIER MICHAELA HYDE Social Media Managers LUCAS BROWN Distribution Manager JONATHAN SILVERMAN Advisor

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 AYAH AWADALLAH AMANDA DYSART

TYLER COTE JOE MCDONOUGH GREG ALEXANDROPOULOS LINDY REED NICHOLLES KLEVISHA MICHAEL CAIZZI AMARIS TORRES JACOB SOLOMON

Adam Keenan’s Ugly Sweater Event DATE: December 10, 2014 TIME: 5:30pm for Women’s Basketball Game & 8:00pm for Men’s Basketball Game LOCATION: Costello Athletic Center DETAILS:

Adam Keenan was a star baseball player for UMass Lowell. He unexpectedly passed away from cardiac arrest while out on the field playing the sport he loved. Every year since his passing, SAAC members have come together to have a fun event on campus to raise money for “Adam’s Team.� This year’s event is an “Ugly Sweater� themed party that will be held at the basketball double header. There will be tons of raffles going on for different prize baskets, and the winner with the ugliest sweater will also receive a prize. All proceeds go towards the American Heart Association. It will be a fun night and we encouraging all students to come support the cause, not just athletes!!! His family will be there and they truly appreciate all the support they receive from the UMass Lowell community.

PRIZES/RAFLLES: UMass Lowell Athletics gear basket, Adam Keenan’s favorite snacks basket, Bruins Tickets, Gift Cards to restaurants.

*** Asking that all attending the game, whether athlete or not, wear an ugly sweater to support the event. Top 3 winners of “ugliest� sweater will win one of the prizes mentioned above!

Email | Connector@uml.edu Website | www.UMLConnector.com Phone | 978.934.5017 ext. 45017 Address | University Crossing Club Hub Suite #241 220 Pawtucket St. Lowell, MA 01854

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UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

December 9, 2014

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NEWS Students, UML MASSPIRG look back at Bottle Bill Robert Shaffer Connector Staff

“Vote No on Question 2”—that short, simple statement was an inescapable and ultimately successful part of the 2014 Massachusetts midterm elections. Supported by a coalition of supermarkets and beverage companies, the Vote No campaign easily defeated a ballot initiative that was supported by over 130 organizations and many local politicians.

In an election year where voter turnout was so low, the success of the Vote No campaign had as much to do with voter apathy as with the Yes campaign’s inability to craft a superior message using less resources.

“We were definitely outspent pretty handily,”

Lydia Lippold-Gelb said, the campus organizer for UMass Lowell’s MASSPIRG. MASSPIRG is a group that represents Massachusetts students’ interests at the local, state and national levels.

The group was one of many advocacy groups to organize the Yes on 2 campaign, a campaign centered on expanding the state’s Bottle Bill.

MASSPIRG helped pass the original Bottle Bill in 1982 as a way to reduce litter and to increase recycling. The bill put five deposits on glass bottles and aluminum cans. “Plastic wasn’t really a thing yet,” said Lippold-Gelb.

“We are still seeing bottles everywhere,” she said.

“Over 1.5 billion are thrown away or end up in landfills or incinerators…there are still bottles that aren’t being recycled.”

Voting “Yes” on Question 2 would have expanded the system of five-cent bottle deposits to include plastic bottles. The “Yes” coalition saw this as an effective method to increase the amount of plastic containers that are recycled. Voting “Yes” would have also re-established a fund where unclaimed deposits would go for later use in environmental programs.

MASSPIRG, the Sierra Club, the Mass Audubon Society, the Environmental League of Massachusetts and the League of Women Voters all worked to spread awareness of what they believed voting yes would do.

However, the Yes on 2 coalition could not effectively counter a powerful and cash-flush Vote No campaign. ►See Bottle Bill, Page 10

JANUARY 2-15, 2015

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UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

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December 9, 2014

NEWS Students compete to solve real-world problems David Rudderham Connector Editor

Well-dressed students crowded around a tiny robot with a drawing of a mouse etched on the top of it, as another student prepared a maze pieced together using cardboard and tape. According to Nathaniel Hall, the robot had taken a month to design and construct by him and his teammates.

The machine has a ping sensor and wheels that are capable of turning left or right. “The ping sensor will detect where to go and map out the whole maze,” said Hall. This robot can map out the cardboard maze and then navigate it to its end, he said.

On display was another robot named “Scooter Magruder”, whose best purpose in its life is to be a friendly little robot helper. The team acknowledged that it had many useful purposes as it could grab small items and bring them to you, and one member even said it could be used at the driving range.

However, Scott Silbernagl mainly recognized it as a possible companion for everyday life. He said, “Who doesn’t want a little robot buddy?”

These inventions were just a couple examples from a competition held by DifferenceMaker that took place at the new Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center. Judges soon made their rounds and went from table to table to see what the students

‘’Sound Norman.”

“My mom and I fight over the TV volume and when the commercials come on they are ear- piercing,” says Faber. Her mom doesn’t have good hearing so she always has to crank the volume. With this chip, those volume spikes that happen only during commercials would be a thing of the past.

TVs of today are already incorporating such devices but not all of them have it, and they also don’t work as well as they should, Faber said. Her device, if it were ever mass-produced, would cost around 30 dollars.

Some teams went in the opposite direction of Faber. They had forgone simplicity in favor of a tremendously complex design for their project.

Two teams had produced vehicles powered by solar technology. One team wanted something along the lines of solar-powered golf cart that can carry four people. The golf cart featured pedals which makes it a hybrid between solar power and manpower.

The intent was to create something that can bus people around from class to class or could be used in the cities for quicker, more efficient travel.

The other team opted to produce a smaller, metal-framed, solar-powered car. “Our next design will be a full size car,” said Kenneth Sanders, student and member of team 19.

David Rudderham/Connector

Team 24’s small robot programmed to map out a maze and navigate it on its own

foam cast that would expand around broken bones and hold everything in place until it healed.

The cast can be applied quickly and can be used for military or fieldwork where the person in need might not be able to get rushed to a hospital quick enough. The cast is also quick to remove. “There are wires inside so you can just grab them and pull the whole cast off,” said Bradley Porter of team 30.

Another project was a hydraulic walker, which ended up winning first place at the competition. The project had the ability to make people more mobile and can really help those who would normally struggle to get up stairs or hills under their own strength. The project had earned team

4 a $1000 dollar check and bragging rights.

Second place had earned $750 dollars for creating more durable sportswear called “Kender Armor” and third place had earned $500 dollars for creating “Prototooth,” a cheaper alternative to normal dentures.

The Connector meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in University Crossing room 241 in the Club Hub. All are welcome to join!

Any writers, photographers, and people with Wordpress experience are encouraged to join. We are currently looking for more copy editors and people for our ad team.

Attendance to meetings is not mandatory.

David Rudderham/Connector

The “Sound Norman,” a chip designed by Anne Faber to plug into televisions and turn down the volume when loud commercials are on.

prepared. Some had been preparing for months while others had only a week or two to prepare after they found out about the competition.

Some of the projects that were produced under deadline actually proved to be very clever. Anne Faber had worked on her project last minute and designed a device that would be useful for any television enthusiast, a chip that turns down the TV volume automatically when commercials come on. The chip was named the

Jared Mrvos of team 18 explained how the differences between them came out and forced the group to split into two different projects. “Our projects spawned off of the same idea.

They sort of took it into a different direction. Theirs is a small metal car, while ours is intended for personal transport,” said Mrvos. Both teams agreed that their projects were aimed at different markets.

Other projects were intended to help those in need. Team 30 created a

For more information contact Christopher_Tran@student.uml.edu Twitter: @UML_Connector Instagram: @UMLConnector Facebook.com/UMLConnector UMLConnector.com

December 9, 2014

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT How to Get Away with Murder Review Ayah Awadallah Connector Staff

On the surface, “How to Get Away with Murder” seems like just another show about lawyers solving the mysteries of murder cases. However, this fall, ABC brings to the screen possibly the only series that explores how aspiring law students gradually lose their humanity and morality due to their hunger for success and power.

In the series, four law students become contestants in a game of survival of the fittest initiated by their professor, Annalise Keating, played by Viola Davis. Based on their performances in her Criminal Justice 101 class, she will choose what students work for her after they finish the course.

The students will do whatever it takes to make it to the top: betray, lie, manipulate and even kill. Winning at all costs is the only thing that will satisfy their hunger, even if the cost is their civility. Being taught by one of the best defense attorneys, the students take what they learn from Professor Keating to not only help her protect murderers but also to protect themselves as they try to clean their hands from a murder of their own.

The first episode begins at a wild bonfire scene where the main characters, Wes Gibbins, Connor Walsh, Laurel Castillo and Michaela Pratt are first introduced, arguing over what to do with a dead body. Scared and uncertain, they take Gibbins’ risky proposal, and let the flip of a coin determine their decision and ultimately their fate: heads they take the body, or tails they leave it in the woods. The flip of the coins sends the setting back to the first day of law school, where they were still innocent, confident students.

Unlike “Gracepoint,” a murder mystery surrounding a little boy’s death, this show is not asking who did it, but why and how. With the thrill of “Scandal,” and the drama of “Grey’s Anatomy,” “How to Get Away with Murder” immediately immerses its viewers in suspense as they discover the dark realities and ugly truths of the characters.

The most obvious example is in the character of Keating. She is superwoman, Wonder Woman’s evil doppelgänger, dressed in a suit. Her students and employees praise her ability to make even the most villainous of her clients leave the courtroom innocent.

While her fierce talent and intimidating, cunning personality enable her to solve the cases of undoubtedly guilty murderers, saving them from imprisonment, she cannot seem to solve her own mystery case involving her husband’s affairs or save her marriage. Underneath her composed demeanor is pain and a dark secret.

“How to Get Away with Murder” was created by the same producers who brought viewers “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal,” Peter Nowalk, Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers.The producers did a great job with the casting of the characters.

Viewers develop a good sense of what each character is like as soon as they are introduced. The fears, challenges and anxieties of the characters become their own.

Alfred Enoch is the timid, extremely awkward and out of place Wes Gibbins. Connor Walsh’s arrogant yet charmingly bold personality is captured so well by Jack Falahee that viewers are torn between whether or not they should hate or admire him.

Aja Naomi King plays Michaela Pratt, the typical wanna-be teacher’s pet who is overly confident to the point that viewers hope she falls, at least out of the competition.

Karla Souza plays the fourth and final contestant, Laurel Castillo, who comes across as simply being smart, quiet and idealistic, but there seems to be a darker side of her hiding underneath her seemingly perfect personality.

However, one feeling viewers do not have for any one of the characters, is trust.

They do not know what to make of Rebecca Sutter, Gibbins’ loud and emo-like neighbor who is involved in some type of serious trouble, or of Keating’s assistant, Bonnie Winterbottom, who seems to have an odd relationship with Keating’s husband, Sam.

The show’s plot spirals viewers into all kinds of directions and unexpected turns as they try and connect the dots between the characters’ intertwining secrets and lies that are spun around an even greater mystery: the murder of one of their fellow students, Lila Stangard whose body was found in the water tank at one of the sororities.

The connection between the two separate murders is what links all of the characters together.

Throughout the episode there are numerous instances where the setting quickly fast forwards and rewinds from present events, where the characters are tangled up in the messiness of the murder, to past events when they were still only poking their fingers in the stickiness of law. The fast-paced dialogue, with all of the law jargon that is hard to comprehend, and the rapid shifting of interlaced events causes important details to be missed, and complicates making sense of the storyline.

This confusion, however, is part of the joy in trying to put together all of the pieces to this puzzling murder mystery. “How to Get Away with Murder” makes lawyers getting their hands dirty in the mess of a case even dirtier. Actually in this case, bloodier.

Courtesy of ABC

‘Spelunky’ Indie Spotlight Review Brendan Jacques Connector Staff

‘Spelunky’ holds a very special place in my memory for being the first true indie game I’ve ever played. I first played the game back when the free version of the game was circling the internet (Note: The legitimately free version, not a pirated copy) and I loved everything about it, from its brilliant difficulty balance to its excellent platforming and puzzles. Unfortunately, as a result of the free version being discontinued and my old computer dying, I never actually finished the game, only making it as far as the third level. So when I got myself the full HD version of the game last week, I vowed that I would not rest until I saw that game through to the end.

As of this review, I have not yet succeeded, but certainly not for a lack of trying.

“Spelunky” is a puzzle-platformer created by Derek Yu that stars The Spelunker, an Indiana Jones knock-off whose quest is to explore a labyrinthine series of mines fabled to obtain unimaginable wealth and danger. The player’s ultimate goal is to guide him (or her) through the four different areas of the mines (each containing 4 individual levels) in order to reach the bottom and obtain the ultimate treasure. While this initially seems to be an easy feat, as each level only lasts about 2 to 3 minutes, the catch is that if you die at any point in the game, you lose all the treasure you’ve collected thus far and you must start over from the beginning. On top of that, every level of the game is randomly generated, meaning that reaching the bottom of the mines requires just as much luck as it does skill.

What I love most about the game is that, even though every level is randomly generated, the levels themselves are still very well-designed. No matter what obstacles

are placed in your way in each area, there’s always some means of progressing forward provided to you with just enough challenge to make following that path rewarding.

In the few times where that isn’t the case, the Spelunker comes equipped with rope for climbing down or up large chasms and bombs for breaking down walls and creating your own way forward (at your own peril), which usually serve to negate glitches in the level creator. As a result, the game always feels difficult and demanding but rarely feels unfair, as it never breaks any of the rules it establishes in any of its various levels.

Another perk of the level randomizer is the variety in levels that are created and the diverse situations you can be placed in within each run. One time through a level, you may stumble across a hidden treasure surrounded by traps, while the next playthrough may bring you to a shopkeeper selling extra supplies you desperately need.

If you’re lucky enough, you may even stumble upon bonus areas, such as an undead graveyard or a deadly beehive (those bees still give me nightmares), each with their own unique treasures open to those crazy enough to go for them. This consistent presentation of new challenges to overcome and new tools for overcoming them keeps the gameplay consistently fresh, keeping the game continually surprising and intriguing.

Graphically the game looks fairly standard. Since every area of the game is constantly subject to change, “Spelunky” takes the “Minecraft” route for its graphics, keeping the design of everything charmingly simple.

Character designs have plenty of personality to them and every new area of the game looks distinct while keeping with the game’s general theme, making the game feel uni-

Courtesy of Mossmouth, LLC

form. While honestly I can’t see anyone giving this game any awards for its graphics, as someone who played the original free version, which had NES-worthy graphics, I can say that I was pleasantly surprised. Same goes for the soundtrack which never got annoying even with only seven or eight songs practically played on repeat.

When it comes down to it, “Spelunky” is not the type of game for everyone. It is an incredibly demanding game that, in my opinion, surpasses the infamous “Dark Souls” in overall difficulty, making it almost poisonous to the weak-willed. But those who are willing to accept the challenge will find a fairly meaty game here that will last them for countless hours. It’s not a perfect game by any means, but it’s certainly a game that’s worth your time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a Yeti I need to get even with. Spelunky is available on PC, Mac, Xbox 360, PS3, and PS4 for $15. Also, as of the time of this review, the free version of “Spelunky” is available on PC for those who want to give the game a try, though that does come with a graphics and content downgrade.

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December 9, 2014

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A helpless nightmare you want to keep playing Greg Celona

Connector Contributor

Have you ever had one of those nightmares where you know something is chasing you, but you have no power to move or elude the inevitable terror?

Now, have you ever had one of those situations that you wanted to keep going through over and over? That is what the indie horror game “Five Nights at Freddy’s” will do to you.

Welcome to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a children’s restaurant that features animatronic animals that sing for you and have a good time. You play as the new security guard that watches over the restaurant overnight, using security cameras to keep track of every corner of the building. There’s just one slight detail that may have been left out of the job description: animatronics may actually come to life in the middle of the night and try to kill you. If you have ever had even the slightest fear of those animals at Chuck E. Cheese, this game will be a terrifying experience for you.

Perhaps the scariest aspect of this game is that you cannot move around at all. You are stuck in your tiny little office all night until either that clock reaches 6 a.m., or the robots catch you and stuff your body into a Freddy Fazbear suit (which your body simply cannot fit in). Most horror games instill some kind of fear in you by making you move your character into situations you don’t want to go near. In “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” the horror is coming to you, and all you can do is sit there and watch it happen.

You are given a screen to watch through all the security cameras in the restaurant to make sure every animatronic is in place. You never really see them moving around on camera; you’re just lucky if you see them standing in one place for an extended period of time. There are two blind spots for your

cameras, however, and those areas happen to be right outside the two doors to your office. These areas are pitch black, and you can only see what’s hidden in them by turning on a flickering light. You do have security doors to keep these animatronics out, but you’re instructed to only close them when there is an immediate danger.

Why can’t you just keep those doors closed and take a nap, you might ask?

Apparently somebody at this establishment didn’t pay the electric bill, and you have a very limited amount of power to manage. Every item you use, whether it be the doors, lights or even looking through the cameras will use up your power. If you happen to run out of electricity before 6 a.m., everything shuts down and the doors stay open. You’re forced to wait in the darkness before you see Freddy’s glowing face staring at you as you hear a chilling version of the overture from “Carmen,” a popular music box song, as he waits patiently to claim you in a quick and horrifying manner.

It may be a helpless feeling as you progress through the game, but somehow you want to keep trying after you’ve failed. Your main task is to survive the job five nights in a row, each night more difficult than the last. There are also some more difficult bonus nights if you beat the game, with one where you can choose how difficult each animatronic will be to keep under control. Just try to make sure none of them sneak into your office as you’re watching the cameras, or you’ll get one of the better jump scares you’ve seen in a video game once you go back to look at the door.

The motto at Chuck E. Cheese may be “Where a kid can be a kid,” but the characters of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza will make you cry like one.

Pokémon ‘Ruby’ and ‘Sapphire’ get a new shine Dan Medeiros Connector Staff

“Pokémon Omega Ruby” and “Alpha Sapphire” are Game Freak’s second pairPokémon Contests, which were originally introduced in the original “Ruby” and ing of games released in the sixth generation of Pokémon, following their 2013 re- “Sapphire,” make a return and provide more fun content to those who enjoy them. leases, “Pokémon X” and “Y.” “Omega Ruby” and “Alpha Sapphire” are remakes of The Battle Maison, found in the post-game of “X and Y” also makes an appearance; the Gameboy Advance’s “Pokémon Ruby” and “Sapphire,” bringing the 11-year-old however, this brings up some letdowns. games from their 2D sprite style to the series’ new 3D model style. “Omega Ruby” and Most pairs of Pokémon games traditionally have a third installment that adds new “Alpha Sapphire” have the art style of “X” and “Y,” giving the games an incredible content and combines the pair. The remakes of “ Pokémon Heartgold” and “Soulgraphic overhaul. silver” included a lot of content from their follow-up, “Crystal.” In comparison, it is The soundtrack has been completely redone to match the capabilities of the 3DS rather disappointing that “Omega Ruby” and “Alpha Sapphire” remain true to the compared to the Gameboy Advance’s 16-bit sound. While the music has all new ar- original two games and ignore most of the content changed or added in their follow-up, rangements, it remains faithful to the original music, especially the signature heavy use “Pokémon Emerald.” Namely, the lack of the challenging Battle Frontier found in the of trumpet and brass. post-game of Emerald would have been a great addition. Oddly enough, characters in The games sport 20 new possible Mega Evolutions, including ones for Beedrill, “Omega Ruby” and “Alpha Sapphire” mention that a Battle Frontier is in the works, Pidgeot and Metagross; all of the Mega Stones, both new and old, are obtainable in but all that is accessible is the Battle Maison, which is smaller and not as diverse as the these games.

Battle Frontier.

The best new addition is the The game’s difficulty may anDexNAV. DexNAV marks all the noy some players. “Omega Ruby” Pokémon you have seen and caught and “Alpha Sapphire” are very easy in an area and indicates if you have games, by default. The changes made obtained them all. Once you have to the Exp. Share in “X” and “Y” caught a Pokémon, you can search return, allowing the Pokémon in for that specific one. A silhouette may battle to receive full experience and appear nearby, and if you can creep those out of battle to receive half. up to it, you can find that specific Unfortunately, your team will end Pokémon. up over-leveled and easily defeat evThe more times you encounter eryone they face with almost no fear a Pokémon, the more likely it could of losing even one Pokémon. If this be a higher level, have moves that it is an issue, simply turn off the Exp. normally would not learn through Share and the games will become leveling up or have a rare ability. much more challenging.

When you are first taught about the Issues from the original games DexNAV, you will likely get caught still exist, such as the large number up creeping around through the grass of HM moves; these are necessary Courtesy of Game Freak hunting for rare versions of Pokémon. for travel around the map and thus It can be incredibly addictive. require the player to use up a good The games also bring back a lot of the fun and convenient features that “X” and “Y” number of move slots for them. However, a large amount of the map being dedicated introduced, such as the ability to register multiple key items for easy access. Pokémon- to water, and thus a lot of the same water Pokémon, is not as annoying as in the origiAmie and Super Training also make a return. Super Training is especially helpful, as nals: for the most part, surfing is quicker and a tad less annoying. it allows you to raise specific stats of your Pokémon (long known as EV training) in a “Pokémon Omega Ruby” and “Alpha Sapphire” are wonderful enhancements of more convenient and transparent way than in past games. their decade-old originals. The addictive nature of the Pokémon series is alive The post-game content is rather fulfilling. There is a moderate-sized story arc called and well in this latest installment, and while the post-game content may not be the Delta Episode that begins once you have defeated the Elite Four. The Delta Epi- as extensive as expected, there is an amazing amount of fun to be found and sode focuses on the legendary Pokémon Rayquaza and marks the first time legendary hours of play time to be racked up.

Deoxys can be found outside of a special event.

Final Grade: B+

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Shady XV review ►Continued from front page

Eminem mostly steals the show here (starring and featuring in nine out of the 12 tracks), although that’s not entirely a good thing. Tracks like “Shady XV” and “Vegas” properly show off the talents of the foul-mouthed rapper, as he ridicules pop culture all while displaying masterful wordplay. Whenever Eminem picks up the pen, he likes to remind us that no person and no subject are safe from his twisted pad of paper, poking fun at Rihanna about their hit single “Love the Way you Lie” (and that’s putting it lightly) and even making an extremely controversial reference to the all-too-recent and tragic Marathon bombings. Now I, by no means, approve of Eminem’s appalling reference, but I’d be lying to myself if I said this is the first time Eminem has treaded controversial territory – making such an offensive reference on Columbine back on “The Marshall Mathers LP” that the words ‘kids’ and ‘Columbine’ were censored even on the explicit version of the album.

As controversial as Eminem may be, there’s no denying his lyrical prowess and his seemingly impossible flow when he’s at his best. But for an album featuring a Jason-like hockey mask and dual chainsaws for cover-art, Eminem’s more sentimental tracks like “Die Alone” and “Fine Line” feel out of place and probably better suited on his next solo project (maybe even as bonus tracks). Eminem usually handles emotional lyrics fine and all, but I’m seriously not sure if I can take another song about his ex-lover Kim. Thankfully, Yelawolf has some great material on the album. He brings his signature trailer-park-trash style in his solo track “Down,” while he also provides some welcome energy to the chorus of stand-out track “Psychopath Killer” and adds a much-needed rapper presence to the beautifully tragic-sounding “Twisted.” On the other hand, D12 feels wasted as they’re only given one track and it doesn’t even have a verse from lead act Eminem. Their lone track “Bane” has a cool concept, paying metaphorical homage to The Dark Knight Rises villain, but the aggressively dark humor that made the group famous is disappointingly missing here.

The true solitary Slaughterhouse track “Y’all Ready Know,” featuring all

four members unlike “Psychopathic Killer,” is the stand-out track of the album.

Head-nodding production, dope bars from all four members, and clever lines that’ll bring your fist up to cover your mouth; this is what Slaughterhouse is all about. Not only is it my favorite track of the album, but it makes me yearn for another major Slaughterhouse project (hopefully in the form of “Glass House” in 2015). The final track of the album, “Detroit vs. Everybody,” is probably the most unique of them all as it primarily consists of Detroit natives. It’s genuinely fun to hear Eminem, Royce, Big Sean, Danny Brown (most notably known for A$AP Rocky’s “1 Train”), and other Detroit-born rappers all on one track.

The greatest hits portion of the album unfortunately suffers from similar inconsistencies of the first original portion. It’s fun to listen to, but it’s far from perfect. While I love any excuse to listen to Shady Records classics like 50 Cent’s “Wanksta,” Eminem’s “Lose Yourself ” and D12’s “My Band,” I could do without Yelawolf ’s (excessive number of) two tracks “Let’s Roll” and “Pop the Trunk.” It’s also a bit of a let-down that Eminem’s solo projCourtesy of Jeremy Deputat ects aren’t recognized at all here, probably since he already came out with a greatest hits album in the form of “Curtain Call” back in 2005. So anybody wanting to hear classics like “Stan” and “The Real Slim Shady” are going to be deeply disappointed. Not to mention, considering it’s the year 2014, I could probably make myself a deeper, more personalized playlist of my own favorite Shady records.

All in all, I feel a little torn on “Shady XV.” Being such a big fan, I wanted to love this album even before I heard any of the tracks. That was probably part of the problem. “Shady XV” certainly has its moments, but I’m skeptical it will stay in my car CD player for long with its few, but significant, shortcomings. With moderately entertaining original tracks and a decent, but disposable greatest-hits portion, “Shady XV” is best recommended for the hardcore fans that need to get their hands on the label’s newest material. Other rap fans can either pick out their favorite tracks to download or just safely pass on this mostly mediocre compilation of music.

Grade: C

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December 9, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

Students make New Year’s resolutions Rebecca Gates Connector Editor

New Year’s Day is a holiday known for two things: a day off from work and resolutions. People make a variety of resolutions and inevitably fall into one of two categories: the ones who keep their resolutions and the ones who don’t.

What about the students at UMass Lowell? What type of resolutions did they make this year, if any, and have they kept them? Do they have any plans to make new resolutions in 2015?

Justine Holt, a senior English major, says she makes resolutions and she did make one this year. “I resolved to be better to myself,” she said.

Holt said she feels like she has kept this resolution as she wanted to be healthy and her health has “definitely taken a turn for the better.” She has not decided if she will make any resolutions in the coming year as she said, “I’m pretty content.”

While Holt managed to keep her resolution and find contentment, other students were concerned with getting fit.

Sylvester Sterlin, a junior accounting major, said his resolution was to get back on his fitness plan. “I didn’t

do it,” he said. “It was very on-and-off.”

Sterlin said he does plan to make resolutions for the New Year. “I’m going to get back on my fitness plan and do well in school,” he said.

Some students are trying to get fit and be healthy by eating better. That was the resolution made by Chelsea Graham, a senior English major.

Graham said she sometimes makes resolutions. However, she was not able to keep the one she made for 2014.

“This year I wanted to eat better, but that didn’t work out,” she said. “I try to sneak a fruit or veggie into every meal, but that doesn’t always work because I go to college.”

As for resolutions for the coming New Year, Graham said she might not make any as “most people tend to forget about them quickly.” If she does, she said it will be something easy.

“I’ll find reasons to be happy every day,” she said. “I don’t have to force myself to do that.”

While following fitness plans and eating better are certainly ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle, getting healthy can also involve giving up a vice. Jake Kinsman, a senior computer science major, made the decision to give up smoking.

Kinsman said his last cigarette was March 27. He made the resolution along with another one to eat better.

“I didn’t keep that one,” he said. “Every year I actually follow through with one.”

Kinsman said he was planning on making a resolution for the coming year. “I have lungs that work so time to start exercising,” he said.

While being healthy and eating better was part of her plan for this year, Becca Crivello, a junior music studies major, was also setting a goal for “general happiness.”

Crivello said she has been eating healthy “about 50 percent of the time.” However, there have been times throughout the year when she has not eaten well at all.

“This past year has been pretty stressful with coming back to school and furthering my studies, but overall I’ve felt pretty happy,” she said.

Crivello said she is planning to make a few resolutions for the New Year including overall maintenance of her well-being. Her main concern for the coming year is finding a job.

“I need to start looking for a summer job in professional music,” she said. “It’s time to think about actually teaching.”

December 9, 2014

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CAMPUS LIFE

Sammy Cupcakes

Designs, desserts part of Sam Dangles’ daily life Marlon Pitter Connector Editor

“I’m gonna try to go the whole year without having a cookie,” said Sam Dangles.“I’m not really a sweets kind of guy.”

Dangles, a Lowell native, wears his pink shirt and white hat at the Sugar & Spice station at Fox Hall’s University Dining Commons as he prepares thousands of sugary concoctions each day, from the usual sugar and chocolate chip cookies to fallthemed apple crisp. When he’s not serving freshly-baked cookies and cupcakes from a hot oven for thousands of hungry students, Dangles pursues his passion for graphic design, especially T-shirt design.

Marlon Pitter/Connector

Food pantry looks to give students peace of mind ►Continued from front page

Together with the NAVIGATORS, she said, they opened the pantry on East Campus this past fall, which provides students with free non-perishable foods and toiletries. According to Block, the pantry has no requirements or an application process, and completely protects students’ ano-nymity.

Michelle Wojcik, president of the NAVIGATORS, said that hunger is an issue many students on campus are unaware of.

“It’s kind of an invisible need, but there is a need on this campus,” she said. “Students were com-ing with food insecurity. They didn’t know where they’d get their next meal.”

Some students said they were surprised to hear that college students are suffering from these needs. Maureen Fullerton, a physical therapy major, says she was unaware that hunger is an issue on campus.

“I just assumed most students have meal plans, and those who choose not to get them have enough to get by,” said Fullerton. “I know most college students are not in the best financial state, but I would have never guessed that some were in need of food.”

While this assumption is a common one, Block says, it is not uncommon that university students can suffer from these needs.

“Any student can struggle with finances and budgeting, but if a student does not have immediate family that they can turn to in a jam to get the resources they need,

then getting basic needs met can be very difficult,” said Block.

Part of the reason for this assumption, Wojcik said, is that people have a misunderstanding and stereotyped image of what hunger truly is.

“You don’t know who someone is,” she said. “You might go to class every day, and then they go home and they might not have something to eat. Anybody can go through this. It’s not stereotyp-ical.”

Block said she agrees.

“You don’t have to be homeless to be using the food pantry,” she said. “Things happen: Your car breaks down, and all of sudden you have to pay this big bill, and then what is going to suffer that month? For many students, unfortunately, what suffers is their nutrition.”

According to Wojcik, students’ health is not the only thing that suffers when they experience hunger. She said that this issue affects a student’s ability to focus on his or her work.

“We’re trying to just eliminate that additional stressor, so that way they will have the opportunity to focus on what they’re here for, and become successful graduates and members of the commu-nity,” she said.

However, Wojcik says it is difficult to reach all the students in need because social stigma causes many of them to be reluctant to get the necessary help.

“The hardest part will be finding the students who would benefit from it, because it’s not some-thing that you can visibly see, and it might not be something that

someone is just willing to come forward and tell you,” she said.

Suhad Shahin, a psychology major, says there are a lot of pressures in college that make students feel like they have to live up to certain expectations of status. She says that the standards need to be changed in order to reduce the fear of judgment among students who need help.

“I think it is understandable why they would want to conceal their need for help,” said Shahin. “The issue lies within the culture of our campus, and any campus really, where we allow such expectations to dictate people’s actions.”

The change in the culture starts with the students.

Matthew Laverty, a senior English major and an employee at the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, said that students can help change the lives of their fellow peers in need by being more involved in the cause.

“I think what we can do as students is first to raise awareness about the food bank, and second to actually coordinate drives which obtain food that can be easily distributed to these students in need,” he said.

Other students feel that their new awareness of the issue and the food bank has inspired them to want to support these students by giving back.

“Now…it’s more important than ever to give to those in need,” Fullerton said. “I think a lot of people should donate to the food pantry. I know I will.”

Light-up for the holidays Amaris Torres Connector Staff

The Lowell community came together to kick off the holiday season during the City of Lights Parade and Holiday Celebration November 29, with a day full of fun, food and activities for all.

The parade started at 4:30 p.m. on Jackson Street, and every participant did an amazing job. Live music was provided throughout the parade by various marching bands, including UMass Lowell’s who blew the crowd away.

The procession was filled with brightly-lit floats and candy given out to children in the crowd. Police, fire, ambulance and city vehicles were a big part of the parade, which was a great way to show their unity with the community.

One of the most anticipated events

of the day was the Seventh Annual Hot Chocolate Contest. Brew’d Awakening won the competition, while Sweet Lydia’s finished second and Rosie’s Café placed third. Although they did not place, the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center participated as well.

The rest of the day’s events included Photos with Santa in front of City Hall, Holiday Art Exploratory for Kids on Market Street, Gentlemen Songsters Stroll Around Downtown and the Downtown Window Decorating Contest.

The name of the event comes from the symbolic start to the holidays after the lighting of downtown, City Hall and the Wannalancit Smokestack Tree.

Every year this event is the perfect way to gather the community and help show

support for local businesses and organizations.

Although the parade started later in the day, the festivities began earlier on at 10 a.m. Pollard Memorial Library hosted a Children’s Shopping Day in the morning which offered an array of donated used items for prices that ranged from $1 to $5. In addition to the “onestop shopping” the library also offered gift wrapping for the children.

The afternoon offered a wide variety of activities to participate in, including the Third Annual Holiday Shopping Tour via the COOL Bus. The Cultural Organization of Lowell (COOL) Bus traveled throughout Downtown Lowell stopping at various museums, art galleries, and other local attractions, some of which included the American Textile

History Museum, New England Quilt Museum, Mill No. 5 and the Lowell Gallery.

At the same time, the Holly Jolly Trolley ran continuously between the Boott Cotton Mills and the Visitor Center.

UMass Lowell student athletes, accompanied by Rowdy the River Hawk, read holiday books to children in the River Hawk Shop at University Crossing.

The night came to a close with the UMass Lowell River Hawks vs. Harvard ice hockey game at the Tsongas Center, with an open skate after the game. It was a night to remember with family and friends, and if you didn’t get a chance to attend, there’s always next year!

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Sam Dangles at University Dining Commons.

As a T-shirt designer, Dangles works for a local design company called Mill City Designs, which creates custom T-shirts, banners and other promotional items for businesses in the Greater Lowell area. As part of the company, Dangles has worked with bars, restaurants, gyms and groups of individuals to help create the image that brings their theme to life.

“I honestly love designing for people and seeing them get the shirt or something they had in mind,” he said.

Dangles earned a degree in communications-based graphic design, marketing and intercultural communications at Fitchburg State University

in 2013, but he said his interest in graphic design sparked long before going to college. As a child, Dangles said he was always intrigued by drawing, designing and computer programs like Photoshop.

His enthusiasm for graphic design continued through his time at Lowell High School, he said, where he learned how to use Adobe Illustrator and “got really in tune” with the skills-aspect of graphic design, but he also gained media experience as part of the school’s Communication Academy.

As a Lowell High School student, Dangles worked as part of a group of students who broadcasted news programs at Lowell High School during homeroom periods, with responsibilities behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

“A couple times, I was actually the anchor, which was pretty cool,” Dangles said.

Currently, Dangles said he draws influence from the likes of Johnny Earle, founder of Johnny Cupcakes, Life is good co-founder Bert Jacobs, D*Face, Shepard Fairey and more, not only for their designs but for their desire to push their own work to a bigger audience.

Earle, a self-made entrepreneur from Hull, Massachusetts, has spoken to UMass Lowell’s freshmen each of the last two years about how he attained success by selling T-shirts out of his car. Similarly, Jacobs and his brother, Bert, sold Life is good T-shirts on their own until their demand ultimately outweighed their supply.

Their self-sufficiency and determination, Dangles said, are what make him a fan of businessmen like them.

“I think when you find something you like, just keep pushing yourself no matter what other people say,” said Dangles. “Sometimes, people can’t grasp your idea, but if you have a good following and believe in yourself then you should keep pushing yourself to make more.”

With the same drive as the designers he follows, Dangles designed and distributed his own creations in the Greater Fitchburg area after attending Fitchburg State University.

After designing T-shirts for recreational sports teams, school marketing projects and school clubs

and events at Fitchburg State, Dangles created his own T-shirt designs, most of which were designed to promote Spree Day, the annual year-end celebration, during which “everyone kinda parties and goes crazy,” a tradition he said the school used to regulate and encourage.

As a motivated entrepreneur, Dangles went out to local businesses to collaborate on T-shirt projects in order to help promote the city to the Fitchburg student body.

Although Dangles now works more than 40 hours a week between baking desserts and designing shirts, he said he still likes to have fun and connect with people. As someone who went to college only 40 minutes away from his hometown, Dangles said he enjoys engaging with the different students at UMass Lowell, who have come from all parts of the United States to attend school in the city he grew up in, which is how he makes working at the dining hall more enjoyable.

Unlike with his graphic design interests, Dangles said he does not have any culinary role models.

He said popular TV chefs, like Guy Fieri and Rachel Ray, are much more popular than they should be. Instead, he prefers to learn firsthand, as he did when he started working at the dining hall.

“I know how to wrap a sandwich right, and that was cool after doing it 300,000 times,” Dangles said. “I’ll learn from people rather than glorified celebrities.”

Dangles said he hasn’t planned ahead for the distant future, but he would like to visit different cities, including Los Angeles and Miami. As for other life goals, such as advancing in graphic design or his next job, he also remains undecided.

“In five years, I’ll probably be in Lowell, most likely. I haven’t decided yet,” he said. “I haven’t decided what I’m doing tomorrow.”

Dangles said he is happy that his parents have always been encouraging of his endeavors as a designer, even if his future remains uncertain.

“They weren’t worried about my career-seeking options,” he said, “because I’ve been motivated, I’m always looking for work, [and] I’m always looking to have a good time.”

What are you doing during winter break?

Explore our 20 online course offerings and get ahead this winter!

Classes begin December 26.

For more information call 508-626-4603.

Make your break count!

www.framingham.edu

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December 9, 2014

CONTINUATIONS Why the Bottle Bill didn’t pass ►Continued from page 3 Lippold-Gelb cited a figure that said the Vote No on 2 campaign spent $9 million on ads. This eclipsed the $1 million the “Yes” campaign raised which she said was used for field work as well as ad money.

Lippold-Gelb also recognized that the messaging of the Vote No campaign was done well.

“The messaging of the Vote No Campaign was pretty strategic,” she said, “in that it was focused on recycling, like, ‘We’re Massachusetts, we recycle, we don’t need to pay more to keep recycling.’

I think that messaging got away from the Vote Yes campaign. It was hard to counter, ‘Oh, you recycle, that’s great!’”

Lippold-Gelb said that UMass Lowell’s chapter of MASSPIRG had a two-pronged strategy for this semester’s efforts on Question 2.

MASSPIRG conducted a non-partisan voter registration drive on campus in order get students involved in the political process. From the middle of October up through Election Day, the group then focused on an on-campus Get Out the Vote campaign and a series of community outreach programs, such as door-knocking and phone-banking.

“We were targeting voters that often turn out in midterms—so mostly older voters. They may not have heard of the Bottle Bill…but we wanted to make sure they knew about the issue.”

Lippold-Gelb said that a potential mismatch ex-

isted with their efforts of registering young voters but then tailoring outreach programs toward older ones. “We ran our voter registration campaign and the Get out the Vote in efforts for increasing the youth turnout, which unfortunately didn’t really happen.”

A lack of youth voters was an endemic problem of the entire nation this election cycle, something that Lippold-Gelb also recognized.

“I think MASSPIRG, as an organization—and people working with young people—we have to kind of figure out what drives young people to get involved. Maybe they weren’t motivated by this issue, but how to frame that conversation…that understanding that it’s one thing to get registered to vote but then another to actually go out and do it and have the passion and the understanding behind why it’s important.”

Lippold-Gelb had a few suggestions for how a “Yes” campaign could fare better. “I think that the campaign itself was not personal enough. I think that our response to ‘You recycle!’ was like ‘Great!

But not everyone does.’”

In order to create a more effective message, she suggested that MASSPIRG should craft a strategy that incorporated more statistics with a more localized advocacy message.

“We had the facts on our side. The Bottle Bill, since being implanted, has improved recycling. We see that 80 percent of the containers that currently have the deposit are recycled versus only 23 percent

without. Having that clear fact showing how it’s effective…when people had that information, they were like, ‘Ok that makes sense, I can’t really argue with that.’”

Jeremy Minsk, another UMass Lowell student, supported MASSPIRG’s argument and believed in its logic. “I heard more of the MASSPIRG argument. I didn’t see anything wrong with the Bottle Bill. I thought it would be a good idea.”

Encompassing the struggle to convince youth to turn out to vote, Minsk said that he did not vote, because he did not see his single vote as being able to affect much change. Had he voted, Minsk said, he would have voted Yes on 2.

A common thread through most arguments against MASSPIRG’s efforts on the Yes on 2 campaign was echoed by Pacht. “[MASSPIRG’s] intentions were good, but it would have been more inconvenient than the current system,” she said.

With how much effort was put into the campaign, Lippold-Gelb said that MASSPIRG was disappointed by the outcome of the initiative. However, she said that this would not stop their efforts to increase recycling.

“We aren’t going to give up. It was a campaign to increase recycling. So, maybe the Bottle Bill wasn’t the answer right now,” Lippold-Gelb said. “The problem isn’t disappearing.”

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SPORTS River Hawks stay undefeated in Hockey East, beat UConn 6-4 Shane Foley Connector Editor

Last Wednesday night was a great night for underclassmen. Three freshmen scored, including Chris Forney’s first goal of the season, in a 6-4 victory over the UConn Huskies.

Despite giving up five power plays, the UMass Lowell River Hawks were able to tie up the special-teams battle with two goals apiece, including a shorthanded goal for UMass Lowell. The River Hawks never lost the lead, but UConn had battled back to keep the game close for the whole 60 minutes.

it went in.”

Forney followed up Zink’s goal with his first of the season, to give UMass Lowell a two goal lead. The shot came from a centering pass from Jake Suter that wasn’t picked up because of traffic in front of the net. The puck had trickled over to the blue line, but Forney had picked it up before it crossed, and then executed a one-timer through the net.

Late in the first, UMass Lowell also gave up their first special teams goal. Suter got called for tripping, which lead a shot by Jacob Poe that gave UConn some momentum.

ice, Campbell stole a puck after a routine UConn pass, circled around, rushed past the blue line, and fit the puck behind the goalie for a three-goal lead.

“We saw some aggressiveness in the offensive zone; in the neutral zone,” said Bazin.

Regardless of the high score though, UConn didn’t give up on the game. The Huskies came right back and scored two goals from Richardson and Trevor Gerling.

All of a sudden, the River Hawks had to defend a onegoal lead.

“They didn’t quit; that team is a good hockey club,” said Bazin. UConn Coach Mike Cavanaugh was happy

Yet again in a high scoring game, we saw great defense as well from the River Hawks Wednesday night.

This was never more evident in the second period. In those 20 minutes, the River Hawks only gave up four shots on net. UConn only managed to score one goal off of a power play. To that point in the game, UConn hadn’t registered a goal during 5-5 hockey.

The second period also saw goals from freshmen Michal Louria and Ryan Collins. “You’re getting a lot of contributions from a lot of first-year guys, because that’s what the team’s comprised of,” said Bazin. “We’re going to need that if we’re going to have success.”

UMass Lowell’s biggest lead came in the third period, after Campbell scored in thrilling fashion. From center

with the effort as well, even though it resulted in a loss.

“I hope it gives us more confidence going into the second half,” said Cavanaugh.

With under a minute to go, Adam Chapie shot the puck into an empty net to secure the victory for the River Hawks. This was their sixth win in Hockey East play.

“I think [UMass Lowell] is the very best team in the league that we have played top to bottom,” said Cavanaugh. “I think they put so much pressure on you for 60 minutes, that you really have to play on your toes and play exceptionally well and be mentally into the game.”

Christopher Tran/Connector

“I don’t think anybody was bored tonight,” said Head Coach Norm Bazin.

The special-teams battle began early in the first period, after UConn’s Evan Richardson got two minutes in the penalty box for interference. On the initial faceoff of the power play, Evan Campbell, who has dominated faceoffs the entire year, was able to grab the puck for a quick assist. The puck immediately came off of Campbell’s stick, on to Dylan Zink’s stick, and then from Zink’s stick to the back of the net.

“Yeah that’s kind of our power play faceoff play there,” said Campbell. “We win it back we have a [defenseman] sweep through, that guy sprints off the boards, and Zink did a great job on it and shot through the net,

Hanley & Sandoval Coming to Town Benjamin St. Pierre Connector Staff

Two of this MLB offseason’s biggest names, Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, are now ready to call Fenway Park home.

Hanley Ramirez signed a four-year base deal worth $88 million with a fifth year team option that would pay Ramirez $22 million in salary if used.

Ramirez, a former Red Sox international free agent signee and top prospect, was traded in a package including starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez (now on the Detroit Tigers) and reliever Guillermo Mota for starting pitcher Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell of the (at the time) Florida Marlins, in the 2005 offseason.

Ramirez developed into a perennial All-Star-type player with one of the best bats in the league, hitting for average and power and with excellent speed and the ability to steal bases, but his attitude, which was a main factor of his being traded by Boston and consistent

injuries, have impeded Ramirez from reaching his absolute full potential.

Regardless, when healthy, he is one of baseball’s top hitters, but his glove has always been a detractor from his overall game.

The Red Sox essentially signed Ramirez to do one thing: hit, and hit well. Even at 30 years old (turning 31 December 23), Ramirez will immediately become one of the more feared hitters in the Red Sox lineup, and the only question mark will be, as always, his ability to stay healthy and on the field.

With Xander Bogaerts likely entrenched at shortstop for the foreseeable future, and Pablo Sandoval just inked to play third base, Ramirez will be the Red Sox’s Opening Day left fielder, despite him never having played a game in left field in his career. But what Hanley Ramirez was signed to do is to hit as he always has. Ramirez will be a defensive liability anywhere he plays, but his bat remains special and will not wither

away just yet.

Pablo Sandoval, nicknamed the “Kung Fu Panda” due to his large frame and light demeanor, signed a five-year deal worth $95 million in total, and a club option for a sixth year in which the Panda would be paid $17 million to play, or a $5 million team buyout, meaning if the Red Sox do not wish to pay Sandoval the $17 million for the sixth year, they could pay him $5 million instead, which would let him hit free agency.

With consistently-ineffective and oft-injured Will Middlebrooks never quite repeating his 2012 rookie-year form, and Brock Holt showing he was worn down by a full year’s play, it was apparent that the Red Sox needed a long-term solution at third base.

Despite Sandoval’s size, his offensive numbers have been pretty much consistent in his career, he is a monster in the postseason, and plays a very solid third base. He also offers another left-handed bat in the lineup, which was a dire need

the Red Sox needed to solve.

While the Red Sox have previously pledged to steer clear of handing out long and large contracts to old and potentially ineffective players (though particularly pitchers), with 2010-2011 offseason woes coming to mind (a la Carl Crawford’s seven-year deal and Adrian Gonzalez’s trade and subsequent seven-year extension), the Red Sox have apparently realized that this is a rich team, and one that should not rely solely on young prospects to carry the brunt of the workload. While Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts look to be integral to the lineup and core of the team in the future, the team still needed more of a veteran presence to carry the offense. The offense for the Red Sox, for the foreseeable future, is now set. The Red Sox need to now focus on starting pitching, and Jon Lester in particular needs to be who they cannot fail to sign.

Page 12

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

December 9, 2014

SPORTS

River Hawks extend win streak to six with win over NJIT Nick Giannino Connector Editor

Redshirt freshman guard Jahad Thomas scored 20 points in a team-high 35 minutes and graduate student Marco Banegas-Flores added a career-high 19 points as UMass Lowell men’s basketball hung on to beat NJIT 71-67 on Wednesday evening.

“We’re real happy,” said Head Coach Pat Duquette. “We’re just continuing to play. We’re doing all the things that are important to us, particularly on the defensive end that we know are the reason why we’re winning games.”

The win marks the sixth straight victory for the River Hawks, pushing their overall record to 6-2.

NJIT fell to 2-5 with the loss.

Banegas-Flores was able to notch his career-high in points by shooting an extremely effective 6-9 from the field including 5-7 from beyond the arc.

“We had a strong core of upperclassmen returning at UMass Lowell,” said Duquette. “Tough kids that were about winning, and I knew Marco was the same. I knew that he would fit in seamlessly on both sides…It’s almost like he’s been playing here three of four years.”

Bangeas-Flores got the River Hawks on the board first with a three pointer from the corner, only to see NJIT jump out to an early lead in the first half. But UMass Lowell battled back with big shots by Thomas and sophomore Tyler Livingston.

Livingston’s first basket couldn’t have come at a better time, hitting a three-pointer to spark a huge 10-2 run by the River Hawks in the first half.

NJIT sophomore guard Damon Lynn did everything he could to keep his team in it in the first half, draining 3-5 of his three-point attempts, only to see

the River Hawks end the half on a 10-0 run and take a 35-22 lead into the break.

Bangeas-Flores opened up the second half similar to the first, draining another three to tie his career-high at 17 points. NJIT stayed close, however, using a 22-6 run to get within three points with just over nine minutes remaining. The run was sparked

by Lynn hitting more tough shots, as well as the defense forcing misses for the River Hawks.

The home team was able to regain composure though, with freshman Lance Crawford hitting some huge shots down the stretch.

“Guys like my teammates, they just allow me to even be more confident and just take shots like that,” said Crawford. “So they just make me a more confident player.”

Crawford and his teammates were able to get good looks in the second half thanks to a season-high 12 rebounds from senior Kerry Weldon, including six offensive.

Withstanding the Highlanders comeback attempt, the River Hawks got clutch baskets from Crawford, Thomas and senior Chad Holley to secure the win and pull out the 71-67 decision.

The River Hawks’ success can be attributed to their hot shooting of late, including marks of 52.6% (10-19) from three and 44% (22-50) overall in this game.

The Highlanders were led by Lynn (24 points), Tim Coleman (11 points), and Winfield Willis (11 points).

The River Hawks look to keep their winning streak alive when they travel to Ithaca, NY on Saturday to take on Cornell University.

Michael Louria gives overtime gift Shane Foley

Connector Editor

and second period, they had almost three layers of shot blockers; they blocked an awful lot of shots.”

The lone goal of the first 40 minutes of battle was scored by Maine’s Blaine Byron, who forced in the shot after a large scuffle under the net with below a minute left in the period. The goal occurred under a lot of traffic, and to many eyes in the arena, the puck looked like it was frozen by Maine goalie Sean Romeo. The referees called it a goal however, and Coach Bazin accepted after a brief discussion.

“I thought he had covered up,” said Coach Bazin. “In the end, you can’t control that, and some-

It may not have been on everybody’s Christmas list, but Michael Louria’s overtime goal over the Maine Blackbears was certainly well appreciated at the Tsongas Center Saturday night. Though it was a hard fought, tight hockey game, UMass Lowell was finally able to triumph 3-2.

“They made it difficult to transition and get through the neutral zone,” said UMass Lowell Head Coach Norm Bazin, who has finished the half of the season without losing to any Hockey East opponent. “They’re a good hockey team, so Christopher Tran/Connector we’re thrilled to get the two points.”

Statistically, they game was pretty close to a draw. UMass Lowell matched Maine in shots on goal(39-34 in favor of UMass Lowell), faceoffs (37-31 in favor of UMass Lowell), and overall effort.

UMass Lowell and Maine have historically had some pretty heated affairs as of late. The adrenaline was certainly cranked up for this game, especially in the first period which ended scoreless. Three penalties including one interference on Maine’s Mark Hamilton which sent the bench and the crowd into a frenzy.

“I think over the past couple years it’s just kind of become more of a rivalry,” said Zach Kamrass assisted AJ White on the River Hawk’s first goal.

AJ White, who scored a goal in the game. “I think times it’s a waste of energy to even discuss it.” we love to play them; they love to play us.”

The student section also was packed Saturday Throughout the first two periods ensued in a lot night. Armed with noisemakers and cowbells, their of action, with neither team able to exploit an ad- influence at one point may have turned the game vantage over the other. Hard hits were being thrown for UMass Lowell. left and right, and shots on net were quite frequent.

About half way through the third period, with “They made it extremely difficult to get pucks the game still at 1-0, Terence Wallin had a clean, to the net,” said Coach Bazin. “You saw in the first but intense check on one of the Maine players that

U P C OM I N G

River Hawk Games Monday, Dec 8.

7 pm

W. Basketball vs Yale

Wednesday, Dec 10 5:30 pm W. Basketball vs Bryant Wednesday, Dec 10

8 pm M. BBall vs Dartmouth

Saturday, Dec 13

all day Men’s Track vs Jay Carisella

Saturday, Dec 13

all day W. Track vs Jay Carisella

For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com

Twitter: @UML_Connector Instagram: @UMLConnector Facebook.com/UMLConnector UMLConnector.com

left him on the ice. From that point, the crowd became greatly animated as they started rattling off chants without end. The team’s intensity rose with the arena’s intensity rising, and shortly thereafter, White had tied it up with his goal.

“We feed off of our fans,” said White.

Nolan Vessey of Maine had given his team the lead back with a goal later on in the third. Less than a minute after however, Tyler Muller tied it up again. As White brought the puck up the ice on a breakaway, he found Evan Campbell in the slot.

Campbell rifled off a slapshot, and Muller redirected it into the net.

“I thought we responded extremely well to their goal instead of it being a backbreaker,” said Coach Bazin.

As regulation ended, both teams nearly matched each other in shots on goal, while UMass Lowell’s 35 was just slightly over Maine’s 34 shots. The River Hawks dominated the overtime period though, putting the puck on the net four times, and holding Maine to zero shots. Exactly 1:03 were left on the clock when Campbell had shot another one-timer at the goalie. While the entire student section was on their feet, Michael Louria took Campbell’s shot, and plugged it into the net to send the River Hawks back to the locker room victorious.

With the win, UMass Lowell finishes the first half without a loss in Hockey East at an in conference record of 7-0-2. Overall, going into the holidays, they are 10-3-3. While they have much success to look back on though, this team is not satisfied, said Bazin.

“I wouldn’t put too much thought into the first half, because the second half is longer,” said Bazin.