October 1, 2019

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 06

Fallout from sorority racial slur video unclear

BY JACK DOBBS AND LAUREL DEPPEN

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

WKU will not pursue any disciplinary action after a video posted to Twitter showed members of Alpha Xi Delta singing the lyrics of a song con-

taining a racial slur, Director of Media Relations Bob Skipper said.

Any sort of discipline for the Epsilon Kappa chapter would be handled by the national organization, Skipper said.

“We used it as a teachable moment to educate the students that their behavior may not be perceived as they intended,” Skipper said.

As of Friday, Skipper said he did not know what steps the national organization would take.

The video, which was posted to Twitter on Aug. 30, shows several people, including some members of the sorority, singing along to Saweetie’s “My Type.”

Skipper said he learned about the vid-

eo when Charley Pride, WKU director of Student Activities, sent him a notice outlining the incident. At first, Skipper said the university had difficulty determining if the people in the video were members of the WKU chapter.

SEE ALPHA XI DELTA • PAGE A2

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

James Garrett watches over a group of children climbing around the World War II tank before the reenactment of the battle known as “Operation Anvil” at Phil Moore Park on Saturday, Sep. 28, 2019. The children were able to climb inside the tank and look through the sight telescope.

BLAST TO THE PAST BOWLING GREEN HOSTS WWII REENACTMENT•PAGE B1

Scholarship change sets WKU apart

BY JACK DOBBS

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

WKU’s new criteria for freshman scholarships will look to set the university apart from other schools in the state, as it makes WKU the first university in Kentucky to ditch ACT score requirements for most merit-based scholarships.

Scholarships are currently awarded based on an ACT score and GPA calculation. Under the new system, scholarships will be awarded primarily on GPA. Students scoring a 28 or above on the ACT can compete for larger funds, according to an infographic.

This change in criteria, coupled with a $5.2 million increase in scholarship funding, puts WKU in position to reward scholarships to a much larger portion of future freshman classes.

“Last year, 39% of the freshman class was eligible for scholarships,” Caboni said in the press conference on Sept. 24. “This year, we’re anticipating 80% of a first-year class will receive some sort of scholarship aid.

That is a remarkable investment.”

WKU Media Relations Director Bob Skipper said this is the first time a university in Kentucky will be making

this change.

“I’m not interested in recruiting freshmen anymore,” Caboni said. “I’m interested in recruiting future fouryear-degree holders, and we’re going to put all of our efforts toward that.”

Currently, the two largest state universities in Kentucky, the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, require a minimum ACT score when awarding scholarships.

“We’re going to continue to work hard to ensure that the WKU experience is affordable and accessible no matter someone’s economic condition,” Caboni said.

For their lowest academic scholarship, the University of Kentucky requires a minimum ACT score of 26, according to UK’s scholarship page.

The University of Louisville also requires an ACT score of 26, according to UofL’s scholarship page.

Some colleges have implemented a “test-optional policy,” which abandons a standardized testing requirement for admissions, according to U.S. News and World Report. One such university is the University of Chicago.

According to University of Chicago’s website, students can provide a standardized test score if they wish, but it is only required for applicants

who live outside the United States.

A 2018 study by Steven T. Syverson, Valerie W. Franks and William C. Hiss over the effectiveness of “test-optional policies” saw an average increase of 1,926 applications among 28 participating universities after those universities enacted a TOP, with public institutions seeing an 11% increase and private schools seeing a 29% increase in applicants.

Additionally, the study found the quality of the enrolled student body was not affected by removing a test requirement.

“Applicant average high school grades and SAT scores increased from pre-policy to post-policy at all but one of our institutions,” the study stated.

The College Board, the entity that administers the ACT and other standardized tests, remained adamant that standardized testing and grade review is the best way to predict student success in college, according to a 2018 article from Inside Higher Ed. “We must do things that make us both more attractive and more affordable,” Caboni said.

Reporter Jack Dobbs can be reached at jack.dobbs469@topper.wku.edu.

Follow him on Twitter @jackrdobbs.

Warren County battles voter registration misinformation

BY MATTHEW WILLIAMS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU The Warren County Clerk’s office is set on clearing up students’ misunderstandings about registering to vote after running into problems last November.

Kari Kunkel, deputy clerk for Bowling Green, said that the County Clerk’s office ran into problems last year when students were misinformed on how to register to vote.

Kunkel said students were told the wrong dates and couldn’t figure out their designated polling location.

False text messages were sent out confirming people’s registration when it wasn’t actually received, and some were registering on sites not affiliated with the government.

“We are really just wanting to drive home the fact that govoteky.org is SEE VOTING • PAGE A2

A2 NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

How to register to vote by Oct. 7

The 2019 Kentucky Gubernatorial elections and 2020 national elections are approaching, and residents of Bowling Green both old and new should be kept fresh on voting registration, voting location and voting rights knowledge. Here are the basics to the voting process.

How to Register The first step to registering is acquiring a voter registration form. The U.S. Election Committee has provided a PDF version of the registration available on the online version of this story.

Requirements specific to Kentucky are listed on page eight of the form, which includes a social security number, party indication and a signature to a set of conditions. The “Race or Ethnic Group” section is left blank on Kentucky registrations. The form can then be filled out, printed and mailed to: State Board of Elections 140 Walnut Street Frankfort, KY 40601-3240 Students planning on absentee voting in their respective counties can find their state election office here and find further instruction.

Voter registration forms for Bowling Green residents can also be picked up at the Warren County Clerk office, located on 429 E. 10th Street.

When to Vote Kentucky Gubernatorial Elections are on Nov. 5. Primary voting across the nation occurs on a variety of days in 2020 from February to June. Kentucky primary voting is on May 19, 2020. The national elections are on Nov. 3, 2020.

Where to Vote Students can go to vrsws.sos.ky.gov/ vic/, to find info about about local

voting locations.

How to Vote Warren County, which includes Bowling Green, uses an electronic voting system called Hart InterCivic eSlate and eScan machines, according to the Board of Elections.

Locations with the eSlate machine, according to the Verified Voting Foundation, require you to register with a poll worker and sign the poll book. Voters will then receive a verification code from the poll worker, and will be brought to the machine for further instruction.

The Verified Voting Foundation claims locations with the eScan provide a literal pen-to-paper experience.

The verification process is mostly the same, but paper is provided by poll workers for voters to make marks with a pen. The ballot can be fed into the machine after being filled out.

Voters who feel a voting violation (such as a malfunctioning ballot machine or tampering of ballot machines) is occuring while they vote are urged to file a formal complaint with the Department of Justice.

Know Your Rights Per Kentucky state law, those who fail to register before election day are not allowed to register the same day per Kentucky law. Those who know they will be 18 years old by election day should register sooner rather than later.

Voters-to-be, on the registration note, are not required to submit any additional documentation with their registration, according to Rock the Vote.

Registered non-violent felons are allowed to request voting rights five years after the end of probation or their

ALPHA XI DELTA CONTINUED FROM FRONT

“I happened to come across the video watching it on this girl’s story that I used to go to high school with,” Jackson said in a Twitter direct message.

Jackson said the word is inappropriate and offensive.

Since being posted to Twitter, the video has over 41,000 views, 290 retweets and over 730 likes.

Andrew Rash, WKU Greek affairs coordinator, said he was unaware of any incidents like this happening in the past.

The president of WKU’s Alpha Xi Delta chapter, Mariah Morgan, said only the national chapter could comment on the issue.

“After talking with some people who were able to identify some of the people in the video, they were able to confirm that it was our [sorority],” Skipper said.

A meeting was held with Alpha Xi Delta leadership about the incident and the national organization was notified, Skipper said.

Lauren Felts, director of communication and marketing for the national Alpha Xi Delta organization, issued a statement on the incident in a Sept. 16 email.

“We are working with the chapter to investigate this incident,” Felts said in the statement. “This type of behavior does not reflect Alpha Xi Delta’s values and principles.”

Rose Mary Jackson, a student at Lindsey Wilson College, posted the video to Twitter.

Reporter Jack Dobbs can be reached at jack.dobbs469@topper.wku.edu.

Follow him on Twitter at @jackrdobbs.

Print Managing Editor Laurel Deppen can be reached at laurel.deppen774@ topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @laurel_deppen.

VOTING

CONTINUED FROM FRONT really the best way to ensure that it’s legitimate,” Kunkel said.

Students who were “registered” on other websites such as voter.org and turbovote.org later found out the County Clerk’s office never received their information.

The County Clerk’s office isn’t set up with those organizations, and it isn’t forwarded anything submitted on these websites. It’s become a concern for the office because employees don’t know where people’s information ends up after registering on an illegitimate site.

“They are not associated with the State Board of Elections or the Secretary of State’s office at all,” Kunkel said. “In an era of mass identity fraud, it’s important to make sure you’re on a secure website.”

Kunkel’s example in recognizing a legitimate website comes from when a person goes on govoteky.org, after clicking where it says to register, they’re forwarded to the Kentucky secretary of state’s page.

When the page is linked to a government site, it’s a sign that the person is on a legitimate website.

“We’re going to send a confirmation when you are registered,” Kunkel said.

“Keep it in your brain to go check it.”

This year’s registration deadline is Oct. 7 at 4 p.m.

Time is something the County Clerk’s office emphasizes because some believe they have until midnight to register, since they’re doing it online. The voter registration system will not take anything past the deadline

time whether online or in person.

Students living on campus can vote at either Bowling Green Towers and W.R. McNeill Elementary School.

“We want to make it as easy for students as we can,” Kunkel said. “We want everybody to participate and anyone who wants to participate to have the opportunity to register at their campus address.”

Donovan Taylor, a criminology major from Russellville, is still deciding what the best option is with his living circumstances.

“I will be registering in Bowling Green most likely if I plan to move,” Taylor said. “If I don’t move, then I’ll register in my hometown.”

There’s also the option for a student to register at their home address.

A student can request an absentee ballot by calling, emailing or showing up in person at the County Clerk’s office for their home address. The ballot can be returned through the mail or in person.

People have to choose whether they want to have a say in their home county elections or where they go to college, but it can never be both.

Elaine Losekamp, a WKU student, encouraged students to get registered to vote on National Voter Registration Day. “I feel like a lot of decisions are made by a very small portion of Americans,” Losekamp said. “I think that our government will be a lot more representative of what we actually want if more people are actually active in voting.”

Reporter Matthew Williams can be reached at matthew.williams904@ topper.wku.edu.

REED MATTISON • HERALD

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NEWS A3

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Crimes hold steady in 2018 campus safety report

BY HERALD NEWS STAFF HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU WKU’s rates of both crime and fire remain low and stable compared to 2017 and 2016, according to WKU’s 2018 Campus Security and Fire Report, which was released on Friday.

Liquor and drug law violations and arrest/citations are down from 2017, and the weapons possessions arrest/citations have also decreased. Dating violence and stalking are also down from 2017, and hate crimes reported on main campus are reported to be at zero currently.

“I would like to attribute that to the way our student and campus community are interacting with one another,” WKU Public Information Officer Tim Gray said.

Gray also said he feels the university is in a transitional stage, going from tolerance to acceptance with regards to race.

“Our level of patience will ultimately wane if all we are is tolerant,” Gray said, “But I think when we move to a place accepting another individual, then there’s

according to the report.

Additionally, the report states that staff trained in these areas will provide presentations to students, faculty and staff over how to report these incidents.

“Community policing is extremely important and near and dear for us,” Gray said. “That has become our identity. That has become the thing that we are striving each day to continue to improve.”

Gray said WKUPD is seeing an increase in the impact that outreach efforts are having on the community.

“One of the things that we’re seeing this year is that our outreach within the community is growing well beyond the walls of our campus,” Gray said. “It’s also growing within the walls of our campus in areas we’ve never been before.”

Gray said an example of the outreach that WKUPD is having on campus is a self-defense course taught by WKUPD for female student-athletes on campus.

“That’s a new area for our department,” Gray said. “We truly believe that if we know our students, if we know their concerns, if we know who they are, there’s gonna be a relationship that’s going to be

“We truly believe that if we know our students, if we know their concerns, if we know who they are, there’s gonna be a relationship that’s going to be inherently established.”

WKUPD Public Information Officer TIM GRAY

a sense of ownership.”

According to the crime tables in the report, the rape reports from this year to last year are the same for main campus. Furthermore, there was one reported robbery on the main campus and 12 burglaries.

The report stated that various efforts are being made to help WKU police engage with the student body.

The Counseling Center, the Office of Student Conduct and the Title IX Coordinator are working together in order to educate WKU on matters including relationship violence, harassment and hazing,

inherently established.”

Additionally, the report outlined procedures in case of a fire, charts of crimes reported on campus, safety procedures and policies. Along with the details of these procedures, the safety reports contained a description of the WKU Rave emergency message notification system.

According to the report, the design goal of WKU Rave is to assist in promoting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

The system delivers the messages to the WKU community via text, email, social media and outdoor siren notification systems.

CORRECTION •

A story in last week’s paper incorrectly stated that the ROTC donated to Play Ball Puerto Rico, and that students could not go to Puerto Rico for the program due to legal issues. Students could not go to Puerto Rico for the program because WKU policy does not allow trips that are not directly related to a class. The correction has been made and the Herald regrets the error.

REED MATTISON • HERALD

The WKU Police Department is an accredited department by the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police according to the department’s website. Staffed by 25 sworn officers, the department’s values are integrity, responsibility, and commitment to the university.

Also included in the report’s 79 pages was information from the WKU “Emergency Procedures Guide.” Among these procedures included instructions for what to do in the event of a fire.

With 30 fire alarms in education buildings and 29 in residential halls and fire drills conducted quarterly, the steps listed from the “Emergency Procedures Guide” instructed faculty and staff to pull the fire alarm, call the WKUPD and provide assistance to disabled individuals while not attempting to extinguish the fire.

After exiting the building, faculty and staff should account for all occupants they knew to be inside and not reenter.

Gray said the system for fire alarms is broken down “per building.”

The report also discusses Campus Security Authorities and the services they

provide. The report states that CSAs are trained on their responsibilities and the correct way to report crimes. According to the report, current CSAs include employees of the WKUPD, Transportation Services, the Office of Student Conduct and advisors to student organizations, among others.

Each spring, the Annual Security Report is compiled by campus police.

The report outlines “required safety and security information” as well as crimes that occurred over the past three years.

The report states that the data is collected through partnerships at WKU and throughout Warren County.

Jack Dobbs, Lily Burris and Abbey Nutter contributed to this story.

CRIME REPORT

September 24, 2019 6:34 p.m.

A person was arrested for receiving stolen property on Old Morgantown Road.

10:25 p.m.

A person was arrested for alcohol intoxication in a public place at McNeill Elementary.

September 25, 2019 3:45 p.m.

A student was cited for theft at Douglas Keen Hall.

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OPINION

A4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1 , 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WIN-WIN

ILLUSTRATION BY MADALYN STACK • HERALD

New scholarship criteria benefits everyone

BY HERALD EDTORIAL BOARD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Issue: With WKU’s recent downturn in enrollment, the university has decided to alter the way it awards scholarships by adding $5 million in funding and ceasing to consider ACT scores in the majority of given scholarships.

Our stance: WKU has made a terrific decision in helping out students in need by recognizing standardized testing is not a concrete way to measure intelligence while also making an effort to increase enrollment.

The ACT and other standardized tests have remained a flawed way to calibrate what students have learned in high school, and rewarding students based off this unreliable assessment has unfortunately been the norm for decades.

WKU’s choice will ultimately be a win-win for the university and its students by being more open-mind-

ed when deciding how to help them with financial aid and increasing both its enrollment and retention rate, since more students will be assisted throughout receiving higher education.

Standardized testing has been proven to inherently create biased results due to the fact that high schools in the United States cannot give every student the same education, according to a story published by Time magazine.

High schools with a predominantly minority population are almost categorically underfunded across the nation, causing students to not have access to necessary resources like up-to-date textbooks and modern-day technology, such as well functioning computers or tablets. Because of this they aren’t as equipped for the standardized testing that plays a large role in how they further their education.

In this same vein, students who attend wealthy schools are provided the instruments to excel, causing their test scores to be on the higher end of the spectrum. This allows

students who attend these wealthier schools to receive the larger scholarships, meaning they are being given aid even though they do not need it as much as others.

WKU recruiting students who do not succeed in the traditional sense also opens the door for more creative students who did not perform well on standardized tests. The ACT and SAT tests cause schools to overtly focus on preparing students for these tests, which minimizes hands-on learning and other creative outlets. It punishes students who tend to think outside the box rather than searching for a singular, objective answer.

Even if students do perform well on a standardized test, this doesn’t exactly mean they have learned a vast amount of information. What it has really shown is that they just know how to take the test better than other students. This is produced by teachers replacing their lectures and student interaction with practice tests and drills during class time.

WKU allowing these opportunities to students is along the same lines of

effort put forth from the Intercultural Student Engagement Center (ISEC), another program that has helped find a way to recruit students and give them the tools to stay successful at the university.

President Timothy Caboni said he wanted to recruit students to graduate, not just attend WKU for a brief amount of time, and the revamped scholarship program is a sure way to achieve this. These students also won’t graduate with as much debt, making WKU more attractive to them and partially freeing them of one of the main drawbacks of postsecondary education.

Bringing WKU’s enrollment numbers back up is a productive way to address the university’s budget crisis, and while it obviously won’t alleviate all of its monetary struggles, it is a dynamic way to help the students and administration. This type of action is a step in the right direction, shows awareness and sets WKU apart from its contemporaries.

Difficulty navigating new bus routes frustrates students

BY EMILY DAVIS HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

The new bus routes on campus are equally confusing and frustrating, as returning students who were accustomed to the old bus routes and their names are finding it difficult to adjust to the new ones.

The changes came about due to budget restrictions, but the revised strategy has been far from satisfactory.

There are several issues that add to this difficulty of adjustment — one being the lack of information from the university itself about these changes.

Students received one email from Parking and Transportation Services about the changes to the bus routes.

This email contained a very brief explanation of the new bus routes and their purpose. In this email, there were also explanations of where the buses traveled from 4 to 9 p.m.

These times are not relevant to the school day, when the buses are typically used by students the most, so this email was not very informative.

A second issue is the inaccuracy of the iWKU app. In this app, students can view an approximate bus schedule of nearest stops that displays the bus route name, the name of the bus stop, the direction the bus is headed after the indicated stop and approximately how long until the next bus arrives at the stop.

While all of this information can be helpful, it is very difficult to plan

CONTACT US

around the bus schedule with this app.

The times listed are not always accurate, and it does not show all of the stops on campus.

Continuously refreshing the app is required to view the most accurate or up to date times and stops. This is also highly inconvenient and not effectively informative.

Other students, especially those returning to campus this fall, have voiced their own frustrations with the alterations, like junior Carli Gambrell.

“Honestly, I was thrown off a bit by the name changes this semester,” Gambrell said. She also added the changes seemed to come suddenly, and it made her hesitant to use the buses the first few weeks back on campus.

Other students have described times they’ve gotten on the wrong bus and rode into town by accident or complained about consistently being late to classes because the buses weren’t on time.

Another source of information for students is the Topper Transit pamphlets located in Downing Student Union at the information desk and on the buses themselves. This pamphlet has bus routes mapped out and lists times the buses run on the inside.

The mapped routes are not entirely clear, and there is nothing to help base your location. There is no map of campus or Bowling Green but instead simply color-coded bus routes.

There is also no map key to explain stops or what all of the abbreviations

DISCLOSURES

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REED MATTISON • HERALD

Franklin junior Dakota Bradstreet rides the Big Red line on September 27, 2019. Bradstreet said he rides the bus every day.

mean. On the outside of the pamphlet, there is a chart of the three different bus routes with the listed times and an additional brief explanation of the individual service areas.

If confusion remains, the last place to look for clarity is the Parking and Transportation website. The website provides exactly the same information as both the email and the pamphlet with one addition: a points of interest section. This section is literally just the service area section with a few more stops in list format.

PTS’ response to student frustration and confusion has been apologetic about the difficulties students have experienced, and they are actively working through these issues. Howev-

er, there have been no visible solutions being put in place thus far.

As always, the PTS email, office and phone number are available during office hours to answer any remaining questions or clear up any remaining confusion about not only the new bus routes but the other new PTS changes this year. The PTS email address is transportation@wku.edu.

The Parking and Transportation office hours are 7:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. They can also be reached by calling 270-745-2361.

Opinion columnist Emily Davis can be reached at emily.davis###@topper. wku.edu.

McKenna Mitchell* Copy Desk Chief

OUR TEAM Jeremy Chisenhall* Editor-in-chief

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Kayla Robinson Distribution Manager

Opinions expressed in the College Heights Herald are those of student editors and journalists and do not necessarily represent the views of WKU. Student editors also determine the news and editorial content, and they likewise reserve the right to reject submissions.

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*Denotes editorial board members. The Herald publishes on Tuesdays during the school year.

The first copy is free, and additional copies are $1 each, available in the Student Publications Center on Normal Street.

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Hayley Robb Cherry Creative Director

FUN A5

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

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DELIVERY DRIVERS Be a part of our team and gain experience, references, connections and memories Must have a valid driver’s license and be available Tuesday morning If interested, contact Carrie Pratt at carrie.pratt@wku.edu

PHOTO

A6

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

ESTHER HEATH • HERALD

Members of the West African musical group “Kevebo!” perform on Saturday afternoon at the International Festival. “Kevebo!” incorporated the use of instruments such as the djembe and xylophones into their performance.

INTERNATIONAL LOVE International festival celebrates global culture

BY ESTHER HEATH HERALD.PHOTO@WKU.EDU

T

he celebration of culture and diversity known as the Bowling Green International Festival took place on Saturday at Circus Square Park.

Crowds and vendors of cultural cuisine and merchandise filled the park throughout the day.

Musical performances ranging from Latin to West African tunes lit up the atmosphere of the park. The Bowling Green International Festival occurs annually on the last Saturday of September.

ESTHER HEATH • HERALD

Luciana Gomez (left) helps her daughter, Camila, paint a fan at the Chinese arts and crafts booth at the International Fest. The tables were filled with children and adults alike taking part in the creative activities at the booth.

ESTHER HEATH • HERALD

Young men representing the Sultanate of Oman lock hands and participate in traditional dances outside of their booth. The men also incorporated small, fake swords into their dances a more censored version of the Omani traditional dance referred to as “Razha.”

ESTHER HEATH • HERALD

A representative of the Sultanate of Oman adjusts her headscarf in the shade of the Omani booth during the International Fest on Sept. 28, 2019. The Omani booth was adorned with the signature flag of the Sultanate of Oman as well as the scent of burning incense.

Attendees of the 2019 Bowling Green International Fest dance to music performed by the Marcel Portillo Band at Circus Square Park. The music of Marcel Portillo Band centers around Latin-styled music with blends of blues and funk.

LIFE

B1

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

Reenactors participate in the battlefield during Bowling Green’s World War II reenactment of the battle known as “Operation Anvil” at Phil Moore Park on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019.

OPERATION ANVIL

World War II reenactment serves as history lesson

It’s not every day you hear the sounds of tanks and gunfire in Bowling Green, but that’s exactly what took place Saturday.

Around 300 people gathered at Phil Moore Park for “Operation Anvil,” a World War II reenactment hosted by the nonprofit Honoring Our Heroes. A

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

Cooper Correa checks his phone on his break between the two showings of the World War II reenactment of the battle known as “Operation Anvil” at Phil Moore Park on Saturday, Sep. 28, 2019.

group of historians who have attended reenactment battles across the country founded the organization two months ago with hopes to preserve military history.

Ron Cummings, executive director of the nonprofit, said the reenactments are intended to remind us of our past and promote respect toward veterans.

“We are paying homage to veterans who fought for our freedoms,” Cummings said. “What we want to do is share, show, educate and honor.”

Operation Anvil was a battle in southern France between the Allies and Germany in 1944. It just so happened Bowling Green features terrain very similar to the south of France, Cummings said, which made it a perfect reenactment site.

After an opening ceremony, around 100 reenactors fitted with authentic military uniforms and replica weapons stationed themselves in the park’s large field. Two battle reenactments took place, one at 10 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m.

Smoke filled the air, and tank guns fired back and forth between American and German soldiers as onlookers

watched and took photos. Young children sat on their parents’ shoulders, intently eyeing the scene.

A B-17 bomber and P-51 Mustang fighter plane, which happened to be in town for the weekend, flew overhead, placing onlookers directly in the heat of battle.

Rick Dickerson, president of Honoring Our Heroes, served as an announcer, detailing to the crowd what was happening during each phase of the 45-minute battle. A veteran himself, Dickerson served along the Berlin Wall.

“We want to teach in a way that allows the younger generation to understand,” Dickerson said. “We want people to understand what military life is like and how the soldiers would live at the time.”

Authentic American and German military camps were set up at the site, and the public was allowed to walk through and speak with reenactors before and after each battle. Vendors were also present, selling military memorabilia such as uniforms and other artifacts.

Robert Decker, who collects WWIISEE WWII • PAGE B2

‘Be a boss’: Bowling Green entrepreneur inspires youth

BY GABBY BUNTON HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Bowling Green is no stranger to sprawling businesses and entrepreneurs looking to make their presence known.

Owensboro native Demetria Crowe and her business, Beauty Boss, a salon specializing in mink eyelash extensions, are no exception. As a 27-yearold black woman, Crowe said she hopes her role as a business owner serves as an example.

“I wanted to bring inspiration to our young black generation,” Crowe said.

“When you get closer to this side of Kentucky, you don’t see too many people being examples of a young, black entrepreneur. I wanted to become an inspiration.”

Crowe moved to Bowling Green a year ago to be near family and continue building her brand, which she established in Owensboro and Lexington since starting in eyelash work over two years ago. She first realized she wanted to inspire young women like herself after catching inspiration from fellow students at the University of Kentucky.

While heading to a homecoming event with a group of women, Crowe noticed they dressed in jackets to brace the fall weather. She hadn’t considered the option.

“When it was time to go out the door, all the other girls had on leather jackets, and here I am — one of the only few shivering,” Crowe said. “Where I’m from, we just go out the door cold. It was a moment like that that inspired me and let me know that I’m around young

women who I could be inspired by.”

Since then, Crowe has committed herself to providing eyelash extensions the “boss” way. However, this is not without its challenges.

“It’s hard being an entrepreneur,” Crowe said. “It’s not easy, but it’s rewarding. Anything rewarding and worth having — you’re going to have to fight for it. If it was easy, everybody would be an entrepreneur.”

She added that people often “pick popularity over quality,” which makes social media branding for Beauty Boss particularly frustrating.

“I might post something, and it only gets three likes and one share, and one share would be me,” Crowe said. “But somebody who may be starting out and doesn’t have the amount of training I do would post something that they are doing, and the post just blows up.”

Bowling Green resident Madison George said Crowe’s status as both a great eyelash technician and person keeps her coming back. The 19-yearold was one of Crowe’s first customers when she moved to town.

“She really lives up to her name — she’s a true boss with everything she does,” George said. “She’s become a sister to me.”

Fellow client Emma Brogli, 19, has worked with Crowe since before she operated out of a storefront location.

She said her work is always top notch.

“I’ve been with her forever,” Brogli said. “Being with her through her journey, I’m just very proud to see where she is now. I think her work is well worth it.”

Darlene Collins of Bowling Green first received eyelash work at Beauty Boss. She said Crowe made the experience easy.

“I have always wanted to get my lashes

EMMA STEELE • HERALD

Callie Nixon has her eyelashes done by Demetria Crowe at Beauty Boss on Sept. 30, 2019. “Getting my lashes done makes me feel prettier when I don’t want to put on makeup for the day,” Nixon said.

done … I was scared of being an older lady, but she made me feel comfortable,” Collins, 60, said of Crowe. “She went into details with what she was doing and even told me the quality of the lashes. I felt extremely relaxed and confident.”

Aside from owning and operating Beauty Boss, Crowe teaches classes for others interested in eyelash work as a side job. She hopes her work invites other women to be leaders and self-starters, she said.

“A lot of times, as women, we take the

underdog in situations,” Crowe said. “I always tell people, ‘Why chase a boss when you can be a boss?’ 100% beauty, 100% boss. We can be both.”

Beauty Boss is located at 1005 E. 15th Ave. and may be contacted for appointment scheduling at its website, kybeautyboss.com.

Features reporter Gabby Bunton can be reached at gabrielle.bunton605@ topper.wku.edu.

B2 LIFE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

The dress and stress: getting married in college

BY KATELYN LATTURE HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

A warm glow filled the towering ceilings, their windows revealing the night sky. It was just two days before Christmas, and Gaylord Opryland Resort hotel in Nashville bustled with people drawn to more than 3 million lights.

Lights wrapped around a number of trees big and small throughout the hotel, hung from the ceilings and seemed to cover everything else. As a native Middle Tennessean, they weren’t new to me, but there’s just something about Christmas time that always tugs on my heart strings.

It was past dinner time, and I was worn out from an evening party with family and sharing a room with my two-year-old niece for the past few days. No matter, my boyfriend, Taylor, and I found time to see the lights.

With my eyelids growing heavier, my stomach growling as if content to soon eat itself, Taylor persisted we venture to one of the hotel’s upper balconies. From there, we had a perfect view of the hotel’s most special tree, a 48-foot tree consistently designated the perfect backdrop for family photos.

Though I don’t remember everything Taylor said as we reached the balcony and stopped to admire the tree, I do remember him bending down on one knee to ask me to be his wife.

As expected, I burst into tears of joy.

There were so many tears he had to ask me twice, because he couldn’t understand me the first time I said yes.

This was last Christmas during my junior year. I never expected to get married in college, but after dating Taylor for four years, it was hard to wait any longer.

Now just a month out from our wedding date, I find it funny how time flies.

decision, in our case, I think it makes total sense. Taylor and I started dating after he graduated high school, and it just doesn’t make sense to us to wait until a “more reasonable” age to tie the knot.

As of 2018, the median age Americans are getting married is between 27 and 29 years old, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. As Taylor and I are 22 and 21 years old, respectively, to us, another five years of waiting doesn’t seem worth the delay.

I’ve also been told marriage isn’t easy, and people never fail to ask, “Do you really want to do that now?”

In my eyes, marriage is always challenging — getting married 15 years from now wouldn’t change that.

To learn to occasionally put your spouse’s interests before your own and seek compromise when possible seems as good a way as any to avoid excessive complication.

San Francisco-based therapy group Well Clinic listed a few common arguments against marriage in a July 2019 article on its website. One of these included unrealistic expectations such as never feeling lonely again after getting married.

Obviously, marriage won’t fix your problems. You’ll feel lonely and misunderstood sometimes, and your spouse won’t always have an answer.

Though the decision to get married wasn’t a difficult one for me even when considering all potential pitfalls, the decision of when to get married was a different story.

Now in my senior year and set to be wed in the middle of the fall semester (Nov. 2, to be exact), the timing certainly wasn’t ideal. But after considering the costs, I’ve decided, as Rascal Flatts sings, “Why wait another minute?”

My own experience so far I’ve already proposed to bridesmaids, researched venues, looked for a dress and done everything else one might expect planning a wedding entails.

“In my eyes, marriage is always challenging — getting married 15 years from now wouldn’t change that.”

Features reporter KATELYN LATTURE

Are we crazy?

People often say those getting married in college or shortly after are too young. In fact, one of my professors recently told me the same.

Though I agree that some people are too young or immature for such a

But oh, yes — the dress. Everyone always wants to know about the dress.

The search wasn’t quite as dramatic or glamorous as the television show “Say Yes to the Dress” makes it seem, but if you know me well, you’ll say

WWII CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

trooper in charge of the opposition force.

“We hope everyone understands this is not glorifying war in any way,” Decker said. “We simply want the public to see the tactics and maneuvers of the U.S. Army of World War II.” Paul Correa, who also acted as a

era military items and participates in reenactments to be around like-minded friends, acted as a German para-

CASSIE ADKINS PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo of Katelyn Latture and her fiance, Taylor. Photo provided by Latture

the dress looks exactly like me. I’d give you details, but Taylor reads my articles … We don’t want to give him any spoilers.

Though planning the wedding has been fun, it’s hard when you’re a full-time student. With homework, extracurricular activities and a social life constantly vying for my utmost attention, I promise there’s hardly any time for planning details.

On top of that, I’m grasping for time with my parents and dogs and the bedroom I grew up in. I didn’t expect to leave home before graduating, so adjusting to not seeing them as frequently is probably more challenging than anything else.

Why it’s worth it Despite the nonstop juggling of school work, transitional adjustments,

time made for extracurriculars and church, premarital counseling and time spent with family and friends, everything’s worth it when I look at Taylor.

Every time I see him, I’m reminded why I’m planning this wedding. The party isn’t the purpose — the purpose is to be married to Taylor before God and all our loved ones.

In just one month, I know I’ll be walking down the aisle in the perfect dress (call me biased) to my future.

And if you haven’t met Taylor, he’s one great, worth-the-wait future.

German paratrooper, said he hoped the event might impact the community in a positive way.

“Our intent is to honor veterans, educate the public about the history of the conflict, weaponry, vehicles and equipment and simply entertain,” Correa said.

The nonprofit plans to host future reenactment battles in Bowling Green so long as the public supports it.

Features reporter Katelyn Latture can be reached at katelyn.latture423@ topper.wku.edu.

Features reporter Kelley Holland can be reached at kelley.holland872@ topper.wku.edu.

CRAZY CREDITS

Learning becomes personal in the digital age

BY JULIE SISLER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Despite growing opportunities for digital communication through social media, understanding faceto-face communication is still highly valued by employers and could lead to greater success.

COMM 348, a course in interpersonal communication, gives students the opportunity to better understand and utilize such skills.

Professor of communication Holly Payne teaches the course. She said she believes it’s an excellent opportunity to not only learn about communication theory but to see it in action.

“We study how our perceptions

of self and others influence our construction and interpretation of messages,” Payne said. “We also closely examine how relationships are initiated, developed, modified, maintained and terminated through a communicative lens.”

Junior Garrett Boyd said the class was one of his favorites. He said he finds himself regularly utilizing the skills he picked up.

“Ever since I took the class, I have found myself noticing what other people do when I’m talking to them such as fidgeting or looking around the room if they are nervous and then trying to change the way that I am approaching them in conversation,” Boyd said.

Senior Rachel Tidwell said she also frequently uses the skills learned in class, finding a lesson in conflict

management to be particularly impactful.

“It taught different types of tactics you should use to navigate through a bad situation,” Tidwell said. “And more importantly, it taught what things you should not say and do in a given situation.”

A large part of the class analyzes how theories discussed are applied in your own life. This is demonstrated through personality and relationship assessments about love languages, conflict management styles, self perception and family relations.

Tidwell said one of the most illuminating class moments she encountered was learning her love language from an in-class quiz. She said the quiz was very accurate and later encouraged her fiance and friends to take it as well.

Payne said she’s heard much about how the class impacts students personally. She added that once a student told her via an end-of-semester evaluation the class saved one of their relationships.

“I can think of no higher praise,” Payne said. “I can’t promise that the course will save all relationships or that it should, but I can say that it provides a unique space to honestly examine why we communicate the way that we do and gives solutions for improving.”

Features reporter Julie Sisler can be reached at julie.sisler389@topper. wku.edu. Follow Julie on social media at @julie_sisler.

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SPORTS B3

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKU soccer tops 2018 record

BY ELLIOTT WELLS HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU The WKU soccer team (6-2-1, 2-0 C-USA) posted a 5-8-4 overall record during the 2018 season, but the Lady Toppers have already surpassed that mark in 2019.

The Lady Toppers — winners of just three Conference USA matches a year ago — moved to 2-0 in conference play by defeating previously unbeaten Louisiana Tech (9-1-1, 1-1 C-USA) 2-1 in double-overtime at the WKU Soccer Complex on Sunday.

With WKU’s victory over LA Tech, the Lady Toppers are now undefeated in conference play for the first time since the 2016 season. WKU is now tied with LA Tech in the all-time series between the two teams, 2-2.

Head coach Jason Neidell said every game in C-USA is a battle.

“This is Conference USA,” Neidell said postgame. “I mean, from top to bottom, it’s a really strong and competitive league, and it seems like every game is a one-goal game. You have to fight and find a way to win. Today, we scored first, and I think we let our guard down. They came back and got one, and we looked really deflated after they scored. It was hard to know at that point what would happen, but I think we gathered ourselves before the overtime started. I think our team showed a lot of resiliency today.”

The Lady Toppers needed an additional 15 minutes to defeat the Lady Techsters.

Junior forward Ashley Leonard stepped up and erased a 1-1 tie, netting the game-winning goal on a penalty kick at the 105:26 mark of the second overtime period.

Leonard, who leads WKU with five goals on the season, said she was nervous when she stepped up for her penalty kick attempt, but she put her nerves away and scored to give the Lady Toppers another win in double-overtime.

“Our team motto this year is ‘relentless,’ and we’ve decided to take our team goals game-by-game,” Leonard said postgame.

“So, we look at a game and say, ‘We’re going to win this game, and that’s our only focus.’ I think the first couple of games, unfortunately, we weren’t able to capitalize in overtime, and I think we’ve learned from our mistakes there. We have been able to do that recently, because we’ve really put our relentless motto on the field.”

After WKU reached double-overtime again over the weekend, the Lady Toppers have now played five of their first nine matches into the second period of overtime, including a 2-1 home win over Southern Mississippi (5-5, 0-2 C-USA) on Sept. 21.

Double-overtime matches haven’t been especially kind to the Lady Toppers in 2019, but WKU improved to 2-2-1 following its hard-fought win over LA Tech on Sunday.

VOLLEYBALL

CONTINUED FROM B4 25-17, securing its fourth consecutive 3-0 sweep.

Matthews finished with a matchhigh 15 kills and a .636 hitting percentage, while Dieudonne had three kills and added 37 assists. Junior Kayland Jackson finished with 10 kills for WKU. Following a 9-0 start to the season in Diddle Arena, WKU will play its next two C-USA matchups at home this weekend before hitting the road for a three-game stretch in conference play.

The first of the two matches will come against rival Middle Tennessee State (6-9, 0-1 C-USA) on Friday.

WKU is currently on a 12-game winning streak against the Blue Raiders dating back to 2011.

WKU lost 3-1 to MTSU in Diddle Arena on Oct. 4, 2011, but the Lady Toppers got revenge a few weeks later in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and

Coming into Sunday’s matchup between WKU, LA Tech was tied for the national lead and lead C-USA with 38 goals. Fifteen of the Lady Techsters’ 38 goals came earlier this season, when LA Tech defeated Alcorn State (0-8, 0-2 SWAC) 15-0 on Aug. 25.

WKU allowed LA Tech to score only one goal on four attempts, as junior forward Autumn Woodward managed to score her 13th goal of the season. The Lady Techsters couldn’t do much more, as WKU has only allowed six goals total this season.

The Lady Toppers finished with a 3-5-2 record in C-USA play in 2018, earning just 11 points. Through two conference games this season, WKU has already tallied six points and is tied with four other schools for second place in the league standings.

Neidell said he enjoys the fight his team has shown in both of the Lady Toppers’ double-overtime matches to begin C-USA play.

“Every three points in this league is crucial,” Neidell said. “To find a way to win today and as well as last weekend and come away with three points is huge. We left a lot of overtimes in the past couple of years on the table, and this year’s team is finding a way to get it done. Like I said, it’s all about the character that they’re showing on the field, because at some point, it comes down to grit and determination. They’re finding ways to win and I’m super proud of them.”

WKU showed its depth against LA Tech on Sunday, as Neidell played 17 total players. Freshman forward Katie Erwin and redshirt freshman Lucy Lyon all came off the bench and combined for 10 shots, helping the Lady Toppers finish with 24 shots.

The Lady Toppers not only extended their four-game winning streak on Sunday, but WKU also extended its streak of totalling 20 or more shots in a contest.

Redshirt sophomore midfielder Deven Jackson was added to the starting lineup two weeks ago. Since then, WKU has opened

FAHAD ALOTAIBI • HERALD

The Lady Toppers celebrate after junior forward Ashley Leonard (7) scores a penalty kick to defeat the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters at the WKU Soccer Complex on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019.

dimension to our midfield,” Neidell said.

“She is such a composed player and has the ability to pick people out and find balls that get us in between the other teams’ defense and create. Obviously, it’s huge adding her. She’s getting on the stat sheet.

She’s had several goals now, and I think she has a few assists. But she’s a difference maker for us, so it’s obviously an important piece to our puzzle.”

Jackson scored her third goal of the season in WKU’s win against LA Tech, as

“Our team motto this year is ‘relentless,’ and we’ve decided to take our team goals gameby-game.”

WKU forward ASHLEY LEONARD

up a four-game winning streak and hasn’t dropped a game since a 1-0 loss to Power 5 Mississippi (7-2-2, 1-0-2 SEC) on Sept. 5.

Since joining the starting lineup, Jackson has scored three goals and helped the Lady Toppers rank 14th nationally in shots per game.

Neidell believes Jackson is another option the Lady Toppers can rely on during C-USA play.

“Deven [Jackson] brings another started their current win streak in the all-time series by defeating the Blue Raiders 3-2 on Nov. 11, 2011.

WKU has lost just two sets in its last 10 matches against MTSU — one in 2015 and one in 2018.

The Blue Raiders started the 2019 season by dropping their first six games. MTSU has won six of its last nine matches since then, but the Blue Raiders fell 3-1 to Charlotte (10-7, 1-1 C-USA) on Sunday afternoon in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

WKU will end the weekend against Marshall (11-4, 2-0 C-USA) next Sunday afternoon.

WKU is currently on an eight-game winning streak against the Thundering Herd, and the Lady Toppers also own a 12-2 advantage in the all-time series dating back to Oct. 6, 1984.

Marshall is currently on a fourgame winning streak of its own. The Thundering Herd have only given up one set to their opposition since losing 3-2 to Morehead State (11-3, 2-0 OVC) on Sept. 19.

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she netted a right-footed shot at the 69:08 mark. The midfielder previously scored two goals in her first start against Southern Illinois (4-7-1) on Sept. 13.

The Auckland, New Zealand, native was sidelined for all of the 2018 season after injuring her hip during the preseason, but Jackson said she’s come back with a new level of confidence in 2019.

“After being out for so long, I had no other option then to come out here and

play,” Jackson said postgame. “I can’t hide, and that’s helped me in my confidence rather than backing down and being scared.”

With Jackson starting in the midfield, Barnett has moved to the forward position, and senior forward Chandler Backes has been forced to come off the bench.

Backes — who currently sits at eighth place on WKU’s all-time goalscoring list with 19 career goals — only played 13 total minutes on Sunday against the Lady Techsters. The marquee player has struggled so far in 2019, scoring just one goal for WKU. Following the team’s 2-0 start to conference play, WKU will continue C-USA play on Thursday against Charlotte (6-3, 1-1 C-USA) at the WKU Soccer Complex.

Charlotte currently leads the all-time series over WKU, 2-1-1.

The two programs most recently met in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sept. 28, 2018, when the 49ers defeated the Lady Toppers 2-1.

Neidell said he’s challenging his team to improve mentally against Charlotte.

“We had a lot of mental mistakes, especially as we got tired,” Neidell said. “We have to be a little bit sharper focus upstairs.”

Kickoff between the Lady Toppers and the 49ers is set for 7 p.m.

Reporter Elliott Wells can be reached at douglas.wells357@topper.wku.edu. Follow Elliott on Twitter at @ewells5.

MATT GADD • HERALD

The Lady Toppers huddle together after scoring a point during the match with Southern Mississippi in Diddle Arena on Sunday, Sept. 29 2019.

Marshall will play Charlotte on Friday before coming to the Hill to meet WKU on Sunday.

The match between the Lady Toppers and Blue Raiders is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, while WKU and Marshall

will get started at noon on Sunday.

Reporter Kaden Gaylord can be reached at kaden.gaylord559@topper. wku.edu. Follow Kaden on Twitter at @_KLG3.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

B4

The WKU defensive line faces the UAB offensive line before a play during the second half of the game against UAB in Houchens-Smith Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2019.

BRENNA PEPKE • HERALD

TENACIOUS D

Hilltopper defense impressive in 2-0 start to C-USA play

BY ALEC JESSIE HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU football team has staked its reputation on a high-quality defense to start the year 2-0 in Conference USA play.

The victory over defending C-USA Champion Alabama-Birmingham (31, 0-1 C-USA) on Saturday was a statement win for the Hilltoppers, who have now matched their conference win total from a year ago.

First-year head coach Tyson Helton has seemingly found a recipe for success with the Hilltoppers. Although not perfect, elite defense and a safe offense have put WKU over the top against its first two C-USA opponents.

WKU (2-2, 2-0 C-USA) created a template for Saturday’s 20-13 win over UAB three weeks prior in the Hilltoppers’ 20-14 victory over Florida International on Sept. 7.

The WKU defense stifled the FIU offense that evening, allowing only 217 yards of total offense, 66 yards passing and 3.3 yards per carry on the ground.

Much of the same occurred this past Saturday against the Blazers — the WKU defense shut down the UAB offense, only allowing 298 total yards.

After forcing only one turnover all season and playing three games without grabbing an interception, the Hilltoppers picked off UAB quarterback Tyler Johnston III four times.

UAB couldn’t get it going on the ground either. The Hilltoppers limited the Blazer rushing attack to just 117 yards and three yards per carry.

Redshirt junior defensive end DeAngelo Malone was an absolute force, recording 10 tackles and two sacks.

Up 20-13 with 6:38 remaining in the game, the WKU defense made the victory-clinching stop when Malone sacked Johnston III on fourth down to

turn the Blazer offense over on downs.

Helton said this was the ideal game he hoped his defensive unit would play.

“From the defensive side, they played exactly how I hoped they would play,” Helton said. “I knew coming into this game we were going to have to create turnovers to win this game and we had multiple on the night.

They played exactly how I envisioned them playing.”

The WKU secondary has turned in completely different results in two conference wins as opposed to the Hilltoppers’ two non-conference losses.

Central Arkansas’ Lujuan Winningham and Louisville’s Tutu Atwell burned the Hilltoppers’ secondary.

Winningham hung 222 yards and three touchdowns on WKU in the Bears’ 35-28 upset, while Atwell went for 145 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-21 win in Nashville.

But in two C-USA wins, WKU has only allowed one receiver — UAB’s Austin Watkins — to eclipse 50 yards.

WKU has the best passing defense in the league through two conference games, allowing C-USA opponents to average just 123.5 passing yards per contest.

WKU is also ranked third in scoring defense against C-USA opponents at 13.5 points per game, trailing only North Texas (3.0 PPG) and Southern Mississippi (13.0 PPG).

Even with an offensive pedigree coming in, the defense has taken over for Helton and the Hilltoppers. From key stops to stuffing the run, the WKU defense has shined brightest.

Darvin said the bye week, while early, came at a good time for the defensive unit.

“It came at a right time for us,” Darvin said. “There was a big emphasis of we knew what we needed to do. We knew we needed to stop the

big plays and get the ball. We harped on that for two weeks and it really showed.”

The offense has been a different story, however. While the defense has been busy dominating opposing offenses, Helton’s squad has been unable to muster up many points.

Through two C-USA games, WKU is ranked seventh out of 11 teams in scoring offense against league foes.

The Hilltoppers are averaging just 20 PPG, far behind first-ranked North Texas (45 PPG) and even top-five ranked teams like Southern Miss (31.0 PPG) and Charlotte (27.0 PPG).

The offensive execution didn’t pick up significantly in the absence of red-

said postgame. “There were definitely some little mistakes. We got to take advantage of those key third downs.

We did what we had to do to win, but obviously going forward we want to improve and get better as an offense.”

The run game has also taken a turn for the worst. Walker could only produce 19 yards on 12 attempts, while no other ball carrier even touched the rock for WKU. Helton was very open about taking responsibility for the lackluster offensive performances thus far.

“I’ll be my worst critic,” Helton said postgame. “You guys criticize right along with me, because we have to find a way to help our defense and get

“I knew coming into this game we were going to have to create turnovers to win this game and we had multiple on the night. They played exactly how I envisioned them playing.”

Head coach TYSON HELTON

shirt junior Steven Duncan, who started the season but will miss the rest of 2019 after surgery on his left foot.

In his first start with the Hilltoppers, Arkansas graduate transfer Ty Storey threw for a modest 189 yards on 15of-24 passing with one touchdown.

Storey also led WKU in rushing with 26 net yards on 13 carries because the Blazers refused to let redshirt junior Gaej Walker get going.

While hardly a poor performance, Helton said Storey left some plays on the field, including taking a key sack late in the fourth quarter that took WKU out of field goal range.

Storey said now that he’s the starting quarterback, he and the rest of the offense must find ways to improve.

“Continue to get better,” Storey

the ball in the end zone. We got to get a lot better with the situational football on the offense.”

Helton and company will look to buck this troubling offensive trend in conference play against Old Dominion (1-3) next Saturday. ODU hasn’t played a C-USA game yet, but the Monarchs have played close games against East Carolina, Virginia Tech and No. 21 Virginia in 2019.

Kickoff in S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia, is set for 5 p.m. The game will be streamed live for ESPN+ subscribers.

Reporter Alec Jessie can be reached at alec.jessie226@topper.wku.edu.

Follow Alec on Twitter at @Alec_Jessie.

WKU volleyball posts NCAA-best 11th sweep

BY KADEN GAYLORD HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU The WKU volleyball team (15-1, 1-0 C-USA) extended its winning streak to 11 straight matches last week, as the Lady Toppers tallied a pair of clean 3-0 sweeps against Austin Peay (4-12, 2-0 OVC) and Southern Mississippi (0-14, 0-2 C-USA) with the help of their home-court advantage in Diddle Arena.

The Lady Toppers have now notched 11 sweeps this season — the best mark among NCAA squads.

“We have a chance to be really good, and we are approaching it,” head coach Travis Hudson said on Sunday. “Today was a big step backwards, but a big step backwards with a win is kind of what you hope your step backwards to be. But we have to be better. A week from now we’ll have to be way better than we are. We have our rival Middle Tennessee coming in on Friday and a really hot, really good Marshall team coming Sunday. So we have a week to be better, and we will be.”

WKU capped non-conference play

last week by hosting the Governors in Diddle Arena on Sept. 24.

The Lady Toppers defeated APSU in straight sets, avenging their close 3-2 loss to the Governors on Oct. 16, 2018 in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Senior Sophia Cerino — the Division I women’s volleyball leader in both service aces and aces per set as of Sept. 27 — totalled five kills and four

Toppers hosted Southern Miss in their first Conference USA matchup of the season on Sunday afternoon.

Southern Miss eliminated WKU in the first round of the C-USA Tournament last year, which meant the Lady Toppers were looking to repay the Golden Eagles for ending their season prematurely in 2018.

WKU started out slow in the first set,

“We have a chance to be really good, and we are approaching it.”

Head coach TRAVIS HUDSON

service aces against APSU. Freshman Paige Briggs collected 11 kills and 13 digs — marking her eighth double-double of the season — while sophomore Katie Isenbarger added seven kills, two assists and three digs for WKU. After claiming their final match prior to conference play, the Lady

trading the lead back-and-forth with Southern Miss. The two squads traded the lead six times throughout the set, and the game was tied 12 times.

Sophomore Lauren Matthews tallied seven kills and two out of the last three points in the frame to help the Lady Toppers pull away and ultimately claim the opening set, 25-23.

“Southern Miss really came out prepared,” junior transfer Nadia Dieudonne said postgame. “They were on top of their game plan, played great defense, and they were running their offense. I don’t think we were there mentally.”

The second set started much like the first, but the Lady Toppers settled in and took control after Hudson called for a timeout when WKU went down 10-9 early on.

After regrouping for a few moments, WKU went on an 11-2 run to go up by eight points.

Southern Miss went on a quick 6-1 run to bring the WKU lead back down to three, but it wasn’t enough — the Lady Toppers took over once again and eventually grabbed a 25-18 set win.

The Lady Toppers looked their best in the third set and controlled the tempo throughout the entire frame.

WKU went on multiple scoring runs during the third set and held the Golden Eagles to their lowest hitting percentage and total kills of the game at .107 and nine, respectively.

WKU went on to claim the third set

SEE VOLLEYBALL • PAGE B3