The Connector - April 19, 2016

UMass Lowell drops SAT requirement â–ş Page 4

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

April 19, 2016

Reed, Christopher elected trustee, president with record-breaking voter turnout

In This Issue ‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’ review

Taylor Carito

â–ş Page 6

Connector Editor

Campus calendar â–ş Page 9 NBA playoff preview

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Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Overall Record

Softball vs. Stony Brook

L 10-0 7-33

Baseball at Stony Brook

W 2-1

Men’s Lacrosse at Stony Brook

L 15-7 2-11

Women’s Lacrosse at UAlbany

L 18-2

16-15

1-14

River Hawks drop twin bill against Stony Brook UMass Lowell Athletics

LOWELL, Mass. – Junior Taylor August (Howell, N.J.) batted .500 (2-4) with one RBI and three walks, as the UMass Lowell softball team (7-32, 0-11 AE) dropped both games of a doubleheader against America East Conference opponent Stony Brook (19-17-2, 8-2 AE) on Saturday at River View Field.

The River Hawks fell, 7-0, in game one, and despite threatening a comeback late in game two, faced a 6-3 setback in the nightcap. “In the first game, we weren’t as sharp,� said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. “We had too many errors, we didn’t start off pitching as well as we can and we didn’t get any hits.

We came back in the second game and played much better. We were able to string some hits together and gave ourselves a chance to win.�

Freshman Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) joined August with two hits of her own in the twin bill. Junior Alyssa Hasbrouck (Middletown, N.Y.) registered the team’s remaining hit in game two, while classmate Tori Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) totaled three walks on the day, as well. Freshman Sydney Wash (Suffolk, Va.) took the game one decision, although fellow rookie Kaysee Talcik (Shelton, Conn.) turned in the last six innings of work. Junior Lauren Ramirez (Dracut, Mass.) went the distance in the second matchup with five strikeouts.

The campaigns, debates and voting are finally over.

The student body has officially voted in a new trustee and a re-elected president for next year.

The results are in, and the new student trustee is Lindy Reed and the returning SGA president is James Christopher with his vice president Alex Karabastos.

Christopher stated prior to being re-elected that he plans to execute his four principles that he has strongly supported throughout his campaign: fighting for affordability, connecting the campuses, promoting inclusivity and access to resources. These

Courtesy Photo

Newly-elected student trustee Lindy Reed campaigns with help from Amanda Robinson.

are all things that he has strived for in his prior term and will continue to do so in the future.

Christopher is humbled by this opportunity to serve another year as

SGA President and students are excited to see what he has in store for 2016-2017. The election was record-breaking for voter turnout, and Christopher expressed how

grateful he was or all those who voted and supported him. “For the past month, I have been campaigning across campus to spread â–ş See “SGA,â€? page 6

‘Refuge’: An eye-opening performance Jessica Kergo Connector Staff

The Theatre Arts Program at UMass Lowell is currently producing their spring 2016 show. This season’s production is a devised theatre piece called “Refuge� that will delve into the people who need refuge, the people who seek refuge, and the places they find it. The play attempts to exhibit a topic that is not often understood on an intimate level.

Guest Director David E. Shane reveals that “Refuge� will afford UMass Lowell “a chance to engage in a discussion about current events in a way that is personal and not sensational.� In today’s world, refuge is often viewed only through the miniscule lens afforded to the public by the media. As a result, the entire truth behind this powerful topic is often overlooked. “Refuge� intends to examine the concept in a whole new way.

Jessica Kergo/Connector

â–ş See “Softball,â€? page 12

Sections News.............................3 Campus Life..................8 A&E.............................. 6 Sports..........................10 Cast and crew prepare to perform “Refuge� on campus this week.

Though he couldn’t disclose too much information about the play itself, Shane explains that the idea for this performance came about when he and Production Coordinator Shelley Bearish were inspired by a display at an exhibit on Fashion in politics in Toronto, Canada.

The production is not a typical performance that one might expect to see in a theatre. It is a blend of what is known as documentary theatre and devised movement theatre.

This means that the dialogue and characters are based entirely upon previously obtained documentary material and are portrayed through ad interim improvisational stage direction. In this case, the cast will be portraying the direct words and mannerisms of actual refugees who were interviewed in order to create the script.

In other words, there was no particular writer of “Refuge.â€? The actors and producers composed the script by combining, verbatim, bits and pieces of the interviews they have personally conducted with those who have had firsthand â–ş See â€?Refuge,â€? page 7

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April 19, 2016

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS Video games: They’re more than a hobby Tom Lydon UML Student

Once upon a time, video games were considered nothing more than a fun time sink for children and adults alike.

For what it’s worth, they are still fun time sinks even today.

Whether it’s in now-rarified arcades or the comforts of home, solo or with company, people always find enjoyment in gaming.

But what if I told you that video games can be more than just a time sink?

You might think that I’m crazy for saying that something like video games can make a difference in the world today. Maybe you’re thinking that video games are a waste of time, or in some cases, toxic to the minds of children and adults.

Well, for what it’s worth, video games aren’t going to solve any of the world’s major problems. That much is certain. But sometimes you

need to also look at the finer details. This is where you see the true power of gaming, and how it can make a difference in our world.

Just like our society, video games and their purpose have changed in many different ways, and many of them for the greater good. All of a sudden, games are no longer just ways to pass time; in fact, many of them are much more than that. Some games like last year’s dark horse hit “Undertale� tell great stories that get people thinking. Others, such as “Journey,� don’t deliver a strong narrative so much as they do a surreal experience. And games like “Portal� make you think in ways you may have never thought would be possible.

As someone who has been gaming since he was a kid, I’ve seen gaming evolve over the years. I may not have played all the revolutionary titles, but I definitely under-

stand their impact. However, my larger point is not so much about the games themselves, but how people use them.

Through the power of the Internet, video games have become a powerful entertainment medium. What makes it so good is that this entertainment comes in many forms.

The most basic of these forms is “Let’s Playing,� where people record themselves playing a game while they provide commentary. This makes let’s plays not only enjoyable to watch, but for people who may be playing a similar game, it can help them along. People like Emile “ChuggaaConroy�

Rosales-Bireu, Tom Fawkes, Reese “Lucahjin� Dressler, “Proton Jon� Wheeler, Timothy “NintendoCapriSun�

Bishop, and Masae Anela are some notable names in this regard.

Similarly, some people create tutorials for games to help newer players ease into

their experiences. There are straightforward tutorials that get right down to the nitty-gritty, such as the “Splatoon� overview videos from Nintendome. But for those seeking a little extra in their learning experience, Maximilian Christiansen (Miles923)’s “Assist Me!� blends plot-based humor with beginner-friendly tutorials.

In some cases, the impact of video games can go beyond just playing them.

Games have inspired artists of all mediums to create stunning works, from Adriana Figueroa’s stellar vocal covers to Christopher “Kirbopher�

Niosi’s animated web series.

Believe it or not, I haven’t even gotten to the best part.

Some game enthusiasts (or gamers, if you’re so inclined) use their love of video games for good causes. The most recent example is “Awesome Games Done Quick,� a weeklong marathon of speedrun-

ners racing through beloved titles. The marathon is livestreamed for all to watch, and donations received during the event go towards the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Even better, a similar marathon, titled Summer Games Done Quick and hosted by the same people, is held in July.

That’s double the charitable goodness, and double the fun.

What was once a simple hobby for many has now become something bigger than it was before. It’s a medium of entertainment at its core, but there are so many positive ways in which it can be utilized. It can educate others, it can make people laugh, it can inspire, and it can be used to promote noble causes. And who knows where people can take gaming from here?

I don’t know about you, but I believe in gaming for change.

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR

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NEWS Students re-elect Christopher, vote in Reed ► Continued from front page

my message to as many students as I could speak to. Now it is time to put into action the plans I have been speaking about, and whether you voted for me or not; I will not let you down. I promise to continue being a passionate and strong advocate for improving the student experience at UMass Lowell,” he said.

As the newly elected Student Trustee, Reed will now begin the transition to fulfilling several responsibilities to keep UMass Lowell affordable. This coming fiscal year holds a big impact on whether or not tuition freezes or rises because the UMass Lowell Student Trustee gets a vote with the board. This is something that does not happen every year and Reed feels ready to vote to freeze tuition and fight for more state funding through legislators.

On a more internal level, Reed is also aspiring to achieve the initiatives she has already put into motion such as the Student Discount Card and expanding OpenSource textbook usage.

Reed said, “It’s a huge honor to represent this university and all its students.

We have grown so much in the past few years, and we still are growing. I hope to continue advocating for the concerns of our student body, and to continue working to improve student life.”

Winners for the college senatorial positions in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are Robert Callahan, Michael Lombardo and Thomas Wood. In the College of Health Sciences: Rachel Seeley and Jacob Record. In the Kennedy College of Sciences: Kshitij Karke. In the Francis College of Engineering: Brian Madigan, Jordan Pena, Sunita Singh Poma and Seamus Pugh. In the Manning School of Business: Jack Kiely, Catherine Horan and Bianka Lazarus. Winners for other senator positions include senators at large Andre DiFilippo, Lisa Degou, Ryan Fitzgerald, Cody Case, Claudia Ho, Paul Murphy, John DeRosa, Ariel Rivera and Justin Ford.

Courtesy photo

Incumbent James Christopher poses with vice president, Alex Karabastos.

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April 19, 2016

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April 19, 2016

City of Lowell celebrates Earth Month Connector Staff

The annual Lowell Earth Day Parade and Festival is rapidly approaching and has new exciting festivities for the Lowell community. This is Lowell’s 46th year celebrating Earth Day and has grown dramatically over the years. It has even expanded into an entire Earth Month beginning just last year.

Maria Scholl, celebration administrator, says on the expansion, “We knew we still wanted to keep the parade as a core tradition, but wanted to get more Lowell organizations involved...each have created an Earth Day related event to add to our calendar including canal and city cleanup days, whitewater rafting trips on the Concord River, climate change film screenings, art workshops and sustainability lectures.” Scholl hopes this becomes a new city tradition and encourages students to get involved in the community through these events or even simply participating in national recycle week. “No act is too small to make an impact,” she says.

Since so many organizations are involved in Earth Month, Tyler Arrigo,

program coordinator for the Office of Sustainability, says Earth Month is a great opportunity for students. “A lot of the organizations are looking for interns or have job opportunities, so it’s a great way for students to make connections with a wide array of community partners.”

Since Earth Month brings so many people together, it has a strong sense of optimism that blends well with the educational elements. Political Science Professor John Wooding and member of the university’s Climate Change Initiative says those involved in Earth Month “wanted to engage children, our students and the entire community to ignite ideas on how we move forward to protect the environment, prevent and prepare for climate change disasters, and promote sustainable practices in our lives.”

The parade and festival on Saturday, April 23 are by far the largest events of Earth Month. Scholl estimates there will be over 500 attendees gathering at the festival, located at the Inn and Conference Center (ICC).

Earth Day will begin with Urban gardening workshops at the ICC, led

by Mill City Grows and will teach ba-

Lauren Michaels Connector Contributor

In an effort to use more than one measure of intelligence to assess students’ academic abilities, UMass Lowell has changed their SAT and ACT score policy for admissions in September of 2015. The policy change was to make SAT and ACT scores optional for undergraduate applicants.

Applicants now have a choice to either send in their test scores or choose the notest option. Instead of sending their scores, applicants are asked to answer three essay questions on leadership, their ability to overcome challenges and their expected contribution to the university. The essay questions are then assessed based on a scoring metric.

Undergraduate Admissions has requirements on eligibility for the no-test option. Applicants applying under the notest option should have a GPA of 3.25 or higher and evidence of outstanding academic success throughout high school.

Students and faculty at UMass Lowell have a range of feelings toward the new policy change. Sarah Herrick, a student at UMass Lowell

and a customer service representative in UMass Lowell’s admissions office, said, “I feel that UML’s decision to make SAT scores optional comes at a very important time in the progression of university admissions.”

Nicholas Gates, a student at UMass Lowell and call center phone technician in UMass Lowell’s admissions office, said, “While I like UMass Lowell’s decision not to use

“The no-test option is important because it gives students of all backgrounds a chance to go to UMass Lowell.”

SAT scores as a primary method of admitting a student into the university, I think they should commit to one method or the other…Instead of having students submit their essays only if they’re over a certain mark, it would make sense to either require them or not require them at all.”

UMass Lowell, like many other universities, is making an effort to use more than one

University opens doors for annual small business event UMass Lowell Media Relations

Courtesy Photo

The Boycott Brass Band marches in the Earth Day festival parade.

sic garden skills in an urban setting.

Registration for this is at 10 a.m., while the workshops will be from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The festival will begin following the workshops at 11:30 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Here, there will be live music, performances, a seed swap and a gardening resources fair.

Those attending the parade will begin at National Historical Park Visitor Center and will end at the ICC. At the

UMass Lowell offers “No-Test Option” for applicants measure of intelligence to assess students’ academic abilities. The university is striving for equal opportunity for students of all backgrounds and all different academic skill sets.

Jackie Dichiara, Assistant Admissions Director of Freshmen at UMass Lowell, said, “Research has shown that students from a low economic status do not test as well on standardized tests. This notest option is more inclusive for first generation students whose parents are unable help them understand standardized tests. The no-test option is important because it gives students of all backgrounds a chance to go to UMass Lowell.”

After the May 1 admissions deadline the office can begin compiling data to see if the notest option is successful. Students are utilizing the no-test option at an increasing rate.

“337 applicants selected the no-test option on their application,” said Dichiara. In the beginning of June the university will announce if they will continue the no-test option for applicants.

NEWS

NEWS Mary Connell

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Visitor Center, parade attendees can arrive early for face-painting but must be there for the parade by 11:30 a.m.

The mile-long parade will feature hand-made puppets, live bands, dancers, costumes, eco-conscious groups and hula-hoopers.

To see the full schedule of events throughout Earth Month and on April 23, visit lowellearthday.org.

As Chancellor Jacquie Moloney welcomed hundreds of small business owners to the Tsongas Center for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s third annual Massachusetts Business Matchmaker event, she pointed out how fitting it was to hold the gathering in a building named after Paul Tsongas, the late U.S. senator who was a visionary champion of small business.

“Senator Tsongas was a hero to many, especially here in Lowell,” said Moloney, who noted that Tsongas was an original co-sponsor of the Small Business Innovation Research Act of 1982. “He was ahead of his time, and he inspired the economic redevelopment of this great city, and the region.”

Warren’s “matchmaking” event was designed to help companies from across the Commonwealth explore business opportunities with 40 government agencies and contractors in attendance, including Raytheon, BAE Systems, Pitney Bowes and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Gov. Charlie Baker and Maria Contreras-Sweet, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration and a member of President Obama's Cabinet, joined Warren as honored guests.

“I love doing these matchmaker events because small businesses are the heart of the economy, and the federal government ought to be a good partner to our small businesses,” said Warren, who was inspired to create the event after experiencing just how difficult it was to connect and contract Courtesy of Tory Germann

UMass Lowell begins ‘Our Legacy, Our Place’ campaign Marlon Pitter Connector Editor

UMass Lowell hopes to raise $125 million by 2020 in its first comprehensive campaign to help students attend the university.

Chancellor Jacquie Moloney said Friday that the main goal is to “help students be more successful” by increasing financial aid and reducing student debt. Moloney said the campaign is “very ambitious,” but said she is excited and confident that the university will meet its goal.

“We’re going to take this campaign and hit it out of the park,” Moloney said during the “opening day” of “Our Legacy, Our Place.”

Moloney said the university has increased its efforts to raise money through developing an alumni network, in the past few years. In the last 2 1/2 years, the university has raised $78 million, she said.

“We have a mass of support now that will help support this campaign,” Moloney said.

UMass Lowell students and staff crowded the atrium of University Crossing to celebrate the announcement Manning School of Business professor Deborah Finch, student Christopher Nunez and Moloney urged the university community to donate Moloney and Finch spoke about interacting with students with extreme financial needs. Nunez told his story as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic to Lawrence and finally to UMass Lowell, and how financial assistance has helped him become a student leader.

“The feeling of receiving a scholarship is an unmatched feeling,” said Nunez.

This article was originally published in the Lowell Sun.

Gov. Charlie Baker heads to the podium during the Massachusetts Business Matchmaker event at the Tsongas Center.

Courtesy of Tory Germann

State Sen. Eileen Donoghue, left, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, center, and Chancellor Jacquie Moloney were on hand at the Tsongas Center.

with small businesses while setting up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2010. “I thought that this is a problem we ought to be able to solve, and that’s what today is all about.”

Tom O’Donnell, director of the Innovation Hub and a visiting professor of management and entrepreneurship in the Manning School of Business, was pleased to see such a focus being put on removing obstacles for startups and small companies.

“Anything that can be done to reduce those hurdles up front is a great thing, because if companies are focusing more on how to engage versus their core business, their chance of success goes down significantly,” said O’Donnell, who attended the event to “understand the landscape more and find out who the players are.”

“Our job is to help lower those barriers,” he said, “so the more we know at the Innovation Hub, the more we can help and guide and support and

nurture companies.”

O’Donnell added that outside of Boston and Cambridge, there is no better place in the state than Lowell to showcase the work being done to support early-stage companies and techbased startups.

“The more the university is viewed as a convener and supporter and mentor of this … it’s huge,” he said.

Moloney agreed, noting that entrepreneurship has been central to the university’s transformation over the past decade, from partnering with the city on the acquisition of the Tsongas Center, to the creation of the Innovation Hub, to the education of students through programs like DifferenceMaker.

“Entrepreneurship, and our commitment to small business, has never been as strong as it is today,” Moloney said.

Library staff makes Lowell icon papers available online UMass Lowell Media Relations

Over the course of 34,000 archived pages, students, scholars and anyone with a thirst for political history can now explore the legacy of Lowell’s own Paul Tsongas.

For years, scholars and researchers had to visit UMass Lowell’s O’Leary Library to view papers belonging to the late U.S. senator. Now, thanks to a project that began in 1986, anyone can access the Paul E. Tsongas Congressional Collection from their computer or smartphone.

The university has unveiled its vast digital archive of papers belonging to Lowell-born Tsongas, who served his city, state and nation before beginning a long battle with cancer, which eventually took his life. A presidential candidate in 1992, Tsongas died at 55 in 1997.

During a recent gathering at O’Leary Learning Commons, speakers included U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas – Tsongas’ widow – UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney and Library Director George Hart. Tsongas and Moloney simultaneously snipped a ceremonial red ribbon across a flat screen beaming an image of Tsongas from the ‘70s.

Boldly prescient, Sen. Tsongas’ work on the environment, human rights, and the economy remain ahead of their time decades later, and he helmed Lowell’s renaissance from the depths of economic despair.

“I remember Paul making the decision about where all his papers would go,” said Tsongas. “He was a graduate of Dartmouth, but in the end Lowell is where his home is, where he knew they would be valued and taken care of.”

The collection includes 720 boxes – 2,300 linear feet – of Tsongas’ political papers.

“Thankfully,” his widow joked, “they’re out of the attic.”

Moloney noted Tsongas’ fondness for new technologies, and her own time as a college student when she worked on his first campaign.

“I remember being inspired by Paul and his knack for connecting with people and motivating them to get involved,” she said, “much the same as Bernie Sanders has lit up young people to get involved.”

Near the back of the room, a collection of Tsongas campaign buttons and other souvenirs drew the attention of onlookers, including Rep. Tsongas.

Hart offered a quick sampling of materials from

the archive, including photos of Tsongas with President Jimmy Carter, with Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, with Pope John Paul II. Hart also called up documents in various stages of editing. Among the documents were those concerning the Chrysler bailout, the Alaska Lands Bill, gun control and solar energy.

“It’s astonishing to see the level of concern and stewardship for the country,” said Hart. “The editing marks are as they were, showing the struggle for the strongest and best language going into a bill.”

Moloney noted she had been to an early-morning meeting of the Lowell Plan that day, which included Gov. Charlie Baker. The Lowell Plan, which was a product of Tsongas’ imagination, reflected Tsongas’ belief in cooperative collaboration, sometimes between disparate personalities.

“It was quite a group of people. (State Sen.) Eileen Donoghue, Niki ... all there for the common purpose of building the city and making it great,” Moloney said. “That’s a reflection of Paul Tsongas’ life in this community.”

“Paul thought out of the box,” said Tsongas.

“And he understood that when we work together it’s remarkable what we can do.”

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April 19, 2016

April 19, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The ‘Dark Souls’ series burns as brightly as ever Brendan Jacques Connector Editor

Since the series’ debut back in 2009, the “Souls” series has evolved into one of the most divisive and intriguing franchises ever released. While most modern video games try to appeal to as many people as possible, the developers at FROM software have no similar inclination. The “Souls” games have no interest in going easy on their players, and while the challenges they present are almost always fair, they are also quick to punish carelessness and hubris without remorse.

This has rightfully earned the series a reputation for being some of the hardest, but also some of the best, games ever released. And while it may not add anything substantially new to that formula, “Dark Souls 3” is unquestionably deserving of that legacy as well.

You play as an undead warrior, brought back to life in the kingdom of Lothric in order to complete an ancient ritual. In order to keep the world from plunging into eternal darkness, the five kings of Lothric must sacri-

fice their souls in order to keep the First Flame, the source of all life in the world, from fading away. However, all but one of the kings has fled from their duty, and it’s your mission to hunt each one of them down and claim their souls so that the ritual can be completed and the world can be saved. Like previous games in the series, the story of “Dark Souls 3” is shrouded in mystery, with almost all background information needing to be gleaned from item descriptions, sparse character dialogue, and environmental cues. There’s plenty of interesting lore to be found for those interested in searching for it, but very little of that context is required to get the most out of the experience.

The true core of the experience is in the gameplay, which will be very familiar to series veterans. For those not quite as familiar, “Dark Souls 3” is a third person action game similar in design to “The Legend of Zelda”, though with much more of an emphasis on swordplay. After the tutorial area, the player is set loose through the semi-open world area of Lothric Courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

This is the fifth game released in the “Souls” series including last year’s “Bloodborne.”

to find new equipment, battle enemies, and gather those enemies’ souls, which act as the player’s currency in shops and their experience points for leveling up. All of this was true for previous titles in the series as well, and while there are a few new ideas added in to keep things fresh, the game does very little to mess with what already worked.

Thankfully, the changes it does make to the formula mark this as the most accessible entry in the series for newcomers. From the offset, the difficulty is far more gradual, with the first two areas mainly designed to introduce new players to the basics of play and get them accustomed to how the world operates. And even after these areas, the game makes an effort to be more welcoming by making objectives far clearer to the player and by making almost every weapon viable in its own way, allowing for a greater diversity in play style. That’s not to say the game is any easier than its predecessors, in fact it may very well be the hardest entry in the series. But the quality of life changes it makes do go a long way in making “Dark Souls 3” more inviting to new players, which is something neither previous “Dark Souls” title did very well.

On the subject of graphics, “Dark Souls 3” is absolutely gorgeous. While the game is by no means a graphical powerhouse, with some clear texture issues and a disappointingly washed out color palette, it makes up for its shortcomings with masterful art direction that succeeds in bringing every corner of Lothric to life (or death, as the case may be). This is most evident in the enemy design, which deftly runs the gambit between the traditional medieval knights in shining ar-

mor to more grotesque eldritch monstrosities lying in wait. This is only helped by some superb sound design, which succeeds in giving each weapon the appropriate amount of weight and making each creature even more threatening, even if they really need to tone it down with the unearthly screeching.

If there’s one issue that “Dark Souls 3” constantly runs into, it’s an overreliance on series history for nostalgia points. The game is designed to be the final game set in the series’ original universe, so it takes that setup as an opportunity to bring back nearly every notable character from the original, either as cameo appearances or as major roles in the story. This is fine for returning players who have the proper context, but for new players, it only ends up making the background story even more impenetrable than before.

This isn’t a huge problem since, as was said previously, a full understanding of the story isn’t required, but it’s still a bit disappointing.

Regardless of this issue, “Dark Souls 3” proves itself to be a more than capable entry into the “Souls” series. The gameplay’s better than it’s ever been, the world of Lothric is a sight to behold, and it successfully walks the line between being more accessible to new players without losing the ruthless edge that gives the series its identity. If the recent rumors end up being true and “Dark Souls 3” really is the final game in the series, the franchise is absolutely going out on a high note.

“Dark Souls 3” is available on PC, Xbox One, and Playstation 4 for $60.

The PC version of the game was played for this review.

‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’ review Owen Johnson Connector Staff

“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” is one of the best examples on television of an already dramatic event being squeezed for every last drip of drama it can muster.

This ten-episode first season of the anthology series “American Crime Stories” chronicles the events of the O.J. Simpson murder case, spanning from the discovery of Simpson’s ex-wife and her friend brutally murdered to his eventual ruling of not guilty.

For the most part, the show sticks true to the events that transpired with the case and the main players involved. There are a few instances of changed material, the most blatant being one of the original prosecutors collapsing in the courtroom and Simpson’s friend and house guest “Kato” Kaelin (Billy Magnussen) being portrayed unfavorably as if he were a source of comic relief.

The show focuses a lot on being as close to the real event as possible. Even subtle details like what the people were wearing during a specific day of the trial was looked at and utilized to fully exhibit the O.J. Simpson murder trial in as vivid and realistic detail as possible. It does so to the point that it relays lesser-known information about the case to the

mass media.

The show doesn’t shy away from portraying events that seem too ludicrous to be true, but actually occurred during the trial. This dedication to the truth, ironically, makes the show come off as being more concerned about unneeded fluff than of the actual events. While the seemingly overly dramatic aspects do come off as a little strange, the show runners reCourtesy of Fox 21 Television Studios

OJ Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr.) tries on the iconic gloves.

alize that and do everything in their power to keep it from going off the rails.

The only constant example of over dramatization in the show comes from the actors. A lot of

them, especially Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson, go overboard with their performances and ham up every scene they’re in. Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran is also a little over-the-top, but it works better with him due to Cochran’s grandiose performance in the case.

Speaking of the actors, the acting is mostly mediocre, with a few good and bad performances sprinkled in. Vance, Kenneth Choi (Lance Ito), and Bruce Greenwood (Gil Garcetti) are the only three who give good performances whenever they’re on screen. Sarah Paulson (Marcia Clark) and Sterling K. Brown (Christopher Darden) tend to be mediocre, but occasionally rise to have a good moment.

The three biggest names and stars of the show are, ironically, giving the worst performances. Cuba Gooding Jr. is over-acting and comes off like a petulant child, David Schwimmer (Robert Kardashian) whines and is generally unlikeable, and John Travolta (Robert Shapiro) doesn’t seem to have any idea what he’s doing.

“The People v. O.J. Simpson” is a decent and interesting look into what many call the crime of the century. Its dedication to the truth and to the details of the event is praiseworthy, but it tends to be a little over-dramatic and hammed up at certain points.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Classic Game Review: ‘Kirby Air Ride’ Shane Foley Connector Editor

stars (the “cars” in this game). The city is huge, filled with various power ups that can improve the stats of the player’s warp star. Other collectibles in the game lower those stats as well.

Also present in this mode are various weapons that can be used on other players.

At the end of every City Mode session, there is a competition known as a Stadium Event. These take many forms, including everything from a

tertaining to see how many times you can spot your friends, and completely ignore the Stadium Event.

While the other modes may not be as popular, both are fun in their own right. As a racing game, the Air Ride mode has very unique controls which, while they won’t bother everyone, will dampen the experience to some. For one thing, the player does not have to press a button in order to accelerate.

While in most other racing games,

Both reviewers and fans in general tend to have very strong attatchments to Nintendo Gamecube games. It seems as though there is a very clear upper echelon (“Super Mario Bros Melee”, “Metroid Prime”, “The Wind Waker”, ect.) and any other game is just considered bad. It may be natural to come to the conclusion that the classic Gamecube games raised the bar so high, it’s hard for other games Courtesy of Nintendo to compete. “Kirby Air Ride”, a “Kirby” themed racing game released in 2003 is one of the victims of this phenomenon. If you were to search for this title online, you might find five negative reviews before even one positive. The internet seems determined to keep “Mario Kart: Double Dash” as the definitive Gamecube racing game, but while “Mario Kart: Double Dash” is amazing, and there are issues with “Kirby Air Ride”, this title gets hated on way more than it probably should.

One interesting thing to note about “Kirby Air Ride” is, despite efforts to have you believe it is a bad game, it Kirby rides dragoon, a secret vehicle only playable in City Mode. still managed to crack the top 20 high- contest to see how far your warp star the A button is usually designated est selling Nintendo Gamecube games can glide, to a regular race on one of to move the character, in “Kirby Air of all time. To put that in perspective, the Air Ride tracks. During your time Ride”, the A button is the break. It it sold more than beloved titles such as in City Mode, hints will appear as to is a very unique break that is actual“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Prin- what the Stadium Event is, so that the ly used to drift around corners. There cess”, “Super Mario Strikers”, and players might power up their warp are also power ups in the game that “Soulcalibur II”. stars accordingly. can be accessed by using Kirby’s sig“Kirby Air Ride” was developed by In theory, the goal of City Mode nature inhale of enemies to gain their HAL Laboratory, the same develop- is to power up certain stats in such a abilities for a short time. These eneer that brought us “Pokemon Snap” way that it would lead you to have the mies are present on the track, and the and “Super Smash Bros. Melee”, best chance at winning the Stadium inhale command is also performed by among others. The game features Event. Amongst players of the game, pressing the A button when close to three modes, one being noted by fans however, this goal is considered inferi- an enemy. as particularly much more fun than or to the more popular goal of finding Many critiques of the game cite the the other two. The main mode in the where the other players are on the map unique controls as detrimental to the game, known simply as Air Ride, is and using weapons on them to de- game because it takes a while to get the main racing mode in the game, stroy their warp star and force them to used to. Here is where the game gets where players can race on multiple search for another. In all seriousness, bodied online in reviews somewhat tracks. The second mode, known as some would consider this game as a unfairly. Yes, there is a transition peTop Ride, is a different racing mode precursor to free for all deathmatches riod that is somewhat annoying, but that features an overhead perspective in the “Call of Duty” series. The map once that period’s overcome, it’s not and smaller tracks with tighter turns. in this mode contains various areas, an issue. Someone who is a big fan of While these modes are fun to play, some of which are very difficult to racing games that is accustomed to a most fans of the game agree that they find (ice area under the volcano and certain button layout might find this are next to irrelevant. The main draw the observatory at the top of the map problematic. This control scheme can of this game is known as City Mode. are two of many). As a party game to be learned, though, as it would be in In city mode, four players are placed play with friends, it’s often more en- other games such as “Metroid Prime”, into a Kirby themed city with warp

“Star Fox 64”, and most “Metal Gear Solid” games, where there are elaborate control schemes that the player needs to practice some.

Outside of the control scheme, which some critics can’t ignore as a major flaw, this game also features great variety in a number of facets that add intrigue to the game. First of all, there are numerous types of vehicles. Of course, every racing game features different vehicles with different graphics and sometimes different stats. In the case of “Kirby Air Ride”, though, it goes much further than a different paint job. Each warp star has a different ability that leads to different racing mechanics in each race.

There are sixteen in total, and they each have unique stats, and most have unique features, such as an extremely fast warp star that can only turn when the A button is pressed, or one that is much faster in the air than on land.

Secondly, the levels are designed beautifully. No one track is the same, and they all feature tight turns and fun mechanics. Most of them have multiple different lanes, so much in fact that it would be unfair to call them secret passageways since a lot of them are in plain sight. Part of racing on these tracks is determining which lane is best to take at any given situation, meaning that no two races are exactly alike.

Top Ride is the third mode, but it’s rather like the second. It has smaller tracks and only two vehicles, but it is certainly fun. Most owners of the game play the other two modes much more frequently than this one, however.

At the end of the day, there are too many unique features in this game to result in a unanimous approval or disapproval. The fan base is extremely divided, and the control scheme will be too much for some people. Despite these claims, the game is loads of fun though. It may be unique and hard to learn, but people have fun in the process.

UMass Lowell theatre program explores refuge ► Continued from front page sophomore and Theater Arts major Jill Zuber speaks to the uniqueness of this particular production. “Usually when you’re reading a script, you interpret the character on your own, but with this you have to portray them as they are,” said Zuber.

Not only does the cast and stage crew have to prepare for the performance, they are also charged with the responsibility of creating the performance. Stage manager, senior and double major in psychology and English Alexa Lambert, said for the first month and a half of production” she was “reviewing interviews instead of stage managing.” The cast and crew have just recently completed the final copy of the script and is rehearsing tirelessly for the performance.

Jessica Kergo/Connector While taxing and difficult, this experience will equip the Theatre Arts program with a new understanding of theatric production while providing the campus with an engaging and thought provoking piece.

The performance will occur on Wednesday, April 20 through Saturday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 24 at 2:00 p.m. at the Comley-Lane Theatre in Mahoney Hall. Tickets are going fast but there’s still time to reserve a seat. Admission prices are $5 for students, senior citizens and military personnel and $10 for adults.

Tickets can be reserved by emailing your name along with the number of tickets you would like and the desired show time to umlplaytix@gmail.com.

Reservations will be accepted up to 24 hours before “Refuge” is the second major performance by the UMass Lowell Theatre Arts Program this semester. the desired performance.

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April 19, 2016

CAMPUS LIFE

they choose to be involved in and reading PSA’s. It is It is no secret that UMass the DJ’s who are in charge Lowell is teeming with clubs of the show itself but interns and organizations that appeal start off by learning about to almost any interest students equipment and the process of may have. WUML, UML’s running a show so that in the radio station, is such an orfuture, they can pass the DJ ganization. However, despite exam and create a show of the dedication and committheir own. ment of staff and interns, not The work takes about an . everyone on campus is aware hour and a half of prep time that UML has a radio station. in addition to the “on-air” According to bostonradio. . time, Basuseto said. Prep time org, WUML was started by included searching for songs a student of the Lowell Texto play, looking up lyrics to tile Institute in 1952, after he make sure they were approaccidentally built a transmitpriate, and saving them to a ter in his dorm room. Once Spotify playlist to be connected to the computer Photo Courtesy of Amanda De Moraes when it was time to play them.

Music played is “underground” meaning they are not songs which will usually be heard on the radio and are not in the “Top 40” charts. She said this was a challenging aspect of the job but that it helped her “discover new bands and artists.”

Junior Vicki Kurker, . general manager of the station said that WUML is an underground station because of the mesWUML is located in the basement of Lydon Library on North Campus. sage they want to send to Connector Contributor

UML emerged in 1975, the name changed from WLTI to WJUL and in 2003, to WUML. It features shows in several categories ranging from News, to Athletics to Metal music. .Yutha Basuseto is a former freshman intern at WUML who joined because her mother was a radio host when she was a child, and would always bring Basuseto to work which sparked her interest in radio.

According to her, intern responsibilities include “bringing a playlist of 5 songs that will be aired,” on the show

ng happeni What’s us on camp th?! this mon SUNDAY

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students and the community.

They want to “support artists that won’t make it onto other radio stations,” according to Kurker.

As general manager, Kurker’s responsibilities include talking to the school about budget, making sure the shows are relevant and of good quality, and completing any other tasks which may come up day to day.

Kurker said that WUML . broadcasts from Manchester, NH to Fitchburg, MA. During hockey playoffs or other popular campus events, she claims that “listeners can rise up into the thousands,” according to the online listener count. This number does not account for listeners who are tuning in via car radio.

Kurker believes that there is a split between UML students who know and do not know about WUML. There are “a lot of music majors involved,” but because it is on North Campus, more North Campus majors know about it as opposed to South Campus majors.

Despite knowing about the existence of WUML,

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WEDNESDAY

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THURSDAY

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FRIDAY

22

25 Chancellor Forum UCrossing Moloney Hall 4:30-6:30p.m.

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27 Color Me Beautiful Denim Day South Campus Quad 6:30-9:30p.m.

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SATURDAY

23 Spring Carnival South Campus Quad 1-5p.m.

Knockout Stigma 3 v 3 Basketball Tournament Rec Center 6-9p.m.

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there are a variety of reasons that prevent students from listening to it. Sophomore Nick Haubert stated that he “tends to gravitate towards stations that are more popular and [he] already knows,” for his music needs.

Freshman Bridget Fehily agrees with Haubert’s statements. According to Fehily, “it can be difficult to listen to it because even though [she knows she] can listen online, [she] would rather pull up Spotify or Pandora and listen to songs and bands that are popular and [she] already knows.”

Looking to the future, Kurker would like to “broaden the range” of WUML and become more competitive in the world of college radio. She also would like to expand the sport department and book more bands to play at UML. WUML is located on North Campus under Lydon Library. To listen, tune into 91.5 or wuml.org

APRIL TUESDAY

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Seniors starting to celebrate

CAMPUS CALENDAR

MONDAY

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

CAMPUS LIFE

WUML: Making waves Amanda De Moraes

April 19, 2016

Culture Shock Rec Center 6-9p.m.

29 Lip Sync Battle Cumnock Hall 7p.m.

30 Get Girls Going UCrossing Moloney Hall 11a.m.-3p.m.

A Night of A Cappella Durgin Hall 7-9p.m.

Calendar listings are FREE when space is available. To better ensure your listing’s placement, get your information in two weeks in advance by marlon_pitter@student.uml.edu

Seniors pick up their caps and gowns at University Crossing event Shayna Vigliotta Connector Staff

Commencement is only a month away, and seniors are preparing themselves by ending a chapter in their lives and starting a new one. With

classes coming to a close, finals sneaking up, and senior activities starting, students are beginning to embrace this bittersweet time in their academic lives.

“I am nervous for the real

world and graduating but I am excited for new adventures,” said Tyler Quealy, a graduating senior in psychology.

To kick off senior events, undergraduates attended Cap

Seniors picked up their commencement items at Univ. Crossing Monday afternoon.

and Gown Countdown at University Crossing Monday afternoon to pick up their commencement items. The celebration included music, food, a cash bar, raffles and more.

Some seniors shared their post-graduation plans. Dyanne Perkins, a biology major, is continuing her education.

“I’m graduating and hopefully going to grad school and getting a job in a lab,” said Perkins.

Sabrina MacEachern, a marketing student, has other priorities to focus on now that she has more free time.

“I’m not getting a job yet, I don’t want to, daycare is expensive, I have a baby,” said MacEachern.

Nursing students were able to finish school in December but will be walking in the ceremony in May. “I graduated in December, I did the summer program and

Insight into transfer students Stephanie Casino Connector Contributor

SUMMER CLASSES BEGIN MAY 23 REGISTER TODAY! Continuing education, undergraduate and graduate classes

I am working right now as a full-time nurse at Lowell General,” BSN Ernie Maurissant said.

Lee Vandergraaf, also a nursing student, is currently on the job hunt. “Now I have a few interviews for jobs as a full-time nurse,” said Vandergraaf.

Commencement Day is Saturday, May 14. Two ceremonies will be performed at 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. The morning ceremony honors students in the colleges of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences along with Health Sciences and the Graduate School of Education. The afternoon ceremony will honor students in the colleges of Engineering, Manning School of Business, Kennedy College of Sciences and students in the Intercampus Program.

.Not all students attend a state university such as UMass Lowell straight out of high school. Many students attend community college and get their associates degree and then proceed to transfer to a state university to get a bachelor or master’s degree.

“Adjusting to new obstacles in life can be difficult to get used to, especially ones we are not comfortable with.

I am a transfer student and found it difficult to find my way around, I felt like a newbie yet I was almost finished with my degree, and it was an un- comfortable feeling at first. But, I did reach out to an advisor who helped me tremendously” says senior John Doherty majoring in business.

Knowing that it can be difficult for new students to adjust from leaving one school to another UMass Lowell helps with the transition. “Every transfer student is required to attend or complete Transfer Registration, which is a more streamlined version of Freshman Orientation. As part of this event, transfer students are exposed to other offices on campus, resources, and opportunities for them to participate in student life while here at the university” says Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions Brendan Stamm.

“We also have a Facebook group that is open only to admitted transfer students. We send them a link to the group along with their acceptance information. This provides another opportunity for incoming students to meet their peers and interact with each other before the start of classes.

Says Stamm.

“I went to Middlesex Community College and received my Associates Degree before coming here to UMass Lowell. I did not know anyone at first, but at orientation I heard about the Facebook group. I joined the group and met many connections, making my time here at UML a lot easier”, said Brianna Mahoney, a senior business major at Lowell. Mahoney also added “My community college was much smaller than UML so it was easy to find my way around. All the buildings were walking distance from each other and my class size was very small at Middlesex, making it easy to establish relationships with classmates and professors.”

UMass Lowell provides many opportunities to join academic clubs, sports and even internships. How do transfer students find out about these opportunities given to them given the fact that they are new and don’t have many connections? “I am a transfer student from Middlesex Community College and on my orientation day, my adviser told us about clubs I could join to meet other students with the same interests as me. Later that night I went home and went on the UML website and found many different clubs that I could join and I was very impressed with the selection.” Stated Stephanie Wu majoring in nursing. .“It takes time for any student to adjust to a new school, but UML makes it easy for transfer students who had to adjust already once before to do it again. After I reached out to different programs offered I was able to fit right in” says Mahoney.

April 19, 2016

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SPORTS The NBA playoffs: The race for second Kyle Gaudette Connector Editor

Way back before this NBA season tipped-off, our sports editor turned campus life editor Shane Foley did a preview of the season in which he predicted the Warriors to become back-to-back champions. While Foley’s seeding order may have been a little off, the Warriors are certainly justifying his pick for champion.

The Dubs have dominated this season from coast to coast. Steph Curry and company have been fantastic all year, and as the playoffs are set to start Saturday, it’s looking more like a race for second.

But let’s take a look at the matchups anyway, and make some predictions.

Eastern Conference Cleveland vs. Detroit It’s still Cleveland’s conference no matter what anyone tries to tell you. Curry dominated the press and will win his second consecutive MVP, well deserved, but LeBron James has had another fantastic year behind the scenes.

The Cavs seemed to play better when they bumped up Tyronn Lue to head coach, but that shouldn’t play a factor in this series at least. James could win this by himself.

Cleveland 4, Detroit 0 Toronto vs. Indiana I feel bad for the Raptors – I really do. It was another great season North of the border for All-Stars Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan, but the Raps got arguably the toughest matchup. DeRozan and

Lowry are fine players, but Indiana’s Paul George can be the best player on the court if he wants to be. Home court should help, and the Raptors hopefully learned from last year’s post season debacle.

Toronto 4, Indiana 2 Miami vs. Charlotte Charlotte is a fun team to watch, and Kemba Walker has solidified himself as an all-star. But Miami just has too many athletes. Hassan Whiteside will be a force in the paint, and oh yeah, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade and Goran Dragic are still there. Plus, Joe Johnson has been a surprisingly great fit for a team that has been playing well down the stretch. Sorry MJ, you’re going to lose the wins record and your Hornets early. Miami 4, Charlotte 1 Boston vs. Atlanta Probably the definition of a coin-flip. Whoever wins this series will get spanked by the Cavs. The Celtics did themselves no favors by not tanking their final game to move down to the six-seed to avoid Cleveland in the second round. For a front office trying to sell its fan base on team progress, Brad Stevens and the C’s need to win this series to justify Danny Ainge’s recent moves. Celtics 4, Hawks 2 Cleveland vs. Boston It’s simple, Cleveland. However, the C’s will win a game because of improvement, plus LeBron will probably miss half of a game after stubbing his big toe on a cameraman or something stupid like that.

Cleveland 4, Celtics 1 Raptors vs. Miami The magic stops here for Toronto. You could easily see them being too fatigued from their first round matchup and drop one at home in games one or two. Plus Miami has more all-stars, and that is what wins. Miami 4, Toronto 2 Cleveland vs. Miami This will be a better Eastern Conference final than most people would think, but there is no reason why Cleveland should not win. Would not be surprised if LeBron decided to show that he is still the best player in the world during this series. Cleveland 4, Miami 1 Western Conference Warriors vs. Rockets I said up above that it was Steph Curry and company, and that was really wrong of me. Guys like Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes give this TEAM so much flexibility.

That is what the Warriors are at heart, a team. Not like James Harden and co. Warriors 4, Rockets 0 Spurs vs. Memphis San Antonio lost a fair amount of games down the stretch, but that is irrelevant.

Memphis has been banged up all year (the fact they are in the playoffs is a miracle), and Kawhi Leonard will make sure the Spurs roll. Spurs 4, Memphis 0 Thunder vs. Dallas If Curry was not doing what he is doing, then Russell Westbrook would be getting a good look at league MVP.

April 19, 2016

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SPORTS Softball clipped in double header ► Continued from front page

Courtesy Photo

Sixteen teams’ quest for the Larry O’Brien Trophy is underway.

Plus Kevin Durant is still a marksman from downtown, and an all-around beast. It’ll be interesting to see the moves the Mavs make this offseason, as Dirk will probably announce his retirement tour soon after the season ends.

Thunder 4, Dallas 1 Clippers vs. Portland This will be a great point guard matchup between Chris Paul and Damian Lillard, but it’s one that Paul should win. The Clips have arguably played better without big man Blake Griffin, but adding a player of that caliber back into the mix can only help this time of year. Lillard and fellow marksman C.J. McCollum will get hot for a game or two, but not the series. Clippers 4, Portland 2 Warriors vs. Clippers This analysis will look similar to the Cleveland vs. Boston series. Warriors win easy. The Clippers averaged single-digit loses to Golden State this season, but still got swept – much of what will probably happen

here.

Warriors 4, Clippers 0 Spurs vs. Thunder Something is really pulling at me to take the Thunder in this one…but I just can’t. The Spurs just do not lose at home (except to the Warriors), and that should continue. Like with the Mavs, it will be interesting to see what the Thunder do when Durant hits free agency in a few months. Oh by the way, the Warriors have the money to add Durant this offseason – think about that scenario. Spurs 4, Thunder 3 Warriors vs. Spurs The Western Conference final everyone is hoping for.

Both teams do not lose at home, and that will be the case for the first five games of this series. Curry will go off for a MJ-esque, 50-plus point performance in game six on the road to bring his team to the finals again. Warriors 4, Spurs 2 NBA Finals Warriors vs. Cavs A night after they beat Memphis, the 71-9 Warriors limped into San Antonio, a team that had won 48 consecutive home games, knowing they had to win to keep 73 wins alive, and they won. The No. 1 seed was already locked up, but the Warriors did not care. They showed in that game what they can accomplish when they put in their full effort. Winning 73 games was a season-long goal, and nothing was going to stop them from getting there. That being said, this group knows they need to win the championship in order to validate all their accomplisments. This Finals rematch will go the same as last year, and who knows if LeBron is going to flee Cleveland again. Nothing has stopped the Warriors all year, and nothing will. Warriors 4, Cleveland 1 Book it.

The Seawolves jumped in front, 3-0, in the first inning of game one thanks to a two-run shot over the fence in left center by Diane Caruso and a RBI single up the middle by Kim Ragazzo. The visitors also plated one run in the top of the second on a wild pitch before reliever Talcik pitched her way out of a jam and forced three straight outs.

UMass Lowell put one runner on in each of its first two chances, as T. Alcorn and August each draw a walk, but both were eventually stranded.

Stony Brook then extended its margin to 5-0 in the third on a defensive miscue.

The River Hawks had a pair of baserunners in the fourth when sophomore Samantha McQueen (Ewing, N.J.) earned a walk and August reached on an error. Both sides went three-up and three-down in the fifth and each team put one on in the sixth with the help of an error.

SBU pushed the score to 7-0 in the top of the seventh on a RBI two-bagger from Alexandra Pisciotta. Sophomore Kate Mims (West Chester, Pa.) walked in the bottom of the inning, but Jane Sallen was able to hold onto her no-hitter and seal the decision for

UP CO MI N G

River Hawk Games

George DeLuca/Connector

Tuesday, Apr. 19

4 p.m. Golf at Rhode Island Inv.

Tuesday, Apr. 19

2/4 p.m. SB at Central Conn. St.

Tuesday, Apr. 19

2 p.m.

BB at Brown

Tuesesday, Apr. 19

7 p.m.

MLax vs. Dartmouth

Wednesday, Apr. 20 7 p.m.

BB vs. UConn

4 p.m.

SB vs B.U.

Thursday, Apr. 21

Freshman Sydney Wash has a 3.25 era with 53 strikeouts this year.

the Seawolves.

In game two, the River Hawks’ defense turned a double play to get out of the top of the first inning unscathed. UMass Lowell carried the momentum into its first at-bat, threatening to get on the board with hits from Barker and August, although the squad was unable to take advantage of the opportunity.

Stony Brook used a squeeze bunt

by Ragazzo and a RBI single to center

by Pisciotta to take a 2-0 edge in the second. In the third, SBU added three runs on two hits, including a two-run double from Sami Duffy, giving the

For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com visitors a 5-0 buffer.

One walk for each side was issued in the when McQueen ended the inning on fourth and Ramirez retired the Seaa fantastic diving catch. However, wolves in order in the fifth. The River SBU did get one back in the seventh Hawks logged their first runs of the on a solo home run by Chelsea Evans. afternoon in the bottom of the inning, UMass Lowell continued to battle in stringing together a three-run rally on its final chance and loaded the bases two outs. Barker found a gap on the once again, but a double play and a left side to load the bases for August groundout would seal the 6-3 outand McQueen, who picked up backcome for Stony Brook. to-back RBI walks, and Hasbrouck The River Hawks and Seawolves followed with RBI liner to left, pulling will wrap up their three-game series UMass Lowell within two at 5-3. with a single game tomorrow, Sunday, Stony Brook had two runners in April 17. First pitch for that contest is scoring position in the top of the sixth slated for 12 p.m.

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April 19, 2016

Page 10

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

SPORTS River Hawks excel on both coasts UMass Lowell Athletics

LONG BEACH, Calif. – River Hawks runners wrapped up a challenging three days of competition on the California Coast with solid performances while 3,000-miles to the east an eraser was taken, yet again, to the UMass Lowell pole vault record.

Red shirt freshman pole vaulter Vladimir Popusoi (Greenfield, Mass.) continued his all out assault on the UMass Lowell record book. He won the event at Memorial Field, at the Dartmouth Outdoor Classic, Saturday, with a school record vault of 16feet, 1 1/4-inches. Popusoi cleared the bar on his second attempt at the height. The height cleared was more than a foot greater than his nearest challenger.

It is the third time in five weeks that Popusoi has established a new school outdoor pole vault record. In the process he has advanced the school record by more than eight-inches. He currently ranks second on the America East performance list in the event.

Popusoi also repeatedly broke in the indoor record during the winter season.

Junior Gilberto Brown (Lowell, Mass.) won the high jump at Dartmouth. He cleared the bar at six-feet, 7 1/2-inches. Teammate sophomore Rino Tonelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) was third. He was successful at six-feet, 3 1/2-inches.

Senior Tunde Ogunleye (Fitchburg, Mass.) won the 200-meters at Dartmouth. It’s a shorter distance than he typically runs, but the time was solid.

He clocked in at 22.27-seconds.

Sophomore Celeste Pipia (Elmont, N.Y.) won the shot put with a throw of 41-feet, 8 3/4-inches. Her toss was more than a foot farther than her nearest challenger, River Hawk freshman Jennifer Lee (Woburn, Mass.) who heaved the metal ball 40-feet, 6 3/4-inches. They were the only competitors to surpass the forty-foot mark.

Junior Aliyah Alley (Wareham, Mass.) finished second in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes with times of 12.36 and 24.83-seconds. The times

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

Freshman Vladimir Popusoi broke the UMass Lowell record again in California.

were personal bests and her time in the 200-meters was the second fastest in America East this season.

Sophomore Rachel Eatherton (Tewksbury, Mass.) turned in a personal best four-minutes, 49.81-seconds in the 1,500-meters. It was good enough for a fifth place finish in a field of 30 at Dartmouth.

The UMass Lowell men’s team finished second at Dartmouth accumulating some 138 points. The host school Dartmouth topped the team standings with 211.50 points, Vermont was third with130.50. The UMass Lowell women’s team finished third in the field of five teams with 139 points. Dartmouth was first with 224, Vermont finished second with 151 points.

On the west coast the River Hawks put together what Head Coach Gary Gardner described as a “good bounce back” performance at the Beach Pacific Coast Invitational in Long Beach, California. What Gardner is referring to is “bouncing back” and competing less than 24 hours after the last competition.

“This, running back-to-back, is something you have to learn to do,” said Gardner. “It’s a dress rehearsal for what’s coming in three or four weeks.”

That is a reference to the so-called Championship season. The America East Conference Championships are three weeks away and the IC4A/ ECAC Championships and New England Champions follow shortly thereafter. At those events athletes will be asked to run trials and finals

one day to the next.

“We looked good,” said Gardner.

“The kids produced; they all accomplished something.”

Sophomore Daniel Schmith (Bellingham, Mass.) turned in an outdoor personal best of one-minute, 53.42-seconds in the 800-meters. The time was good enough for 33rd in a field of 120.

Sophomore Tom Teachen (Titusville, N.J.) turned in a solid 1,500-meters. He hit the finish line in a time of four-minutes, 00.78-seconds after completing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase less than two days earlier.

Freshman Allie Morris (Walpole, Mass.) had only about ten hours between the 5,000-meters on Friday night and the 1,500-meters on Saturday morning. Regardless she finished in a time of four-minutes, 53.67-seconds.

Freshman Nicole Murphy (Mendon, Mass.) turned in a strong 1,500-meters, her second run at that distance on the trip. She clocked in at 4:41.51, just a couple of seconds off her personal best in the event.

The California experience was an opportunity for River Hawk runners to face stronger competition than they typically see during the season and learn how to deal with it. More than a half dozen “best in the world, this year, times” were set during the weekend.

The River Hawks will return to competition Saturday, April 23, at the George Davis Invitational. It is the team’s second and final home event of the outdoor season.

Play ball: Opening week produces excitment for season to Shamus Ricardo Connector Contributor

As the weather gets warmer, we change from winter to the magical season of baseball. Opening week is filled with enjoyment for all Major League Baseball fans everywhere. On top of that, it is a week of surprises, and this year is no exception.

Fans have already seen a rookie shortstop’s histor-

ic start, a three time champion placed on the bench, and a pitcher get pulled in the middle of seven and a third innings of a no hitter. It would be an understatement to say that it looks like the season ahead should be something special.

The biggest story to surface for the Boston Red Sox was the decision to bench the 2012 World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval. This was a combina-

Courtesy of CBS Sports

Pablo Sandoval’s belt debacle is one of many reasons why the out of shape third basemen is on the bench.

tion of Sandoval’s struggles in Boston, as well as Travis Shaw’s impressive rookie year last season.

The two time all star Sandoval finished 2015 with a batting average of .245, which is 42 points lower than his career average of .287. Sandoval started off 2016 playing in three games with one start where he went 0-6 and struck out three times. Sandoval has since been placed on the 15 day disabled list with a left shoulder strain.

For every player who disappoints however, another player is surpassing expectations. That leads to the story of Trevor Story. The Colorado Rockies original shortstop was Jose Reyes who is currently on paid leave awaiting completion of a criminal dispute he is involved in. That opened the door for Story to shine on the big stage. Seeing as he has seven home runs, 13 runs batted in, and a .295 batting average through ten games, it’s safe to say he has filled the postion void for the Rockies.

Another rookie who has made headlines is the Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling. Strpiling was piching a no hitter in the eighth, but after getting the first out new Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled him in favor of relief pitcher Chris Hatcher. Hatcher immediately gave up a two run home run to Giants catcher Trevor Brown to tie the game. The Dodgers would ultimately lose the game in extra innings which led to fans being very sceptical of Roberts.

The fans of Major League Baseball can finally enjoy the sport they love. There is a long season ahead that will be full of surprises. It could finally be “next year” for your favorite team.