The Connector - September 27, 2016

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RNC, DNC interns share their experiences â–ş Page 3

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

September 27, 2016

Chancellor’s Celebration of Music showcases faculty talent

In This Issue ‘Atlanta’ brings new life to FX

â–ş Page 5

Kathryn Leeber

Connector Contributor

Therapy dogs help students relieve stress

â–ş Page 6 Field hockey falls short vs. Hofstra

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Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Overall Record

Volleyball vs. Hartford

L 3-2 5-10

Field Hockey vs. Hofstra

L 4-3

Men’s Soccer at Bryant

W 1-0 7-0-1

Women’s Soccer at Air Force

L 2-0

3-4

2-4-2

Volleyball loses to Hartford in five sets Hannah Manning Connector Editor

UMass Lowell volleyball had an aggressive start on Saturday night where they won the first two sets, but ultimately lost their seventh straight game to Hartford in five sets. Their record fell to 5-10 overall, while snapping Hartford’s five-game losing streak. In their first America East matchup of the 2016 season, the River Hawks fought tooth and nail against an energetic Hartford team. There were thirty-nine tie scores and fifteen lead changes in the five sets; the Hawks and River Hawks couldn’t stay off of each other’s backs. Despite the unsatisfactory result, freshman outside hitter Madi Bell had a career night. She totalled sixteen kills and nineteen digs. Bell had 29 percent of the team’s total kills for the night, and only sophomore libero Lindsey Visvaldis had more digs than her at 22. The River Hawks had at least ten kills in each of their sets, with fifty-five overall. The first set appeared to foreshadow an early doom for the River Hawks. They dug themselves into a massive hole, trailing Hartford 11-6. But they were able to reassert themselves in the game by ending plays short. They scored five straight times to tie Hartford at thirteen. The River Hawks, to the rapturous joy of

Faculty members, students and colleagues of the music department put on quite a show at the Chancellor’s Celebration of Music, covering many genres including classical, folk, pop and blues. On Friday, professors, staff and students put their talents on display at Durgin Hall. To kick off the event, Sovann Khon played a piece titled “Laolik Bey Chon� on the tro sau, a Cambodian instrument. It is a stringed instrument that sounds a bit like a violin. With a large Cambodian population in Lowell, having Professor Sovann Khon perform was very special. He is a master

Courtesy of UMass Lowell

Friday evening’s musical talents were on display at Durgin Hall on South Campus.

dian ensemble and works with the Angkor Dance Troup. Following Khon, Professor Alan Williams, the chair of the music department, performed with his folk band Bird-

musician, specializing in Mahori, which is the traditional folk music of Cambodia. In addition to knowing many instruments, Khon directs Vong Pleng Khmer, the UMass Lowell Cambo-

song at Morning. Faculty members Christopher Lee and Andrew Fordyce played percussion with the group. They were also joined by the Lowell String Quartet, which â–ş See “Weather,â€? page 3

UMass Board of Trustees discuss growth of university system Megan Dillon Connector Contributor

The Pawtucket Room at the Inn and Conference Center was packed with officials to discuss the matters of growth and continuation in the development of the UMass system. Prominent members of the board as well as observers, administration, and, surprisingly, students of the neighboring Merrimack College all sat waiting for the meeting to begin.

After come small talk, the meeting commenced at 9:02 a.m. Wednesday morning. The board began with excessive flattery of the universities. UMass Amherst is flourishing among some of the best private schools in the country, UMass Lowell is rising through the ranks and has become the second fastest growing university in the world, UMass Boston has had more applicants than ever, as well as UMass Dartmouth’s new Courtesy of UMass Lowell

â–ş See “Volleyball,â€? page 8

Sections News.............................3 Campus Life..................6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 7 The Inn and Conference Center hosted Wednesday’s meeting.

graduate programs, and the UMass Medical school is better than ever. Student member of the board of trustees, Lindy Reed, gave a lovely speech. She mourns the loss of recent shooting victim, Terence Crutcher, talked about growing up with her mother, and her path to college, as well as why she chose Lowell over exclusive private schools. Once everyone was buttered up, they could start ripping off the band aid, in order to expose the wound that is the budget planning process. They talked about bargaining with the union workers within the UMass system, as well as a tuition increase, in order to reach a goal of 293 million dollars by the year 2019. Part of this tuition increase as it applies to UMass Lowell students, is our transition to Division I athletics, as well as a tuition increase by a 2.5 percent. They also talked about how certain budget cuts may affect different universities. However, the board did not only â–ş See “Board of Trustees,â€? page 3


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September 27, 2016

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS Let’s talk about police brutality Ashney Saint-Hubert UML Student

I sat in the dining hall with the drone of replays and commentary about the most recent Patriots game in the background. I was eating, more focused on my food than anything but still aware that others were more focused on our recent victory. That was when someone changed the channel and broadcasters went from talking about a sports team that holds Massachusetts pride and ego on their back to talking about something many people do not want to talk about. Now, lets get this clear. Not only do some people not want to talk about it but they also do not want to acknowledge

the fact that it is even happening. If you have not realized it yet I am talking about police brutality and its impact on the black community. While sitting in the cafeteria the only people I saw sitting at attention at the news of Charlotte, North Carolina being in a state of emergency where people of color. There were maybe one or two students that were not of color paying attention to the heart wrenching news of riots, protests and the National Guard being deployed into the town of a little less than 800,000 residents. The reason why Charlotte, North Carolina is in a state of emergency is because on September 20, 2016, Keith Lamont Scott was shot and

killed. Whether he was armed or unarmed has yet to be determined. What is crystal clear and certainly undeniable is that he was the 164th black male shot by police in 2016. Let us say he did have a weapon, so what? North Carolina allows open carry, the act of wielding a firearm in the open, without a permit or a license. It was reported that Scott was not listening to orders to exit his vehicle and drop a weapon that only officers claimed to see. So why not talk about this? Why be afraid to admit that this officer and many others in shootings involving black males are in the wrong? Even the footage proves that he was not carrying anything

and was shot with his hands by his side. Rakeyia Scott, Keith Lamont Scott’s wife, released video footage taken on her cellphone out on social media. You can hear her telling her husband to exit the vehicle and telling the officers not to harm, shoot and kill her husband. Even though this footage was readily released the footage taken by the Charlotte Police Department via police dashboard and body camera has still yet to be seen by the public. Mrs. Scott, relatives, and family attorney’s did see the footage however and still do not understand why an innocent mans life had to be taken. In all honesty I do not understand either. I do not un-

derstand how the same situation, maybe under different circumstances, can keep happening and yet people are still afraid to speak on it. Silence is a part of the problem, no matter what you identify as if you do not speak on an issue you are making it worse. There are judges, officers and even those in the military that have been stripped of their badges and power because they decided to speak on police brutality in the black community. Is that not enough of a sign that there is an issue that needs to be discussed and resolved? Ashney Saint-Hubert is a psychology major at UMass Lowell.

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

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September 27, 2016

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NEWS UMass Lowell students share experiences from interning at the DNC and RNC Jessica Kergo Connector Staff

“Surreal”, “breathtaking”, “once-in-a-lifetime”. These were just a few phrases that UMass Lowell students described their experiences interning at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions through The Washington Center. UMass Lowell’s tagline, “Learning with a purpose” was certainly made evident as the five students explained their hard work at the two political conventions to a room full of students and professors. A one-hour presentation was just barely enough time for these students to describe such an action packed two weeks of stimulating, educational, and rewarding work. The forum was held in O’Leary Library and was open to all students who were interested to hear about this academic program afforded to the five students by Dean Luis Falcon and members of the college of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences office. The students each individually shared a PowerPoint presentation with the audience that outlined their unique internship experience. They explained the different aspects of the program, their particular field work, exciting moments, and much more. First to present was junior Tyler Farley. Farley was the only one of the five students who represented UMass Lowell at the Republican National Convention. During the academic week before the convention began, Farley recollected a number of exciting speakers he heard including the Chicago chief of police and a speaker from the secret service. He also attended small group sessions and explored the state of Ohio. During the convention Farley acted as a runner and escorted guests inside the convention hall. Due to his exceptional work, he was assigned to the CNN upper deck of the Quicken Loans Arena. Farley conducted interviews and met

Board of trustees meeting

UMass Lowell graduate and Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Farley reflected upon the magnificence of his experience describing it as “witnessing history... seeing all these big events and important people around you makes you think you’re the big time,” Farley said. Next to present was senior Adeja Crearer. Crearer shared a video that she created herself containing interviews with various interns at the Democratic National Convention. She then went on to describe her first week of small group sessions and leadership training and her second week of field work where she acted as a member of the media. She interned with AFP TV News. Crearer recalls the thrill of standing all alone in a pack of furious Bernie Sanders supporters. Seizing the moment, the future reporter began taking pictures and getting interviews with individual protestors. “In that moment, I realized that this was what I wanted to do,” she said. The second DNC attendee was recent UMass Lowell graduate Marcus Peterson. Peterson explained that he attended the convention as a final effort to obtain the credits he needed to graduate, as it satisfied his practicum requirement. Peterson also spoke of the group discussions he attended which he said was his favorite part of the program. He worked with a group called Food and Water Watch and helped lead a march to protest fracking. Additionally, Peterson attended a small business council meeting where he met Jerry of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Third to present was senior Sarah Chapman. Chapman recalls attending an event called “Political Fest” that the city of Philadelphia hosted during the DNC. They went to the Constitution Center and got to dress up as supreme court justices. Similar to the previous students, Chapman also mentions protests including a clean energy march. Due to her great interest in state politics, Sarah was

placed with the New Hampshire delegation. The convention held special caucuses based on particular interest groups like LGBTQ and minority issues. Chapman attended the women’s caucus where she got to see U.S. Senator, Jeanne Shaheen and meet U.S. Congresswoman, Anne Kuster. The Final presentation was by sophomore, David Todisco. Todisco passionately reminisces on the highlights of his experience. “It was really emotional going into the convention” said Todisco. During the convention, Todisco interned for NBC. He mentions how he was the only intern to personally organize his own field work with The Washington Center. Todisco went on to explain how he worked with “Meet the Press with Chuck Todd” and had the pleasure of driving television journalist, Andrea Mitchell, in a golf cart every day. He also describes how excited he was to see Elizabeth Warren, Michelle Obama, and Corey Booker deliver their speeches. Todisco does not undermine the value of his experience telling students who are considering such programs to “definitely go for it. Don’t ever not pursue a dream because you don’t have the money. Look into the resources UMass Lowell has.” At the conclusion of the forum, Dr. Francis Talty thanked the interns for their hard work and claimed “they made UMass Lowell well known around both conventions and I think we should be proud of them.” The Washington Center Program offers year-round internships and academic seminars to students and recent college graduates. Talty claims that students of all majors (typically those who have completed their first semester of Sophomore year) would benefit from The Washington Center programs. Students interested in such programs should contact Talty.

Jessica Kergo/Connector

►Continued from front page

provide bad news. They discussed article T16-051, where they would further strictly enforce title IX, and give more funding to women’s athletics. They also are enforcing a harassment policy, that can protect students from ridicule and retaliation. They also are planning on a whole lot of construction. Along with new elevators in Fox Hall, UMass Boston will be receiving dorms for the first time, which will increase revenue for the UMass system. They will also be making more educational buildings at UMass Amherst. The board of trustees

says that they cater to students first. They put in a lot of effort, but in the end countless factors such as financing from the state and budgets in the UMass system that ultimately determine the students’ financial fate.

Five UMass Lowell students interned at the national conventions and shared their experiences


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September 27, 2016

September 27, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ring, but it was a very interesting and unique performance. John-Morgan Bush, a lecturer at UMass Lowell and the director of the UMass Lowell String Project, lead a performance of “Summer Music for Wind Quintet” in the next presentation. Several faculty and staff members with various instruments joined him. Amy Dinsmore played the oboe, Rebecca Leonard was on clarinet, Stephanie Busby on bassoon and Susan Jackson played the flute. The combination of instruments was very interesting and worked quite well together. It sounded like a movie soundtrack, with intense moments of playing followed by softer and calmer periods. Bush has played with symphonic orchestras all across the country and his talent was very evident. While all the musicians joining him were incredibly talented, Bush was in control and seemed to take the lead of the group. With pictures displayed behind the performers, it was very easy to get engrossed in the moment of their harmonious playing. As the night progressed, it was evi-

dent that the evening was about showcasing various genres of music with many combinations of instruments. The drums were used in multiple different ways in certain performances, as were many string instruments. Nearing the end of the event, the next group picked up the pace with more of a blues performance. Garrett Michaelson played the trumpet, Seth Bailin on the saxophone, Andrew Fordyce played the drums, Charles Gabriel was on bass, and Mark Michaels played the guitar. Each group member had their own solo during the performance, so they were each able to show off their talents. They were just as impressive as a whole. They worked really well as a group and seemed to be encouraging and gaining energy from one another. The next performer, Aaron Rosenberg, played an interesting piece on a toy piano. He played an original piece that was quite impressive, considering the size of the instrument. Rosenberg would progressively get louder and then softer, which gave the whole performance a powerful feel. To close out the night, the energy

Donald “Childish Gambino” Glover shines in ‘Atlanta’

continued to remain high with another blues-based group. John Shirley played the harmonica and was joined by Ricky Berger on the guitar, Andrew Fordyce on the drums and Charles Gabriel playing bass. They played three songs that were emotionally fueled and Shirley sang with a lot of power, getting very into the performance, making it all the more enjoyable. Overall, this event was a great way to hear and see the capabilities of UMass Lowell’s students and staff. With a variety of genres, there is something everyone can enjoy. Performance-goers may also discover new instruments they may not have known about before, such as the tro sau. This event was important to the UMass Lowell community, as proceeds from the event go towards student scholarships. As Professor Williams noted in the beginning of the event, there will be more performances throughout the year, as this is a four-part series.

Touche Amore ‘Stage Four’ review Emily Toomey Connector Staff

Post-hardcore powerhouse Touche Amore recently came together to release “Stage Four.” “Stage Four” provides something so honest and raw that leaves the listener craving for more. This album is the perfect follow up to “Is Survived By,” their 2014 album. This record pulls inspiration from Jeremy Bolm’s mother passing of cancer. Touche is known for their harsh vocals and beautiful melodies and this record proves no exception. There is something so artistic about their music and this record might be their best release yet. Opener Flowers and You provides an emotional ballad for the record. “Highly decorated with a badge that read it could be worse.” This lyric pulls directly from Jeremy’s mother passing. His vocals are not so much a scream on this track and they are a sense of crying out. The melody provides a beautiful background for such a harrowing song. This song is a journey of emotionally distress filled with love, something so unique. New Halloween, the second track on the album might be on of their most emotional releases to date. “I skip over

songs cause they’re too hard to hear / Like Track 2 on Benji or What Sarah Said.” In reference to “What Sarah Said,” “love is watching someone die.” The listener instantly feels sorrow from hearing this track. “I haven’t found the courage to listen to your last message to me.” “Single Displacement”

“You died at 69 with a body full of cancer” is an instant emotional release for Bolm. Left to wonder why she had to go on that way. While only being two minutes long, this track provides an emotional rollercoaster for listeners all around. By the end the track provides some closure “I know she’s looking out for

“Eight Seconds” provides something so melancholy to the record. “We need to talk when you have the chance,” the dreaded phone call. This song provides a fast tempo, just building up the anticipation. Only to end with, “she passed away about an hour ago when you were leaving the dream on stage.” This Courtesy of Epitaph Records

“Stage Four” is Touche Amore’s fourth studio album to date.

provides something so raw, a side of the band often left masked or not shown fully.

me.” Something about this track provides the listener a sense of comfort.

track leaves the listener picturing the scene in their head. Overall this record provides

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Chancellor’s Celebration of Music recap ►Continued from front page featured students of UMass Lowell as well as recent alumni. They played two songs which were sung by Williams. The strings added a nice touch combined with the powerful percussion. In addition to singing, Williams also played the lead guitar. Harmony vocals were provided by Darleen Wilson, also on guitar, and Greg Porter, who also played bass. Faculty member Janet Welby performed a piece she composed entitled “Loons.” She was accompanied with a flute, clarinet and piano, which all joined together for a wonderful, classical piece. Lecturer Ramon Castillo took the stage next with Lee, who was again on percussion. Castillo earn a doctorate in composition from Boston University after using his programming knowledge to help him learn composition. Castillo’s performance was very distinctive. One of the few visual based performances of the night, the screen behind them displayed a symmetrical video that moved in sync with the music. The images were actually of Castillo playing. It is better to see it to actually understand what was occur-

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a unique mix of melodies to create an effortless sound. They kept the same beat and tempo through most of the record providing a sense of comfort for the listeners. Most of these tracks provide something so raw that is bursting with emotion. ”Stage Four” as a whole provides an honest story line and concept that gives the album a sense of vulnerability. They are currently touring with Tiny Moving Parts and Culture Abuse this fall.

Shane Foley Connector Editor

“Atlanta,” the new TV show produced by Donald “Childish Gambino” Glover, may be among the rapper/singer/comedian/actor’s boldest projects to date. The show is rather heavy, touching upon some deep issues, yet Glover manages to weave his trademark humor throughout the work seamlessly. The result is a show that is provocative and hilarious at the same time. Glover, known for his comedy works such as his role on the TV show “Community,” proves in this show that he is still a comedic mastermind. What viewers may be surprised by this show is how dramatic it can get. Glover’s character in the show lives in abject poverty with his girlfriend and son. The basic premise of the show is how he attempts to better his situation by becoming the manager of his cousin who is also a rapper by the alias “Paperboy.” Fans of Glover’s rap career may be happy to know that there is a teaser online for the song “Paperboy” performed by Glover that is quite well put together. It is through this premise that the audience sees Glover be put in some extremely trying situations. In the four episodes we have been treated to so far, he has dealt with murder, jail time, the job search, drugs, etc. Most of this is due to his affiliation to Pa-

perboy, who lives a much rougher life than Glover’s character would want to. Due to this, the show maintains a very interesting tone that separates it

Rock” and more with the Netflix type of feel or perhaps the show “Weeds.” One example of this that does not give much of the show away is Glover’s character’s time in jail. He is imCourtesy of FX

In Atlanta, Glover (right) manages the rap career of Paper Boy (center).

from many other shows on television currently. This is a comedy, but it is not a sitcom. The audience is not bombarded with jokes to then be revealed to a theme at the episode’s close. It is more that the show attempts to have the audience invest in the theme and the struggles that Glover’s character endures and through that then incorporate humor here and there. This show has less in common with perhaps “The Big Bang Theory” or “30

plicated as an accomplice to a murder he only witnessed, and the audience sees him deliver a quite moving voicemail message to his girlfriend via the jail phone. After this dramatic piece, Glover’s character then must interact with the culprits of much more elaborate crimes, which in of itself is dramatic. After some time, though, there is a hilarious moment where a criminal attempts to have a very awkward conversation with another criminal

with Glover in between, and when Glover asks if he can move, he is denied. Typical Glover comedy ensues from there. The show also has very interesting social commentary which may be more in line with Glover’s music and comedy routines. Other characters in the show have very prominent uses of social media as well as use phrases they may not be expected to say. There is one scene where the rapper Paperboy is being scolded by a female in suburban Atlanta, but once she realizes it is Paperboy, stops her condemnations and takes an Instagram photo with him. This can lead to many humorous moments as well. It is very rare that we see a show like this, where the humor is so tightly woven into the drama. Typically, shows favor one or the other, being predominately comedy or predominately drama. “Atlanta” may be the first comedy/drama show in existence. The only other work it could be maybe compared to is the works of Quentin Tarantino. His movies are nothing like this show, but his movies are pieces of drama that often become so carried away they become hilarious. That is the mood this show inspires. It is sure to draw fans of comedy and drama alike, and they will most likely be pleased with what they see Tuesday nights at 10 p.m.

The Below Average Seven: ‘The Magnificent Seven’ review Owen Johnson Connector Staff

It has only been one week since “Blair Witch,” and there is already a new generic remake of a film that exists solely to make money. At least other remakes use recognizable titles to make a profit; this one could not even do that right. Set some time after the Civil War, a small town is being threatened by industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) and his forces of hired guns. In the hopes of ousting Bogue, the town recruits the help of seven hired fighters of their own. The movie is split into two sections. The first half is used to establish all of the characters and get them to the town while the second half is used to prepare for and show the final climactic shootout, both of which fail at what they were trying to accomplish. As stated above, the first half of the movie is dedicated to introducing the characters, but that is a very generous term to be used to describe them. Only three people in the whole movie (Denzel

Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke) have some mild amount of a character. Everyone else is a blank and forgettable slate, and at least two members of the seven (Joe D’Onofrio, Martin Sens-

The second half of the movie is handled well from a directing and action standpoint, but the failures of the first half weigh heavily on it. As it is the epic battle that has been being promised since

the characters at all. Instead of seven characters we have come to care about risking their lives for a mission we want them to succeed, we get a bunch of blank slates shooting at equally blank slates that Courtesy of Coloumbia Pictures

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

“The Magnificent Seven” hit theaters this past weekend.

meier) have no motivation to be risking their lives for the town in the first place.

the beginning of the movie, it would have helped to actually be able to care about any of

Bogue is idiotically sending forward all at once, in a battle strategy that only Zapp Bran-

nigan would approve of, to just get massacred. Despite the blank slates that the actors are given, almost all of them do their best with what they are given. The only person who is really bad is Vincent D’Onofrio, who for some reason decided to speak in a high pitched voice that made the words he was saying comprehensible only about half of the time. The only other problem with the cast was that Chris Pratt was not utilized correctly. He is supposed to be a witty member of the group, but then everything witty he does is all punchline and no set up. For example, there is a part where the seven round up some dynamite, and Pratt says, “I’ve always wanted to blow something up,” to which the other six laugh. Had the movie utilized its characters better and been able to create an emotional core to the movie, it could have been decent. Since it failed to do that one simple task, everything else fell flat. Final Grade: C-


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September 27, 2016

CAMPUS LIFE

Puppies offer a helpful paw to help relieve stress Marilyn Saha Connector Staff

lowering blood pressure, increasing socialization, etc.-- and the students loved it so much - it amazed me how they were willing to wait in such a long line to hang out with them. We had to expand the program.” These puppies were then brought straight into the residence halls, focusing on first year students who might be feeling the stress of college. Studies shows that the first three to

six weeks for first year students are the hardest. Going from having your family around constantly to not seeing them as often is tough on anyone. Things start to get really hard when these students cannot seem to find their rhythm or fit in. “The students who struggle may not make a trip to come see the dogs if we had them elsewhere, so it made perfect sense to bring them directly to the first

Stressed out? Missing home? Need something to put a smile on your face? Well there is one easy solution: puppies. For three years now, freshmen have been blessed with the sight of these furry, lovable creatures. Last Wednesday, UMatter and their co-sponsor Healthy HAWKS brought in three pups, Tilley, Mollie and Truman, into Fox Common and the first floor common room in Leitch Hall. There, students were able to spend some time with therapy dogs and unwind. The line to mingle with these pups in Leitch was fairly long, the average wait being about 20-25 minutes, but it was absolutely worth it. Tracy Moore, the advisor of Healthy HAWKS, worked with Jacquie Keeves, the assistant director of violence prevention, and her student group, Campus Advocates for Preventtion Education (CAPE), to plan the Paws to Play series. Therapy dogs have been brought to campus for about four years now. Initially, they were only brought to the Stress Relief Fairs that occur once every semester. “There are so many fantastic benMarilyn Saha/Connector efits to therapy dogs --stress relief, Healthy Hakws sponsored this event where many students got to go with puppies.

year halls. Other research says that in order for a student to feel grounded and connected to their school, often all it takes is a brief interaction - someone who represents the school connecting with them. So by having peer educators there, we’re offering an opportunity to students who feel a bit lost to hopefully begin to find their footing,” Keeves said. The Healthy HAWKS have been helping out with Paws to Play since they began in the residence halls. This year, they also added CAPE which is a new organization that focuses on sexual violence and suicide prevention. Paws to Play actually falls under the suicide prevention category because “it’s all about offering support to students - it’s just done in a very indirect way.” What Keeves loves the most about this program is how much students love this program. “On the outside it looks like all fun and games (which it is) and yet there is some really great stuff happening.” It’s safe to say that these puppies definitely put a smile on all of our faces. Want to see these pups again? They will be making another appearance on Fresh Check Day so be sure to check it out!


September 27, 2016

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SPORTS

Volleyball falls in five sets against Hartford ► Continued from front page

many fans in the bleachers, took the first set 2523.

“In the beginning of set one, we had a huge hole, and we fought back. I think it was a very good learning moment to be down by that many points and come back,” said Head Coach Resa Provanzano. While they won the first two sets and appeared poised to take the third, the River Hawks had trouble keeping up with Hartford. There was a major momentum shift during the third set, where Hartford built a five point lead over the River Hawks,

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

UMass Lowell is 1-6 in the series against Hartford.

which was the first time since the first set that UMass Lowell had been down by so many points. The Hartford Hawks ended up taking the third set, 25-22. “We needed to focus more on our play, to be real honest. Hartford had high energy and came out and played aggressive for every point, and we let it get us back on our heels,” said Coach Provanzano. The Hartford Hawks were able to steal the third set, what could have been the win for UMass Lowell, because of some mistakes that were made by the River Hawks late in the set. Hartford scored their twenty-fourth point with UMass Lowell four points behind. Hartford capitalized on the leads that they built throughout the third, fourth, and fifth sets. While the River Hawks would catch up and in some instances reclaim their lead, Hartford always came back in the end. “We have to be able to stop the momentum [from changing], get refocused, reenergized, and in the fifth game, you got to play every point,” said Coach Provanzano. The River Hawks were able to get some points by just touching the ball over the net, while Hartford

took the approach of slamming it as hard as they could to the ground. Hartford soared to a 22-15 lead in the fourth set, and although the River Hawks engineered a comeback and came within three points of Hartford, they lost the fourth and lost their advantage over Hartford. Plays were dynamic and the celebrations grandiose in the fifth and final set. Hartford players hollered upon grabbing another point, and the River Hawks were just as overjoyed to score. Unfortunately, Hartford rocketed to a 13-8 lead in the fifteen-point set, and although the River Hawks did fight back to get to eleven points, they ultimately lost with a serve that came just short of sailing over the net and lengthening the game. “Welcome to conference. Everybody is going to fight for a point, everyone wants to win... you can’t go on cruise control,” said Provanzano. On a more positive note, Provanzano alluded to one of the River Hawks’ many strengths as a team. “We started off the match serving really aggressive. If we can serve like that throughout the whole match, great things are going to happen,” said Provanzano.

Blaskic nets game winner, No. River Hawks fall at 24 River Hawks top Bryant 1-0 Providence, 5-1 UMass Lowell Athletics

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Ivan Blaskic (Zagreb, Croatia) scored his first career goal in the 76th minute as the No. 24 UMass Lowell men’s soccer team defeated the Bryant Bulldogs, 1-0, on Wednesday evening. “Our guys did well to keep their composure in a very physical battle,” said Head Coach Christian Figueroa. “There was a lot of back-andforth stuff out there and I thought the guys responded really well, and I gotta give them a lot of credit for that.” After a Bryant foul down in the attacking end, Dario Jovanovski (Zagreb, Croatia) sent a free

kick into the box and Ivan Abramovic (Zagreb, Croatia) flicked a header to the back post where Blaskic headed it home. In the first 45 minutes, the River Hawks applied the pressure from the opening minutes and Ivan Abramovic (Zagreb, Croatia) cut through the Bryant defense but had his shot stopped by Nick Stewart. Abramovic had the next two attempts for the visitors but was denied on two fingertip stops by Stewart off a finesse move and a header in the 12th and 18th minutes, respectively. Freshman Joe Kellett (Norfolk, Mass.) had two chances for

his first career goal in the middle of the first half. In the 21st minute a Bulldog defender sent a header past Stewart and towards to the goal, but before Kellett could knock it in the keeper recovered. Dario Jovanovski (Zagreb, Croatia) found Kellett at the far post in the 26th, but Stewart made it back to the right spot at the last moment. Austin Kroll (Baltimore, Md.) made one save for his 22nd career win and seventh victory of the season. Stewart made six saves for the hosts as the River Hawks held a 9-4 shot advantage, and had seven attempts on target compared to one for the Bulldogs.

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

UMass Lowell men’s soccer starts America East play on Oct. 1.

UMass Lowell Athletics

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sophomore Torrie Huk (Milford, Del.) scored her team’s lone goal, as the UMass Lowell field hockey team (3-5) fell, 5-1, at Providence (8-2) on Sunday afternoon. “I thought we played a really good first half,” said Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. “We did some of the things that we had worked on all week, including our defensive mindset. Providence outworked us all over the field the entire 70 minutes. They were gritty, tough and fast. Our energy level was down and we couldn’t compete with them.” Freshman Anouk Lalande (Brussels, Belgium) added an assist on the day, as well as two shots, while senior Georgia Cowderoy (Ashmore, Queensland, Australia) recorded two shots of her own. Junior goalkeeper Kelsey Federico (Windham, N.H.) turned in a complete-game performance with six saves. The Friars registered the first four shots of the day, but it was the River Hawks who got on the board first just under 13 minutes into the contest, as Lalande sent a nice centering pass

across the front of the cage for Huk to sweep it on target. Play was contained in the middle of the field for the next several minutes before Providence was able to convert on a corner opportunity when Floor Rozemeijer finished off a rebound, knotting the score. The home team was then awarded a penalty stroke and Kali Kilmer made good on the attempt to put her squad in front, 2-1, at the break. Coming out of halftime, the Friars quickly made the score 3-1 thanks to a goal by Adrienne Houle during a scrum in front of the cage. The River Hawks fired back with good chances from Cowderoy, junior Katie Luchino (Freehold, N.J.) and classmate Christa Doiron (Worcester, Mass.), but PC’s keeper, Megan Guilbert, turned away the trio of shots. Providence pulled away with an unassisted goal by Megan Hamilton in the 50th minute and a breakaway goal by Sylvia Miller in the 67th minute, sealing the 5-1 outcome. The River Hawks’ next game will be back at home on Friday, September 30 when the squad opens America East play against Maine at 7 p.m.

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

Sunday’s contest marked the eighth meeting between UMass Lowell and Providence.


September 20, 2016

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

Page 8

SPORTS

Field Hockey overcomes deficit, loses to Hofstra 4-3

U P C OM I N G

River Hawk Games

Hannah Manning Connector Editor

Despite a strong showing in the second half, the UMass Lowell field hockey team was handed its fourth loss of the season against Hofstra on Friday night. The 4-3 loss snapped a two-game win streak for the River Hawks. The River Hawks came back from a three-goal deficit. Hofstra scored three straight times in the first half, but the River Hawks clawed back into the game with strong possession in the second. Hopes for a come-behind win, which would’ve been UMass Lowell’s first-ever against Hofstra, were dashed within the last ten minutes of the game, where possession numbers slipped and Hofstra leveraged the play. Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk acknowledged the odds that were stacked against them. “I think anytime you put yourself in a three-goal deficit it’s going to be really hard to come back and win the game,” she said. “I thought we struggled with goal scoring a bit in the first half, but came out with a new intensity in the second half,” Hlebichuk said. Goal scoring came in clusters. Hofstra’s Claudia Marin Samper lit up the board with two goals in the first fifteen minutes of the first half. Their next goal didn’t come until thirteen minutes later, when Emily Gallagher’s third goal of the season seemed to hit the final nail in the River Hawks’ coffin. However, sophomore forward/ midfielder Torrie Huk struck back with an unassisted goal during a corner. UMass Lowell headed into the second half trailing by two goals, but at least they hadn’t been shut out. They had more work to do, thirty-five minutes of it.

Thursday, Sept. 29

7 pm

WSOC vs. Maine

Friday, Sept. 30

7 pm

FH vs. Maine,

Friday, Sept. 30

7 pm

Saturday, Oct. 1

5 pm

Sunday, Oct. 2

12 pm

Sunday, Oct. 2

4 pm

WVB at Albany

MSOC vs. Binghamton FH vs. SHU Hockey vs. PEI

The River Hawks are now 6-0-1 in their all-time record against Hofstra.

Goalkeeper Kelsey Federico kept UMass Lowell in the game for the whole seventy minutes, making eight saves for the night. She made two athletic saves during a Hofstra corner that directly led to a corner for her own team. Coach Hlebichuk said that she was put in a few sticky situations by the decisions made by the defense in the first half. “I think overall [Federico] had some good clears at the end of the first half for us, and found a spark to keep us in the game that second half.” The second half featured higher possession numbers, with an early scoring chance that put fans on their feet despite the rain and the cold. While Hofstra scored their fourth goal nine minutes into the half, the River Hawks answered with one of their own a mere thirteen seconds later. Carleen O’Connell scored off of a rebound that flew off of the Hofstra goalkeeper’s pads, a well-executed goal that gave the River Hawks a fighting chance. That goal appeared to put a flame under their seats; the deficit was cut in half. A two-goal gap was much less imposing than a three-goal gap. At the fifty-two minute mark, the River Hawks struck again, but it would be the last goal of the night for either team. Katie Luchino scored off of one of

UMass Lowell’s eight corners of the game. Torrie Huk had a stab at her second goal of the night, zeroing in on the Hofstra goal all alone until the ball was swept away from her. The rest of the game featured several River Hawks chances; UMass Lowell had fourteen shots on goal compared to Hofstra’s five. Unfortunately for the River Hawks, the ball just stayed out of the gate. Possession slipped in the last eight minutes of the game, and they were unable to keep the momentum that rocketed them back into the game after a three-goal deficit. The River Hawks are now 6-01 against the Hofstra Pride. Their record fell to 3-4. The River Hawks will travel to Providence for a Sunday matinee game that will begin at 1 p.m. They return to Wicked Blue Field on Sept. 30 for their first America East conference matchup which will be against the University of Maine Black Bears.

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

12 River Hawk alums on NHL training camp rosters UMass Lowell Athletics

NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League announced training camp opening rosters of all 30 clubs on Friday afternoon, which includes 12 former River Hawks on rosters to start camp. Two-time Hockey East Tournament MVP Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg) looks to win the starting job with the Jets after a solid rookie campaign. Defensemen Christian Folin (Minnesota) and Ron Hainsey (Carolina) are back with their respective teams. Goaltender Carter Hutton (St. Louis) breaks camp with a new team and Ben Holmstrom (NY Islanders) is back for another year with the Islanders. 2016 graduates Kevin Boyle (Anaheim), Adam Chapie (NY Rangers) and A.J. White (Boston) are in camp for the first time with NHL teams. UMass Lowell has four alums with the Pittsburgh Penguins, including Stanley Cup Champion Scott Wilson, Doug Carr, Barry Goers and Chad Ruhwedel. The River Hawks have the seventh most alums in training camps among Hockey East teams and they are one of 17 NCAA teams to boast 12 players or more on rosters. More than 500 former NCAA players reported to NHL training camps on Thursday and Friday as teams took to the ice to begin the 2016-17 season. Those 534 players represent 55 schools and include 107 rookies who played NCAA hockey in 2015-16. The 534 players marks an increase of 31 from last year’s camps, while the 107 rookies are 20 more than a year ago.

Courtesy of the Boston Globe

A.J. White will be at the Bruins’ training camp vying for a spot on the roster. The River Hawks will be looking for wins to bounce back into postseason contention.

Photo credit Bob Ellis


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