Punk rock fundraiser Lowell Transitional Living Center to host benefit concert for homeless
â–ş Page 4
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
September 1, 2015
Men’s soccer drops No. 21 Monmouth University in season opener
In This Issue Opening week events
â–ş Page 3
FKA Twigs album review
Kyle Gaudette Connector Editor
â–ş Page 4
In what proved to be a thrilling game at Cushing Field on Friday night, the River Hawks men’s soccer team held on to defeat Monmouth University by a final of 1-0. The game had a feeling of
Field hockey opens season with victory
â–ş Page 7
ranked opposition. Red-shirt freshman Paul Beatty was the source of the only goal in Friday’s bout. Beatty broke away down the right side of the pitch, and the ball found him with just one defender to beat. A slick little juke move between his legs
to play in the first half, and gave Lowell the lead it would never surrender. Coach Christian Figueroa’s team seemed to pick up right where it left off last season. The squad finished the 2014 campaign with a 5-0-1 record against all but
Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
M. Soccer vs. Utah Valley
L 0-2
1-1-0
Volleyball vs. Maryland Eastern Shore L 1-3
0-4
Volleyball vs. Rider
Overall Record
L 1-3
M. Soccer vs. 21 Monmouth
W 1-0
0-3 1-0-0
Freshman move-in kicks off school year Lindy Reed Connector Staff
Freshmen filled East and South campuses Friday and Saturday as UMass Lowell’s movein commenced, officially kicking off the year for thousands of incoming students. Anthony Repetti, a freshman computer engineering major moving into the 17th floor of Fox Hall, said he had a frustrating move-in experience Saturday afternoon. When asked about move-in, he summed it up in one word: “Awful.â€? “Climbing the stairs sucked. I had to carry some of the stuff up,â€? Repetti said. That was his only complaint, but his father added that the two-hour wait was brutal. Neither seemed too thrilled about the remaining wait to get from the lobby of Fox Hall to the elevators. Sarah Andrews, mother of Sabrina Andrews, who was meeting her roommates and therefore unavailable for comment, said, “Move-in has been mostly smooth sailing. The space in the room is what she’s having issues with.â€? Andrews said that her daughter was in a quad on the 12th floor. “It’s been very organized and orderly, and the staff has been extremely helpful and friendly. It’s been a long wait, but I was expecting it. With 800 kids moving into one â–ş See “Move-in,â€? page 3
Sections Opinions & Editorials... 2 Campus Life.................. 3 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 7
Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
Junior forward Wuilito Fernandes dribbles against a Monmouth defender during Friday’s match.
a heated rivalry, with the intensity only growing as the match progressed. Tempers certainly flared, but it was the River Hawks who came away victorious against their
gave Beatty the time and space he needed to bury a shot in the bottom-right side of the goal behind Monmouth keeper Eric Klenofsky. The goal came with 8:39 left
one conference opponent during that stretch. The soccer teams’ recent success has not gone unnoticed, and the big win tonight has â–ş See “Soccer,â€? page 8
‘Momentary’ meeting with a legendary ‘Master’: Albert Hammond, Jr. of The Strokes on his new solo album, songwriting, and drug addiction Regina Alongi Connector Editor
The album is titled Momentary Masters. Where did it come from and does the album have an overlying theme or meaning to you personally, opposed to the interpretation someone could get from it? “Momentary Masters� came from this three-minute quote of Carl Sagan talking about the universe. It’s something that I used as a form of meditation and I was listening to it a few hours before I had to decide the name of the album. And those words kind of just struck me; just a gut reaction. I always try to go with that gut reaction – it’s a good thing to reference when doing things creatively, or just in general, really, in life.
And yeah, it has some overall meaning to me. It changes as I change. I’ve written words on this record that, months later, I’ve come back to and will have a different meaning to me. But I feel like it started out just trying to understand the different people I was, and trying to describe that in a universal emotion of interaction between people. Kind of like how your shadow works in your life. I got into a lot of different shadow work, and, I don’t know, it went from there. These were just like trigger points. You find other things through it when you’re writing; the melodies lead you somewhere else. Right. There are some songs, looking through the lyrics, that seemed like they reflected your
life, both with The Strokes and in your own personal struggles. Two songs I’d noticed specifically, “Caught By My Shadowâ€? and “Coming To Getchaâ€? seemed like they could be interpreted as things you’ve gone through with the band? Yeah, that’s what’s so fun. If you look at my life and you know stuff I’ve been through, you can relate it and relate to it. But, at the same time, as you’re writing it, ten different thoughts come to your head. People always ask me if certain stuff is referencing to the band and things in my life and‌ though sometimes it can feel that way, it’s not entirely the only way it can be seen. Things are said in a universal way. â–ş See “The Strokes,â€? page 4
September 1, 2015
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 2
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
Letter from the editor Dear UMass Lowell community, THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD MARLON PITTER Editor-In-Chief REGINA ALONGI Operations Manager KATRINA DESROSIERS Copy Editor NINA PETROPOULOUS Web Manager MICHAELA HYDE ZACHARY ZUBER Social Media Managers
DAVE RUDDERHAM SAM LINSTEAD-ATKINSON News Editors KYLE GAUDETTE Sports Editors OPEN Campus Life Editor
OPEN Distribution Manager
JEN DESROSIERS Arts & Entertainment Editor
KELLY FREITAS JENNA FREITAS Graphic Designers
GRYPHON LAYNE Comics Editor
ARI LAZARINE Advertising Manager
JONATHAN SILVERMAN Advisor
Welcome to this year’s edition of the UMass Lowell Connector, the official student-run newspaper of the University of Massachusetts Lowell. We are excited to have you as a reader this year and even more excited that you have decided to join the university community at one of the most interesting times in its history. With rapid changes still blossoming on campus, including new Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, the projected completion of the McGauvran dining hall on South Campus and the River Hawks beginning their third season in Division I and America East competition, there is a lot to look forward to this year. As your editor-in-chief of the Connector, I can say we are excited to cover all of that and more this year. Last year, we covered Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s talk on campus, the 11th annual Mothers of Rock benefit concert and the ice hockey team in this year’s Hockey East playoffs at TD Garden. In the past, we have covered talks by Meryl Streep
and Stephen King as part of the Chancellor’s Speaker Series, back-to-back Hockey East championships and the New England Music Awards. Aside from large events, we look to maintain coverage at the root of the campus, whether on pressing student body issues or events put on by student organizations. No story is too big or too small for the Connector. Continuing our standard of excellence on the newspaper at this university will not be possible without students like you, however. We are an organization that aims to represent the student body, so we want your voice to be heard whenever possible. Write to us, email us, and always feel free to drop by any of our meetings to share your opinions or let us know how we are doing. Thank you for reading and being a part of our community. Sincerely, Your editor-in-chief Marlon Pitter
Twitter: @UMLConnector Staff BRENDAN JACQUES EMILY TOOMEY ANDREW HAVERTY LINDY REED NICHOLLES KLEVISHA AMARIS TORRES JACOB SOLOMON SARIFAH CHHOENG MELANIE CASE TYLER PAYMAN
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 General: The UMass Lowell Connector is a non-profit student public forum serving the University of Massachusetts Lowell community. The paper is published weekly and distributed to the university community every Tuesday. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be aware that members of the University community are entitled to free newspapers. Please take one! All UMass Lowell students, regardless of major, are invited to join the Connector staff. Interested students should contact an editor or manager listed above, or visit the Connector Office in University Crossing 241. Advertising: The UMass Lowell Connector advertisements reach an estimated 16,000 UMass Lowell students--their friends and families. To tap this group of
future high-income earners, contact our Advertising Manager at 934-5009. DEADLINE for ALL advertising (TO INCLUDE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS and ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE UNIVERSITY) is Tuesday, 12 p.m. for the following Tuesday’s publication. No exceptions will be made. Late submissions WILL NOT be accepted. Classified advertisements are free for students. The UMass Lowell Connector does not endorse, promote or encourage the purchase or sale of any product or service advertised in this publication. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The UMass Lowell Connector disclaims all liability for any damage suffered as the result of any advertisement in this newspaper. The UMass Lowell Connector reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Editorial: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words in length and may be
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! submitted via campus mail, e-mail, or in person. All letters must bear the author’s name, relationship to the University and student body, and a phone number. The author may request to have any part of this information withheld, if published. Opinions expressed in individual columns, the Opinions Section, advertising, and/or features are those of the author, NOT of the Connector. The Opinions and Editorials section will not be edited in any way, to include spelling/grammar mistakes. Submission: The deadline for all submissions (to include Letters to the Editors and Opinions) is Friday at midnight for the following Tuesday’s publication. Submissions must be e-mailed to Marlon_Pitter@student.uml.edu, attached as a Word document (any version). Accompanying visuals must
be submitted separately; do NOT include graphics in Word file. All press releases, articles, advertisements, and photographs submitted become the property of The UMass Lowell Connector and will not be returned. The Connector reserves the right to edit or refuse all submissions for copy, content, and length. The Connector will make every effort to prevent inaccuracy, but assumes no responsibility for errors in advertisements or opinion letters. The Connector will reprint without charge any advertisement which is incorrect. Credit for errors are made only for first insertion.
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 3
September 1, 2015
CAMPUS LIFE Move-in begins new year for incoming students ► Continued from front page
building, it’s going to take time,” Andrews said. Lauren Michaels, a senior English literature major and Resident Advisor (RA) of three years, thought this year’s move-in was “the most effective so far.” Michaels contributed some of this year’s success to the three-day move-in process, with freshmen in Living Learning Communities, (LLC), moving in on Friday, non-LLC freshmen moving in on Saturday, and upperclassmen moving in on Sunday. “I think every year it gets better. I just wish the line could move more quickly or we could get people to move out of the sun a little more, but I don’t think, because of how the building is built, it’s something we can do until we change the architecture of everything,” Michaels joked. A thirty second walk away from Fox towards the Campus Recreation Center, RA Erica Regan and Resi-
ng happeni s ’ t a h W us on camp th?! this mon SUNDAY
dent Director (RD) Andre Ifill were directing cars to the appropriate locations. Regan, a sophomore exercise
Lindy Reed/Connector
CAMPUS CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER MONDAY
TUESDAY
Commuter Connection 7:30 a.m. Tsongas Lot B
7
8 Labor Day
Wet n’ Wild Kick Off 1 p.m. CRC Lawn
WEDNESDAY
2 First Day of Classes
Field Hockey vs. Holy Cross 1 p.m. Wicked Blue Field
Leitch, go to the garage. Basically, stop the traffic from coming into this area. Yesterday I was doing the same thing at Sheehy, mostly directing cars, making sure everyone is in-and-out quickly, whatever it may be.” Overall, directing cars went smoothly. There weren’t any major issues or incidences, but according to Regan there was “Just a lot of traffic sometimes, some backup. It’s a oneway and Fox is kind of small so you can only have so many people at one time.” Bourgeois RD Ifill said that this year’s move-in “was just as successful, maybe even slightly better” than last year’s. “It was nice to work with great co-workers and a great leadship team who were always thinking of ways to improve upon move-in strategies and make us more efficient in terms of new things as an institution.”
New students wait to move into Fox Hall Saturday afternoon.
1
6
physiology major, took a brief break to talk about her role. “I tell people go to Fox, go to
What’s Up Wednesday 3 p.m. UCrossing Atrium
THURSDAY
3 MEISA Kick Off 7 p.m. Fox Common
FRIDAY
4
Men’s Soccer vs. Canisius 1 p.m. Cushing Field
14
5
Women’s Soccer vs. Delaware State 7 p.m. Cushing Field
ACE Kick Off 8 p.m. UCrossing 260
9
10
Student Employment: Job Fair 2 p.m. Moloney Hall
11 Volleyball vs. San Jose State 7 p.m. Costello Gym
12 Volleyball vs. Holy Cross 2 p.m. Costello Gym Volleyball vs Quinnipiac 7 p.m. Costello Gym
Extreme Dodgeball Tournament 10 p.m. CRC
13
SATURDAY
15 Add/Drop period ends
16 Paws to Play with HAWKS 6:30 p.m Concordia Hall
17
18
19
Men’s Soccer vs. Hartwick 7 p.m. Cushing Field M.A.L.E.S. Back to Campus Party 9 p.m. Cumnock Hall
Calendar listings are FREE when space is available. To better ensure your listings placement, get your information in two weeks in advance by e-mailing connector@uml.edu
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 4
September 1, 2015
September 1, 2015
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Connector Staff
In the past year especially, the term “alternative R&B” has been no stranger to coffeehouse chatter. Much like in the case of the recent “emo revival”, some listeners happily embraced the freshness of something that’s new to them while others (usually with noses skyward) preach its uncredited history that has apparently always existed on an “underground” level. Regardless of how you decide to label it, the recent surge in contemporary R&B music is something to be excited about.
experience which seems to lend itself equally to art-pop, noise rock, triphop and R&B. In Twigs’ case though, genre definition feels more like name calling. The EP showcases everything we have come to know and love about the fledgling artist including glitchy, unmetered percussive swells, whispered spoken-word passages coupled with violent surges of synth fuzz and vocal processing that would inspire most engineers to scratch their heads. This release in particular highlights Twigs’ fascination with extending the “sonic pallet” of the recording studio.
Rocky set to take over the Tsongas Center Jen Desrosiers Connector Editor
A couple of weeks back, news hit the internet that A$AP Rocky and Tyler the Creator were set to embark on their co-headlining “Rocky & Tyler” tour, and eyebrows were raised at this strange combination of artists. It seems as though both parties have gotten over their brief conflict with each other after Tyler took a shot at A$AP on twitter back in 2011. Kicking off at our very own Tsongas Center, the tour is set to end in Texas with special guests and opening acts Danny Brown and Vince Staples.
I know, myself being a musician and writer, you really can’t answer those questions. It’s kind of the basic questions people ask, but - when you’re writing, it just comes. You’re not always necessarily writing about a specific thing, a specific story. Exactly. And sometimes you find things in what you’re writing that make you go, “Oh!” Exactly. Things are just coming. You have this filter that is your life in inspiration form, and things get filtered through that. You just have different ideas and you start exploring them.
So, The Strokes are out of the RCA contract. You yourself have been involved in both indie and major labels – you’re with Vagrant now with this album and Cult [Records] with the last EP. Some artists are comfortable under that wing of the major label, and some are more comfortable in an indie setting. For you, what has been the best experience, and going forward do you have a plan as to what you want to stay with, whether it be indie, major, or however?
Jen Desrosiers Connector Editor
Many of the drones and samples featured on the record, for example, are actually different hi-hat attacks slowed down and manipulated into distinguishable tones and pitches. Unlike the heft of her previous releases, the production “M3LL155X” is generally more sinister than it is sweet, with dark spirals of percussion loops and ominous tonal storm clouds bound to spew thunder at any moment. Twig’s vocals are also heard more confidently and clearly than ever. “Everyday, everyday you be testing my sane, you’ve got a goddamn nerve,’’ she croons on “In Time” as if rallying troops from behind a megaphone. Lyrically, the songs are as complex as their musical backdrops, weaving together a thematic tapestry of femininity, power, sexuality and purpose. “I wait all week for a moments break away from being told who I am” she wails in the more club-friendly prerelease, “Glass and Patron.” “M3LL155X” is a mantra suitable for the dance floor as much as it is for the study-hall. It is as entrancing as it is challenging. Either way, Twigs holds absolutely nothing back on this release, and thankfully so.
► Continued from page 4
lifestyles and you realize it’s very clear it’s one or the other, there’s just a choice that clicks in, and then you have to re-learn how to have fun and be curious. There’s something you’re self-medicating that’s deeper and you can never know. To be honest, getting sober was the easiest part (laughs) after trying to figure stuff out about myself for so long. It’s harder now and I still go through great pains of figuring myself out, and I’m sober. But I guess, I don’t know how I keep it besides I have reference points of times that have come and gone and I feel like I try to remind myself about that. But, I mean, it’s hard. It’s – especially heroin. It’s a great drug to fix things. Basically perfect, except what happens to you afterward! But, when you take it, it kind of takes everything away so you don’t really have to face anything. But yeah, it’s awful, I heard about that in Massachusetts – there have been a lot of overdoses.
(Laughs) Yeah, sometimes it can be as basic as that!
Lowell Transitional Living Center’s benefit show for the homeless
By her early twenties, Tahliah Barnett (nicknamed Twigs because of how loudly she could crack her joints) had carved her name into the art-performance scene of Central London. Her young talents ran the gamut from backup dancing, appearing alongside Kylie Minogue, Taio Cruz, Jessie J and Ed Sheeran, to filmmaking, eventually being signed as an upper-roster director of London based production company Academy Films. This flair for visual performance played an important role in Twigs’ inevitable 2012 musical debut, “EP1”, as well as its follow-up counterpart, “EP2”, both of which were released with accompanying music videos. Being twice the length of her prior releases, last year’s aptly named “LP1” seemed more aimed at musical accessibility rather than visual effect. In her latest effort, however, Twigs seems to have found a safe middle ground between both pillars of her style. I cannot help but be reminded of the Wagnerian concept of Gesamtkunstwerk or “total synthesis of the arts” after being faced with FKA Twigs’ new Beyoncé-style surprise 5-track, “Melissa” (stylized as “M3LL155X”). With its 16 minute video accompaniment, she conjures up a profoundly immersive musical
An interview with guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. of The Strokes
Or you go, “Hey, this word rhymes with this word. I like it. Let’s put that in there.”
Courtesy Photo
FKA Twigs appears on the cover of her new album, “M3LL155X.”
Page 5
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
FKA Twigs “M3LL155X” review Tyler the Creator and A$AP Tyler Payman
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
.
If you’re like me and enjoy live music along with that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from helping your community, head down to The Last Safe and Deposit Company on September 10. The Lowell Transitional Living Center (LTLC) will be hosting its first ever live music event to raise money to further help their cause. LTLC is the largest homeless shelter north of Boston, with 90 beds available and provides all types of services for their clients such as bagged lunches, day programs, medical care and case managers. The lineup for the night is as follows: 9 p.m. - The Saints of Sorrow 9:45 p.m. - American Burn 10:30 p.m. - Iron Chin 11:30 p.m. - The Damn Garrison
Well, I never look at it like that – I just look at it at where it seems people are the most excited and where I feel I would have the best relationship. It’s to keep people excited about what I’m doing. I want to be wherever I have the best chance to succeed, wherever that is, whoever is as excited as I am about the record but on a business side. I’m going to give all my energy, so whatever person puts it out, I want them to be putting all their energy in it too, so I kind of have to go around and feel that out. And after that, it’s a gamble. You don’t know if it will last. So I’m guessing you’re not contracted for X amount of records or X number of years. You’re just taking it release by release. Yeah, it’s release by release. I watched an interview with you back when “AHJ” [EP, 2013] came out, where you said your plan was to release a bunch of EPs instead of full albums. What ended up changing? What drove you to release a full, ten-track album instead of another shorter EP? I just couldn’t get enough attention from any people. I’m not big enough of a band to create my own world with it. I feel like if you’re big enough, you could commit to two years of touring and releasing music, and every six months release an EP, or stuff like that. I just wasn’t able to get enough press or reviews or festival offers only because it was an EP, so I felt like it was such a waste. I thought they were really good, but they were not gaining the attention I wanted them to. I had to go back to the format that fits what people do.
Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets will be available at the door for $5.
Albert Hammond, Jr. of The Strokes Interview ► Continued from front page
Like in “Coming to Getcha,” where it’s like, “Just because we’re part of the scene doesn’t mean we share the same dream,” is not a pure relation to being in a band and not understanding where you’re going; it’s a little bigger than that. I think we’ve all felt that feeling of being a part of something and not knowing where it’s going, or not sharing the same values or ideas as people, just in terms of friendships or relationships or things in general. It’s more about taking the overall interpretation opposed to the specific meaning. That’s what I liked a lot about the album – some people write specific stories, some write more general things. Yeah, you kind of play with that. It’s so hard to explain the whole process. I remember watching this Clash interview where they were asking Joe Strummer this, and I was like, “Oh, perfect! I can get an answer from him and just use it!” He said the same thing: he was like, “I have no idea!” And some of his songs were pretty direct, but he was saying, “I don’t remember where my exact mind was. It travels. It wasn’t just staying in one spot while I was writing.” And I liked that idea. As a fan that was enough. ► See “Interview,” page 5
It’s tough trying to balance what you want to do creatively and what people are looking for and are willing to work with from an industry standpoint. If you’re trying to make it in the industry, you kind of have to do that first. Then you can command your own thing. But beforehand, it’s very hard. Very, very hard. Absolutely. Going on to a bit of a different subject here: this can be a touchy subject for some. I know you struggled with drug abuse. For someone struggling with the disease of addiction, what’s some advice you’d give, and are there any changes you think we need to see to battle it more effectively? I feel like most people know this, but the idea of having a “war against drugs” is crazy. It’s inherent in you that you want to change your consciousness – like the way when we’re a kid we spin on things. I feel like instead of spending all that money trying to stop it coming in, it should be spent on education and healing people. Also, you know…it’s so hard. A lot of times when you’re in that, you’re not really going to listen to what anyone has to say. You have to be ready to hear things, and (laughs) that’s not always the case! I thought about that really hard, I’m like, “How would I have some effect?” But I’m remembering myself, and if I was talking to myself, I’d be like, “Who is this asshole? He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” When you have a moment and you realize you can no longer balance both
It’s crazy. Kids 18, 19 years old and younger, you know? Kids I’ve gone to school with… It’s crazy. Sure, I mean, cops now are allowed to carry naltrexone? That’s pretty crazy in itself! That means you have a problem. I don’t know, it’s tough. I spend my time thinking of things like that, but I wish… I really think the answer is in how we do things. We definitely spend money in putting away the wrong things, or at least we’ve tried it one way and let’s try it another way. I really think if people had a hope when they were on their way out, there would be a lot less relapsing. If there was money for the actual three months that is needed, not 28 days – 28 days doesn’t do anything. Some people it might work for, but the majority of people are going to go right back. You need three months. 90 days. So the money should be there for people who are there. You’re never going to stop it coming in – there’s just too much money on the other side. You can kill everyone and there’ll be a new guy who’s like, “Yes I’m king!” (laughs) But that’s just the way it works. You’re never going to stop the drugs coming in. Yeah, and how you said about running from things or learning things about yourself - I feel like when you’re in a different state of mind, it takes away the whole wonder of being a human. And, as learning things about yourself is hard and as terrible as it can be at timesWell you don’t grow anymore when you’re on drugs! You stop changing. Instead of getting out of it, it’s like you say, “I’m going to stay here and accept it, but hide from it instead of growing out of it and doing something to move forward.” It’s tough though. I can’t imagine what it’d be like try to talk to someone who is really addicted to something and have them tell me the same things that I’ve told other people! (laughs) And then have to think to myself, “Wow, I used to say the same thing. How do I convince them?” I definitely have thought about that in seeing the array of the past people that I’m no longer, and just being like, “Well, how would I communicate with that person?” You know? That person would probably hate me now. Top 5 CDs in your car right now: Oh, I don’t know, I’ll look over at my vinyl and see what I’ve been listening to lately. Ok, the Police – “Outlandos d’Amour,” their first record. Then I have The Cars, their first record. Then I have this Elvis record called “Golden Records,” which is a lot of fun. Then David Bowie’s “Space Odyssey.” And then, I think I have Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata and Other Classics”! Biggest musical influence when you were younger? Probably Guided by Voices. “Vampire on Titus,” that whole band in general, was just something I really needed. Are you a video gamer at all? Uh, yeah! I do like them. I don’t really have time to play them much, but I have and will play. I’m bummed because I have to buy a Playstation 4 just to play the new “Uncharted 4”… I might just have to do that because that’s probably my favorite game of all time. The perfect game you wanted when you were a kid. Last thing… favorite food: Okay. Japanese food.
Page 6
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
September 1, 2015
September 1, 2015
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 7
SPORTS Field hockey opens season with hard-fought victory over Quinnipiac Kyle Gaudette Connector Editor
upper left of the goal. The blast came after a misplayed corner that midfielder Watt was able to coral and pass back. The goal came as an answer to the Bobcats tying the game at 1-1 late in the first half, and the home
The UMass Lowell Field Hockey team opened up their first year of NCAA eligibility Friday afternoon at Wicked Blue Field in Lowell. The River Hawks defeated the visiting Quinnipiac Bobcats by a final score of 2-1. Senior Sophie Watt and Junior Georgia Cowderoy were the team’s two goal scorers. The River Hawks wanted no one other than Shannon Hlebichuk at the helm as they begin their march towards a now eligible NCAA tournament. Hlebichuk is entering her 14th season as UMass Lowell’s Field Hockey coach, and she is confident in her team’s ability to handle any scenario. “We just wanted to make sure we could take care of the games that we thought we could take care of, and we did that today against Quinnip- Junior midfielder Georgia Cowderoy races upfield by a team never looked back. iac,” said coach after the game. Felicia Costanzo scored the only Cowderoy scored what proved to be the game winning goal with 19:17 goal for the Bobcats at the 25:52 left to go in the second half, when she mark of the first half. The shot was one of seven fired at Lowell rocketed a slapshot from just inside goalkeeper Kelsey Federico during the top of the circle by Quinnipiac the first thirty-five minutes of play. goal-keeper Megan Conaboy to the
However, the River Hawks tightened up on defense in the second half, only allowing three shots. “In the second half we definitely changed our shape, changed our formation and I do think that made
Freshman forward Torrie Huk crushed a shot on goal from the team’s first of ten corners of the day that deflected off of Watt’s stick and into the back of the cage. The freshman seemed unfazed in her first game playing in Division I and will certainly play a large role in the team’s success this upcoming season. When asked about her first experience on the college pitch, Huk said, “It felt really good, it was the first 20 seconds, and the goal is to get the hit off the corner and take the shot.” Huk was one of three freshman that received playing time, much to the delight of her coach. “I thought they played fantastic,” said coach on her freshman. “During preseason they were able to mesh right away with our current starting unit… they were ready.” Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics The field Quinnipiac defender. hockey squad is well a big difference,” said Coach Hleon their way to improving their 6-13 bichuk when asked about how her record from last year, and they will team played defensively. While the now put their undefeated season on defense did well to hold the lead for the line against Providence on Sunthe River Hawks, some new faces day, Aug. 30. provided a spark for the team on the offensive end.
The Fantasy Corner: When should you draft? Kyle Gaudette Connector Editor
By a show of hands, how many people’s fantasy football teams are already busted by this offseasons slew of season ending injuries? We now journey into only week three of the preseason, and it feels as though everyone is crossing their fingers whenever they refresh their sportscenter app, hoping to not see their first and second round draft selection out for the season. This offseason has been nothing short of an epidemic of knee and Achilles injuries. Star wide receivers Kelvin Benjamin and Jordy Nelson are just two of many who have already hung up their cleats until the start of the 2016 season. Both of these wide outs were projected to be high draft picks in any sort of Points per Reception (PPR) league. Having one of these two guys on your fantasy squad would already be a heavy blow, and you are probably wiping the tears off your cheek if you drafted both. Injuries have always been a part of the game. Every offseason a top player goes down which causes many fantasy owners to sink to the bottom of their league standings. That being said, it is hard to remember a preseason being this bad.
So all of this begs the question of when is the right time to draft your fantasy team. The answer is simple and always the same: as late as you possibly can! The NFL is by far the largest sports entity in the United States, and has
ble to any other American sporting event. Fantasy Football has become much more popular because of how easy it is to get entrenched by any football game. Football is not like baseball where you have to sit through 162
Photo courtesy of the Boston Globe
Jordy Nelson goes down with an injury.
bread wealth far greater than anyone thirty years ago would have imagined. That wealth, however, is well earned. The product that the NFL puts on the field every Sunday, Monday, and now Thursday night is not even compara-
games a season. You only have to invest in one game a week to watch your favorite team. Do you want to see how your fantasy players are doing? Chances are the majority of them are playing on the
same day, making following how your squad is doing easy, and loads of fun. Fantasy football has turned people into millionaires. It has evolved into something much bigger than intended, and it has a whole new meaning of seriousness behind it. This makes your draft day more than just a simple fun night together with the guys. As previously stated, draft as late as you possibly can. Your fantasy team is too important to have your potential starting quarterback out a few weeks because a teammate cracked his jaw with one punch (if Geno Smith was your starting QB your team was already in a lot of trouble). The hype behind football season is massive now, and I completely understand it. You are excited to see your favorite sport come back. You want to draft your team and get that hype going as soon as Yahoo or ESPN opens up their drafting lobbies. If you want to give yourself the best odds of succeeding, however, you need to hold off until the preseason is over. As a great little green hero once said, “Patience you must have.”
UM ASS ASS L OWELL OWELL C ONNECTOR ONNECTOR
Page 8
September 1, 2015
SPORTS
Lowell drops #21 Monmouth in season opener ►Continued from front page
It was a solid defensive night matchup. When asked if this this season looking very bright. for the River Hawks. Kroll only win felt a little better than most While it is in a coach’s nature had to make three saves, and knowing what transpired in last to always strive to get more out even that number would seem year’s game, Figueroa cracked of their players, Figueroas could high to someone who was at the a smile, “It does…it was nice to not help but be pleased by the game. Lowell’s formations on get those guys here at home.” way his team performed. “To defense kept Monmouth players The squad will now enjoy this get out here right off the bat and frustrated the entire match. hard fought victory, and gear up play a team of that much quality, Last year, Monmouth crushed for their game against Utah Valit’s a good test for us. I thought Lowell 5-0 in both team’s sea- ley on Sunday, Aug 30. our guys did a good job prepar- son opener down in West Long ing leading up to this game, they Branch, N.J. “I think the nerves executed well, and the energy got to us a little bit last year,” was high,” he said. Figueroas said about the 2014 The energy certainly did intensify the last ten minutes of action, as Monmouth sent everything they had on attack against the River Hawks in search for the equalizer. Lowell goalkeeper Austin Kroll dove hard to the left side of his net to make a fantastic save late in the second half. Monmouth found itself with arguably its best scoring chance of the night with a near two on one opportunity. The Monmouth forward choose to strike the ball instead of give it Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics up, but Kroll was there make the stop. Guilherme Rodrigues fights for position.
Red Sox say buenas noches to Don Orsillo Kyle Gaudette Connector Editor
The Boston Red Sox have done far worse than merely sniff last place in the 2015 season. They have downright set up a “Wally the Green Monster” gift shop at the basement of the American League East. A lack of effort along with, let us all face it, a lack of exercise, has led the “homerun” offseason acquisitions of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval to look like a giant bust worth a combined total of $173 million. There was also the signing of supposed “ace” starting pitcher Rick Porcello to a $20 million a year contract, which he has pocketed, and turned into a dismal 5.47 earned run average (ERA). Key injuries, most notably to that of star second-basemen Dustin Pedroia, have also played a key role to the teams’ (at the time of writing this article) 69 loses and counting. Unfortunately, with manager John Farrell having to leave for the rest of the season due to a diagnosis of stage I Lymphoma, this season has become one worth forgetting. However, with Farrell expecting to make a full and successful recovery, perhaps the biggest loss the Red Sox will face this year will come from the press box. It was just released that the New England Sports Network (NESN) will be terminating
longtime play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo’s contract at the end of the season. Orsillo will be finishing the last of his fifteen year tenure as the Sox’s play-byplay announcer on Oct. 4, much to the dismay of many Red Sox fans. Known for rarely taking games off during the regular season, Orsillo has left a lasting legacy of professionalism, while still warming hearts with his lighthearted and constantly upbeat personality. Who could forget the great pizza fiasco of ’09, where Orsillo continued to give the call of
“For the last fifteen years, it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Don.” the game, while trying to contain his laughter over a fan who got blindsided by a slice of pepperoni? Certainly not Orsillo’s co-host of the Red Sox broadcast, Jerry Remy. “For the last fifteen years, it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Don,” Remy said to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe following Tuesday night’s broadcast. “He’s terrific at what he does, he’s been absolutely fabulous to work with.”
Orsillo’s fine work in the booth led to him landing a national job doing play-by-play for the divisional round of the MLB’s playoffs in 2007. Many believed Orsillo was going to leave the Red Sox booth much earlier to pursue a career working for a company such as FOX or ESPN. While news of such an offer to Orsillo was never made public, it is clear that he chose to stay with the Red Sox despite his national attention. However, it has been no secret that NESN programming and production chief Joseph Maar has been looking to remove Orsillo from the booth for quite some time. The terrible, basically unwatchable at times, play by the Sox’s this year gave Maar the ratings drop he needed to wrongfully blame Orsillo, and finally push him out. “I know that he’s going to land on his feet and that he’s going to be in great shape,” continued Remy. A sentiment that is most certainly believed to be true by the masses. Orsillo definitely has the city of Boston, and many more, rallying behind him. Unfortunately, fans only have another month with him before they are forced to welcome a new voice into their living rooms come next April.
U P C OM I N G
River Hawk Games Friday, Sept. 4
10 am
WVB vs. Weber St.
Friday, Sept. 4
3 pm Field Hockey at. Dartmouth
Friday, Sept. 4
4 pm
Friday, Sept 4
7 pm Women’s Soccer vs. Del. St.
Friday, Sept. 4
7 pm
Saturday, Sept. 5
11 am
WVB vs. Manhattan
MSOC at. St. Francis WVB vs. Bradley
For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com Bradel
River Hawks drop two in final day of Maroon and Gray Invite UMass Lowell Athletics
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The UMass Lowell Volleyball team lost two matches in the final day at the Maroon and Gray Invitational hosted by Maryland-Eastern Shore at the Hytche Athletic Center. In the early match, the River Hawks fell to Rider, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 21-25, 16-25), while UMass Lowell was defeated in the second match by UMES, 3-1 (13-25, 19-25, 25-20, 19-25). “We asked the team to come out and play each team better today and they did accomplish that goal,” said Head Coach Resa Provanzano. “There was a lot to build on, but we are going to get in the gym and work a lot harder on working together as a team in defense and producing kills from the serve receive.” With the losses, the River Hawks open the season at 0-4 overall, while UMES improves 3-0 and Rider upped its record to 2-1. In the early match vs. the Broncs, freshman outside hitter Haley Shimon (Des Moines, Iowa) led the River Hawks’ offense with a career-high 11 kills. Graduate Student Rachel Arnason (Kelowna, B.C.) and junior middle blocker Lauren Bennett (Wilmington, Mass.) each tallied eight kills apiece in the losing effort for UMass Lowell. Freshman setter Delaney Mendez (Phoenix, Ariz.) amassed a career-hihg 28 assists running the River Hawks’ offense. Freshman libero Lindsey Visvardis (Homer Glen, Ill.) got her first career start and registered 20 digs and two service aces in the match. The River Hawks notched double-digit kill totals in every set in the match and posted 13 kills with a .324 hitting percentage in their set two victory. In the afternoon match vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore, freshman middle blocker Lade Adeniyi (Springfield, Ill.) recorded her second 10-kill performance of the weekend. Arnason, Shimon and freshman Erica Cappellino (Penfield, N.Y.) each had six kills apiece. Junior setter Alexa Toth (Portland, Ore.) totaled 25 assists quarterbacking the offense. Toth and Cappellino earned their first career starts in the match. Visvardis recorded another 15 digs in the loss for UMass Lowell. The River Hawks won Set 3 on a service ace from sophomore libero Malorie McIver (Austin, Texas). Bennett was the lone River Hawk named to the Maroon and Gray Invitational All-Tournament Team for her efforts over the weekend in four matches. She recorded 22 kills with a .405 hitting percentage to go along with 17 total blocks (4s,13a). The River Hawks return to action on Friday, September 4th at the Bradley Invitational against Weber State at 10 a.m.