8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

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Vol.82, No.24/5.13.09/Free

Read more on Page 7

Read more on Page 3

Students unconventional family storytravels the world

Dont walk

alone

We have a donor,not a dad.

Merciad

Two students assaulted

near campus

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

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NEWSPage 2 May 13, 2009

Third Eye Blind was the best band choicesince Ive been here, but it was too hot

to enjoy.

Chris Duval, senior

I wanted to go [to Springfest], but my

friends were more content staying in

because it was so cold, but the concertwas awesome.

Caitlin Roberts, senior

The inflatables were a great way to

spend the day during the halftime of the

spring football game, and the concert was

amazing even though it was extremely hotand sticky.

Randy Tucker, senior

I usually like Third Eye Blind, and I saw

them at Behrend last year and they were

a lot better. They played too many new

songs.

Jenna Golden, senior

It was my first concert experience and

was really fun. I was surprised that hisvocals were so good.

Mercyhurst should definitely get similar

bands like Third Eye Blind in the future.

Liz Zurasky, freshman

Students splash through Springfest

I didnt like that they played so much of

their new music. I wish they had played

more of their old music that everyone

knows, but overall, it was a lot of fun.

Alex Stacey, freshman

Top: Freshmen Laura Palermo,

Lindsay Hoh and Slippery Rock sopho-

more Meghan McGeary slid down the Slip

n Slide.

Left: Freshman Erin Beck raced through

the Pirates Cove Obstacle Course.

Bottom left: Senior Nick Marcellino made

a splash.

Bottom Right: Freshman Kaitlyn Badger

decorated a pair of pink flip flops.

Tyler Stauffer photos

I believe Springfest was a great weekend

of events. Unfortunately on Saturday, the

bad weather would not hold out on us, but

overall I believe students had a lot of fun.

Vicky Fleisner, senior

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NEWS Page 3May 13, 2009

Moving in or moving on: thenew students, transfers report

While many think enrollment

went down, the report to the

college community from the

Board of Trustees Meeting on

Thursday, April 30, said over-

all enrollment actually went up

77 students from the spring of2008 to the spring of 2009.

Mercyhurst North East is up

125 students from last year in

their enrollment.

Graduate programs are at a

record high with an additional

36 students.

In fact, the only two sectors

of the Mercyhurst student pop-

ulation that are down are Erie

County students (down 79) andadult students (down 23).

Incoming freshman students

enrollment is ahead of sched-

ule. With four months remain-

ing in the admission cycle, con-

firmations are 13 ahead of last

year at this time.

Even so, 129 more freshmen

enrollees confirmations are

needed to meet the 665 goal.

The admissions office can stillpull from the other 1,139 appli-

cations in case confirmations

fall short of 129.

Vice President of Enrollment

Dr. Michael Lyden said this

is a record-breaking year for

students transferring into the

college.

A few years ago we had

about 90 new transfer students

and this year we may break

that, he said.

According to Lyden, the bulkof these students are from Erie

County.

These are students who

went away to school some-

where, often times a private

school and for whatever rea-

son, they come back to Erie,

Lyden said.

Students transfer in and out

of college for three main rea-

sons. The number one reasonis for programs. If a student s

current college doesnt have a

program or it is stronger some-

where else, they transfer. The

second most popular reason is

financial.

College is expensive and even

the best program cant keep

some students at their college

of choice. The third is to move

closer to home.We find that a lot of our

transfer students are coming

from the local Erie area. For

whatever reason, being closer to

their families is their priority,

Lyden said.

Beyond those top three rea-

sons, there are hundreds of

other reasons students transfer,

Lyden explained.

In order to keep students at

the college Lyden said, At the

end of the day its all aboutcommunication and informa-

tion sharing among all of the

staff.

Lyden explained how one

person can impact a students

experience negatively and posi-

tively.

The saying, it takes a village

to raise a child applies to the

college experience too, he said.

Everyone from the registrarsoffice down to Police and Safety

contribute to a students experi-

ence and Mercyhurst aims to get

a full picture of their students in

order to understand their rea-

sons for leaving.

We have a representative

from almost every aspect of that

students experience and their

exit interview so we can make

sure we dont repeat the samemistakes and to anticipate po-

tential problems, Lyden said.

By Amanda Valauri

News editor

The Merciad is back online!

Visit us at merciad.mercyhurst.edu

Erie police responded to seperate assaults that occured at the

Cornerstone and behind CVS on Tuesday, May 12.

Scoot Williams photo

Two studentsassaulted

An unknown man assaulted

two female students from Mer-

cyhurst College during separate

incidents in the early hours of

Tuesday morning, according to

the Erie Bureau of Police.

During the first incident,

which occurred at approxi-mately 12:10 a.m. Tuesday, the

perpetrator grabbed a woman at

the Cornerstone and was kicked

out of the bar, police said.

After the man left the Cor-

nerstone, he walked west on

38th Street and turned left

after CVS, and assaulted a

second victim on the walkway

between CVS and the blue light

system near the Wayne Streetparking lot, police reported.

She did not suffer any serious

injuries.

Erie police were dispatched at

approximately 12:20 a.m.

Eyewitnesses who saw the

perpetrator described him as a

6-62 tall black man in his early

20s with short hair and a very

dark complexion, police said.

At the time of the assaults,

the man was wearing baggy graysweatpants and a gray hooded

sweatshirt, according to wit-

nesses.

Captain Frank Kwitowski

of Erie Police Departments

Criminal Investigative Unit

said the unknown suspect will

face charges including inde-

cent assault, simple assault and

harassment.

Mercyhurst Police and Safetyassisted police by providing

pictures related to the incident

captured by college camera sys-

tems.

The Cornerstone and

CVS provided video footage,

Kwitowski said.

Mercyhurst Police and Safety

Chief Ken Sidun strongly

advised students to walk in

pairs or groups, stay aware oftheir surroundings and report

any suspicious activity to

campus police by calling 824-

2304.

To report any information

regarding the incidents, call Sgt.

John Holmes at 870-1503 or

Kwitowski at 870-1158.

Mercyhurst had not yet

released a Timely Notification

Bulletin as of Tuesday night.

By JoEllen Marsh

Managing editor

Read more news, features, artsand entertainment, opinion and

sports on the Web.Feel free to comment!

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NEWS: Year in ReviewPage 4 May 13, 2009

Michelle Spiegel photo

Around Halloween, freshman girls in Egan Hall were spooked by this image

caught on a Web cam. Residents told of their encounters with ghosts.

Scoot Williams photo

Frank Warren, the creator of PostSecret, spoke to an audience of

more than 750 people in December at Mercyhurst. Strangers sharetheir secrets with Warren, the most-trusted man in America.

Courtesy of Erie Times News

Former Mercyhurst College student

Teri Rhodes was sentenced to nine to

18 years in state prison for the

suffocation death of her newborn

daughter in August 2007. Rhodes at-

torney requested her sentence to bereduced, but her appeal was denied.

IRELAND

Dungarvan

Eries sister city

Dungarvan, Ireland,

is home to a new

Mercyhurst campus.

Mercyhurst students

will arrive for classes

in spring 2010.

Mercyhurst chose Parkhurst Dining

Services to provide the colleges

food services beginning in fall 2009.

Parkhurst was chosen for its food qualityand emphasis on sustainability.

Contributed photo

In October, Mercyhurst College communication students had the opportunity to

volunteer at a local political campaign and meet former New York City Mayor Rudy

Giuliani and former First Lady Laura Bush.

Brittani DeVore photo

Francis Warde Hall will be the new freshman residence hall for

incoming students in fall 2009. The dorm will also house a

convenience store and workout center.

Due to the countrys

financial situation,

the marriage and

family studies

concentration of thefamily and consumer

sciences program

will be phased out

over the next four

years at Mercyhurst.

This came as a shock

to faculty and

students.

Tyler Stauffer photo

September 2008 was

the last month for

the MSG Shuttle. The

college converted to

the EMTA to fit more

students and run

more routes.

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FEATURES Page 5May 13, 2009

In 12 days, 288 hours, and 17,280

minutes, Mercyhurst College seniors, the

Class of 2009 will graduate.

Although armed with four years ofeducation, the prospect of the real world

is daunting.

Some embrace this prospect

optimistically while others are more

apprehensive.

Many express sentiments similar to

those of Erik Penn, a social work major,

who said he will miss the people but am

ready to move forward with my life.

Commencement is an exciting and

anxious time for those moving into thereal world.

For some students, commencement

means entering the real world and

workforce.

Seniors will go on the hunt for a job

andg o o d

location to

work.

Many have

scheduled their

interviews, while

others wait to see

what life brings them.

As seniors enter the real

world, they are impacted by the

amount of independence and

responsibility they are about to

take on.

For other students, such as

Luis Sierra, a double major in

music

a n d

accounting,

commencement

means continuing aneducation.

While there are many

options for those who desire

to continue their education,

Sierra intends to continue his

education through Mercyhursts graduate

programs.

Whether entering the workforce or

continuing to receive an education,

graduating seniors are unsure of their

futures, but have the opportunity to

become independent as they enter the

world as educated professionals.As these seniors enter the real world,

many recall the memories they have

made throughout their four years at

Mercyhurst College.

For many, the friends they have made

in the past four years made everything

worthwhile and created unforgettable

experiences.

Penn remembers going on the MSG

trip to Chicago and playing dodgeball in

a league with his friends. When asked his best memory

from four years at Mercyhurst, Chris

VonVolkenberg, a major in music

education, responded, My friends would

have to tell you that one.

By Carolyn Carlins

Contributing writer

Seniors plan with one foot out the door

Two Mercyhurst College

communication students were part

of a client project for the Strategic

Communication II course, where they

were assigned to work with companies to

address problems they were having.

Seniors Matt Wallenhorst and GrigGrigoryan were assigned to the Erie

Community Blood Bank to create a

strategic communication plan to help

them increase blood donations.

The project lasted through spring term

with students being evaluated on their

outcomes.

Additionally, they had to do an

evaluation analysis and give a presentation

to the instructor of the class, Meghan

Corbin.

Director of the Community Blood

Bank Dan Desrochers compared

Wallenhorst and Grigoryans success

and hard work to that of a professional

marketing department.

To develop the plan a couple of

different strategies were used.

When we were developing our

strategies we tried to use things that

worked and eliminate those that didnt

work, Grigoryan said.Essentially we added few more

communication channels and tweaked the

message to fit students. We designed one

message for students and one for faculty,

he added.

Wallenhorst said they used many

different media to spread their

message.

Our strategy was to combine

Facebook messaging, on-campus signs

and posters and personal selling to try

to get people to attend, then out of

the people that came we had them fill

out a survey discussing their donor

experience, Wallenhorst said.

We targeted new blood donor

students, recurring blood donor students

and faculty and staff as our key publics,

he added.

When I was thinking on how to

promote the event I thought that if we

made more people aware by reachingthem with better messages we should be

successful, Grigoryan said.

Our objectives were to get 40

donors, collect e-mails from 90 percent

of participants and survey 40 percent

of donors to understand their perception

of CBBs customer service, he added.

The students campaign was very

successful.

I wasnt sure how much success

we were going to have because the

American Red Cross had a blood drive

exactly one week before ours, we made

goals that we thought we could reach and

were pleasantly surprised that we easily

achieved them, Wallenhorst said.

Wallenhorst and Grigoryan said they

were excited that they had far exceeded

their goals.

We are very pleased with our results.

The number of students that turned

out was phenomenal and we alsogathered some valuable information

from those who attended. I would

like to thank everyone for coming and

making the blood drive a success for

everyone, Wallenhorst said.

Grigoryan agreed.

We exceeded all our objectives. Total

68 people attended 59 people gave us

their e-mail address and we surveyed 50

percent of donors. So I think it was a big

success, he said.

By Jenna Golden

Contributing writerBlood drive driven to success

End of school has seniors thinking about future

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FEATURESPage 6 May 13, 2009

Summer is usually a time

to return home to homemade

cooking, high school friends

and nagging parents.But for some Mercyhurst

College students, summer is used

for relaxation and vacation.

For others; finding a job,

working and interning are

students top priorities.

Whichever route students

venture, summer is always

everyones favorite 10 week

term.

Erie native sophomore Erica

Beidler will be living at home

during the summer.

I have an athletic training

internship with the Erie

Seawolves, Beidler said.

And then, Im going tosee Dave Matthews Band in

Pittsburgh.

Not all students have the

option or desire to return

home.

Junior Sara Norris is staying

on campus for the summer and

working on the paint crew.

Sophomore health and fitness

promotion major, Richeal Forde,

is also working on campus.

My plans are to work at

the library; hopefully do some

clinical hours for my major,

take in some sun rays since we

dont get any at home and then

Im going home to Ireland inAugust, Forde said.

Junior marketing major Cara

Adamus will be fleeing Erie

for an internship at Penn State

University.

I will be working in marketing

and promotions for Magnum

Broadcasting in State College,

Pa., Adamus said.

Junior bio-chemistry major

Surafel Mulugeta will also be

involved with an internship.

This summer, I will be in

Nashville, Tenn., interning

at a pharmacology research

institute, Mulugeta said.

Christine Fink, a juniorinterior design major, will be

living in a townhouse in Erie and

interning at Legion Wholesale

Supply Co, a kitchen and bath

design supplier.

Graduating senior Matt

Wallenhorst will be looking for a

job and working at his previous

part-time job.

Taking a more relaxed

approach to summer, junior

Carrina Crow said, Ill just

spend time with friends and

family; most likely find a part-

time job and spend about 4

weeks [vacation] in Maine.

By Liz Maier

Staff writer

Sun sets on spring term, summer rises on horizon

Lunch $ 5

Dinner $ 5.50 11:30 a.m. -8 p.m.

Lunch $ 5

Dinner $ 5.50

Broccoli & Cheddar Bites

6 Sub $4 Combo $5

12 Sub $5.75 Combo $6.75

Make any sub a wrap for

no extra charge!

Wrap Combo- Veggie $5

Other Wraps $4

M

T

W

TH

F

S

Caesar Salad

Steel City Sandwich

Chicken Quesadilla

Gen. Tsos Chicken

Portabella & Red Pepper Wrap

BBQ Bacon Cheeseurger

M

T

W

TH

F

S

Meat Ravioli

Two Slices of Pizza

Home Style Potato Bowl

Sizzle Salad

Chicken Patty

Chicken Finger Sub

S Meatball Sub

Lunch $ 5

Dinner $ 5.50

Students ready for years end

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FEATURES Page 7May 13, 2009

Mercyhurst College freshman JoEllen

Marsh has two moms.

You have a donor, not a dad, my

moms always told me, Marsh said. We

didnt use the word father. We always

called him the donor.

Marsh said she always knew her family

structure was different.When I was little I would play house

with the nuclear family setup a mom,

dad and baby, she said. I understood

early that it wasnt the norm.

Marsh was home-schooled until the

seventh grade. When she entered public

school she was worried she might be made

fun of for her non-traditional family.

I was uncomfortable with a lot of

people knowing I have two moms, but by

ninth grade the nerves were gone, shesaid.

Marsh said she was never ridiculed.

Everyone was just curious, she said.

I never had any problems talking about

it.

When Marshs birth mother, Lucinda,

and her other mother Deneen, or Neen

as Marsh refers to her, decided they

wanted children, they turned to artificial

insemination.

They began researching the CaliforniaCryobank (CCB), a full-service sperm

bank providing a comprehensive

resource for frozen donor semen, private

semen cryopreservation and specialized

reproductive services, according to their

Web site.

They were one of the only cryobanks

that shipped directly to the mother,

Marsh said.

Lucinda and Neen chose Donor 150

because he was the only individual thatexplained himself as being spiritual,

soulful and creative, Marsh said.

From an early age Marshs parents

shared the information they had about

Donor 150.

I was always really curious about him,

she said.

When Marsh was 12, her grandmother

watched an episode of Oprah featuring

a Web site that helped donor children

connect to siblings.

Marsh, with the support of her family,

decided to sign up on the Donor Sibling

Registry, a site that seeks to assist

individuals conceived as a result of sperm,

egg or embryo donation that are seeking

to make mutually desired contact with

others with whom they share genetic ties,

the foundations Web site says.

It took two and a half years before I

received a response, Marsh said.

In August 2005, 14-year-old Marsh

received a letter from her half-sister,Danielle Pagano, who was 16 at the time.

I was ecstatic, Marsh said. This was

the first real connection to the other half

of my genetic background.

Marsh said finding Pagano was a relief.

It was amazing to know I wasnt alone,

to know someone else went through the

same thing as me, she said.

The girls began to e-mail regularly.

It was so strange, Marsh said. I think

we felt a connection from the beginning.Still, Marsh admitted she was nervous.

We had no guideline, no idea what we

should do, Marsh said. We didnt know

what the relationship should be like, but

we were excited.

It took several months before the

sisters felt comfortable enough to call

each other.

Shortly after the call, the sisters were

contacted by the New York Times. The

Times wanted to do a story on the successusing the DSR site.

The first time (Pagano) and I met was

to do the interview with the New York

Times, Marsh said. I can remember

standing in Penn Station looking at my

half sister for the first time.

Within five days of the New York

Times article, Hello, Im Your Sister. Our

Father Is Donor 150, landing on the front

page of the Sunday edition and over 300

publications around the world, the DSRsite crashed due to high volumes of traffic

and Marsh and Pagano were contacted by

three other siblings.

More half siblings continued to be

found in the following weeks.

We found out Donor 150 was a really

popular donor, Marsh said.

Although Marsh explained the

experience of meeting siblings for the first

time as strange, she said the excitement

was overwhelming

There was no time to think about

it, she said. We were so into it that we wanted to learn everything about each

other.

Marsh said the initial conversation with

newly-found siblings became easier.

I got better and better at the Hello,

Im your sister e-mail.

Marsh said her parents and the parents

of her siblings were very involved.

Some were suspicious, others just

excited, she said. They all understood

how amazing this was.

Of the siblings Marsh stays in contact

with, two single mothers, three sets of

lesbians and one heterosexual couple

make up their parents.

Marsh has met six siblings and knows

of six more. Some do not want to

come forward, others are too young to

understand, Marsh said.

Its normal to have so many donor

recipients come forward, Marsh said.Were actually a minimal number

compared to others.

Siblings werent the only relatives of

Marsh reading the Times. Jeffery Harrison

read the headline and choked on his

coffee.

He saw Donor 150 and California

Cryobank and knew we were his

daughters, Marsh said.

It would take a year and a half for

Harrison to contact the DSR and attemptto connect with his donor children.

Pagano received a call from the DSR

on Valentines Day 2007 explaining thatDonor 150 (Harrison) had come forward.

She immediately called Marsh and the two

decided to conference call Harrison the

next day.

We didnt even tell our parents, Marsh

said. We were so excited we couldnt

wait.

Their parents werent happy they made

the call without informing them, but the

conversation went well, Marsh said.

It went something like this: Hi, were

your daughters, Marsh said. Holy

moley was all he could say.

Since meeting her first sibling and

speaking with her donor father, Marsh

has stayed in regular contact with six of

her half siblings. She speaks to or e-mails

Harrison regularly and is in the process of

making plans to meet him.

Marsh said Harrisons more than my

hippie sperm donor father who lives in anRV on Venice Beach, Calif. with his two

dogs... Hes family, and I feel like I need

to meet him.

Marsh said she understands that

some people dont understand her

non-traditional family, but hopes those

individuals will try to be open-minded.

Were happy, she said. However

crazy, this new kind of family seems,

its meant a lot for us to have these

connections.

By Casey GreeneEditor in Chief

Donor 150s daughter unites with siblings

Marsh met five of her siblings after the New York Times ran an article on them.

Contributed photo

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 8 May 13, 2009

Original choreography displays talent

The Mercyhurst College

Dance Department held an

impromptu choreography show-

ing in the Dance Space in Zurn

Hall on Thursday, May 7.

The Close the Door pro-

gram showcased the talents of

Choreography II students ClaireHinde, Sarah Mastrocola and

Nicole Lyons.

Each choreographer has

been working hard all term to

put together an original com-

bination so they can show their

dances to the public for the first

time.

Each piece was very authen-

tic, and each dancer had the

chance to have their individualtalents shown off. They also

showed their strength as a

department as a whole, fresh-

man Rachel Reszler said.

The event was very well

attended for an informal show-

ing, with most of the members

coming out to support their

friends. They were very sup-

portive of the new choreogra-

phers.

I thought it was very pro-

fessionally done. Mercyhurst

should be proud of its dance

program, freshman dance

major Megan Dunphy said.Nicole Lyons presented her

work first, with a piece titled

Seven. It was a modern

take on the seven deadly sins.

There was no music for this

piece, and each dancer who

represented a different sin

delivered a coinciding mono-

logue.

Claire Hinde presented her

piece next, which was entitledNever a Sure Thing, and

included music by Dido and

Enya. Claire conveyed the feel-

ing of unreturned love and how

time can be spent wanting it.

She combined quick energetic

movements with slower, more

fluid ones to create a very deep

effect.

Sarah Mastrocola presented

the final piece, which was titled

To Let You GoA Work in

Progress, and included music

by GP~00, Faultline and Cold-

play. She tried to show how she

was working out loss, and thatyou have to go on living, while

letting go of the person you lost.

This was an extremely emotional

piece, which was conveyed by

the dancers lyrical movements

and facial expressions.

Overall, this was a great

beginning to the careers of Mer-

cyhursts young choreographers.

Lyons described it as a good

beginning that will lead to morechoreographic opportunities.

It was a good way to showcase

some of Mercyhursts talent.

By Alexandra StaceyStaff writer

Jennings explores summer job opportunities

So, I dont know if youve

heard but the economy

crashed. Break out Steinbecks

Grapes of Wrath with your

high school copy of Harper

Lees How to Kill a Mocking-

bird and start nodding your

head in full sympathetic under-

standing of their plight.OK, so it is not exactly the

Dust Bowl, but jobs are slim this

summer and tuition is going up

again. Youre going to need to get

work this summer. The awesome

thing about summer for most

people is a break from classes.

Unfortunately, this also means

that youre going to lose that work

study position where the govern-

ment pays you minimum wage

to do your homework. But Im

all for getting checks for as littleeffort as possible. After all, I am

a young AmericanI am defined

by my ability to slide by on my own

self-righteous philosophies that I

should neither have to struggle nor

suffer for anything in my life.

So, here are my top three jobs

that wont have you sweating

this summer:

Lifeguard If you can pass

the swimming and CPR tests,you can basically get paid to sit

in the sun, rest your eyes behind

your sunglasses and watch bath-

ing suit clad hotties stroll the

pool side. There is a chance that

someone could drown under

your watch because of your

immense irresponsibility but

life isnt perfect.

Yard work technician OK,

so I may have added technician at

the end just to make it sound fancy.

But if you can get some people inyour neighborhood to pay you to

do their lawn work you can set

your own hours and prices. It may

sound kind of juvenile and youll

probably get so caught up in those

summer parties that youll forget to

ever go out and make money lead-

ing to a lifetime of poverty but

life isnt perfect.

Babysitting A lot like the last

one with risk of juvenile titles, andit can be a really high-stress and

difficult job. However, if you do

some digging, there are a lot of

really rich young mothers that willpay you top dollar to watch their

infant sleep in her Burberry onesie.

You get to watch reruns of Sex

and the City while enjoying their

super expensive Pom Juice and

biscotti that you can never jus-

tify getting yourself at the super-

market. Youll probably have to

change disgusting diapers and she

might spit up all over your new

tank top butlife isnt perfect.I have to say I have little sympa-

thy for those of you trying to find

three-month employment. As a

young woman graduating in the worst economy in decades with

a degree in creative writingmy

future plans include serving coffee

and telling people that Im a poet.

But do your best and dont work

too hardas Im finding out you

have plenty of time for that.

And dont worry too much

about snagging enough cash to

make your life perfectyou can

always take out another loan thatyoull be paying back for the rest

of your life.

By Hazel Jennings

Staff writer

Tell us about your favorite concert

experiences this summer!

Pass along stories and photos (keep it clean) to

entertainmentMerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Well post the best responses in future issues.

The choreography show displayed not only the dancers talent

but also that of the student choreographers.

Rachel Reszler photo

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9May 13, 2009

The Wrestler to be screened at PAC

As part of its award-winning

Guelcher Film Series, the Mary

DAngelo Performing Arts

Center will screen the Darren

Aronofsky film The Wrestler

on Wednesday, May 13, at 2:15

and 8 p.m.

Written by Robert Siegel, whoalso wrote the faux news docu-

mentary The Onion Movie,

The Wrestler stars Mickey

Rourke as an aging professional

wrestler determined not to give

up grappling despite its dimin-

ishing returns.

Rourke made sense for the

part because of his own lan-

guishing career. Since his star-

ring roles in romantic comediessuch as 1987s Barfly and

1989s Wild Orchids, little

had been made of the hard-

partying, self-destructive actor.

He had given up life on-screen

for some time in the 1990s in

order to train as a boxer, and

the truthfulness and authentic-

ity Rourke puts into the role are

evident.

Newsweek critic David Ansen

wrote that Rourkes playing of

Randy The Ram Robinson

is as perfect a casting call as

Humphrey Bogart in Casa-

blanca and Daniel Day-Lewis

in There Will Be Blood.Entertainment Weekly critic

Owen Gleiberman noted that

Rourkes acting, coupled with

the movies grainy, no-holds-

barred style of filming, tran-

scends the classic Hollywood

myth of a has-been looking for

redemption.

Rourke is in part so lovable

because of the people sur-

rounding him. He is consoledafter he has a heart attack by

his stripper girlfriend Cassidy

(Marisa Tomei, My Cousin

Vinny, Before the Devil

Knows Youre Dead) and

daughter Stephanie (Evan

Rachel Wood, Across the

Universe, Running With

Scissors), neither of whom

come across as stereotypes,

both deeply humanizing and

sympathizing individuals.

Randy The Ram Robin-

son is relegated to the third-

tier VFW halls that comprise a

down-and-out wrestlers tour

dates. The movies plot turnswhen Robinson attempts to set

up an in-ring re-match with his

1980s arch-nemesis, The Aya-

tollah.

Tomei and Rourke were both

nominated for Academy Awards

for their roles in The Wrestler.

Rourke was beat out by Sean

Penn, who starred in the biopic

Milk, which screened in the

PAC earlier this year. Tickets for The Wrestler

can be obtained at the PAC Box

Office before the screenings.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for

senior citizens and non-Mercy-

hurst students, $3 for Presidents

Card holders and free for Mer-

cyhurst students with student

ID.

The Guelcher Film Series will

continue to play at 2:15 and 8

p.m. on Wednesdays through

the end of school and into

summer vacation.

For those interested, the rest

of the years schedule is as fol-

lows. Frozen River will play

May 20. The documentary

Stranded will screen May 27.

Meryll Streep and Philip Sey-

mour Hoffman star in June 3s

Doubt, which was nominated

for five Oscars in 2009. This

years series is rounded out with

Moscow, Belgium on June 10.

By Kyle KingA&E Editor

Composer Farrar holds opera masterclass

The DAngelo Department

of Music recently held a master-

class titled Fairytales and Fan-

tasies on Thursday, May 7.

The class featured the Library

Director at St. Bonaventure

University Paul Spaeth and

Jordan Farrar, composer of theopera The Day Boy and The

Night Girl.

The audience was small,

and mainly consisted of

music students who wanted

to learn more about next

years opera.

Spaeth opened the class with

a discussion of George McDon-

ald, who wrote the original

novel The Day Boy and The

Night Girl. He discussed howMcDonald is one of the biggest

influences on fantasy writing,

most notably on J.R.R. Tolkein

and C.S. Lewis.

The plot of The Day Boy

and The Night Girl is about a

witch who raises two children in

opposite environments, with the

boy only knowing light, and the

girl only knowing the dark. They

eventually meet, and thoughtheir worlds are very different,

they fall in love.

Farrar has taken this classic

piece of Victorian Literature

and created an opera around it.

However, Farrar said, her opera

is a little darker than the original

story. She went on to talk about

differences that her opera has

with McDonalds original story,

and why she chose to make those

changes. She said it is really aboutparadox and the choices that the

characters make.

The Day Boy and The Night

Girl is being produced by the

After Dinner Opera Company,

which is in residence at Mercy-

hurst College. ADO has a his-

tory of producing new Ameri-

can operas. Louisa Jonason,

who is the head of ADO, as

well as the chair of the musicdepartment, said she listened

to many composers, and many

new operas, but Farrars music

was very different. She said, it

doesnt make any judgments, it

just presents, and the audience

can take what they want from

it.

The students involved in

the world premiere are very

excited. It will be interesting,

something new people haventseen before. Im confident that

it will be a great production,freshman Katie Wagner said.

By Alexandra StaceyStaff writer

HOUSES FOR RENT

Johnson & JohnsonProperties

Starting June 1, 2009

814-860-8817

The Wrestler will be shown on Wednesday, May 13, at 2:15

and 8 p.m. in the Mary DAngelo Performing Arts Center.

pac.mercyhurst.edu

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

10/16

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 10 May 13, 2009

Unknown artists from S to Z showcased

S is forStealing Summer

& Sun Domingo.

Stealing Summer is afour-piece band made up of

brothers Landon and GraysonSmith, Brad Hutcheson and Jon Taylor. Since forming in

2006, they have been touringand promoting non-stop, inhopes of releasing a full-length

album this year. Their firstsingle, Between You and Me,is currently available for down-

load on iTunes and the bandsMySpace page. Sun Domingo is a pro-

gressive rock trio. Much ofthe bands appeal is their lethal

combination of melodic guitar,introspective lyrics and time-less pop hooks. This combo isalso responsible for the bands

diverse fan base. They are cur-

rently touring in support oftheir 2008 full-length debut,The Worlds Alive.

T is forTaking Chances

& Tinted Windows.

Taking Chances is a

pop/rock band made up ofGerard Canonico, who was acast member of the Broadway

musical Spring Awakening from

2006 to 2009 and brothers Chris,Nick and Joe Salerno. Taking

Chancess music has noticeableska, reggae and acoustic influ-ences and is upbeat garage band

music. Taking Chances releasedtheir self-titled debut in 2008. Tinted Windows is an

alternative rock supergroupand pet project. The four bandmembers come from such

diverse acts that it automaticallystirs curiosity. Tinted Windowsfeatures Taylor Hanson from

Hanson on vocals, James Iha

from Smashing Pumpkins on

guitar, Adam Schlesinger fromFountains of Wayne on bassand Bun E. Carlos from Cheap

Trick on drums. Their debutalbum was released this pastApril.

U is forUntil June &

Ume.

Brothers Josh and Dan

Ballard started writing songs

together in high school, thenbegan playing in bands while

in college at Arizona State Uni-versity. The brothers eventuallymoved to Los Angeles, where

they found drummer DanielDempsey in 2005, complet-ing Until June. After countless

shows and lots of self-promo-tion, the band declared it makeor break time, stating they had

until June to get themselvesrecognized by a label. Ironi-cally, they inked a deal that June

and released an EP on iTunesa few months later. Their self-titled full-length debut is avail-

able now. Although Umes debut

album was released in 2005,

their showcase at this yearsSouth By Southwest (SXSW)

festival proved them to be areal contender in the competi-tive music industry. Fronted byan unassuming Lauren Larson,

Umes sound straddles the linebetween catchy 90s alt-popand dark, psych-infused ballads.

They have been compared tothe Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Sonic Youth, but their Sunshower

EP puts them in a class all their

own.V is forVan Atta High &

Vedera.

Van Atta High beganas five friends in New Jersey.

They put out their first EP, Weare the Captivated, in 2006.The band, which is named after

the fictional high school fromthe TV show Full House,made its way around the New

Jersey pop/punk circuit before

making their national debut.

Van Atta High was invited tojoin the 2007 Vans WarpedTour solely due to internet traf-

fic and dedicated fans. Theirnewest EP is titled Run LikeHell and is available on iTunes

and CDbaby. Vedera is an indie rock

quartet originally called Veda.

The band then had to re-release

their debut album, The Weightof An Empty Room, under

their newfound handle. In sup-port of the album, they touredwith such acts as Mute Math and

Underoath. Their latest release,Stages EP, is available now.Vedera is currently touring with

the Plain White Ts, All-Ameri-can Rejects and labelmates TheFray.

W is forWheat. Wheat is the epitome of

low-key. Their dreamy, shoegaz-

ing music style is perfect forlounging around on a sunnyday. Wheat released their debut

album in 1998, a follow-up in1999 and then took a break. They also released albums in

2003 and 2007. Even with fourreleases, Wheat still remained

under the radar, but maintainedtheir independent fan base.This year, the band decided tore-release their 90s albums in

anticipation of their new springrelease.

X is forXO.

XO is the side projectof Jake and Jeff Turner of Say

Anything. Last year, the broth-

ers self-released a six song EPentitled Some Day. The EPfeatures both brothers taking

turns on vocals, guitar, bassand keyboard. Jeff Turnerplayed drums on the record-

ing.Y is forYou Me At Six.

You Me At Six started

out like most bands. Made up

of five friends from London,You Me At Six (YMA6) played

in garages and at house partiesfor a few years until MySpacehelped them grow their UK fan

base. Since 2007, the band hasbeen touring with bands suchas The Audition, Fall Out Boy,

Angels & Airwaves and NewFound Glory. This year, freshoff their showcase at SXSW,

You Me At Six will play select Warped Tour dates in supportof their newest release, Take

Off Your Colours.Z is forZack Hexum.

Zack Hexum is a singer/

songwriter from Los Angelesand the younger brother ofNick Hexum of 311. Hexum,

who plays both guitar and sax-ophone, released his debut in

2004. In 2006, his single HowMany Times was featured asan iTunes Single of the Week.His most recent album, Open

To Close, was released in 2007.Zack Hexum is currently work-ing on a few movies and televi-

sion shows, scoring and ghost-writing music.

By Casey HarvillaStaff writer

Ume is led by Lauren Larson with an alternative pop sound.

mishmashmagazine.com

Black Eyed PeasBoom Boom PowsHIP HOP

The Fray You Found Me ROCK

DOWNLOAD

I got the hit that beat the block / You can getthat bass overload / I got that rock and roll

/ That future flow. Their single has been onthe charts for weeks now at the number onespot. This is one of many of Black Eyed Peas

singles.

The Fray released their newest albumin late 2008, which has the single YouFound Me on it. Lost and insecure /you found me, you found me / Lyin on

the floor / Surrounded, surrounded / Whyd you have towait? Their succinct lyrics draw listenersin.Lady AntebellumI Run to YouCOUNTRYLady Antebellum released their debutself-titled album in 2008. Many singleshave come of the album, includingLove Dont Live Here Anymore,

Lookin for a Good Time and theirlatest single, I Run to You. With a male and femalesinger, their voices combine for an upbeat sound.

Their music is light and bound to put the listener in agood mood.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

11/16

OPINION Page 11May 13, 2009The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the v iews of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad

or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

@mercyhurst.edu

editormerciad

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The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of MercyhurstCollege. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception offinals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814)

824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signedand names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the

letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Lettersare due Mondays. by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit

letters to box PH 485 or via e-mail at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.Editors

Casey Greene

JoEllen Marsh

Amanda Valauri

Javi Cubillos

Heather Donovan

Brad MoehringerSam Sellinger

Kyle King

Scoot Williams

Tyler Stauffer

Caitlin Bly

Gretchen Yori

Ashley Pastor

Bill Welch

Brian Sheridan

Positions

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

News Editor

Features Editor

Opinion Editor

Sports EditorSports Editor

A&E

Photographer

Photographer

Advertising Manager

Copy Editor

General Assignment

Adviser

Adviser

The conflict between our

expectations of life, and the

actual consequences of it, can

make any person depressed.

Sometimes this conflict is due

to our over-expectation; othertimes, its forgetting the reality of

life that troubles us, crossing the

limits of possibility. I think this

is not only the case for an indi-

vidual person but for all humans

around the world, because we

are created by God (as most

religions dictate).

The conflict between the

dream and the reality came

from Adams and Eves lives,as well as Abrahams and

Moses. Virtually all charac-

ters in the Old Testament

receive specific tests from

God, but most do not succeed.

This emphasizes the difference

between God and humanity and

their power in terms of knowl-

edge and happiness beginning at

the time of Adam and Eve.

This quote byLouisa MayAlcott, Far away there in the

sunshine are my highest aspi-

rations. I may not reach them,

but I can look up and see

their beauty, believe in them

and follow where they lead,

portrays my purpose in life.

Alcotts quote means much to

me, because it inspires me to

achieve my ambitions.

Its not unnatural for a student

like me to have dreams

dreams to achieve some-

thing innovative and

extraordinary, so as to

contribute to society on

a global scale and not

merely to develop my

career. Unsurprisingly,

most people strive to

pursue higher education

with full dedication and

discipline.

I too, believe with-

out knowledge, making

dreams come true is like build-

ing castles in the air. Many

people call me childish; I how-

ever, dont feel intimidated by

their judgment.I think it is probably because

every activity I engage myself

in, I do with excessive zeal and

great interest. And it is because

of the way I was raised, I act

this way. I believe, all my child-

ish activities, or as I see it, my

devotion to my tasks, has helped

me to realize the responsibili-

ties of family, society, nation

and humanity.

I have involved myself in

community service since I wasyoung. I did not gain any spe-

cial treatment for my work

except great pleasure and

self-satisfaction.

I dont mean my faith has

been changed or my venture

for humanity has been accom-

plished but it taught me to trust,

to have faith and to sacrifice my

needs for the needs of others. It

may be just an initiation but its

also an ultimate source of inspi-

ration, to continue in the track

of humanity, not overlooking

my education, my intimate and

inborn faith and beliefs.

Now, I am at Mercyhurst to

complete my education with

excellent achievements. I am

enthusiastically looking for-

ward to creating my own plat-

form of success here and in my

future career.

I have heard and I believe

life is an extended journey, like

an odyssey. Every journey is

a new experience, a knowing

experience, a learning experi-

ence. Learning itself is an end-

less process. It cannot be mea-sured through grades or class

rank. These appear trivial in

the long run.

Learning is an ongoing pro-

cess of gaining knowledge

through diverse experiences.

Thus, every human being can

engage in this process because

every human being has expe-

riences of their own.

What I have achieved hasits own value in my life. My

desire to become a critically-

thinking individual and my

facing of lifes challenges with

zeal and enthusiasm, helps me

develop into a broad-minded,

innovative person.

And I wish my dedication,

motivation and innovative atti-

tude, as well as my experiences

in my life, will continue to boostmy academic and extracurricular

achievements at Mercyhurst.

This college, consistent with

its Catholic identity and Mercy

heritage is an institution where

every man and women can share

faith respectfully.

Consequently, it will also

equip me in my march ahead,

namely in my future career, for

I will have a deep understanding

of the core values and mission

statement for life.

Narayan Prasad Dhakal, is a

sophomore International Business

Major from Nepal.

He wants to do something great

in International Business and make a

difference, being a role model to others

who try to work hard in their lives, not

overlooking my sense of responsibility

towards my family, society, nation and

humanity as a whole.

His favorite aspects about Mer-

cyhurst: Strong student-faculty

bonds inspire students to realize the

human and spiritual values embedded

in everyday realities and to exercise

leadership in service toward a just

world the environment promotes

balance of mind, body and spirit, and

ultimately offers the opportunity to

develop a moral compass for authen-

tic living. I believe its really one of

the best places with opportunities to

grow as a person, to make amazing

friends, and to forge my own career

and community.

I have heard andI believe life is an

extended journey,like an odyssey. Narayan Prasad Dhakal

Building a platform for success

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

12/16

September 3, 2008OPINIONPage 12 May 13, 2009

Springfest was a hit thisyear, attracting hundredsto free food and fun oncampus. For those whodidnt make an appearance,

you may have paid for yourSpring Fest in keg fees and Aspirin, but fun was no-doubt had by all.

Seniors, its over. Houseparties, pizza for dinnerthree plus days a week,Sunday Fundays leaving youin bed by 8 p.m., using rock-paper-scissor to decide onclass attendance and seri-ously considering careers inkeg tapping... Its over.

Walks home from TheCornerstone and late nighttrips to CVS have recently

become dangerous. It feelsas though predators arelurking around every cor-ner. Watch out for thosetipsy tip-toers.

Please e-mail any suggestions to

opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

The GB&U is a compilation of

student opinions.

I have heard many studentsthroughout my college careersay, Can I really make

a difference?As a senior, I know the fear

of stepping into the unknown;

I was at this point in my life twoyears ago when I graduated withmy Associates of Arts degree. It

is a time in our lives when welook at who we are and can re-

evaluate. I think we can all make

a difference, especially the soon-to-be graduates.

Why? Because, it is a brand

new slate, a new page in each

of our lives. I joined the 2009Graduation Pledge Committee,

because I care about how myfuture job will affect the worldaround me.

Will the company I workfor be one that is socially andenvironmentally aware? I worry

about this question. I want tograduate with the knowledgeI need to get a job, but also

with the lesson of change

Mercyhurst College has taughteach student.

We all, possibly without

knowing it, have been instilled by

Mercyhurst with the knowledgewe need to change the world.

Mercyhurst, in my opinion,leaves the challenge to us. Weall must take an ethics class

before leaving the gates of thecollege, not to be completelydriven nuts over whether there

is a right answer to some of themost complex problems of ourworld, but instead to open our

eyes to issues we will face.

To my fellow seniors whoonce asked yourselves during asocial ethics class, Can I really

make a difference? Or to the

student who heard about thesocial injustices of Darfur in a

random class discussion whoasked the same question, I thinkyou can, by thinking about the

choices you make in your careerand in your future endeavors.

You may not be able to save

the world by yourself, but youcan possibly save the worldby joining efforts with others

who care.

By Gretchen Beth Yori

Copy editor

My dad has just walked at histhird graduation. He received

his teaching certificate andgraduated with a 4.0 G.P.A.When I spoke to him I joked,

Get ready world herecomes Gary.

I started to think about how

my best friends would soon beexperiencing the same situationand how they are finally going

to be entering the real world.Conversations of fear anduncertainty partnered with

excitement and reminiscingof the past years here havebeen the recent obsession at

3907 Lewis.I know it is extremely clichto write a graduation article

but the difference is, I am notgraduating. I dont know thefears and anxiety my roommates

are experiencing as their collegecareers come to an end.

The past three years with

these people has made me growas a person. I have been forced

to grow up and trust people I

barely knew. These people have

become my family and havetaught me more than I everhave in a classroom. They have

taught me to let loose and havefun while we can. I have learnedto accept myself and laugh

at my mistakes. I have finallylearned to relax and no matterwhat happens, things will always

end up OK. Theyve taught me Iwill survive whatever life throwsat me, because I dont have any

other choice.I have memories that will

stay with me the rest of my life

and undoubtedly, will make melaugh forever.

So, as the year finally winds

down, I want to thank myfriends for being themselves,for sticking by my side

through everything.I want to use this opportunityto let them know they are going

to be great and successful. I want them to know they havemade my first three years at this

school amazing and much easierto endure.

I want to wish all of the

graduating seniors all of theluck in the world. It is your time

to shine.

By JordanZangaroStaff writer

Its spring.

Youre in your car, windowsdown, the radio playing faintly inthe background and a sly smile

creeps across your face. Yourealize you no longer have tosit in another college classroom

again. Youve pulled into yourdriveway you are finally home. Your parents greet you with

open arms and Scout, the familydog, is licking your face; youtake your suitcase upstairs and

into your childhood bedroom.Reality sets in; youre jobless

and have moved in with your

family. This is the reality manycollege seniors face. Getting

rid of the college mentalityand living at home for the firsttime in four years puts you in atemporary coma.

It can be a scary time, buta time to appreciate what theword family means. They are

your rock; the one thing thathas kept you sane. Your dad wasthere to pick you up after you

fell off your bike. Your mom

was there for helpful tips on life

and a hug when you felt your

world was falling apart. Youmay think your siblings werethere to torment you, but as you

grow older, theyve become yourbest friends.

We all take our families for

granted, but appreciation setsin during college when yourealize your family is too far

away to help out with the littlethings. Every late night phonecall when you fought with a

roommate, trips to see you onthe weekends, care packagesbefore midterms and a helping

hand moving in and out of yourapartment are all moments wehave had.

So, stepping into your houseafter the graduation hats havefallen, you need to be thankful

your family is welcoming youhome. Welcoming you back intoa life unfamiliar yet refreshing.

Times may be tough and thejob search at a standstill, butone thing is for certain, your

family will always be there. Theywill even support you while yousack out and become a couch

potato for a few months whilethe classified ads become your

daily read.

By Caitlin BlyAd manager

Thanking those whomade you who you are

Moving back homeAppreciating new roommates

Keeping with Mercyhurst valuesGraduates consider future choice repercussions

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

13/16

Baseball.......................................................May 6,W 14-13 Mansfield

May 7,W 9-2 Kulztown, L 16-2 West Chester

Womens Lacrosse ................................May 9, L 17-11Lock Haven

Baseball Earns First NCAA Berth Since 2000The Mercyhurst College baseball team will continue its season as

the 28 nationally ranked Laker will continue on to the NCAA II

Atlantic Region Tournament. This is the first time since 2000 that

the Lakers have been in the NCAA tournament. The Lakers are the

fourth-seed in the Atlantic region which will take place on May 14-

18 at Kulztown University.

Rowing Wins Three Golds At Dad Vail Regatta

The Mercyhurst College rowing team won three gold medals at theDad Vail Regatta. This is the best performance at this regatta. The

golds were won by the womens eight, the mens lightweight four

won the second gold and the third gold went to the mens pair.

Jeff Stoll-BaseballMercyhurst Colleges senior baseball player Jeff Stoll batted .461

with a home run and eight RBIs in three games against West Ches-

ter University of Pennsylvania, Mansfield University of Pennsyl-vania and Kutztown University. His performance helped to power

the Lakers to a second place performance in the Pennsylvania State

Athletic Conference Playoffs.

Kriste Jennings-Womens LacrosseMercyhurst College junior attack-man Kriste Jennings scored three

goals and chipped in one assist in the Lakers first NCAA appear-

ance for womens lacrosse. The Lakers unfortunately lost in this first

appearance 17-11 to Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Jen-

nings finished the year with 41 goals, 22 assist and 63 points.

Golden weekend for rowers

Three gold medals came

home with the Mercyhurst

College mens and womens

rowing teams from Dad Vails

this weekend, the most ever

claimed by Mercyhurst crews in

the history of the program.

The regatta was the mens

equivalent to a championship,

because they are not included in

the NCAA.Its one of those days where

you want everything to slow

down, because you dont get too

many of these in your life, head

coach Adrain Spracklen said.

Due to weather conditions,

the order of events was reversed,

causing the Mercyhurst victories

to begin when the womens

varsity eight avenged last weeks

loss to Grand Valley StateUniversity (GVSU).

They entered Saturdays final

in first after an inspiring time

trial and repeated the results

when junior Leah Niecgorski

set the rate to nudge ahead of

GVSU by just three seconds

with a time of 6:50.200.

The womens four barely

missed out on a spot in the

finals by less than one second

when they caught third in the

semis.

Next came the mens

lightweight four, which defended

their unbeaten status when theysnatched gold in the event for

the second straight year.

They had a decisive five-

second lead over Berkley at

6:45.004 and crushed Brock

University, Drexel University,

Emory University and Saint

Joseph University along the

way.

Three of this crews members

were in last years winning four

as well and will likely continue

on to compete overseas at the

Henley Royal Regatta in July.

In the pair event, Stanislov

Kostic and Michael Orzolekclaimed the third and final gold

of the day.

Kostic, who was the fourth

member of last years light four,

and Orzolek, who took silver in

this event last year, synchronized

their skills to finish at 7:21.320

Now the women will

await their bid to the NCAA

championship, held in Camden,

N.J. from May 30-June 1.

By Anne Sobol

Staff writer

The Mercyhurst College rowing womens eight looks to con-

tinue its dominance in the NCAA championship.

Photo by Sports Information

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

14/16

SPORTSPage 14 May 13, 2009

Anxiously awaiting for the

NCAA bids to the Division II

Womens Lacrosse Champion-

ship to be announced, fifth-

ranked Mercyhurst College

knew they had a good shot at

getting one of the few trips to

the playoffs that would take

place at various sites around the

country the following week.

With great anticipation the

team finally was greeted with

great news from Coach Cecil

Pilson that they would, in fact,

be the first group of women

to take Mercyhurst College to

the NCAA Womens Lacrosse

Championships in the historyof the program.

As the excitement and joyful

cheers died down, each girl came

to the realization that the many

hours of hard work they had put

in over the course of the season

were really paying off in the end.

With only one week to prepare

for the battle in the first round

against Lock Haven University

of Pennsylvania, the women

started the mental and physicalpreparations right away.

It was a really big deal to

all of us because our program

had never been to the NCAAs

before, senior Katy Miller said.

Our coach really emphasized

that no other team had done

this before in the schools his-

tory, and it really was an exciting

moment for all of us to focus

on.

The Lakers did not change what they were doing each day

in practice, but simply focused

more on utilizing every moment

they had on the field to work on

their game.

After we found out we were

going to the tournament, there

was a switch that went off with

everyone, senior Alicia Guzzo

said. At first we didnt know if

we were going to be going or

not and everyone was waiting tohear, but after we heard, every-

one was really dedicated to prac-

ticing and using every moment

we had to help us in preparing

to win.

The women prepared for one

week at home on the Lakers

turf before traveling across the

state to play Lock Haven this

past weekend.

With the team ready to play

and a great day for a lacrossematch, the women were ready

to take on Lock Haven by

storm. We were shooting over

70 percent in the first half of

play, Guzzo said, But we were

down by three in the first half,

and we brought it back up to a

tie before half time.

Each moment was taken in

as the women pushed through

every sprint up and down the

field, each defensive block, and

each shot taken to prove that

Mercyhurst deserved to win the

game.

Unfortunately, despite the

tough effort given by each

player on the team, the Lakers

were defeated 17-11.

Many of the players said the

score does not reflect the effortthat was put out on the field in

the last game of the year for the

Lakers. We never once put our

heads down, said Guzzo.

With a well-deserved NCAA

bid to end the season this

year, the women can only look

forward to preparing for next

year as they hopefully carry on

the tradition of post-season

play.

Eagles fl y past Lakers 17-11By Katie WaldinStaff writer

Im not manic depressive, but

I know exactly how it feels. OnMonday night, I was screaming

at my TV in a fit of jubilation.

Half an hour later, I was staring

at the screen in silence, words

unable to express my immediate

condition.

My team lost, the night was

ruined. Tonight is the last chance

to make up for it. At around

10 p.m., Ill be exploding with

joy at the prospect of another

series, another chance to see my

team play. Or, the option I dont

enjoy considering, Ill be quieted

into a painfully long summer of

loss, an offseason without the

35 pound., 116-year-old towerof names, also known as the

Stanley Cup, belonging to my

team.

Such is life for a fan in the

NHL playoffs. Watching a team

for 82 games is a rite of passage

that allows one to call the players

on that roster and the logo on

that jersey their own.

After that, what makes one a

fan is the perseverance to come

back.

Come back after a 6-0 rout

that made your team look like

a pile of teenagers in a pick-up

game.

Come back after theDecember and January that

knocked your team down to

10th in the conference and

made you almost turn off the

TV during every game.

Come back after the season

ends in defeat, whether in the

regular season or, arguably

more difficult to deal with, in

the playoffs.

Lets face it. Every team, every

fanbase except one goes into the

middle of June as losers. You

dont have to be Dr. Redmond

to know those statistics just

arent so good for you to end

up happy come seasons end.So why come back? Sometimes,

I honestly could not have an

answer.

Today, Ill say that when your

season depends on the bounce

of a 6 ounce. vulcanized rubber

circle, you want to be there to

watch it.

Win or lose, in the end its

better than not being there at all.

Your red badge of courage is that

loss that was so heartbreakingly

brutal, so unbelievably hard to

bear that the only thing that

makes it better is winning later.

It sucks sometimes to be a fan.

However, there is no feeling likeseeing a game-winning goal in

overtime. None.

Thats why I come back. So,

if you live in the first Wayne

building, I apologize in advance

for what you may witness. If

you have nothing better to do

tonight, turn on your TV and go

to FSN Pittsburgh, Channel 24.

Pick a team, and root for them.

Witness your fanhood begin.

By Devon SwansonSports columnist

The heartbreaks, joys of being a fan during the playoffs

The Mercyhurst College womens lacrosse team made their first NCAA tournament appearance

in school history, but were defeated by Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania losing 17-11.

Jim Cooper photo

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

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SPORTS Page 15May 13, 2009

Trio leading Lakers into NCAA tourney

The 2008 season for the Mer-

cyhurst College baseball team

ended with a 27-25 record, and

the team failed to make the con-

ference playoffs.

It was also the eighth season

in a row that the Lakers had

failed to make it to the NCAA

tournament.

The Lakers season posted a

team batting average of .292,

hit 19 home runs and were out-

scored 243 to 233 by their oppo-

nents in total runs scored.

It was obvious the Lakers were

in desperate need of an offensive

boost to break their eight-year

drought without a NCAA tour-

nament appearance. The Lakers of 2009 found

this offensive boost, and the

key to this recent jump has been

the offensive play of freshman

Ethan Santora and seniors Jeff

Stoll and Jamie Walczak.

Those guys have been unbe-

lievable all year. They have

brought us the production and

leadership all year and thats what

makes them invaluable players,

head coach Joe Spano said.

Santora brought a noticeable

offensive presence in the Lakers

lineup batting .373 with a Mercy-

hurst record-tying 16 home runs

and 51 RBIs.

He is offensively a juggernaut.

I knew he was going to be good,

but he has definitely exceeded

our expectations, Spano said.

Stoll, who last year only

appeared in five games due to

injury, was tremendous, batting

.533 and hitting two home runs

in only 15 at-bats.

Starting 48 games this year,

Stoll has hit .370 with 13 home

runs and has batted in a team

leading 65 runs.

Walczak has been a tremen-

dous offensive boost for the

Lakers batting .379 with six

home runs and 34 RBIs.

Walczaks 74 hits this season

ties him for the most hits in a

single season for the Lakers, and

he is currently third all-time on

hits with 213 in his career.

He is also a key reliever for the

Lakers as he has a 1.06 ERA with

his 93 mph fastball.

Jamie has been a game

changer since he came here, he

has the ability to change the game

at any moment with his bat, arm

or legs. He has by far been our

MVP, Spano said.

These seniors are happy to

be able to break the drought ofNCAA tournament appearances

and leave their mark on the pro-

gram.

It feels great for our class to

be playing like we are, especially

as tight knit of a team as we are

and it has been great for me to

be able to come back from injury

and perform like I have, Stoll

said.

Consequently, the Lakersoffensive numbers have jumped

considerably from last years

totals with the team batting aver-

age at .325 with 49 home runs.

Lakers have outscored oppo-

nents 390 to 241, compiling a

35-15 record for the season and

made the NCAA tournament

for the first time in eight years

at Kutztown University on May

14-16.

By Nick GlasierStaff writer

When all else fails, avoid watching your team

Last issue picks time! Chicagohas already moved on to the

next round. Detroit will join

them soon. Detroit simply has

too much going their way and

will stifle the young talent in six

games.

Pittsburgh is going to win this

series. Even if they dont, Ill be

in denial with all the Hartford

fans waiting through this long

off-season.

The Pens beat the Hurricanes

or the Bruins in 7. Then the

Penguins pour on the offense,

besting Detroit in 6 games.

Why am I so sure? I havea prediction. Not just any

prediction, this one has been

going for the past 8 years, when

the lockout was first looming.

I predicted the lockout would

take most of a season, resulting

in a salary cap and plenty of

free agency. The Penguins,

having a tiny salary, would pick

up some big names, let them gel

and then have success. Before

Crosby, Malkin or Fleury were

on the radar, I said, and I quote,

Im calling it now, Pittsburgh

Penguins, 2009 Stanley Cup

Champions. We go deep in 08and win it in 09.

In hindsight, I wish I would

have printed up the T-shirts just

for effectnot that Id ever

wear them. It appears that the

hockey gods do not look kindly

upon this prediction.

It seems that when I watch, the

Penguins lose. Game 6 against

the Flyers, I turn on the radio,

the Flyers score three times in

five minutes. I turn it off. We

win. Game 2, Im at Buffalo

Wild Wings watching the game,

and when I covered my face

and said I cant watch, wescored. Game 3, I just refused

to watch. I accepted the reality

that I was bad luck. I chose to

sleep instead. This plan worked

perfectly as we won.

Game 4 went the same ways

with another Penguins win.

Game 5, I was sick and didnt

watch and what do you know we

won. Game 6, I have troubles

falling asleep, the Penguins fall

in overtime. I guarantee you; Ill

be napping Wednesday evening

for Game 7.

My latest hypothesis is that I

can have my prediction, or I canwatch the games, but I cannot

see my prediction come true.

But all fans are superstitious,

hockey fans especially. Ask any

goalie. We need to be. Its all

part of what the game is about.

So I conclude the year with:

keep cheering, keep loving and

keep hockey near to your heart.

Im off to sacrifice some nachos

in hopes to change my fortune.

By John BaronowskiSports columnist

From righ to left Senior Jamie Walczak, freshman Ethan Santora and senior Jeff Stoll the trio

combined for a .374 batting average, 35 home runs and 150 RBIs.

Tyler Stauffer photo

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 13, 2009

16/16

Sports: Year in Review

Top left: Junior Elliot Englemann (50) goes up for a

basket in Mercyhursts 59-57 loss to cross-town rival

Gannon, Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the Mercyhurst Athletic

Center.

Top right: Junior Steve Grife (14) delivers a pitch during

his no-hit performance in a 6-0 victory over Lake Erie Col-

lege at Mercyhurst College on April 4.

Bottom: Sophomore Justine Smith, left, and senior Jenna

Matson, right, go up for a block against California Univer-

sity on Sept. 9 in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

For more highlights from Year in Review, check

us out at the Web site:

www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu

Scoot Williams photo

Tyler Stauffer photo

Scoot Williams photo