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(05/01/18 3:00am)
By Michael Battista
Immigration is a complicated but important topic to discuss. There is no one right answer that would make everyone happy, but there are plenty of wrong ways to handle it. In the same vein, the way immigration is handled in media needs to accurately highlight the experiences of people who go through the process.
The best way to do this is through symbolism and fictional mediums such as allegorical films or video games. There have been many great examples of this, but two specific ones come to mind that handle the topic in different ways.
On April 29, 2008, the video game Grand Theft Auto IV became an instant success. In a series known for violent car chases and gun battles, the fourth installment also included another factor –– themes about immigration.
In the game, the main character, Niko Bellic, is an Eastern European immigrant from an unnamed nation who comes to the U.S. after taking part in a war and various illegal operations such as human trafficking and robbery. When he arrives in an American city modeled after New York City, he is greeted by his cousin Roman. The two battle racism and poverty while trying to obtain the American dream.
Dennis Vodarsky, a junior mechanical engineering major at the College, remembers playing the game 10 years ago at a friends house around the time it was released. The New York City native felt immediately attached to the setting, especially around the starting area of Broker –– a city based off of his hometown of Brooklyn.
“My family are actually immigrants from Eastern Europe,” Vodarsky said. “All those people (Niko is) exposed to, all that cultural stuff, I was kind of exposed to the same thing. It kind of made the game feel a bit more personal. The immigrant’s journey is difficult with all this stuff happening to you … it was realistic almost.”
It is true that GTA IV has a lot of violence that in no way reflects the blight of immigrants. However, by using the example of someone forced into a life of crime, the game shows the power struggle that immigrants face in the U.S.
It’s important to note while the game portrays people satirically in many cases, the depictions are still relatable. The game does not shy away from showing how those who come from foreign lands are persecuted because of their identity.
Many of the characters in the game fall into categories: the optimists who believe they can achieve success through their work, the pessimists who believe the world has nothing for people like them, and, finally, the corrupt who use their power –– both legally and illegally –– to hold down others who cannot fight back. Niko, like many immigrants in real life, mostly works for those in the latter category who are greedy or immoral.
“Playing as someone who comes to the country trying to make a better life for themselves –– getting kicked around (and) tossed down –– it definitely sheds new light on the issue,” Vodarsky said.
While GTA IV deals with gritty themes and is intended for a mature audience, there are other works that are far more age friendly. Don Bluth’s 1986 animated masterpiece, “An American Tail,” discusses immigration using relatable characters, musical numbers and talking animals.
The film follows Fievel Mousekewitz, a Russian-Jewish mouse who immigrated to New York City in the late 19th century with his family to escape religious persecution in their homeland. The mice represent the foreign immigrants while the cats are portrayed as anti-semitic and generally antagonistic in their persecution of those looking for freedom.
Entertainment media have always had the ability to break down and present topics in ways that mass audiences can understand. They have to balance being able to convey a message while also not offending the audience — that is why it is so important to appreciate the themes and messages that come from forms of media that do it right. From the outside, these themes may seem exaggerated, but, especially in a time like today, the message can really make an impact.
Students share opinions around campus
"Does media have an impact on young people's perspectives?"
"Absolutely. It's insane how technology is shaping the minds of new generations."
"Social media especially is exposing kids to a lot of different things."
(04/24/18 8:04am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
I love the smell of ice in the morning.
The National Hockey League playoffs started a few weeks ago, and I’ve been enjoying myself immensely so far despite the fact that the New York Rangers failed to make the postseason for the first time since 2010.
I can’t help but be swept up by the teams and stories taking place right now. These stories range from the Vegas Golden Knights’ success in their first-ever season, to left wing Evander Kane stepping up in his first-ever playoff series for the San Jose Sharks after being traded from the Buffalo Sabres earlier this year. Now both of these teams are lined up to face one another in the second round in what should be a must-watch series.
That doesn’t mean the competition isn’t without critics. On my WTSR sports show, Riding the Pine, my co-host Alex Mitchell and I discussed the idea that the NHL Playoffs are too long.
It’s not hard to see why people like Mitchell believe this. The first round started on April 11 this year and will end sometime in June. Last year’s entire playoff process took nearly two months, starting on April 12 and ending on June 11 when the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Nashville Predators in six games. Mitchell said he also believes the NBA playoffs, a league that he follows more closely, is also far too long while the MLB postseason only takes a month.
While everyone is entitled to their own points of view, I did start to think extensively about why a best-of-seven series for every round of the NHL playoffs is better for the sport. It’s mainly attributed to the level of talent and competition.
Look at the Philadelphia Flyers. After losing 7-0 in Game One of their first round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they beat the defending two-time champions in Game Two, 5-1. That sort of comeback just doesn’t happen in the NBA, especially against a team like the Penguins.
Looking at the NBA, if someone believed that the San Antonio Spurs could beat the defending champion Golden State Warriors by a lopsided score like 121-79 after losing a game, I’d love to meet them. The Washington Capitals, the top team in the Metropolitan Division, lost the first two games of its first round series to the wildcard Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime this year. Not many people could say they saw that coming and that series became must-watch hockey.
Now look at the NHL’s Western conference. On route to being swept, the Los Angeles Kings lost all their games to Vegas by one goal in close games and L.A.’s goaltender Jonathan Quick stopped nearly every single one of the Knights’ shots. The Colorado Avalanche scored four goals against the Nashville Predators in their Game Two loss, 5-4, and found themselves in a three-goal deficit just to nearly come back by scoring two unanswered goals in the third period.
Games like this prove that these teams do have the ability to fight back and push matches farther than they should go. The odds are bad and yes there will still be sweeps or blowouts, but I never think a team is fully out of contention, unlike the NBA.
There’s also a personal note in my reasoning for enjoying these long playoffs.
As I said before, I am a long suffering Rangers fan. Between 2009 and 2015, the Broadway Blueshirts were part of three series that had teams come back from 3-1 deficits to win in Game Seven. The team lost the first time in 2009 to the Capitals, but they returned the favor in 2015 against Alex Ovechkin and his club.
The best, however, was between Games Two and Four, when the Rangers scored two goals compared to the Penguins’ nine in 2014. As a fan, all hope seemed to be lost with the Rangers building me up to inevitable heartbreak once again. But then Game Five was played, center Derick Brassard scored two beautiful goals, goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves and the team won, 5-1. Game Six was another win, but only by two goals when it finished, 3-1.
By the time the Rangers had completed the comeback with a 2-1 win in Game Seven, they have already muted center Sidney Crosby and kept him to only one goal in the series. Goaltender Marc-André Fleury allowed 14 goals in seven games and Hank looked like a Swedish god. That series comeback pushed the team deeper into the playoffs and eventually to the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Finals.
That wouldn’t have happened in Five Games. Playoff hockey is, without a doubt, the best kind of hockey despite its length.
Some better teams may lose because of a Cinderella's luck. But like the NHL says in its best commercials, that’s "Because It's the Cup."
(02/27/18 4:33am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
After one final practice at Loucks Ice Center and an overnight six hour bus trip, the College’s club ice hockey team made its first appearance in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Southeast Regional tournament on Friday, Feb. 23. The team ultimately fell to the University of Maryland, 6-1, at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The team came into the tournament as the 12th seed while Maryland, representing the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association, was seeded ninth.
The Lions’ early mishaps lead to four penalties in the first period alone, which resulted in the team playing a man down for a little less than half of the first period.
Head coach Andrew Ducko says he believes both teams were called for penalties often, especially in the first period.
“The officials were calling a lot of penalties on both teams even though it didn’t seem to be a chippy game,” Ducko said. “Maryland’s top line is very strong so their power plays were tough for us to overcome.”
The College’s early struggles were similar to their game against the University of Pennsylvania in the Colonial State College Hockey Conference playoff semifinals, in which forwards sophomore Andrew Lem and senior Michael Lisciandro took advantage of the University of Pennsylvania’s mistakes to allow for a comeback.
But this time, the Lions could not get the puck out of their zone or pick off their opponents’ mistakes.
With the team down, 2-0, in the middle of the second period, the Lions had a chance to cut into the deficit when their offense outnumbered Maryland in their zone off a fast break. Junior forward Pete Hansinger got the puck into the net. However, the puck came in after a Lions player knocked the net off its mooring, causing the official to declare the play dead before the puck crossed the line.
“Once our goal was disallowed which would have made it 2-1, we quickly went down by 3 (and) we became a bit frustrated,” Ducko said. “This was where the game got away from us.”
For the first period and half of the second, freshman goalkeeper Will Guttman was constantly under pressure from Maryland’s offense. After three goals in the second period, the team pulled Guttman for junior goalkeeper Albert Gregorio, who let in an additional two goals before the end of the period.
In the third period, the team shut down Maryland’s offense and put more pressure on their opponents’ defensive lines. After multiple shots, chaos at Maryland’s net and a power play, the Lions earned their sole goal of the game with ten minutes to go off the stick of freshman forward Matthew Lojewski.
Despite being down, Ducko told his team to seize every opportunity and play hard to the very end.
“Going into the third down by six, we focused on playing with class and making sure that we played the way that made us successful all season,” Ducko said. “We treat every period as a new game and even though we lost the game, I was happy that they won the third. Winning the third showed that our kids could continue to compete and never give up.
Ducko also emphasized to his players the importance of playing with class despite the hardship.
“I told the team that as long as they treated the opponents, teammates, officials and game with respect while giving their very best, I would be proud of them no matter what the outcome,” Ducko said.
The Lions end their season with a record of 17-14-2 and a strong core of players who will be returning for next season.
Ducko says he believes a lot can be attributed to the team’s success this year and he values every victory and loss they all had together.
“I would say that we overachieved, overcame adversity, came together and created positive lifetime memories,” Ducko said. “With the graduation of only three seniors, I see a bright future for the team.”
(02/20/18 7:14am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The College’s club ice hockey team entered the Colonial States College Hockey Conference playoffs as a fourth seed and left as the conference’s first ever two-time champion with a 14-5 win over second seed University of Scranton, on Sunday, Feb. 18 in the conference final. The team continued its victory streak after advancing past West Chester University, 4-1, in the quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 16, and overcame the University of Pennsylvania in an overtime thriller, 7-6, on Saturday, Feb. 17.
With the win, the Lions advance to the American Collegiate Hockey Association Southeast Regional tournament as the 12th seed. The team plays against ninth-seeded University of Maryland on Friday, Feb. 23 at Liberty University in Lynchburg,Virginia and is currently taking donations, which have already surpassed $1000, on its Facebook page to help fund the trip.
“It means a lot,” said head coach Andrew Ducko. “This year, I think the guys really bought in and worked hard… We had to face a lot of adversity with injuries and there was points in the season where we were three or four games below .500 and we weren’t even thinking of the championship. So it was really cool to have everyone come together.”
Seven Lions sank pucks past Scranton’s goalie, with two players, junior forward Peter Hansinger and freshman forward Daniel Martin, earning hat tricks. The Lions got on the board five minutes into the game thanks to a goal from sophomore defender Marc Tietjen, which was soon followed up by goals from sophomore forward Kris Hastings, Hansinger and senior forward Michael Lisciandro. Hansinger scored on a diving shot as the clock hit zero in the first period.
The team’s puck control and ability to convert chances gave them the lead. The team had 12 shots after 20 minutes, with one out of every three shots passing the goalie.
Despite two more goals in the second period from Martin and senior forward Brian Ely, Scranton took control after a goalie switch and an extended break following an injury on the ice. After a penalty, the College’s defense countered and scored four unanswered goals, with three of them coming within two minutes of play.
Following the spree of goals, the Lions pushed late into the second period. A two-on-one attack allowed Martin to snipe a shot to the top corner of the net.
With the score back to a three goal lead, 7-4, the team never allowed Scranton to come any closer than that. Martin says the comeback was somewhat typical of the sport.
“Hockey is a game of momentum,” Martin said. “They just seemed to grab the momentum. A couple of their good players grabbed a couple of nice shots… we’ll score a lot and then they’ll score a lot.”
Third period goals from Hansinger, Lisciandro, Martin, Tietjen and junior forward Ryan Anderson all combined to form the conference’s largest margin of victory in a championship game.
To reach the game against Scranton, the Lions began with a match against West Chester University on Friday.
Neither team was able to take control for a majority of the game, despite both sides having plenty of chances.
High intensity and speed aided the Lions in the first 10 minutes of play, but West Chester got the puck back and made multiple shots on goal.
Junior forward Ryan Anderson opened up scoring for the team by the 13th minute, but West Chester was never far behind.
West Chester punched in their own goal at the ninth minute after a series of shots deflected off the goalpost, power plays and defensive maneuvers.
With the game tied at one, West Chester failed to capitalize on multiple chances for the remainder of the game.
The momentum shifted immediately after the goal and the Lions not only regained control, but held the lead with a goal from freshman forward Matthew Lojewski.
In the net, freshman goalie Will Guttman saved all but one of the shots. Ducko was impressed by Guttman’s saves.
“(He) made a lot of saves he shouldn’t have,” Ducko said.
Guttman’s presence in the net helped provoke West Chester to aggressive play, which the Lions took advantage of as West Chester accumulated multiple penalties.
“We are more of a speed skill team,” Guttman said. “But that doesn’t mean we can just let them do whatever they want to us. If I see a player on their team push or crosscheck a player on our team then I have to do something about it.”
West Chester’s aggression reached its boiling point in the third period with the Lions leading, 3-1. In the midst of foul play in which an opponent made physical contact with a referee, the Lions added two more goals from Hansinger and Lisciandro.
A player was penalized following a call of too many men on the ice, and responded by charging and putting his hands on the referee before being pulled back. His outburst, which included banging his hands on his helmet while screaming, added him to the ejection list while the Lions added two more goals added from Hansinger and Lisciandro.
In the College’s next game against the University of Pennsylvania in the semifinals, the team was outmatched by its opponent for most of the game. The Lions’ best chances came early when they were on a power play or breakaway, while UPenn was quicker and more effective at pressuring throughout.
It took UPenn only five minutes to score in the first period, and did not rest until the second period was nearing conclusion. The Lions’ only goal came from sophomore forward Andrew Lem while the team was still trailing, 3-1.
“We came out sleeping,” Lisciandro said. “We got a lot of young guys. We came into the locker room saying… ‘play our position and everything will go right.’”
The Lions’ chances improved in the second period. Despite being down, the team’s defense picked up and carried the offense. The team seized more opportunities than UPenn, whose offense slowed down and could not convert chances into results like it had in the first 20 minutes.
The next two periods of regulation followed Martin’s momentum philosophy. Sophomore defender Kevin Guns, Hansinger and Lisciandro scored goals to tie the game, 3-3.
Tietjen and Martin then both netted goals to put the Lions in the lead with eight minutes to play in the third quarter.
But with three minutes to go, UPenn caught up and sent the game to overtime.
Lisciandro got a breakaway three minutes into overtime and sniped a shot that not only sent his team to the finals, but also sent every member of the squad onto the ice to celebrate with him and the fans against the rink’s glass.
“I kind of blacked out there,” Lisciandro said. “The puck just popped up to me, took it down and badda-bing, badda-boom — goal… I just looked up (and) shot it.”
Lisciandro added, while still hanging back from the postgame adrenaline, that his team fought hard for its victory.
“We played phenomenal the entire game honestly and we deserved it,” Lisciandro said. “It was a team effort and I think we played unbelievable.”
(02/13/18 5:41am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
Coming into this season, the College’s club ice hockey team had the biggest target on its back in the team’s 40-year history. The team’s 23 wins last season propelled the Lions to their third conference title, and their first in the Colonial States College Hockey Conference. The team also made its first trip to the American Collegiate Hockey Association regional playoffs.
Now, the team is skating back into the playoffs, which will be played on home ice because of last season’s conference title. As the fourth seed, the Lions are preparing to play fifth seeded West Chester University on Friday, Feb. 16 at Loucks Ice Center at the Lawrenceville School.
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpglMW2d85o[/embed]
Head Coach Andrew Ducko admits that playing close to the College will give the players an upper hand over West Chester.
“(It’s) very special to the boys as we play well at home,” Ducko said. “It puts the other teams out of their comfort zone.”
Ducko is in his third year coaching the team to continuous success, following a regular season championship in 2016 and a conference title in 2017. The team, which plays in Division II of the ACHA, has posted a record of 14-13-2 during the regular season and 10-6-2 in conference against teams like Seton Hall University, Rutgers University and the University of Pennsylvania.
At the start of this season, Ducko wanted to prepare his team for a possible return to the playoffs. The preparation included scheduling out of conference games against some of the ACHA’s best teams.
“We scheduled six games against Division I ACHA teams and we played very competitive against them,” Ducko said. “We played Villanova’s top team and Towson’s top team. We also scheduled all our non-conference games against teams that are ranked top 10 in our region.”
The Lions biggest asset this season has been defense. The team posted the second fewest goals allowed against opponents in the league with 64.
“We’ve got a very solid squad back on defense,” junior goaltender Albert Gregorio said. “We’ve got people who are very responsible on the defensive end and they’re very talented offensively. We can rush the puck out of our zone which takes pressure off the goalies.”
One player who exemplified the team’s defensive play was senior defender and team captain Dylan McMurrer. Not only is he one of the team’s top point leaders with 26, but he has over 100 career points over his three year career, despite missing time due to an injury.
However, following a 6-3 loss on the road against Millersville University, the team learned that a significant leg injury would sideline McMurrer for the remainder of the season.
“Dylan is our captain and a huge part of our team’s success on and off the ice,” Ducko said. “Dylan blocked three shots a game, so three guys will have to block one more. He had a point a game, so every game someone will have to step up. He took six shots and had five takeaways, so we need to distribute those throughout the rest of the boys.”
Ducko compares this situation to backup quarterback Nick Foles leading the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I actually told the team two weeks ago it is similar to the Eagles losing Carson Wentz,” Ducko said. “At our team meeting we discussed that many different players can step up and be our Nick Foles.”
Several players have stepped up in the remaining three games of the regular season. Defensemen such as sophomore Matthew Liebers and sophomore Marc Tietjen have helped fill the gap. In the match against Monmouth University on Friday, Feb. 9, the Lions limited Monmouth to only 21 shots in their 3-2 overtime victory.
“(Liebers has) really stepped up and played a lot of more responsible defense,” Gregorio said. “He’s always offensively minded, but now he’s bought in and played defensively more.”
The team has three games separating them from reclaiming the conference title for the second year in a row. With a squad lined with offensive depth, capable players and highly defensive lines, the Lions are ready to play in the CSCHC playoffs.
(02/06/18 7:45am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
Well Philadelphia, you did it. Backup quarterback Nick Foles and the underdogs finally have a ring to call their own. It doesn’t matter that Eagles fans have pretty much destroyed the city and made their cars thoroughly “lit.” They can finally join everyone else in the National Football Conference East as Super Bowl champions. I’m glad some people are happy.
The past two weeks have been awful as a New York Giants fan. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. There was no right answer when I was asked who I wanted to win Super Bowl LII. Yet here at the College, I’ve seen more green than ever, and I’m fairly sure some of the fans who supported the city of brotherly love are defectors of the Big Apple.
The American Football Conference was terrible this season, so it was pretty much a guarantee that Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots would be playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. When the Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars can all make the playoffs, every fan should realize something isn’t right in the world. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Patriots were having off years and constantly playing down to their competition in regular season games. But, when the Cowboys failed to achieve their playoff expectations, leave it to Philly to have a franchise year.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved Carson Wentz as a quarterback before he got injured. He’s a nice guy. It’s also awesome to see running back Jay Ajayi getting a chance to play for a team that isn’t in the same division as the Patriots.
But in this championship game, no Giants fan should have taken a side. In fact, this game should have been watched with a golf clap mentality. No loud cheering, respecting the play on the field and hush discussions. The only exception I can think of was when Foles caught a touchdown off a trick play and the Eagles went for it on the fourth down from their own end of the field. I couldn’t help but applaud the guts it took to call those plays.
For those who support the Eagles because they are proud the team beat Brady, you’re only looking at the short term. Get ready to hear Philly fans boasting about finally winning a Super Bowl, and how their team is the future. Does an offseason filled with “Nick Foles is an elite quarterback” and “trust the process” sound fun?
If someone is quick to drop their allegiance to a team in support of a division rival, it brings their character into question. Memories of the second miracle at the Meadowlands in December 2010 may be fading after nearly a decade, but the scar still exists. Let it be known that being an Eagles fan is better than being a Cowboys fan, but being second worst isn’t anything to write home about.
If any Giants fan thought, even for a second, that they should support the Patriots, I don’t know what to say to them. Sure, Bill Belichick was a defensive coordinator for the team and helped the Giants win two Super Bowls, but times have changed.
The Patriots are the New York Yankees of professional football. No one should root for them unless they are from the team’s area. They are never an underdog and they are never a fan favorite story.
No matter who won the game, people lost. If I looked at the game in a utilitarian sense, a philosophical theory that bases actions on which causes the best outcome for the most people, than I believe the Eagles winning would cause less misery to everyone. But when I have to bring philosophy into Super Bowl Sunday, I don’t know if the game is even worth watching.
I hope you enjoyed game day as best you could, even if you raised false flags in support of the enemy. It was an incredible game from both teams, and it could have gone either way.
Even though Philadelphia won, the majority of people in northern New Jersey and New York weren’t happy, but you can’t win everything.
Am I overreacting a little bit? Sure. But after a 3-13 season, two front office firings and possibility of Manning leaving on the table, I can be as cynical as I want.
(01/23/18 12:53am)
By Michael Battista
Despite being away from the College for more than a month, last semester’s campus controversy and subsequent shutdown of the unofficial College Snapchat, tcnj.snap, by its faceless creator continues to chip away at me — I believe it was the wrong way to handle the issue of racism in our community.
Last semester, a photo was published on the account by a user, who may have been a student, of three black women dressed in red from behind with a caption that referenced the Bloods street gang. A student screenshotted the photo and her subsequent conversation with the current moderator of the account — who is not the account’s original creator — and the moderator’s defense of the post.
The College received a complaint via Twitter with the images from Snapchat included, and sent out a mass email to students saying they would investigate the situation. Soon after, the original creator of the account returned to announce they were shutting down tcnj.snap on their own accord.
The post itself was racist and completely unnecessary, but the destroying a communicative platform for our students because of an ignorant post by a random user is where I draw the line.
Last semester, I noticed that many were happy that the account was gone —they said there have been rude posts in the past and the account did not contribute much to life on campus.
My friends and I saw it differently. To us, tcnj.snap was the best way to stay up-to-date on campus happenings, like upcoming events, or sales for textbooks or concert tickets. It especially meant a lot to my friends who are transfer students, who credited the account with helping them get acquainted to the College’s culture after transferring in as upperclassmen.
“I’m pulling the plug… An account with TCNJ’s name on it that only gets things right 99 percent of the time is not good enough,” tcnj.snap’s anonymous creator said in a quote given to Lions Television. “Even one negative experience from the snap is one too many and I am now destroying it to guarantee this never happens again.”
The intention of shutting down the account is pure, but in its execution, tcnj.snap’s founder has damaged a vessel for discussion and growth. It almost seems cowardly.
For now, tcnj.snap is gone, and a new account, tcnj-snap, has been set up by an unknown user. The idea that racism caused the downfall of the original account could mean something to some students. For others it will turn into a blame game, in which some may say the creator ruined it, or the girl who complained on Twitter ruined it or the offending snap-poster ruined it.
Destroying things that may have been touched by racism may seem like an appropriate solution, but doing so may lead to the repetition of the same mistakes. People can weaken racism by attacking its source, but if what has been tainted originally existed for a noble cause, doesn’t it deserve a chance to be saved?
Instead of shutting down the account, the creator should have taken immediate responsibility for the mistake and moved on. Keeping the same account but knowing a change has been made would send a message to users — either change your attitudes and be allowed to post or don’t change and possibly be blocked. Destroying the entire account punishes everyone who enjoys the account because of the actions of one.
Take the example of the Trenton Hall discussions from a year ago. The students who took offense to the then-Paul Loser Hall did not want to tear the building down. Instead, the name was simply changed. It has become a part of the College’s history, reminding students that if you want something to change, change it.
The admissions building was not destroyed after the College started discussing Loser’s racist beliefs, but altered to a more suitable name. I feel that tcnj.snap could have been altered the same way, but instead it was lost — not because of racism, but because of the inability to learn from it.
Students share opinions around campus
“Do you agree that tcnj.snap should have been deleted?"
"Shutting down the account means getting rid of a resource for information."
"Deleting tcnj.snap was an overreaction on the account owner's part."
(12/08/17 9:01pm)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The women’s soccer team came up short in the national semifinals in Greensboro, North Carolina on Friday, Dec. 1. The team earned their first loss of the season to the University of Chicago, 1-0. The Lions end the season with a record of 21-1-1 and a third place finish in the NCAA tournament.
Chicago went on to face Williams College in the final after the latter beat Hardin-Simmons University, 1-0, in the match following the Lions’ loss. Williams College then defeated Chicago in the final, 1-0, on Saturday, Dec. 2, for their second national championship in three years.
The night prior to the semi-final match, three team members earned All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches. Senior forward Christine Levering, who earned second team honors in 2016, was named to the first team this season. Senior midfielder Jessica Goldman and sophomore goalkeeper Nicole DiPasquale were both named to the second team.
DiPasquale said in an email interview that the honor means a lot to her.
“I am honored and very excited to be named second team All American,” DiPasquale said. “I did not earn this honor all by myself. I had everyone’s back on the field and did my job when needed, but the key to getting this honor is how well everyone else took care of business all season.”
After the banquet and ceremony, the team had to focus on their match with the fourth best team in the nation. However, the Lions did not wake up for the first half of play.
The team was behind for a majority of the match. Only 16 seconds into the contest, Chicago senior forward Madori Spiker got a shot on the Lions’ net that went high. Only five minutes later, Chicago netted the first and only goal of the game.
Spiker took advantage of sloppy defending and a failed clearance attempt. She got the ball back with few defenders around her in the Lions’ zone. Spiker’s cross to Chicago sophomore midfielder Hanna Watkins set up a scoring opportunity a goal in the lower right corner of the net.
“We started the game playing a little scared and nervous, which allowed Chicago to take the early lead,” DiPasquale said. “They came out with confidence and experience… We were inexperienced and didn’t know what to expect. After we got scored on, it took us a while to pick up the intensity because we were still playing scared.”
Chicago kept pressing throughout the first half. They lead the Lions in shots 4-2 even though their only shot on target was their one goal. The attacks caused the Lions backline to become more physical, which lead to freshman defender Ally Weaver receiving a yellow card in the 25th minute for a late challenge.
The Lions offense couldn’t produce in the first 45 minutes, which was bookended by shots in the fourth and 42nd minutes. Neither attempt made a serious threat against Chicago sophomore goalkeeper Katie Donovan, who left midway through the first half after a hard collision, or Chicago freshman goalkeeper Miranda Malone.
During the 15-minute halftime intermission, the words spoken by coaches and players helped motivated DiPasquale and the rest of the team to push harder in the final half.
“Great things were said during halftime to help boost up our confidence and make us realize that we are the better team and that we need to start playing like that,” DiPasquale said.
“We came out the second half playing a lot stronger than the first half, but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough to get the job done.”
The College outshot the Maroons 10-5 in the second half. Even after three rapid shots in the first three minutes, the Lions were able to keep the ball away from Chicago for a majority of regulation.
In the 71st minute, Goldman displayed her impressive ball control skills when she outmaneuvered two Chicago defenders to get a shot on goal just outside the box. The shot, however, was too weak and flew right at the keeper for an easy save.
Levering had a critical chance to even the score with around 17 minutes to play. She had a slight breakaway with the Chicago defense right behind her. After Malone came out to challenge her and missed the dive for the ball, it looked as though Levering had an open net. However, Levering’s touch to avoid the keeper gave the defense enough time to intercept and pressure her away from shooting.
The College earned more corner kicks than Chicago, giving them critical chances that were not capitalized on by the team.
The Chicago defense held on to reach the NCAA Division III national championship game, while the College returned home for the fifth time in program history as third place finalists.
Despite the ending not being what she wanted, DiPasquale said that she is proud of the team.
“We are more than just a team, we are a family,” DiPasquale said “We all have each other’s backs and truly care about each other. This team is special and different from other teams, which is why we were so successful this season. Every day when we step out on that field, we play for each other… We are all very sad that it is over, but we are so proud of everything we accomplished this year.”
(12/05/17 4:39am)
By Michael Battista and Ellie Schuckman
Staff Writers
While the College itself is well over a century old, its current home on 289 acres of Ewing land still holds reminders of its 1930s move from Trenton — present in many of the buildings around campus.
Kendall Hall, Bliss Hall, Green Hall, the original Roscoe West Library, Allen, Brewster, Ely, Norsworthy and the original section of Packer Hall all represent the oldest buildings on campus. These buildings, despite additions and renovations over time, still hold much of the same architecture that they did in the 1930s. Director of Campus Planning and Campus Architect Lynda Rothermel explained some of the differences to The Signal and Lions Television.
“The older buildings tend to be a lot smaller,” Rothermel said. “We’ve tried to… keep the smaller scale to our newer buildings. But the older buildings didn’t have anywhere near the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection that runs through the newer buildings.”
The College has seen many of these older buildings renovated or added onto over the years. The Bliss Hall Annex, the extension of Kendall Hall and the renovation of Norsworthy Hall two years ago are all due to the older buildings needing to fit more modern needs.
One of the first things that comes to mind when people think of the College is its overall design and appearance.
“I really like all the brick,” junior special education and iSTEM major Arianna Sirimis said. “(When touring the College) they definitely took us through the Education Building and since that was my major that was a big selling point.”
At the College, most of the buildings on campus follow a Collegiate Georgian architectural style — common among many schools built in the 20th century.
“That was a popular style at the time,” Rothermel said. “If you look at a lot of the Ivy League colleges you’re going to see a lot of those types of buildings, at least in their older buildings.”
The style, characterized by features such as arched roofs and brick bases, is not only commonplace at many colleges around the country — the original Georgian style has been prevalent in the U.S. since its inception, in cities such as Boston and New York.
The Georgian popularity may also come from its familiarity, according to Rothermel. From the outside, the arched roofs,
placement of windows and brick exterior give the buildings less of an educational feeling and more of homey one.
“It’s a very comfortable scale,” Rothermel said. “It’s not residential, but it’s not that different from residential. (The buildings) could almost be really large houses.”
The original women’s dorms in the EAB Complex and Norsworthy Hall along with Bliss Hall, an originally all-male dorm, all have similar interior designs that fit into this Georgian style. The interiors of these buildings, excluding the Bliss Annex, have lower ceilings and narrower hallways compared to other buildings on campus. Bliss Hall even has windows in stairwells that don’t match up with the landings — aligned at feet level and not at a normal height for people to look out of — and Brewster’s main common area is below the entrance, which are all relics of this older style.
“It’s very intimate for the most part,” senior self-design anthropology major Davon Wanza said. “No other building has the same kind of atmosphere.”
Wanza, who spends a lot of his time in Bliss Hall, said the building has a different feeling.
“I feel like Bliss is very unique in itself,” Wanza said. “Even though it’s near the Business Building, the Business Building has a different atmosphere to it. Any other building has a different atmosphere.”
As time went on and the campus expanded past these original buildings, the Collegiate Georgian style was not a critical factor for a period. Before the College gained autonomy from the state, Rothermel explained that any new building plan needed to go through the state. They controlled the planning, building and designs of these new buildings, giving reason as to why certain structures differ in design.
Centennial Hall, Forcina Hall, Travers and Wolfe Halls and the former Holman Hall — now the site of the new STEM complex — are not typical of the College’s overall style.
“Those buildings are very evident on campus,” Rothermel said. “If we wanted to build a new education building we would go to the state and say, ‘We need a new education building, we need 20 classrooms and 30 offices and these other things.’ And they would come back and say ‘No you don’t.’”
The buildings built by the state have been re-evaluated and examined on campus. Holman was destroyed, Travers and Wolfe are being renovated in the next few years, and Centennial was nearly demolished in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Problems with Centennial Hall were detailed in a 2004 Signal article, which stated “Due to its maintenance problems in the past and aged appearance, Centennial has the most notorious reputation of all the College’s residence halls.”
For current students, one of the College’s more mysterious buildings is the original Roscoe West Library, now sealed off and unused.
“When we built the new library, we didn’t have immediate plans or funding for the original library building,” Rothermel said.
The building is being “mothballed,” which means it is being protected and historically preserved. The building is being properly ventilated and is sealed off, preventing animals, water and students from getting in, according to Rothermel.
“I’ve always wanted to go in there,” Wanza said. “It has this sort of eerie-ness to it. I don’t know why but whenever I look in there I feel like I see a bunch of cobwebs and different things… It would be really interesting to see the inside of it.”
According to Rothermel, plans are in store to eventually reopen Roscoe West.
“The hope is to one day reopen it. … Renovation is in that long term plan,” Rothermel said. “We have an eight-year funded plan, which is prioritized from our master plan... We’re in the third year of that eight year plan. So after that we’re hoping to get funding for it.”
Rothermel believes the historic building could be used for admissions and alumni purposes, especially since the College does not have a proper admissions space for large groups to be introduced.
“When your first trip to the college is there, to one of the original buildings, and when you come back as an alum you come back to the same place,” Rothermel said.
From nearly century-old structures to state-built standouts to original halls being protected from destruction, history lies on the 289 acres of the College.
(11/26/17 2:44am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The women’s soccer team is heading to the NCAA Tournament semifinals for the 12th time in the program’s history.
The Lions beat Lynchburg College, 5-0, on Saturday, Nov. 18 and then advanced in penalty kicks in a 1-1 draw with Messiah College on Sunday, Nov. 19. The team is in the hunt for the program’s fourth-ever national title, and its first since 2000.
Lynchburg was stung early when senior midfielder Jessica Goldman sent a through ball in between two Lynchburg defenders to senior forward Christine Levering. Levering pushed forward and beat the advancing goalkeeper with a low shot to the right, putting the College up by one after three minutes.
On the play, Goldman got her 30th assist for the Lions, tying her for third all-time with alumna Gia Rosamilia (’02). Though Goldman was not aware of the accomplishment until after the game, she was glad it came at a critical time.
“Any assist is special,” Goldman said. “I was just so happy (about) that first assist. I looked up and saw (Levering) and it was a good ball through the backline. But it makes it special that it was in this game to get us to the Elite Eight.”
The early game continued to be generous to the home side. In the seventh minute, senior midfielder Kayla Bertolino crossed the ball into Lynchburg’s box. Lynchburg junior goalkeeper Delia LoSapio then punched the ball out. Finding the ball, freshman midfielder Kelly Carolan caught LoSapio out of place and shot the ball low to extend her team’s lead, 2-0.
The two schools, both named in the top 20 in the United Soccer Coaches’ Division III poll from Nov. 7, impressed during the first half. The Lions maintained possession for a majority of the time and took far more shots, but Lynchburg’s control and defense kept the game in high gear through 45 minutes.
As the clouds turned darker above, so did the atmosphere in the Soccer Complex as the physicality picked up. There were two hard plays in Lynchburg’s box in the first half, which sent players to the ground and spectators to their feet.
“You could hear the parents in the stands and the coaches all screaming … you kind of have to block it out,” Goldman said. “I might have thought some calls were incorrect or some were (correct), but you just have to block it out. You can’t even think about that.”
Head coach Joe Russo believes the game was called consistently. The increase in physicality, however, was difficult for both his team and the officials.
“There’s no sense in worrying about stuff you can’t control and we have no control over that,” Russo said. “I thought for the most part he was good and consistent but it's hard. It became very physical as a game, so it makes it difficult for him.”
The physicality continued into the second half. While sophomore goalkeeper Nicole DiPasquale was trying to make a save, the opponent ran into her. While she was down, Lynchburg failed to convert a shot and DiPasquale returned to her feet shortly after.
The team benefits from a technical and controlled style, and while they were challenged, the outcome wasn’t negative, according to Russo.
“When we play our style and we’re finding feet and connecting, that we can create a lot of dangerous chances,” Russo said. “In the second half, it’s funny. We didn’t play as well, we just scored goals. We were very opportunistic and fortunate.”
The team’s fortune peaked during a four minute span in the second half and began with sophomore defender Jen McGrogan. In the 76th minute, after a foul by Lynchburg awarded the Lions a set piece 30 yards from the net, McGrogan lobbed a ball just above LoSapio’s hands and under the crossbar for her first goal of the season.
McGrogan wasn’t expecting to score, but was happy to be part of such a crucial moment.
“I think getting that third goal was crucial and I was so honored to be part of that,” McGrogan said. “Joy just overwhelmed my body and I couldn’t wait to go celebrate with my team.”
Despite an offensive push from Lynchburg late in the second half, senior forward Hannah Richman led the Lions to their clinching victory with two goals in the 79th and 80th minutes, both assisted by senior midfielder Elizabeth Thoresen.
Meanwhile at the other side of the bracket, the Lions next opponent, Messiah College, advanced by beating Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 5-0, on Saturday. In the Elite Eight matchup, both teams fought against a common opponent, the wind. From regulation to penalty shots, every stage of the game was affected by strong gusts, adding another element of unpredictability.
Both teams struggled throughout the match to make it to penalty kicks.
“We were just trying to survive,” Russo said. “It was difficult to play. You could tell that we weren't very sharp, we weren’t clearing balls well. Tried to weather the storm, tried to keep possession … but for the most part we just survived.”
The Lions offense struggled early on and the wind pushed DiPasquale and the backline thin. Both sides recorded four shots each in the first half, with Messiah getting two shots in two minutes. The second shot was saved by DiPasquale.
Messiah broke through in the 25th minute off a corner kick. Messiah’s senior defender Lydia Eichorn headed in the corner kick from senior defender Skylar Ulry, and the Lions failed to shoot for the remaining 20 minutes.
“The biggest challenge is timing it,” DiPasquale said. “I have to make sure I’m reading the ball right and the spin and everything. Unfortunately on the first goal that was misread on my part.”
Messiah’s fast backline, pressing offense and rough play gave the Lions few scoring opportunities. Senior defender Kelly Wieczerzak was able to nail a cross into the Messiah box in the 44th minute, when freshman midfielder Faith Eichenour charged in and nearly made contact for a shot.
In the second half, with the wind behind them, the Lions outshot the Falcons 12-3, and received the majority of the corner kicks and set pieces as well. Goldman stepped up in the 60th minute and her cross deflected off of players in the box and found its way into the net.
“Coach (Turner) actually told me to take a look at it and see if I could get it in goal,” Goldman said. “And to be truthfully honest I thought ‘OK, that’s really hard.’ I aimed for the six because the wind was blowing that hard.”
The Lions continued to push and dominated the game. Despite two shots from Messiah getting past a diving DiPasquale and hitting the post, the Lions offense pressed. In one instance, the College was a few inches away from taking the lead when a loose ball sat just outside of the net following a shot attempt before Messiah quickly kicked it away.
Neither side could come up with another result in regulation. After two tense overtime periods, both teams lined up for penalty kicks going with the wind.
DiPasquale saved two of the three shots she faced. She even got hands on the third shot but the momentum mixed with the wind and pushed the loose ball into the net. A trio of seniors, Levering, Thoresen and Kayla Bertolino, all made their shots. The game winning goal sat at the feet of sophomore midfielder Haley Bodden.
When the ball crossed the goalline, the Soccer Complex exploded with cheers as the Lions punched their ticket to the Final Four. The team will face Chicago University on Friday, Dec. 1 at the University of North Carolina Greensboro Soccer Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina, at 11 a.m. Chicago University is the No. 4 ranked team in the nation and co-champions of the University Athletic Association. The other remaining teams are Hardin-Simmons University and Williams College, who will play at 1:30 pm.
Russo credits everything to his staff, the players and all the work they’ve put in this year, but he knows the challenge that’s ahead.
“It’s always an exciting time to be thought of as one of the last four teams in the country still playing,” Russo said.
Here is Lions Television's coverage of the NCAA matches.
http://youtu.be/EiMz6bx55PE
(11/14/17 8:30am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The women’s soccer team’s quest for a fourth NCAA Division III title started last week when the team hosted the opening two rounds of competition at the Soccer Complex. With their newly earned No. 1 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Division III poll, the Lions notched up two clean wins. The first win was against Roger Williams University on Saturday, Nov. 11, and the second against Virginia Wesleyan College Sunday, Nov. 12.
Senior forward Christine Levering said that while the wins are great, the team needs to look toward the next game.
“It’s a one-game season at this point,” Levering said. “Every single game, we can’t look forward to games later on. We have to focus on each game.”
The team’s offensive dominance could been seen in both matchups — neither the Hawks nor the Marlins were able to take the ball deep into Lions terriorty through 90 minutes.
Within the first five minutes play against Roger Williams, the Hawks defense fell apart. Sophomore midfielder Taylor Nolan intercepted a deflection and scored to give her team the early lead. The visitors’ tendency to clump up and not spread out continued to be their downfall throughout the match.
With her team already ahead, the game became more than just a victory for Levering; she notched up a major accomplishment. In the 19th minute, off a long pass from sophomore defender Jen McGrogen, Levering slammed in a goal that tied her with the all-time goals record for the College at 58 with Traci Tapp (’98). It took less than two minutes for her to take the title for herself.
Senior midfielder Elizabeth Thoresen took the ball up the right side of the field and a well timed pass into the box found an open Levering who slammed the ball in from point blank for her 59th goal as a Lion.
“I’m just happy I could do it,” Levering said. “It’s just a testament to how hard this team has been working all year because obviously I can’t do it all myself. (My teammates) were there, they set me up, so I’m just happy I could get it done.”
Head coach Joe Russo said that he isn’t just proud of the accomplishment for the player, he’s happy for the girl behind the number.
“It’s well deserved,” Russo said. “I’ve said it before — as good of a player she is on the field, she’s a better person. She works hard. Everything that comes her way is well deserved.”
The Lions never let up on Roger Williams for the rest of the match, whose best offensive opportunity came off a set piece kick late in the first half while their first shot came ten minutes into the second. Roger Williams’ only shot on goal came in the 82nd minute, while the Lions had 17 during the match.
The next day, the team prepared for a Virginia Wesleyan squad that was coming off an impressive win against Tufts University on Saturday, 3-2.
Despite the scoreline and discrepancy in shots taken, with the Marlins only getting two off compared to the Lions 32 during regulation, the game saw most of the action fluctuate between the away team’s zone and midfield. Virginia Wesleyan’s defense kept the Lions away from the net and forced the team to take shots from far out.
“I thought we came out with a lot of energy and when we do that and have high pressure, the other teams tend to just not know what to do,” said senior midfielder Jessica Goldman.
The pressure hit a breakpoint for the Marlins in the 13th minute. Goldman sent a ball through an opening in the defense for a waiting Thoresen. The Virginia Wesleyan goalkeeper came out of the net but couldn’t stop a low shot that gave the Lions the lead, 1-0.
Thoresen said it was important to score early not only for her team, but to throw off their opponent.
“Once you get the ahead of a team, they just start to break down immediately,” Thoresen said. “It’s really hard, at this point in the tournament, to come back from being down.”
Following this and the consistent drives by the Lions, the Marlins attempted to spark their offense with multiple substitutions. Despite this, the College kept finding ways into the team’s box.
In the 24th minute, Thoresen thanked Goldman for her assist by giving her one of her own. Taking the ball up the side, a high cross found Goldman in the box where she sunk the shot.
Halftime didn’t do much to energize the Marlins, who let up a third goal in the 48th minute to Levering off another assist from Goldman. The seniors intercepted a ball in the box from a Virginia Wesleyan defender.
The remaining 42 minutes saw the Lions pull back and slow down, with the team making subs to rest starters and taking more shots from far out. An burst of energy from the Marlins saw the momentum shift into the Lions zone later on, but none of their players could get a shot on target.
The Lions earned hosting rights once again for the third round of the tournament, which will see the team take on Lynchburg College, the champions of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 11 a.m.
Russo says he isn’t paying attention to the rest of the bracket, which includes notable names such as MIT, Carnegie Mellon and Chicago University. Instead he’s only focusing on next Saturday.
“There’s only good teams left,” Russo said. “I couldn’t even tell you who’s still alive. It is what it is and we’ll be ready to play on Saturday.”
(11/07/17 7:25am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The women’s soccer team — ranked No. 2 in the nation, according to United Soccer Coaches’ Division III rankings — won its 17th New Jersey Athletic Conference title on Friday, Nov. 3 when the team bea Montclair State University, 1-0. The team earned the chance to play against Montclair after they defeated Stockton University, 4-0, on Tuesday, Oct. 31, in the conference semi-finals.
With the victory in the NJAC tournament, head coach Joe Russo earned his 500th win. He is the second coach in Division III to do so and only the fourth to do so in the NCAA. With the results as head coach this year, he was also awarded the NJAC award for Coach of the Year earlier in the week.
During the Lions’ first offensive drive, a cross into the box saw senior midfielder Elizabeth Thoresen crash into Montclair freshman goalkeeper Phoebe Bledsoe. From there, both sides ensued in multiple tackles and shoves as the match continued.
Thoresen herself had issues during the match. Early in the second half, she nearly had a breakaway chance. After she tripped over herself in Montclair’s end, she quickly needed to divert the ball toward the corner in order to salvage any attempt. Her physical play also lead her to a yellow card in the 57th minute, one of the few disciplinary actions the team has received this season.
Fans from both teams were reaching closer to fever pitch as the game progressed, with the aggressive play style eliciting cries toward the referees for cards.
Senior forward Hannah Richman explained that Montclair’s aggression took adjustment to get used to.
“They’re super aggressive,” Richman said. “We’re tough but sometimes we lack that aggression. That high pressure was definitely a struggle for us but we handled it and got the win.”
The aggressive nature of the game kept the ball stuck in limbo in the center of Lions Stadium. Neither team could outmaneuver or break through the other long enough to put up a shot during the first 10 plus minutes. However, the College narrowly maintained possession for the majority of the time. The team’s best chance came in the 28th minute when defender Devon McDonough collected a pass on the left side. Her shot was just out of Bledsoe’s reach, but deflected off the crossbar and into waiting Montclair players.
While the College led Montclair in shots, 6-1, they also led in fouls, 8-5. Russo said his team needed to calm down and told them so during halftime.
“I thought we needed to catch out breath,” Russo said. “I thought the first half was played at a frenetic pace and in the second half I thought we played better. We played a little bit more.”
The Lions showed a different chemistry in the second half, with their first shot on goal of the second half coming after only three minutes. The slower pace allowed the team to dominate in their offensive playing.
The shift in offensive play paid off in the 69th minute, when senior midfielder Jessica Goldman burst past Montclair defenders on the left side of the field and crossed into the box toward a Richman. Despite Montclair’s goalkeeper being directly in front of her, she blasted the ball over the goal line to give her team the lead, 1-0.
“I was in tears after I scored,” Richman said. “I didn’t think it was real (and) there was still 20 minutes left.”
Goldman’s assist was the 27th of her career, tying for fourth most in College history.
The last minutes of play saw Montclair players go on a full blown counter-attack. Soon after the goal, sophomore midfielder Beatty earned a yellow card for a hard tackle while the Lions were in the Montclair’s zone. While the team was running low on time, it didn’t make careless mistakes.
With less than 10 minutes remaining, the Lions shifted from offensive moves to defensively killing time. Goldman said Montclair was constantly circling, trying to pick the ball away.
“They’re kicking at your ankles and you’re just trying to waste time and keep it in the corner,” Goldman said.
Once the final whistle blew, the Lions charged the field and embraced one another as conference champions. With the win, the team earned an automatic bid to the 2017 NCAA Division III women’s soccer tournament.
“It honestly hasn’t hit me yet,” Goldman said. “It’s surreal to be celebrating with the team after three years of losing in the (NJAC) final and finally pushing through to get this (conference champion) T-shirt and automatic bid. It feels great to be with this team that I love so much.”
The Lions performance this postseason has been astounding. Against Stockton, Nolan helped her team with a hat-trick in her first ever multi-score game. Senior forward Christine Levering, the newly crowned NJAC offensive player of the year, put up multiple assists and a goal to inch her closer to the all-time record holder in career goals for the Lions. The team’s progress has left them undefeated at 18-0.
The NCAA announced on Monday, Nov. 6, the 64 team bracket for the nation Division III women’s soccer tournament. The College will host four teams and three games during the first weekend, between Nov. 10 and Nov. 12, with the Lions taking on Roger Williams University at 11 a.m. and Tufts University will take on Virginia-Wesleyan College at 1:30 p.m.
Russo knows that while his team needs to prepare for the national tournament, they earned the right to celebrate their conference victory.
“I’m well aware that they’re going to enjoy tonight, and they should,” Russo said. “Deservingly so. But we’re back at work Sunday-Monday. It’s another six game tournament that we have to be involved with and see what we can do.”
(11/07/17 6:31am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The U.S. men’s national soccer team’s elimination from World Cup qualification was monumentally embarrassing. Not only did the U.S. fail to qualify in a easy group, but it left its own fate against Trinidad and Tobago teams that had nothing at stake for them.
With that said, I still think sports fans should give their attention to the upcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia — even if the U.S. isn’t playing.
Starting on Thursday, Nov. 9, the final round of qualifications will determine who is heading to Russia from a few confederations. The final four teams from Europe, a select few from Africa and teams from separate confederations will battle in two-leg playoffs to see who advances.
I’m still annoyed that the U.S. won’t be there, but my family heritage is Irish and Italian, two nations whose teams need to win this weekend to join soccer’s biggest event.
Italy has been really subpar lately and now they need to face off against a challenging Sweden. Italy was placed in a group with Spain and lower tier teams such as Albania, meaning one of those two teams would win and the other would go to the playoffs.
Italy nearly lost to Macedonia twice, a side that came second to last in the qualification group and one that Spain beat, 4-0. Gianluigi Buffon, a legendary goalkeeper and Italy’s team captain, is going to be 40 years old when the World Cup starts next summer. If he’s going to retire, he needs to do it in the best way possible.
On the other hand, Ireland shouldn’t have really gotten this far but now has a chance to appear in its fourth World Cup. Heading into the last day of group play, Ireland needed a win over a star-studded Wales side, while the latter only needed a draw or better to advance.
The nail biting match was only won for Ireland by winger James McClean after his goal set the fans into songs serine. Now they need to play against Switzerland, a team that is only in the playoffs after losing its first qualification match to Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on the last day of group play.
The teams that have already qualified are also fascinating to watch. Iceland is making its World Cup debut this year after winning its qualification group. Iceland was one of the best parts of the 2016 UEFA European Championship. Its shocking win over England during the Round of 16 was a monumental accomplishment.
Then there’s Panama, a country which helped eliminate the U.S. with it’s win over Costa Rica — and scored a goal that should not have counted since it never crossed the line — is also making its World Cup debut.
Fans should not forget the powerhouse favorites that will be the 21st edition of the competition. Portugal, the reigning UEFA champions, Argentina, featuring world-class star Lionel Messi and Germany, the reigning World Cup Champions are only a few of the big names that enter this pitch in Russia.
So while the U.S. can’t play in Russia, why not take a look and adopt a new team? Even if it makes you a bandwagoner for a few weeks, the players and teams themselves are more than worthy of your attention. Maybe you’ll find a new appreciation for a place you never expected to be good, or gain newfound respect for a group of people.
In the end, the World Cup is more about unifying the world with soccer, and we can still take part in that.
(10/31/17 5:42am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The Lions, undefeated and ranked second in the nation according to United Soccer Coaches’ Division III poll, have clinched the top seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs for the second straight season. The NJAC regular season champions earned their title in a thrilling, 2-1, victory over the No. 18 ranked Rowan University Profs on Oct. 25.
Coming in with a 15-0 overall record, the team needed a win or draw against the defending NJAC Champion Rowan on the road. The Lions found it off the foot of freshman midfielder Kelly Carolan.
Only three minutes and 33 seconds into the first overtime period, senior midfielder Jessica Goldman sent a ball through toward Carolan. The freshman beat the Rowan defense and keeper to give her team the win and top seed.
This was the College’s third game this season that required overtime, and the first to not be won with a goal from senior forward Christine Levering.
Within the first three minutes, Rowan drew three fouls from the Lions who were trying to push downfield early. In the 13th minute, Rowan took their first shot on goal and became the second school this season to take a lead against the College.
Rowan University junior forward Cathryn McCarry received a pass from senior forward Melissa Kelly and made a perfect touch around Lions sophomore goalkeeper Nicole DiPasquale to put her team up, 1-0.
The Lions only needed 66 seconds to respond. The Lions pushed down field into Rowan’s zone, and earned a corner kick. Senior midfielder Jessica Goldman stepped up to her usual role and kicked the ball into the Rowan box.
Sophomore defender Jen McGrogen then headed the pass toward the net. Rowan goalkeeper Shelby Money saved the shot, but left the ball in the open long enough for senior midfielder Kayla Bertolino to slam in the rebound and tie the game in the 14th minute.
Carolan told The Signal that her team knew what needed to be done after the goal, and they accomplished that.
“As a team we always talk about matching and exceeding other team’s intensity levels, so when the Profs scored we knew we had to higher the energy,” Carolan said. “It is always hard going down in a game, but mentally this made us realize that we had to play better.”
The Lions immediately controlled the ball and put continuous pressure on Rowan. It wouldn’t be until the 28th minute where Rowan senior forward Lauren Coletti got the last shot of the first half, which was saved by DiPasquale. The Lions took nine shots during the first 45 minutes, but only scored once.
In the second half, both teams combined for nine shots. The Lions and Rowan had chances to put the ball past the opposing team’s goalie but could not convert.
With their win, the Lions earned a bye and home field advantage during the entirety of the NJAC playoffs.
“Coach has been telling us all season how we have to get all three points in every game so we can have home field advantage,” Carolan said. “Playing on our own field creates a different environment than if we had to travel to other campus.”
As the second best team in the conference, Rowan also earned a bye during the first round of competition. Rounding out the playoff teams in order of the standings are Montclair State University, Kean University, Stockton University and Rutgers University-Newark.
(10/30/17 9:53pm)
By Michael Battista
As a senior here at the College, I’m faced with the fact that in a few months I will no longer be a student. After taking photos of graduation ceremonies for two years, I will be the one up on stage with a tassel and black gown. While part of me is still dealing with the existential crisis that comes with completing my higher education, I’ve watched both of my older siblings graduate from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and I’m excited for it to finally be my turn.
However, the difference between my siblings’ graduation and my own is that while they were afforded the opportunity to be inspired by a celebrity commencement speaker from outside of their college, I will not be afforded that same opportunity at my graduation ceremony.
According to the 2017 commencement brochure, “The main ceremony in Lions Stadium is an outdoor event featuring a full academic processional, remarks by President (R. Barbara) Gitenstein, the commencement faculty speaker chosen by the senior class and the conferral of degrees.”
Students have departmental ceremonies where teachers that they’ve grown close with can give them farewell words and speeches in a more personal setting. Given the fact that they already had a separate ceremony with their respective departments, students should be afforded a different perspective of someone no longer working or attending the College at commencement. While I’m not saying anything disparaging about the professors here at the College — especially with my four years in the journalism department, headed by talented and well-trained professionals — I still don’t think it’s right for them to not even consider asking alumni to come back and speak at commencement.
Why is it that the College, which has a reputation for being one of the best public schools in the country, will not ask one of its more prominent graduates to come and talk during graduation?
Just a quick look at the ‘notable alumni’ section of Wikipedia brings up some pretty cool names like Holly Black (’94) who is the author of “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” former New Jersey Governor James ‘Jim’ Florio (’94) and Tom McCarthy (’90), who is the television voice of the Philadelphia Phillies. These few names mentioned are only scraping the surface of a long list.
Besides alumni speakers, there’s another option that I’d like to entertain. As the College that includes the state’s name, maybe we could bring in some of New Jersey’s brightest sons and daughters. In my wildest dreams, I’d love to have Bruce Springsteen, Judge Esther Salas — who was the first Hispanic woman appointed to the federal New Jersey District Court — or Victor Cruz come and talk about the challenges they faced in life and how they got to where they are now. Heck, Derek Jeter was born in New Jersey before he moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and I wouldn’t count him out, either.
I know there are a few issues with celebrities coming to the College to speak at commencement. One problem is that it may be hard to reach someone to get them to speak at commencement because we might have to go through their publicist first. Also, even if we convinced a celebrity to speak, it can be debated whether the College should be investing its dollars elsewhere.
I seriously doubt comedians like alumni Kenny and Keith Lucas (’07) would ever cost the College much. If the College wants to keep its money close, there is a plethora of options that come right from its own backyard who may be more than happy for the honor to talk.
With this being President Gitenstein’s last year as president of the College, I hope that it’s possible that us students can convince her to allow a non-professor to come and speak to us in May — not just for the spectacle, but to hear what they have to say and leave us with the lasting impression that we can take with us into the real world.
Students share opinions around campus
“Should the College allow alumni to speak at commencement?”
“I think an alumni, depending on their contributions to society, can speak at graduation.”
“Yeah, because they’ve been through what we have been through, and can give us better insight.”
(10/24/17 7:53am)
By Micheal Battista
Staff Writer
The women’s soccer team is entering the final phase of its regular season. The No. 2 nationally ranked Lions played on the road, but the results have not differed. On Oct. 18, the Lions beat No. 6 Stevens Institute of Technology, 1-0. They wrapped the week up by crushing New Jersey Athletic Conference rival Kean University, 7-0, on Saturday, Oct. 21.
The team jumped from third to second when the United Soccer Coaches national rankings were announced on Oct. 17. Washington University in St. Louis, fell to No. 5 after suffering its first loss of the season. This gave the Lions a chance to catch up to No. 1 University of Chicago.
The Lions shifted their focus away from their new ranking and toward their next opponents as they traveled to Hoboken, New Jersey to face off against the No. 16 Stevens, one of the best teams in the northeast region.
For the first time this season, the Lions were outshot by their opponents in the first half. Stevens put up eight shots compared to the College’s seven. Sophomore goalkeeper Nicole DePasquale made two saves and two more shots were blocked by members of the team.
After the near even first half, the team regrouped. In just the first 21 seconds of the second half, sophomore midfielder Taylor Nolan took a shot that went wide to the right. The Lions kept the ball in the Stevens’ zone, nonetheless. In the 49th minute, senior midfielder Jessica Goldman blasted a shot toward the goal, but it was saved by the fingertips of the Stevens’ goalkeeper. Being in the right spot at the right time, senior midfielder Elizabeth Thoresen jumped on the loose ball and put it into the back of the net.
The goal marked Goldman’s 24th assist, placing her in sixth place in the Lion’s record book for career assists.
Stevens was unable to get themselves fully back into the game after this point. The College outshot the home team 15 to one in the last 45 minutes, giving Stevens few chances to even the score.
The Lions starting defense, sophomores Jen McGrogen and Ally DeRiggi and senior Kelly Wieczerzak stayed on the entire duration of the game and helped give DePasquale her 10th complete shutout of the season.
The team’s penultimate regular season matchup brought them to Union on Saturday to face off against fellow NJAC rival, Kean University. Kean has found itself in the middle of the conference table, vying for a first round spot in the upcoming NJAC Playoffs.
Kean could not elevate their playoff seeding against the Lions. Only 17 seconds into the game, the Lions pounced on a unsuspecting defense. Goldman took the ball up the sideline and served it toward the net, finding senior forward Christine Levering open for a header past Kean’s goalkeeper.
With the goal, Levering moved into first all-time for career points as a Lion with 138. The former leader was alumnae Dana DiBruno (’07). Levering’s 11th goal of the season also moved her into second place all-time for career goals with 56, only two goals behind all-time leader and alumna Traci Tapp (’98).
The Lions pulled further away from Kean when freshman defender Devon McDonough gained possession after a deflection from the goalkeeper in the 6th minute. She found freshman midfielder Kelly Carolan and set her up for the goal.
Freshman forward Kayla Bertolino, the sister of current senior midfielder Kayla Bertolino, also had a big match. First, she aided senior forward Hannah Richman in the 27th minute with an assist by passing to set up a goal. Later in the 41st minute, she not only kicked off a scoring spree, but she also notched her first ever goal as a Lion. Sophomore midfielder Despina Lianidis found Bertolino 10 yards out from goal and passed to her, allowing the latter to rip a shot past the goalie.
Sophomore midfielder Alexa Beatty did not need to wait long after Bertolino to score a goal of her own. About 20 seconds later, Richman set Beatty up with an opportunity to shoot from the left side, which she made. With just 20 seconds to play in the first half, freshman defender Ally Weaver’s shot hit a defender blocking the net. Beatty rushed toward the open ball made a goal, giving her team a 6-0 lead heading into halftime.
The team slowed down in the second half, but Weaver still found a way to score her first goal as a Lion. In the 60th minute, freshman midfielder Faith Eichenour took a set piece in the left corner and found Weaver in the box to give their team a 7-0 end result.
The College outshot Kean, 46-4, with none of Kean’s attempts being on target.
The team finishes its regular season on the road against Rowan University at Glassboro on Wednesday, Oct. 25. The Lions will have a chance to clinch the NJAC regular season title with a win or tie.
(10/17/17 4:57am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The No. 3 nationally ranked women’s soccer team continued their undefeated streak this season, getting passed four opponents, including three New Jersey Athletic Conference teams.
The Lions started off with close 1-0 win over Gettysburg College on Oct. 4. The team then dispatched two NJAC teams in Ramapo College, 3-0, and Stockton University, 1-0, on Oct. 7 and Oct. 11, respectively. The team then began their regular season ending road trip on Saturday, Oct. 14 by winning an overtime nail biter against Montclair State University, 3-2.
In this span of games, the seniors have been making some of the biggest impacts for their team.
At a special ceremony prior to the match against Stockton University, the team honored the six seniors on the squad. Forwards Hannah Richman and Christine Levering, Midfielders Jessica Goldman, Kayla Bertolino and Elizabeth Thoresen and defender Kelly Wieczerzak were all praised for their commitment and multiple honors they have earned during their four plus year tenures.
Each senior Lion’s accomplishments were told to the crowd of 374. Things like Goldman’s first ever goal coming in her second game, Bertolino and Thoresen’s perfect starting records for the team and how Richman’s first game winning goal came only this season against York College.
“It’s so weird,” Bertolino said. “I’ve been through this a couple of years always as a underclassman and I didn’t exactly know what it would feel like. But it was awesome. All the underclassman put on a great (event), they decorated the locker room and put so much time into this and it was really nice to see them do that for us. But it’s just weird that this is all coming to an end, but it makes playing that much more worth it.”
In the team’s outing with the Gettysburg College Bullets at Lions Stadium, the game was close after 20 minutes of back and forth play. The Lions had only managed two shots and while the Bullets had miscues on the defensive side as well, kicking the ball backwards past their defenders.
The team’s big break came with chaos in the Bullets’ box, as the diving goalkeeper missed a cross from Bertolino and set up Goldman for a goal in the 21st minute.
During the game, the Bullets’ defensive efforts proved effective at isolating and cutting off players from making moves in their zone. Goldman and her team weren’t happy with how they played in the first half and even after pressing harder in the second half, she still saw missed opportunities.
“We need to have composure in the box and there were times where we could have shot and we passed or we passed and we gave it away or we hist the crossbar,” Goldman said. “I think some of it was unlucky and some of it was we need to have more composure in the box.”
Head coach Joe Russo praised Gettysburg’s coaching and defensive talent.
“I thought (The Bullets) looked really good in the back,” Russo said. “(They) Played really defensive minded with five backs so they were pretty well organized. They’re always very well coached and their goalkeeper did well… They always had good numbers behind the ball so it was difficult to break down.”
In the next match against Ramapo College, the seniors continued to be the key of the NJAC’s strongest offense.
Thorsen notched two goals for her team. Her first goal came in the 23rd minute when the Roadrunners goalie saved a shot but left the ball prime for a rebound attempt. Her second goal came in the second half, after an opponent fouled her in the box to set up a penalty kick in the 82nd minute.
With only nine seconds left before halftime, sophomore midfielder Alexa Pestritto ripped a 25-yard free kick just inside the far post. In total, the Lions outshot the Roadrunners 27-1 in route to their 11th win overall and their fifth NJAC win.
On the team’s last regular season home game against Stockton University, it was an underclassman who stepped up as the hero.
Despite clamping down the Ospreys offense, the Lions struggled to take control of the game. With the sky’s sporadically spouting showers that ranged from drizzles to light rain, the Lions couldn’t shoot the ball past the Ospreys’ net.
Sophomore midfielder Taylor Nolan says that it took both teams time to adjust to the rain, and her side had missed key opportunities in the first half.
“I think at first it took awhile to get adjusted to (the rain), but we just know just to come out no matter what the weather is, no matter what the circumstances is and just play our hardest,” Nolan said. “We still had a tough game and we were able to pull it together.”
Nolan found herself in position to pull her team into a lead after sophomore defender Jen McGrogan set up a pass from 40 yards out in the 51st minute. Nolan jumped up, headed in the pass into the net and gave her team the 1-0 lead.
Russo said in this part of the season, every game, especially NJAC games, are difficult. He liked how his team pushed through multiple obstacles and distractions for the win.
“I like our perseverance,” Russo said after the game. “Not giving up any goals is good. As you move forward and the games are getting more difficult, more difficult to score a goal and defend and win… and not scoring multiple goals.”
The Lions then started their four game road trip with a thriller in Montclair, New Jersey in the most exciting game of the season so far.
The first half of the match seemed to follow the Lions set formula as they outshot their opponents, but couldn’t capitalize on crucial chances.
In the 46th minute, Red Hawks sophomore forward Emily Beenders scored off a flick from Red Hawks freshman midfielder Imani Thompson.
It was the first time all season that the Lions had trailed in a game.
Beenders’ goal broke sophomore goalkeeper Nicole DiPasquale’s scoreless minutes streak at 1,099:54, the now-seventh longest shutout streak in NCAA Division III women’s history.
The Lions countered and kept the ball in the Red Hawks zone for the next 14 minutes. After the team was awarded a third straight corner kick, the ongoing attack paid off as Nolan headed in Goldman’s kick to level up the score, 1-1, in the 56th minute.
Three minutes later, Pestritto stepped up for a free kick 25 yards out from the middle of the field. She smashed the ball into the top right corner to give her team the lead.
Even with the Lions quick turnaround, Montclair kept pushing. The next shot the Montclair took in the 76th minute would not only be their last all match, but it tied the match and sent the game to overtime.
The first overtime period proved to be the only one necessary as the Red Hawks failed to maintain the ball or take a shot. An early corner by Goldman led to a header from freshman defender Devon McDonough which hit the post. The play was followed by another header that Bertolino saved.
The game sealing sequence saw the Red Hawks give up a foul in their own box in the 96th minute, allowing Levering to step up and crush the penalty kick goal, earning her second overtime winner of the year. Levering’s goal also moved her into a tie for second place in Lions history with 55 career goals.
Levering is now just two points shy of the Lions all-time record.
The Lions continue their road trip against No. 16 ranked Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Later on Saturday, Oct. 21, the team travels to Union for a conference match against Kean University.
(10/03/17 6:46am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
This season the MLB’s biggest story has not been political protests, nor has it been tragedies off the field or overblown news that the sport is dying. No, the biggest story this year has been a 25-year-old from Linden, California, whose presence in the Bronx has caused everyone to rise.
Aaron Judge has become baseball’s shining star and he can go even farther.
He is a freak of nature in the best possible way and I’m beyond joyed to see him wearing pinstripes this season with the New York Yankees. In his first full season, he’s won the Home Run Derby, earned a spot on the American League All-Star team and broke the rookie home run record. He recorded 50 home runs last week against the Kansas City Royals, all while helping his team reach the playoffs.
I heard fan discussion about him possibly becoming the next Yankee captain. I can’t support the argument after only one season of full play. Still, I do believe Judge can become the next great quintessential baseball player. It’s a term that I’ve made up but it’s an idea that is far from revolutionary. Every baseball fan, young and old, has a player that they idolize. One player that they save their baseball card, buy their poster, imitate their batting stance and so on.
Aaron Judge has become baseball’s shining star and he can go even farther (envato elements).
Bob Costas touched on this subject during his eulogy at the funeral of Mickey Mantle, a player that was hero to more than anyone could count.
“Every boy builds a shine to some baseball hero,” Costas said. “And before that shrine, a candle always burns. For a huge portion of my generation, Mickey Mantle was that baseball hero. And for reasons that no statistics, no dry recitation of the facts can possibly capture, he was the most compelling baseball hero of our lifetime. And he was our symbol of baseball at a time when the game meant something to us that perhaps it no longer does.”
Judge has a lot going for him in this regard. He’s fantastic at the plate, he’s solid in the field and he’s a likable guy in an era where many fans are finding out their heroes may have been taking performance enhancing drugs. He hits home runs for what seems like miles and still can be interviewed after the game and not seem full of himself.
My 98-year-old grandfather has seen over 20 World Series winning Yankees teams during his lifetime. But to him, the sun rises and sets on Joe DiMaggio. He was a graceful outfielder who, in my grandpa’s words, “never lost his hat” when chasing down a fly ball. The impact Dimaggio had on him is something he’ll never forget or replace.
My father has two players that fit the category. When he was younger, my Dad idolized the charismatic and gifted Yogi Berra. His way with words and his famous “yogiisms” were enough to make him memorable, but his play on the field was something else. As my Dad got older, he began to appreciate and admire Don Mattingly during his tenure with the Yankees. He likes him so much that even when Mattingly was managing the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015 and rumors surfaced Yasiel Puig was avoiding him, my Dad immediately turned on Puig. You don’t mess with Donny Baseball.
Then there’s me. Growing up as a Yankees fan in the late ’90s and early 2000s, many people would say I was spoiled with success and talented players. They may be right, but no one shinned more in my eyes than Derek Jeter. He was the guy. I had Jeter shirts, I attended yearly baseball clinics in the city which were run by Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation and I treasure my signed Derek Jeter memorabilia. It takes a lot to make me cry at a sport, but seeing him leave the field after helping his team win in his final game at Yankee Stadium is one of my favorite moments in all of sports.
It doesn’t have to just be Yankees though. There’s Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Ernie Banks, Mike Trout and the list just goes on. Kids and adults find that one player they will always love and who symbolizes the game to them.
Judge will decide the verdict on his own hero status over the next few years. If he keeps up the amazing play and stays the same likable and humble person, people will be more drawn to him. Baseball isn’t as popular as it used to be, and not much can change that. But if a father can still take his son to a game and pass on the enjoyment to him, and help him find that one player to latch onto, baseball will always be America’s game.
(10/03/17 6:40am)
By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
The Lions raised their undefeated streak to nine games last week, including two wins over New Jersey Athletic Conference opponents. The team came away with a 5-0 victory on the road against Rutgers University-Camden on Sept. 27, before returning home and taking another 4-0 win against Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday, Sept. 30. The Lions improved to 9-0 on the season.
Over the course of the two games, two Lions helped inch themselves higher on all-time lists. Senior forward Christine Levering scored three goals, moving her into second place in all-time at 133 points. Levering currently sits in third place with 54 goals, one goal behind Dana DiBruno (’07) and four goals behind all-time leading goal scorer Traci Tapp (’98).
Senior midfielder Jessica Goldman also made it onto a top 10 list with her performance in the two games. During the Rutgers University-Newark game, Goldman’s assist to Levering’s record setting goal moved her into eighth place for all-time assists with 22 assists.
Goldman, who wasn’t aware that she moved onto the top 10 list, said it gives her more drive to move forward.
“It’s obviously special,” Goldman said. “But it’s just motivation to keep going forward. To not stop there.”
Levering took time to reflect on her teammates and all the work they have been doing in helping her reach this point, but in helping the team this season.
“That just shows how much as a team, this group has been doing well because obviously I can’t do it myself,” Levering said. “Knowing that there’s people getting the assists and the points… it’s humbling.”
While head coach Joe Russo says his team doesn’t look at rankings and accomplishments in the moment, he does say the milestones will be huge accomplishments when they look back.
“They both have done well,” Russo said. “They’re very good players. And the best thing as good of a player Jess and Lev is they’re just better kids. I mean they’re good people. So they mean a lot to our program.”
Besides the two seniors, multiple players proved vital for the team in their routing of their Rutgers rivals.
Against the Scarlet Raptors, Goldman smashed in a shot of her own with an assist of senior midfielder Kayla Bertolino. The first half saw one more goal in store when freshman defender Devon McDonough found herself with the ball. In the ensuing chaos, McDonough passed the ball to sophomore midfielder Alexa Beatty who scored her second goal of the season.
Meanwhile, sophomore goalkeeper Nicole DiPasquale faced three shots in the last 45 minutes, all of which she saved.
The Lions struggled to finish chances early in the second half, with multiple shots sailing over the crossbar. Sophomore midfielder Despina Lianidis was able to score in the back of the net in the 74th minute off an assist from senior forward Hannah Richman.
Only seven minutes later, Richman ripped a long shot to the net’s right side and scored the Lions fifth goal of the match, where the score would stay.
At home against the Raptors, the Lions clamped down on the Scarlet Raiders offense. In total, only two shots were recorded and only one of them was on target. The Lions backline, usually manned by Richman and sophomore defensive duo Ally Deriggi and Jen McGrogan have come together to become one of the top units in Division III. The Lions are the sole Division III team in the nation to not concede a goal this season and are only one of three teams across all divisions to do so.
Deriggi said that it all comes down to being a strong unit with her teammates.
“I just think we work very well together,” DiRoggi said. “We don’t work for ourselves, I think we work for each other and as a team… We connect balls and we’re just always working really hard.”
On the offensive front, the College controlled the home turf with impressive ball control during the first half. It only took Levering five minutes to get the Lions on the scoreboard. Levering got the ball back off a corner kick short pass from Goldman and targeted the top left corner of the goal from the right side of the box.
Later in the first half, Richman saw Lianidis breaking toward an opening in the Newark defense and lobbed a pass her way. The midfielder went on to beat the keeper with a low shot.
Besides her work on the backline, Deriggi found herself in place for an impressive goal 20 yards out in the closing stages of the first half. It was her first goal as a Lion.
“I checked in for the pass (and) I got the pass,” Deriggi said. “I cut the ball in and I went for it instead of crossing in… I kind of was going down (to the ground) but I was kicking it at the same time. So I did get the kick off.”
In the game’s second half, the Lions took less shots than usual. Levering doesn’t think the team was slowing down. Rather, the team was taking time with possessions.
“We talked at halftime just to keep the same energy and work fast through the middle,” Levering said. “I think we tried doing that and keep possessing it more. In some ways I think we did better and in some ways I think we still have room to improve.”
The added possession time may have given way to Levering scoring her second goal of the day, which put her second on the all-time points list. In the 53rd minute, Levering shot low to the left side of the net off a pass from Bertolino to give her team the final winning score, 4-0.
The team’s next match will be on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Lions Stadium against Gettysburg College. Later on Saturday, Oct. 7, the Lions will play against conference rival Ramapo College at the TCNJ Soccer Complex at 1 p.m.
Russo said it will be nice to play outside of the NJAC for a bit, but he isn’t underestimating the Bullets clip of talent.
“(Gettysburg is) usually always in the top part of the Centennial, which is a strong conference, so it’s usually a good test for us,” Russo said. “We’re looking forward to it. They’re well coached, they’re always organized and their coach Matt (Garrett) does a great job in getting his kids ready to play.”
(10/03/17 12:26am)
By Michael Battista
Over my four years here at the College, I’ve been lucky enough to contribute to The Signal by holding multiple positions within the newspaper, ranging from a beat writer to an editor of the sports section. I notice how much my work is appreciated when I walk by the large stacks of newspapers around campus and see other students holding a physical copy of the newspaper, reading my stories. Now that I’ve become more involved with other media-based groups on campus, I’ve realized more how The Signal gets such a good deal when it comes to student visibility.
As a newly licensed DJ at WTSR 91.3FM, the College’s student radio station serving Mercer and Bucks counties, I’m faced with a single overbearing dilemma — not many people are actually listening. No matter what music I play or how well I do my part, I feel like people around campus will never get the chance to hear my work, nor the work of our radio station’s amazing executive board and general staff. Usually, I have to inform members of my family and friends through social media that I’ll be on air. Sometimes, I really feel like the sound of leaves blowing in the wind — you can faintly hear me in the background, but most of the time I go unnoticed.
Radio isn’t the king of media and it hasn’t been since 1979 when The Buggles sang, “Video Killed the Radio Star.” Most people will say that they just listen to the music they downloaded on their personal devices or Spotify, and I can’t change that. I can’t even say that I would listen to WTSR over my own music half the time. However, maybe students at the College can change this.
There are so many ways to incorporate the College’s very own radio station into the lives of its students. One way of doing this, is playing the WTSR more in the different buildings across campus. Eickhoff Hall is constantly playing music, and a lot of the time it’s tuned into a Philadelphia top 40 station that plays a lot of the same music over and over again. In Eickhoff Hall, I listened to The Weeknd so much my sophomore year that every time I walked into the cafeteria I almost couldn’t “Feel My Face” from annoyance.
WTSR has a lot of freedom when it comes to the music it plays, and its backlog of music is massive with tons of genres. The only thing it avoids is top 40 songs, better known as the songs that have high awareness. If WTSR exposes students to a lot of local bands, new genres and even allows students to hear their friends and classmates live on the air when they do updates or specialty shows.
In the Brower Student Center, we have a beautiful, newly renovated lounge area with tons of games and activities. Why not just have some “Sympathy for The Devil,” as sung by the Rolling Stones, and place a radio set-up there so students can hear their own fellow students and music from their own college’s radio station play?
There are some flaws in what I’m suggesting. Using the wise words of Bruce Springsteen, WTSR is “Born to Run” in a way that goes against many top 40 radio stations, and does have specialty shows that may not be appropriate to play over a loudspeaker in public areas. Things such as gospel radio, sports talk or hardcore grunge music wouldn’t sound right being played in Eickhoff Hall. I suppose whoever is controlling the radio station in Eickhoff Hall could just switch the station when these shows come on, and then tune back into WTSR once those programs end.
Even though I know, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” — as sung by the Rolling Stones — I still think it’s important to try. The WTSR has so much talent, and it does so much for this campus that I feel as though the campus should give something back. The recent WTSR Underground session — a two-day event where WTSR and Lions Television hosted multiple bands to record their sets — was a lot of fun and free for all students.
If the College increases visibility of WTSR and plays it in buildings on campus where more people can hear it, not only would the popularity of the radio station increase, but more students might get more involved with it as well.