More than meets the eye
[caption id="attachment_19406" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Vicky Triponey has more to offer than old stories about Penn State’s Joe Paterno. (Photo Courtesy of Deric Raymond)"]
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[caption id="attachment_19406" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Vicky Triponey has more to offer than old stories about Penn State’s Joe Paterno. (Photo Courtesy of Deric Raymond)"]
Scoring early can often set the tone for the rest of the game. For the women’s soccer team, junior forward Allyson Anderson did just that in the team’s first tournament of the season this past weekend at the Blue Jay Classic, hosted by Elizabethtown College. After the Lions’ first game on Saturday resulted in a loss against Ithaca College, the team’s win on Sunday against Stevenson College brought them back to a 1-1 record in the season so far. “The win for us was a test to see how we would bounce back after that loss,” said senior defender Annie McCarthy. “We were without a doubt the best team there and our expectations this season are extremely high.” Less than two minutes into the game, Anderson found an opening in the lower right corner of the net to set the score at 1-0 against Stevenson. The Lions remained up 1-0 until the second half, where Anderson was able to find the net again — this time off of a corner kick just 1:25 into the period. “It felt great (to score) and it definitely helped to lift the spirit of the team,” Anderson said. “It showed that together we can bounce back from a loss and get things done.” Senior defender Brittany McGinley gave the Lions an even better lead at 3-0 midway through the half. With just 27:17 remaining, McGinley redirected a cross from Anderson, finding the open net. With 10 minutes left in the game, sophomore forward Katie Lindacher crashed the net off of an assist from junior forward Jessica Davila, for the fourth and final goal of the game. “Coming out like that and beating a team 4-0 definitely helped us to regain our focus,” McCarthy said. Prior to the Lions win against the Mustangs on Sunday, the women’s team took on Ithaca in its first game of the tournament. Lindacher scored the College’s sole goal of the game against the Bombers after a punt from sophomore goalkeeper Kendra Griffith, giving the Lions a lead of 1-0 in the first half. Midway into the second half, the Bombers tied the Lions 1-1. It was within the final minute of the game that Ithaca was able to triumph with a 2-1 win. According to McCarthy, the loss was hard to swallow for the Lions, but they are ready to take on the rest of the season. The Lions move forward with the season this weekend, as they take on SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College at the Oneonta State Mayor’s Cup in Oneonta, N.Y. on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 11 at 2:30 p.m.
Walking onto the field this season, junior forward Jessica Davila can feel the chemistry between each of her teammates. With the majority of the women’s soccer team returning, there is a bond that will only get stronger as the season progresses. The 2010 season ended in a loss to Johns Hopkins University in the NCAA National Tournament, leaving the Lions with an 18-3-1 record. But the team is ready to put up a fight this season and go even further. “I think it’s going to be a great season for us this year,” Davila said. “We have a good new addition with the incoming freshmen that I think will help us be very successful this season.” The Lions were picked as the New Jersey Athletic Conference preseason favorite for the 2011 season. “I feel as if we deserve this,” said senior defender Nikki Migliori. “We still need to work hard to actually attain that title, though.” Lions rivals Rowan University and William Paterson gained the second and third spots. William Paterson handed the College its first defeat last year, ending their bid for perfection in 2010. “Rowan University and William Paterson University are the big games in the conference,” Davila said. “We are all very familiar with how each other plays and that will be very beneficial to us to win those big games.” Not only are the women familiar with the way the returners play, but six of the women were selected to All-NJAC teams last season. Senior defenders Annie McCarthy and Brittany McGinley received first-team honors. Other players named to the All-NJAC second team include junior forward Allyson Anderson, junior midfielder Amy Van Dyke, and junior defender Allison Foy. Sophomore goal keeper Kendra Griffith was named the NJAC Rookie of the Year for 2010. Migliori is proud of her teammates for achieving honors, but she as well as the rest of the women understand that it is a team effort. “All of the girls contribute greatly,” Migliori said. “We’re a team and everybody is in this together. I feel it is so honorable to play with everyone on this team.” The Lions will open the season on Saturday, Sept. 3, against Ithaca College in the Elizabethtown Blue Jay Classic.
Jamie Tworkowski may have been the main speaker of the night, but he had no trouble sitting with the audience while the opening act, Jared Gorbel of the Honorary Title, played a few songs. With lyrics such as “I know life is so unfair” echoing through the auditorium, the music reflected the theme of the night and the movement that Tworkowski would be discussing a little while later. On Monday, April 18 on the Kendall Hall Main Stage, the nonprofit movement To Write Love on Her Arms came to the College. According to its website, the movement’s goal to spread awareness about the importance of giving hope and help to people who are struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. “It’s really as simple as, how do we move people, how do we be creative in presenting our message which is hope and help and community,” Tworkowski said. Tworkowski explained how the movement, first seen as more of an art project than a charity, began as a story written about a friend’s struggle with addiction and self-injury. In February 2006 in central Florida, Tworkowski met a girl named Renee through a friend. After hearing of the challenges she faced everyday with drugs, alcohol and cutting, Tworkowski helped her seek the rehab that she needed. In the process, Tworkowski asked Renee if he could write her story down, and with consent, he moved forward with “To Write Love on Her Arms.” “Renee is 19. When I meet her, cocaine is fresh in her system. She hasn’t slept in 36 hours and she won’t for another 24,” Tworkowski’s story read. “Six hours after I meet her, she is feeling trapped, two groups of ‘friends’ offering opposite ideas. Everyone is asleep. The sun is rising. She drinks long from a bottle of liquor, takes a razor blade from the table and locks herself in the bathroom. She cuts herself, using the blade to write ‘FUCK UP’ large across her left forearm.” According to Tworkowski, it was a story written to help her understand there was a “purpose for her pain,” and that maybe others would be able to relate and learn that a “better life is possible.” Prior to the start of his nonprofit, Tworkowski was living a life he had dreamed about since his childhood. As the Florida state sales rep for the surf companies Quicksilver and then Hurley by age 22, Tworkowski was making over $100,000 a year. Four years later, while attending a conference in California for the company, Tworkowski and the other sales reps from around the U.S. learned one of their colleagues from Virginia Beach, Zeke, had committed suicide. “Zeke was great at surfing, fishing,” Tworkowski said. “He had great style. He was alive. And he struck me as happy.” Tworkowski discussed the idea of a type of suicide prevention campaign through the Hurley corporation, but received negative feedback from one of the vice presidents at the time. “He said there was no such thing,” Tworkowski said. “Nothing anyone could do about it. No one could have stopped (Zeke), and I was disappointed (by his response).” Tworkowski quit not long after that conversation. It was only weeks later that he met Renee and was able to work on that suicide prevention campaign for someone. With the help of MySpace and alternative-rock bands Switchfoot and Anberlin, Tworkowski’s movement took off and gained followers from all over the country. Today, TWLOHA has received messages from over 160,000 people from over 100 countries worldwide. Tworkowski and his team have collected and donated over $850,000 to treatment. “Being characters in our own stories can be lonely,” Tworkowski said. “People need other people. Maybe all of us have a lot more in common than we realize. We’re all human.” For more information on the To Write Love on Her Arms movement, go to TWLOHA.com. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
Jamie Tworkowski may have been the main speaker of the night, but he had no trouble sitting with the audience while the opening act, Jared Gorbel of the Honorary Title, played a few songs first. With lyrics echoing throughout the auditorium, such as ‘I know life is so unfair,’ the music reflected the theme of the night and the movement that Tworkowski would be discussing a little while later. On Monday, April 18, on the Kendall Hall main stage, the world-wide non-profit movement To Write Love on Her Arms came to the College in order to help spread awareness about how important it is to give hope to people who are struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide, and faith that they can find help when they need it the most. “It’s really as simple as how do we move people, how do we be creative in presenting our message which is hope and help and community,” Tworkowski said. Seen as more of an art project than a charity, Tworkowski explained how the movement first began as a story written about a friend’s struggle with addiction and self-injury. In February of 2006, in central Florida, Tworkowski met a girl named Renee through a friend. After hearing of the challenges she faced everyday with drugs, alcohol and cutting, Tworkowski helped her to seek the rehab that she needed. In the process, Tworkowski asked Renee if he could write her story down, and with consent, he moved forward with “To Write Love on Her Arms.” According to Tworkowski, it was a story written to help her understand there was a “purpose for her pain,” and that maybe others would be able to relate and learn that a “better life is possible.” With the help of MySpace and the alternative-rock bands Switchfoot and Anberlin, Tworkowski’s movement took off and gained followers from all over the country. Today, TWLOHA has received messages from over 160,000 people from over 100 countries world-wide. Tworkowski and his team have collected and donated over $850,000 to treatment, as well. “Being characters in our own stories can be lonely,” Tworkowski said. “People need other people. Maybe all of us have a lot more in common than we realize. We’re all human.” For more information on the To Write Love on Her Arms movement and to find how you can get involved, go to TWLOHA.com.
Provost and executive vice president Carol Bresnahan will no longer be working at the College as of the conclusion of the 2011 academic year, according to an official College e-mail. Bresnahan has accepted the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and will start July 1. As President R. Barbara Gitenstein stated in an e-mail to the College community on April 5, Bresnahan has worked closely with the president as a co-chair of the Committee on Planning and Priorities and through her work in establishing the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. She has been a part of the college community since 2008. “The College is a wonderful place to be, and I have truly enjoyed my three years here,” Bresnahan said. Bresnahan said that her new position will focus on Rollins College’s academic values and quality. She will be working closely with the president, Lewis Duncan, and hopes to be more engaged in fundraising and “friendraising.” Prior to her start at Rollins College, Bresnahan said she will focus on learning more about the college’s campus and community, and “may even go to Disney World.” With Bresnahan’s departure, president Gitenstein will be accepting recommendations from the campus community for an interim provost and vice president while searching for a permanent replacement for Bresnahan. Details regarding a farewell reception are forthcoming. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
Anthony Noonan walked up to the microphone. The screen lit up with familiar lyrics. Once the music began, there was no stopping him. It may be tough to take the stage first, but junior physics major Noonan defied stage fright and sang out confidently. On Friday, Feb. 4, the College Union Board held a Karaoke Night in the Rathskeller. The event was scheduled after Anthony Raneri, lead singer of the band Bayside, could not make it back from Europe in time for his scheduled Rat show. “It will be rescheduled for another night,” sophomore communication studies major and CUB Rat co-chair Jane Howell said. In its stead, Karaoke Night had students singing everything from Third Eye Blind to N*Sync from 5 to 8 p.m. “I like karaoke,” said Noonan, who says he sings karaoke as frequently as possible. After Noonan’s rendition of “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers, there came other classics, including “Papa Don’t Preach,” originally done by Madonna but sung by Howell and senior psychology major Sarika Williams. Junior finance major Anthony Simone sang Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life.” “I’ve done karaoke a couple times before,” Simone said. “I come to the Rat for a lot of shows.” Howell was pleased with the event’s outcome. “Our main goal tonight was to have something and this goes over well,” Howell said. “We didn’t have a lot of time to reschedule another band after the Anthony Raneri show was canceled. But who doesn’t love karaoke?” CUB used an online karaoke website called the Karaoke Channel Online. For only $10, anyone can get a two-day subscription to over 8,000 songs. “They had a lot of songs to choose from,” said sophomore English and education double major Joanna Bosek. “I didn’t get to sing, but I definitely hope they have karaoke again one night.” Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
Winter break for most college students is a time to relax and enjoy the time off from school. For athletes, however, it may be a time for rigorous workouts and a hard training schedule in order to prepare themselves for the next part of the season that begins right before the spring semester starts. For the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams, winter break had a different impact. The women’s team swam a tough race against C.W. Post of Long Island University, defeating the Pioneers 185-77. The win was significant for the Lions (5-0) as the Pioneers were the only team to hand the women’s team a loss last season. “It was a great way to start the second half of the season,” women’s head coach Jennifer Harnett said. “We were very driven for this meet because it was our only loss last year.” Sophomore diver Danica Raskos blew away the competition, breaking two program records in her first meet as a Lion. Raskos earned the top score in the one-meter diving event (319.88) and another in the three-meter (323.25), which added to the team’s overall victory. Senior Margaret Molloy won a pair of races in the water, with teammates doing the same right alongside of her. Molloy placed first in the 1,000-yard freestyle event, finishing in 10:52.81. The senior then earned her second win of the meet with a top spot in the 100-free, completing it in 53.49 seconds. Junior Laura Pierce won two events, including the 50-free (24.27) and the 100-butterfly (58.13). Sophomore Kayleigh Shangle took first in the 100-breaststroke (1:07.18) and the 200-breast (2:27.94). Freshman Ashley Conroy came in first in both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstrokes, finishing the races in 1:00.95 and 2:14.92. Shangle, Pierce, Conroy and junior Traci Hofer also won the 200-medley and the 200-free relays as a team, snagging the top spot in both events with times of 1:51.17 and 1:39.18. Junior Melissa Hessler and sophomore Jenny Zavoda also contributed to the team’s overall win with individual first place honors in their events. Hessler finished the 200-butterfly in 2:13.31, and Zavoda won the 200-freestyle with a time of 1:59.82. On the other hand, the men’s team (4-2) took on Johns Hopkins University and Westchester University on Friday, Jan. 14 and lost the double meet with scores of 225-106 against the Blue Jays and 179-152 against the Golden Rams. Johns Hopkins University is ranked sixth in the division and Westchester University is a Division II school, while the Lions are currently ranked 12th. “We just came off the hardest swimming cycle of the year, so I knew we would be swimming very tired, and we were not really expecting to swim very fast,” men’s head coach Brian Bishop said. Senior Tom Medvecky took the win in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:57.41. The only other first place finish went to senior Tim Rauch in the 1,650-free with a time of 16:48.50. The rest of the team worked hard to achieve second and third place finishes, such as in the 400-yard medley, where Medvecky joined senior Joe Tseng, senior Shawn Kircher and freshman Michael Oliva for a time of 3:39.72. According, to Medvecky, there is time for the team to improve. “There are not many things we can contribute to a loss,” Medvecky said. “We were not the best team in the pool that day. We did not perform and that is all there is to it. The only way to improve is to refocus and pin point what we did wrong. We have already done that and in a few weeks we will come out swinging against the next four teams and hopefully we will be the best team in the pool.” The Lions take on New York University at home this upcoming weekend for a possible rebound from the past two losses. The Bobcats will meet the Lions at the College on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
Over the years, professors come and go here at the College. Students take the same courses semester after semester and experience the classes differently each time. But when the semester comes to an end, one thing never changes — student feedback forms. “Students are able to give voice about how successful the course was,” David Blake, professor and chair of the English department, said. These course evaluation forms have been used for numerous years and are similar to those at other colleges and universities. Every semester, as professors and students wrap up the class, the student feedback forms are passed out and the professor leaves to give the students time to evaluate the course and the professor’s teaching methods. “It is the best way for students to provide feedback that’s actually taken seriously by faculty and administration,” junior political science major Corey Dwyer said. “Most professors really take what we have to say into account for the future — especially the written comments.” The forms consist of a two-sided page, which allows students to anonymously grade how well the professor and the course was on a scale of one to five, five being the best. After rating the professor’s ways of teaching and the course’s challenging aspects, students can leave written comments on the back for the professor specifically. “The professor, department chair and dean also receive a summary report with the frequency of each ‘bubbled’ response, the mean for each question and an overall mean for the ‘Instructor Questions’ and ‘Course Questions’,” said Paula A.Y. Maas, executive director of the Center for Institutional Effectiveness. After all have been completed, one student from the class fills out the information on the envelope, seals it, prints and signs their name on the back and brings it to the respective department for that class. Every student at the College takes part in this routine, but do they actually follow the directions and take these forms seriously? “Absolutely,” said Christina Kopka, sophomore marketing and Spanish double major. “I feel it’s the best way to give your opinion honestly without fear of getting on a professor’s bad side.” “I have seen that the forms are very important at (the College), and I know that instructors are especially appreciative when students take the time to fill them out thoughtfully,” said Carol Bresnahan, provost and executive vice-President of the College. Professors see the forms after the semester has concluded and grades have been submitted. Bresnahan said they take the feedback very seriously because of the effect it can have on their position as a teacher at the College. “Because current reappointment and promotion guidelines require faculty to submit at least three years of (Student Feedback Forms) data as part of the application materials, faculty members should retain in a secure place at least the last three years of forms and tabulated data sheets,” Bresnahan said. Nevertheless, the feedback forms are considered valuable sources for promotion and reappointment, as well as reappointment for tenure. “For instance, I have seen the College Promotions Committee review the forms very carefully to be sure that applicants for promotion have in fact met the requirements,” Bresnahan said. “At the same time, the forms are only part of what a faculty member should present as evidence of good teaching. Other forms of evidence would include peer evaluation of teaching, copies of the syllabuses and the like.” Students are not required to fill out these feedback forms, but they are important in helping the different departments on campus to have the best professors and offer the most influential and valuable courses to the students here at the College. The student feedback forms are critical in reforming the courses and professors here at the College. By taking them seriously, students and faculty are working together to make the academics at the College better for all. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
The women’s basketball team turned their season around after opening with two losses and showed its strength as a team by knocking out two wins at the White Rose City Classic hosted by York College on Nov. 20-21. “We all stepped up and got a good win against York (College),” junior guard Hannah Tait said. The Lions are now 2-2 on the season. Tait led the Lions to their second victory over the Spartans on Sunday, 56-40, with 13 points. “I’m glad I was able to contribute and have a good game,” Tait said. “Playing good personally always makes you feel good, but getting a good team win makes you feel great.” Tait was supported by her teammates, including senior center Alex Gregorek who was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament with five points and a game-high 10 rebounds in the final game. The College took on Penn State University – Harrisburg on Saturday, Nov. 20 prior to York College. The Lions defeated the Lady Lions 68-54. Before the White Rose City Classic though, the Lions hosted their first game of the season, but suffered their second loss. In their home opener, the team fell to Lehmen College, 62-59. Gregorek once again had a team-leading 11 rebounds and 12 points. Tait was right behind with 10 points and five assists. But the Lions could not get past the Lightning’s defense and lost the game in the last minute. “We initially had some trouble breaking their press, which led to turnovers,” Tait said. “If we could have limited our turnovers and broke the press to score, the game could have ended in our favor.” With a slow start, Tait commented on the team’s record. “I don’t think it will be a .500 season,” Tait said. “I think we’ve already shown great improvements from one game to the next. We know what we are capable of doing and as long as we continue to improve every game I think we will be fine and do great things.” The Lions will continue their season on Dec. 1, as they take on Kean University at the Cougars’ home court at 6 p.m. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
After achieving a ranking of No. 12 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Brute — Adidas Preseason Team Rankings, the College’s grapplers began preparing themselves for their opening week of matches. Senior Justin Bonitatis showed his ability and proved himself on the mat as the 165-pound wrestler collected his 100 career win as a Lion on Saturday. “It feels good,” Bonitatis said. “It was a goal I set for myself when I started at (the College) and started my career. So it was rewarding to get it and accomplish one of my goals.” Bonitatis earned the milestone in the quarterfinals and continued on to win the title for his weight class, with five victories overall. Bonitatis explained what it took to get to this point in his wrestling career. “It has to do with hard work and dedication,” he said. “But most importantly you as a wrestler have to have the will to win and desire to accomplish the goals you set for yourself.” The Lions showed in almost every weight class on Saturday at the Ursinus College Fall Brawl. Senior Dan Hughes went 4-0 at 125-pounds and clinching the title with a 3-1 win over Jenkins Monzey of the University of Maryland. Sophomore Brian Broderick also won all four of his matches, collecting the title with an 8-2 win over opponent Kevin Bacci of Westchester University. Senior Mike Denver, weighing in at 184-pounds, recorded three consecutive wins, gaining the title in the finals by defeating Nate Murren of Ursinus. The Fall Brawl tournament was the Lions’ second test so far this season, after winning their opening match against No. 18-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology 30-9 on Wednesday, Nov. 13. “It felt good to start the year off on a good note,” Denver said. Last season, the Lions finished 17-4 in their dual meets and recorded two championship titles. This season, Denver notes, the team is going to do things a little differently in order to get farther in the season. “Last season there was a lot of injuries that hurt us throughout the season, but we still made it work,” Denver said. “This year the coaches are doing a lot of things differently from last season. It’s not always easy to overcome obstacles, but I think we did very well with the way we wrestled as a whole.” The Lions are back on the mat on Wednesday, Nov. 17, as they take on Hunter College, Yeshiva University and New York University in back to back meets starting at 4 p.m. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
The women’s soccer team entered the New Jersey Athletic Conference final with much pressure on it’s shoulders. The College was challenged with reclaiming its top spot in the conference, as well a second chance at defeating William Paterson University — one of only to teams to deal the Lions a loss this season. The tension was thick on the field, but the women’s soccer team fought through it for the win. The Lions (16-2-1) were able to once again finish first in the NJAC this year, with a 2-0 victory over the Pioneers on Saturday, gaining the College its fifth title in the past six years and its 14th overall since the tournament began in 1994. “We had lost to William Paterson during the regular season, so this was a huge win for us,” junior defender Brittany McGinley said. “We just knew that we needed to play our best soccer and be the most determined in order to win.” The win automatically guarantees the women’s team a spot in the 2010 NCAA Division III national tournament. The team’s advancement to the national tournament will mark the Lions’ 20th consecutive appearance. “Post-season is an exciting time and we have been working hard and playing as a team,” McGinley said. “We need to take it one step at a time without looking too far ahead.” The Lions collected the win with two goals, one in each half of the game Saturday night. McGinley placed one in the back of the net for 1-0 lead with 20:13 left in the game. The goal marked McGinley’s fifth of the season and third in the last three games. “I have had the opportunity to move up from defense to midfield and that has allowed me to get more looks at the goal,” McGinley said. Junior midfielder Annie McCarthy scored the second goal in the second half off of a corner kick from sophomore defender Allyson Anderson. McCarthy headed the ball in the net, gaining her third goal of the season and a 2-0 lead for the Lions. Freshman goalkeeper Kendra Griffith recorded her 11th shutout of the season with six saves. In order for the Lions to have gotten this far in the conference, though, the team first had to defeat previous NJAC final opponent Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in the NJAC semifinal game on Wednesday, Nov. 3. The Lions were able to overtake the Ospreys 2-1 in the semi-finals, dealing Stockton its seventh loss, putting its final record at 12-7-1. “This was the second time we played them and the result was good for us,” head coach Joe Russo said. “The next game will be tough, it’s a different matchup for us. We need to grab hold, and play possession, finish chances and be opportunistic in finishing.” Sophomore midfielder Amy Van Dyk put the Lions in the lead with a goal in the first half. Junior forward Brenna Rubino netted another goal for the team late in the second half, putting the Lions up 2-0. The Ospreys, however, attempted a late comeback with a goal in the remaining six minutes of the game. Nevertheless, the Lions held them to the end, marking their 15th win of the season. The College will play host to round one of the NCAA Division III Tournament as the Lions take on Christopher Newport University on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. at Lions’ Stadium. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu
High scoring games have the ability to boost a team’s morale and turn the season around. This past week’s win for the Lions might have that same positive affect on the men’s soccer team. Junior forward Dan Constants’ hat trick propelled the College to a 6-1 win over Berkeley College on Saturday Oct. 9, setting the team at a .500 record for the first time this season. “(Constants) made some good runs in the box and found himself in the right spot at the right time,” sophomore midfielder Taylor Gregory said. “He stayed composed to finish shots.” Gregory, along with junior midfielder Anthony DiPalmo and freshman midfielder Alex Kirchner, helped lead the Lions to the win with one goal apiece. The six-goal win was the highest number of goals in a game for the Lions since 2007 when the team defeated Medgar Evers College with nine goals. “It’s a good accomplishment, regardless of the competition,” Gregory said. “Anytime you can score six goals in a game it’s a great thing.” Despite the Lions large output in the game, the Knights took the lead early in the game, with a break-away goal by freshman midfielder Ramon Arce just 3:26 into the first half. “We had a lot of underclassmen starting the game and mental mistakes were expected to happen at least a couple of times. I knew we would be able to easily rebound from the goal and play our game and the goals would come for us,” Gregory said. “It was just a matter of getting organized after the goal and keeping possession.” Nevertheless, the Lions pressured the Knights and just two minutes later, Gregory put the ball in the upper-ninety off of a direct kick to tie it up. The goal rallied the team and the Lions continued to score. DiPalmo followed with a goal just four minutes later off an assist from Gergory, and Constants recorded two more before the end of the half. Constants scored his hat trick with three consecutive goals. This was his first career hat trick. Kirchner had the assist for Constants’s first goal with a corner kick, allowing Constants to capitalize on the near-post opportunity. The Lions outshot the Knights 29-4 and senior goalkeeper Chris Kulick recorded a pair of saves, including one off a penalty kick in the first half. The Knights freshman goalkeeper Paul Logan recorded nine saves. The Lions are now 5-5-2 on the season and 3-1-1 in the NJACs. The men’s soccer team has now won four games and tied one in their last six match-ups. The team will continue conference play on Oct. 13 at William Paterson University at 7 p.m. The Lions are currently tied with the Pioneers for third place in the NJAC standings. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
Four days of matches is undoubtedly stressful for a team, but the Lions persevered and made it through to the end. Despite the outcome, the men’s tennis team proved their abilities this past weekend in the USTA/ITA Northeast Regional Championships at Skidmore College. Doubles partners senior Jeremy Eckardt and sophomore T.J. Riley fell in their finals matches on Monday Oct. 4, taking a well-earned second place for the College. “It was disappointing being a senior and knowing it could be my last chance at All American,” Eckardt said. “It was one of the toughest torunaments I’ve played in the last five years I’ve been here. Our region is strong.” No. 4-seeded Eckardt fell in the semi-finals of the singles tournament 7-6 and 6-0 to No. 2-seeded Ben Guzick of Vasser College. Overall Eckardt finished four out of five wins in the singles bracket. “My biggest concern was just being able to make it through the tournament physically,” Eckardt said. Riley joined Eckardt in the doubles finals ready to take on senior Spencer Cheng and freshman Jimmy Sherpa of host Skidmore College. Earlier in the tournament, senior captain Jonathan Yu defeated Cheng 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4). But in the finals Cheng and Sherpa pulled through for the win over the Lions in two sets, 6-4, 6-3. “I thought our doubles teams would all get a lot further,” Riley said. “But no matter what, our teammates have stayed and supported Jeremy and me.” The Lions all started off strong, defeating athletes from Drew University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Ithaca College, New York University, Hamilton College, St. Lawrence University and the host school Skidmore College. The tournament consisted of a total of 64 singles players and 32 doubles teams. “I figured everyone in the lineup had a chance to go deep in the tournament, especially in the doubles since that is usually the team’s strength,” Eckardt said. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
Communication is a key aspect in winning games. The men’s varsity soccer team was dealt another loss due to miscommunication on Saturday as Montclair State University was able to blow past the College with a 5-1 win in game two for the Lions of the New Jersey Athletic Conference. “Our organization fell apart and the other team capitalized on our breakdowns in the back,” sophomore goalkeeper Aaron Utman said. The Red Hawks pulled ahead, netting two goals in 50 minutes. Junior forward Luigi Moriello brought the Lions within reach of the Red Hawks shortly into the second half with his third goal of the season. Montclair was able to top the Lions by the end of play, leaving the final at 5-1. Forward Dan Mendozza scored two for the Red Hawks to pull out the win. “It wasn’t a good feeling to lose such a big game which could have put our season in a very positive direction,” Utman said. Moriello’s goal came off a strategic cross from junior midfielder Ed Kozic. Kozic’s ball off the right sideline set up Moriello for the point. “We need to work together to defend and to keep possession of the ball,” Utman said. “Also the team needs to do a better job of communicating.” The Lions will continue conference play on Wednesday as they travel to Rutgers University — Camden at 7 p.m. The men come back to their home turf for Saturday’s Homecoming game, taking on Rutgers University — Newark at Lion’s Stadium at 7 p.m. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
When starting a season with majority of the games ending in defeat, it is very rewarding to finally win one — especially when your team is able to shutout a team with one of the top goal scorers in the country. The men’s soccer team shut down sophomore forward Rob Santaniello of Ramapo College and the rest of the Roadrunners 1-0 on Saturday in the first game of the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The men’s soccer team recovered with the win against the Roadrunners after a 1-0 defeat with No. 12-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology on Wednesday Sept. 15. “Stevens’ defense has been very good this season so they limited the amount of scoring opportunities we had against them,” sophomore midfielder Kevin Shaw said. “Ramapo’s defense and team as a whole are not the same quality as Stevens. I think we were used to the high competition after Wednesday’s game, and we were able to create more scoring chances and capitalize on one.” Shortly into the second half, the Lions were able to score the lone goal needed for the victory. Junior midfielder Ed Kozic took the chance to finish off of fellow junior midfielder Michael Recchia’s cross from the right end line in the 57th minute. The goal allowed the Lions to hold the lead, gaining sophomore goalkeeper Aaron Utman his second shutout of the season. “It was a team effort, but Recchia made a great run and cross to Kozic, who was able to finish it, which won the game for us,” Shaw said. The Ducks defense, however, prevented the Lions’ offense from scoring on Wednesday, adding another loss to the team’s 1-4-1 record. “I thought we played really well as a team and we probably had the better of the play for the first half. We came out strong in the second half and continued to play well. And late into the second half they had a 2 on 1 against us and were able to capitalize on their opportunity,” Shaw said. Sophomore forward Victor Daza was able to finally place one in the net with just 16:57 left in the game. The Ducks achieved the team’s fourth victory and fifth shutout of the season over the Lions. “The game ended 1-0,” Shaw said, “which was unfortunate because I think we played well enough to walk away with a win.” Utman finished with five saves against the Ducks and sophomore defender Vince McEnroe recorded three of the eight shots on goal for the Lions. Conference play continues for the men on Wednesday Sept. 22, as Richard Stockton College visits the College for the 7:30 p.m. game at Lions’ Stadium. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
The women’s soccer team dominated this past week, shutting out Drew University on Wednesday, Sept. 1, Bridgewater College on Saturday Sept. 4 and University of La Verne on Sunday Sept. 5. The No. 3 ranked Lions are now 3-0 on the season. “It feels great to start the season off with wins,” sophomore midfielder Michelle Canning said. “It shows how all of our hard work individually during the summer and as a team during preseason came together and we were able to produce the results we wanted.” Canning helped the Lions capture the season opener with a 1-0 win over the Rangers, netting her first collegiate goal with 2:35 remaining in the first half. Freshman goalkeeper Kendra Griffith recorded her first shutout and win as a Lion with one save in goal. The Lions continued the season on Saturday at Elizabethtown College facing Bridgewater College in the Blue Jay Classic. Junior forward Brenna Rubino led the Lions with a hat trick in order to shut out the Eagles. Sophomore forward Jessica Davila added two more goals, with sophomore forward Allyson Anderson and sophomore midfielder Toni DeMaio netting one each to make it a 7-0 final. The Lions served the Eagles the team’s first loss of the season. “We really work well together and each and every player is contributing and working hard,” Rubino said. The Lions continued the team’s winning streak on Sunday with one more game in the Blue Jay Classic taking on the University of La Verne. The 4-0 shutout by the Lions put the Leopards at 0-2 on the season so far. Junior defender Britney McGinley scored two for the Lions, while Anderson and Davila picked up the assists. Davila also netted one and junior forward Jaclyn Greco finished the game with a goal in the 87th minute off an assist from freshman forward Katie Lindacher for the 4-0 win. “With every practice and game we are just getting smarter and stronger and becoming an even better team,” Davila said. Junior goalkeeper Samantha Iamurri split the shutout win with Griffith for the second straight game. Both keepers recorded one save in the game. The team will continue the season on Saturday Sept. 11, hosting the Adidas Classic home at the Soccer Complex. The Lions play Husson College at 11 a.m. “To continue winning games we need to play our roles,” Rubino said. “We need to follow our coaches, continue to work hard and just push each other to be the best.” Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
WTSR played host to a medley of music and poetry at its coffeehouse, “Decaf,” at the Alumni Grove on Thursday, Sept. 2. “I perform every couple months, but definitely not as much as I’d like to,” junior religious studies major Jake Ehrlich said. Ehrlich took the second opening act for headliner Cat Cosentino, after the local band Green Paper performed. “This was the first time this year and I’m glad I was asked to play,” he said. Ehrlich began playing guitar at age 11 and added singing and writing songs to his repetoire at age 16. In college, Ehrlich began performing his folk-style music at the Rathskeller and now helps to book acts for the on-campus bar venue, as CUB-Rat Co-Chair. Along with his cover of Cindy Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” Ehrlich played a cover of one of his close friend’s songs “Freaky Painting” and an original titled “The Gum of Love.” Before Ehrlich took the mic, though, Green Paper started the night off with a little alternative rock/pop rock. Junior international studies major Tomm Hart sang lead as guitarists Michael Mendonez, senior English major, and 21 year-old Jeff Lane from Parsipanny picked up the background music. With inspiration from classic acts like The Beatles and The Beach Boys, Green Paper easily captured the attention of the audience. The two guitars were accompanied by an electronic xylophone which created an original sound for the band as they played songs such as “Floating” and “Thanks You.” “We’re just friendly, funny guys and we want everyone to come see us,” Lane said. The band also played at Café Under the Stars on Sunday, Aug. 29 and they will continue playing campus shows. Before Cat Cosentino performed with guitarist Jeff Rupert, students performed various forms of poetry. Freshman journalism major Mike Hassin performed his work for the first time on Thursday, including his poem “Welcome” and short stories from his collection of “Stories from Another Place.” Junior psychology major John Cherney performed his slam poetry next. The All College Theatre member shared his authentic poems “Levitate” and “Ode to my Bathroom.” Cherney was confident and enthusiastic, despite it being his first time performing poetry. Freshman open options science major Shari Pollak sang her poem “The Zahir” a capella and received generous applause for her first time performance. Cosentino finally took the stage as the evening turned to dusk. Her performances of original songs “Parallel” and “You Do or You Don’t” were soothing and mesmerizing. Cosentino’s band, Cat, not only performs here at the College through WTSR, but will be playing at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City on Friday and Saturday nights starting in November. Considering Cosentino has only been playing the guitar since her freshman year of college, she has come a long way. The singer/songwriter plays weekly paid bar gigs, and even has an EP out called “Cat Live at the Stone Pony.” “I want to start a No Doubt cover band,” Cosentino said. “I would love to be Gwen. But it’s just really the people I listen to who make me want to sing.” For more information on any of the artists who performed at “Decaf,” check out Myspace Music. Green Paper has a free EP, “Bookends,” on the band’s page, myspace.com/greenpapermusic. Jake Ehrlich features more of his folk style music on his page, myspace.com/jakeehrlichmusic, and Cat Cosentino has more music and information at myspace.com/catcosentino. WTSR will be sponsoring more coffeehouse events throughout the semester. Check out wtsr.org for more information. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
The men’s baseball team went 0-4 this week against Kean University on April 22, Richard Stockton College on April 23, and a double header with Rutgers University - Newark on April 24. The Lions hit a rough patch after a six-game winning streak, setting the team’s season record at 15-17 and at 8-7 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). “We need to make small adjustments to get back on track,” junior pitcher Connor Henderson said. “We’re a good team and can turn things around.” The Lions were defeated by the Cougars 10-6, bringing the team’s six game conference winning streak to a close on Thursday. Sophomore infielder Jimmy Ruzich started the Lions with a run in the first as a sacrifice fly drove in freshman infielder Scott Kelly. The teams were back and forth with the Lions finally taking the lead in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore catcher Mike Galeotafiore singled in Kelly for the 5-4 lead. The Cougars took the lead again, however, in the next inning. Freshman infielder Stephen Nappe helped the Cougars grab the win with a three-run homer in the ninth to seal the deal, 10-6. On Friday, the Lions traveled to Richard Stockton to take on the Ospreys in a game that resulted in a 14-3 loss. The Ospreys took control of the game by the third inning after sophomore outfielder Dan McGuckin hit a three-run homer propelling Stockton to a 9-1 lead over the Lions. The Ospreys followed up with four more runs in the fourth for the overall win. The Lions continued the season on Saturday April 24 with a double header against Rutgers University – Newark where the Lions were met with two more losses added to the team’s record. Game one proved difficult as the Lions were shut out by the Scarlet Raiders’ junior pitcher Billy Ceruti 4-0. The team picked up three runs in the third on Henderson as senior third baseman Joe Furnaguera of the Scarlet Raiders picked up an RBI double and senior first baseman Matt Lingo collected a two-run homer for the 4-0 win. The Scarlet Raiders continued the team’s triumph over the Lions in game two, as well. The Lions fell right from the start allowing seven runs in the first which held them to an overall loss of 8-3 by the ninth. The Lions gathered just three runs on nine hits throughout the game. Junior Jason Zegarski and freshman Mike Murphy helped the Lions with a pair of hits. Junior Anthony Palmiotto also chipped in with a base hit and two runs for the Lions. These four losses put the Lions in a bind for post season play, as the Lions need to win all three upcoming NJAC games in order to make it to the playoffs. “It’s not just pitching, hitting or fielding that has hurt us. It’s a combination of all three and not producing at the right time,” Henderson said. “If we win all three conference games, we are in. We’d like to win them and make it easy on ourselves.” The Lions continue the season with five consecutive games at home this week, starting with Stevens Institute of Technology at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27 in Ackerman Park. Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.
The Lions swept the courts this weekend as the men’s and women’s tennis teams each collected another win to add to the team’s record and senior Stef Haar reached a career milestone with 125 career wins. The men now sit at 8-5 this season, and the woman at 7-4. The women’s team triumphed over Muhlenberg College 9-0 on Sunday April 18 and the men were right behind with an 8-1 win against New York University on Saturday April 17, but an 8-1 loss to Trinity College on Sunday April 18. The men took first in all three doubles matches against the Bobcats with sophomores Steve Fernandez and Stewart Fernandez gaining an 8-5 win, freshmen T.J. Riley and Dean Thompson gathering an 8-1 win and junior Jonathan Yu and sophomore Dan Lee finishing the match 8-2. In singles, the Lions won all but one match, with freshman Keith Goldstein, Stewart Fernandez, Thompson, Yu and Lee each winning their match in two sets. In the match against Trinity College, the men’s team took a harsh setback, with Goldstein being the only player to gain a win. The freshman collected his team-leading 17th singles win, defeating sophomore Charles McConnell of the Bantams in two sets, 6-2, 6-4. “I’m glad I was able to play my part and contribute to the team the best I could,” said Goldstein. “I’m just going to stay focused and stay hungry in order to be successful before the end of the season.” The 8-1 loss put the Lions at 8-5 for the season. The women’s team increased the home winning streak to 18 after defeating the Mules at home on Sunday. Haar led the Lions with a 6-2, 6-1 win in fourth singles, which helped her to reach 125 combined victories in her career. Haar has gathered 66 wins in singles and 59 in doubles. “Hitting the 125 wins is sort of unreal,” Haar said. “I’ve just been working so hard to focus on winning to help my team that I forgot I had an individual record. I think I achieved this success through dedication to hard work and to striving for my personal best.” Haar’s win in singles was not the only one for the Lions. Senior Jackie Shtemberg, freshmen Karisse Bendijo, Lauren Balsamo and Paige Aiello and sophomore Emily Petersack each picked up a win for the team, as well, all finishing their matches in two sets. Doubles teams of Shtemberg and Trihn, Aiello and Bendijo, and Balsamo and Petersack swept the competition with three wins of 8-1, 8-6 and 8-1. The win over Muhlenberg College puts the Lions at 13-4 overall this season. “With two matches left in the season, I think we need to focus on going out and playing our game,” Petersack said. The women’s tennis team’s season will come to an end on Saturday April 24. “We need to come out strong from the very beginning and play with a lot of energy throughout the match.” The Lions are scheduled to face Bates College on Wednesday April 21 with the men playing at 10 a.m. and women’s team at 1:30.