Read Page 2 for the details and Page 4

for the students’ perspective on this

new study abroad experience.

Vol.83,No.13/2/3/10/Free

’Hurst students to get Irish

welcome in Dungarvan

News A&E Opinion Weekly Poll

What do you think of Mercyhurst transitioning
College Student Chivalry to university status?

community choreographers proves best

raises relief present ‘Raw Valentine’s
aid for Haiti Edges’ Day present
Page 3 Page 5 Page 6
Page 2
’Hurst to get Irish welcome Laker Specials
By JoEllen Marsh
Editor-in- chief
This spring, Mercyhurst Col-
lege will send students to live
and study Dungarvan, Ireland.
Erie’s sister city will host Mer-
cyhurst’s first 10-week faculty-
led study abroad program.
A group from Dungarvan will
meet the students at the airport
and drive them to their new
town. Once in Dungarvan, the
locals will provide them with a
full Irish breakfast. According
to Dr. Hosey, this “incredibly
strange meal” includes eggs,
Irish bacon, baked tomatoes
and blood pudding.
The people of Dungarvan
will give the students a big wel-
come on March 6, where people
from the community will wel-
come Mercyhurst’s group and
give them a bus tour around
Dungarvan and Waterford
County. Mercyhurst will lead
Dungarvan’s St. Patrick’s Day
parade.
“The 25 of us are going to be
like local celebrities for a while,”
junior Caitlin Toner said.
Representatives from local
clubs will be at the welcome
festival to invite students to par-
ticipate in kite-surfing, soccer,
surfing, rugby, ladies’ football,
fishing (or angling), equestrian,
hill-walking and other activities.
Sophomore Jill Barrile is
excited for these opportunities.
“I cant wait to experience the
Irish culture. I plan on partici-
pating in equestrian and possi-
bly surfing. They’re two things
I really wanted to do, and what
could be better than doing them
in Ireland?”
The 20 women and six men
participating will stay in three-
bedroom, two-bath townhouses
owned by the Park Hotel. Soph-
omore Ethan Johns will not be
able to make the trip due to
medical reasons.
The first Mercyhurst classes
Students and faculty will spend this spring studying abroad in
Dungarvan, Ireland.
taught in Ireland will begin on
March 8, three days after the
group arrives. The core courses
offered will be tailored to Irish
culture. Professors Michael
Federici, Keiko Miller, James
Snyder, Brian Reed and Heidi
Hosey volunteered to teach
in Ireland. Joanne McGurk is
unable to travel to Ireland, but
she will supervise the literature
courses through Blackboard.
Every Wednesday, the students
will go to a seminar on Irish
culture and language taught by
three professors from Ireland.
Dungarvan has two class-
rooms for Mercyhurst to use.
Students will be able to walk
through the center of town to
get to class in the art center, or
try on real suits of armor en
route to class on the upper floor
of the historical museum.
Classes will only be held
Monday through Thursday,
leaving the students ample time
to travel on the weekends. Fac-
ulty will lead the entire group on
weekend trips to Dublin and the
West Country and a five-day trip
to Paris.
A Mercyhurst-run, long-term
study abroad program is ideal
for many students who worry
about trimester vs. semester
conflicts and the cost of tradi-
NEWS February 3, 2010
February 3-5
Wednesday:
Cantina De Laker: Fish tacos
East Street Deli: Cuban sandwich
Pepperazzi: Sausage and pepper
calzone
Sequoia Grill: Grilled chicken
sliders
Contributed photo
Thursday:
East Street Deli: Buffalo chicken
tional programs.
Toner, an archaeology major,
wrap
said, “I know students who, in Cantina De Laker: Cheese
order to study abroad, had to
miss two whole terms of classes
quesadilla
here. My course of study would
not have allowed me to do that.”
Pepperazzi: Stuffed chicken breast
The FSAT program has with pasta side
underwritten the airfare for the
trip, and the college has not Sequoia Grill: Double southwest
forced the students to pay pen-
alties for the room and board
burger
revenue it will lose.
“That’s a real tribute to Dr.
Gamble and his extraordinary
Friday:
support,” Hosey said. East Street Deli: Chicken Caesar
The level of aid for possible flatbread
future trips is not set, but Hosey
said, “my goal is to make this Cantina De Laker: 2 for 1 beef tacos
work for the college and work
for the students. If we can Pepperazzi: Mac n cheese
charge 1/3 or 1/2 of the tradi-
tional study abroad program... Sequoia Grill Cajun Fish Sandwich
it will be entirely possible for
nearly every student to do it.”
Prepare your computer for spring term
1) Continue to apply all the Critical Windows Updates that have been provided
by Microsoft since the beginning of December 2009.
2) Continue to update your Anti-Virus software with all updates provided by the
vendor of the program. This includes renewing out-of-date subscriptions so you
have the latest updates available for the program.
Call the HelpDesk at x3200 if you experience problems during this preparation.
February 3, 2010
College community raises relief aid for Haiti
By Jennifer McCurdy
Staff writer
Mercyhurst College is host-
ing Haiti Relief Week Monday,
Feb. 1, through Friday, Feb. 5,
to raise money for the country
devastated by an earthquake on
Jan. 12.
Everyone from administra-
tors to student clubs and ath-
letic teams will participate in
the campus-wide fundraising
effort, which will include all on-
campus events this week and
continue throughout the rest of
the term.
“The whole disaster was
devastating and horrible,”
sophomore Elizabeth Geist
said. “I’m really happy that
people in the United States are
getting together to do some-
thing about it, especially at
Mercyhurst where everyone is
pulling together to make a dif-
ference.”
The list of events is exten-
sive. Academic departments
will compete to collect the most
donations. UNICEF will host a
Chinese Auction at Egan Dining
Hall Monday through Friday
Problems with WebAdvisor create registration issues
By Kelly Luoma
News editor
This past week, Mercyhurst
College students experienced
problems with WebAdvisor
while registering for spring term
classes.
Mercyhurst IT has not yet
been able to resolve the issue.
“The problem has not been
resolved primarily because it’s
an issue between the Datatel
system and IBM,” Pat Benekos,
Executive Director of Learning,
Information and Technology
Services, said.
“It is Datatel’s responsibil-
A Chinese Auction is set up in Egan Dining Hall during Haiti
Relief Week. Students can purchase “Relieve-Recover-
Rebuild” bracelets at the table as well.
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Green Team will sell
“Haiti Relief ” T-shirts, and
red “Relieve-Recover-Rebuild”
ity to resolve the problem, but
we are working with them to
resolve it,” Benekos said.
According to Benekos,
WebAdvisor is not running
properly due to a time discrep-
ancy in the system.
“There is an internal clock
that is five hours off,” Benekos
said.
Now that the IT department
is aware of the problem, “We
are at least able to cope better
with the problem and monitor it
more closely,” Benekos said.
Due to the technical prob-
lems, some students were not
able to register for classes.
Sophomore Tyler Stauffer
NEWS
Tyler Stauffer photo
Bracelets will be sold in various
locations on campus, including
Campus Ministry, for a mini-
mum donation of $2.
could not log in to WebAdvisor
during his registration time.
“I called my grandmother
via Skype and had her log in as
me and schedule my classes,”
Stauffer said.
According to Registrar Pat
Whalen, there were very few
complaints about students not
being able to register.
The Registrar’s Office does a
study every day during registra-
tion to see if more students reg-
ister in the Registrar’s Office or
online. The studies showed the
“vast majority registered online
successfully,” Whalen said.
The Registrar’s Office helped
students who were not able to
Special collections will be
taken at athletic, LCP, PAC and
SAC events.
Proceeds from the Rock
’n’ Roll Chili Bowl Cook-off,
which will take place in the
Herrmann Student Union on
Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to
1:30 p.m., will go to the Haiti
Relief Fund.
Campus Ministry will also
host door-to-door collections
Thursday and Friday.
The fundraising goal is to raise
$2,500 to donate to UNICEF
and Paul Farmer’s Partners in
Health, an established health
care charity in Haiti.
Campus Ministry Director
Gregory Baker said, “We wanted
to consolidate relief efforts into
this week as much as possible,
but it is also worth noting that
future events will continue to
benefit Haiti, including collec-
tions at dance programs, a Soul
Food Dinner, a proposed spring
golf tournament and a Lenten
24-hour fast.”
Mercyhurst Student Gov-
ernment will match student
club and organizations’ dona-
tions, and UNICEF offers a
national matching opportunity
register successfully and were
closed out of courses by find-
ing alternative classes they could
take.
“I always find them a course,”
Whalen said.
Whalen sent an e-mail to
students on Monday, Feb. 1,
advising them to verify that they
are registered for spring term
classes.
According to Whalen, this
message was just an alert
encouraging students to make
sure they registered. Every
term, she noted, there are a
few students who thought they
registered, but their registra-
tions never went through the
Page 3
for the money that Mercyhurst
collects.
“One of the most exciting
things about the week is that the
money collected will be doubled
or quadrupled before being sent
to Haiti,” Baker said.
“I think it’s great how Mercy-
hurst is helping out the cause,”
freshman Anne Valkosky said.
Baker said this fundraising
event demonstrates the college’s
commitment to its mission
statement and core values in
educating socially and globally
responsible adults.
“As a Catholic and as some-
one who is passionate about
working for peace and justice,
I have been prayerfully and
actively concerned about the
people of Haiti for a long time,”
Baker said. “I am glad to see the
world community responding
to this tragedy. But I pray for a
world where people spend more
time asking the tough social jus-
tice questions about countries
like Haiti even when there are
no natural disasters to get peo-
ple’s hearts stirring.”
For the most up-to-date list
of Haiti Relief Week events,
visit hurstathletics.com.
system. Whalen said students
should verify their schedules
after they register every term,
and this e-mail was just a
reminder.
Freshman should not experi-
ence many problems when they
register on Thursday and Friday
of this week.
“We should be able to head
off any issues and see if there
is anything that will impact reg-
istration significantly,” Benekos
said. “If you do have an issue,
try it again.”
Students who continue to
experience registration prob-
lems should contact the Help-
Desk or the Registrar’s Office.
Page 4
Students: Dungarvan, here we come!
By Jemma Homer
Contributing writer
As students prepare for their spring
term abroad in Dungarvan, Ireland,
many questions and concerns arise, rang-
ing from packing and communications
issues all the way to expectations of the
travel itself and the experience in gen-
eral.
Although these questions can be easily
remedied on a short trip like spending
a weekend in New York City for spring
break, they become increasingly more
difficult for students spending those 10
long weeks in Ireland.
What seems to be weighing most heav-
ily on students’ minds is keeping in touch
with those they care about.
Anticipating this need for communi-
cation, junior Lindsey Overdorff and
senior Megan Hull have taken many pre-
cautions to stay in contact.
“I have done the Skype thing, down-
loaded the texting application on my iPod
touch, have friended everyone on Face-
book, have gotten phone numbers, and I
will be getting everyone’s box number to
send post cards,” Hull said.
Graduate student ‘marches for life’
By Gretchen Beth Yori
Contributing writer
On Jan. 22, 2010, I was blessed to have
been able to participate in the annual
March for Life in Washington, D.C.
I convinced eight students to attend
the event. We left Thursday night after a
brief prayer service. We took a bus with
the local People for Life organization.
It was a normal night of sleeping on a
bus, but when we arrived in D.C. the trip
was worth what awaited us.
I was dumbfounded by the energy of
the people attending the march. There
was live music and people carrying
signs, all for the purpose of stopping
abortion.
The march took a bit to start. As a
small group of nine, we found it almost
FEATURES
Mercyhurst will now have a new campus in Dungarvan, Ireland. Erie campus
students will be first to have this experience abroad in the Spring term ’10.
Overdorff is doing the same. “The big-
gest challenge will be keeping in contact
with everyone; I got my mom a webcam
so we can Skype while I’m there,” she
said.
Packing and money is also something
students are already thinking about.
“At this point, I am saving money for
traveling, food and shopping, making
lists of things I need to take and buy over
impossible to move at times, there were
so many people.
Everyone was there for this single
purpose. Groups were shouting chants,
singing and praying. People in yellow
raincoats waved pro-life signs of various
colors.
Once the March for Life started,
police cars led the crowd of women
who carried signs that read “I regret
my abortion.” Then we filed in behind
them.
The Mercyhurst College group
walked, a few of us with signs. Some
students took the surroundings step-by-
step.
I was overwhelmed again. I teared up
due to this emotion inside, a grace. I felt
we were doing the best we could to make
change, to prevent more lives from being
ended and trying to prevent women and
Richeal Forde photo
there and making sure I have all of my
traveling stuff together, like my passport
and suitcase and things like that,” senior
Erin Lewis said.
For most students, it is not just about
getting things packed, but making abso-
lutely sure they have the essentials.
“The one thing I absolutely have
to bring would probably be my digi-
tal camera. I plan on taking an obscene
men from feeling the aftermath of abor-
tion.
We marched all the way up to the
Capitol. I will never forget how it felt
to be a part of something so large and
meaningful.
Gretchen Beth Yori photo
Yori poses with pro-life poster, friends.
February 3, 2010
amount of pictures of everything while
we’re over there,” Overdorff said. “I’m
sure this is the same for pretty much
everybody.”
When asked what is the one thing you
will not forget to pack, Hull responded:
“One? Well, I guess my laptop. It will
be my main connection to home, and
of course everything I do there: write
papers, research, book flights and hotel
rooms in other countries I will visit on
the weekends, everything like that.”
Although the students are filled with
much excitement and enthusiasm for the
trip, there are a few things that they are
not anticipating with eagerness.
“I am not excited for the flight, just
because it is hard to sit on an airplane...
for a long period of time,” Lewis said.
However, with the excitement of get-
ting to stay and study in Ireland for an
entire term, the list of pros appears to be
greater than that of the cons.
“Overall, I’m just so excited to be
involved in the first ever Mercyhurst-
in-Ireland trip,” Overdorff said. “The
opportunities we’re given are awesome,
and the city of Dungarvan sounds so
kind and welcoming. I just can’t wait to
get over there.”
Online...
An Erieite Appetite:
A taste of Thailand at
Khao Thai Restaurant
Video Game of the Week:
‘Vampire Wars’ continues
the vampire trend
Outstanding intel
students win AFCEA
scholarships
Mercyhurst aids
students with
Asperger’s
Merciad.
Mercyhurst.edu/
Features
February 3, 2010
Students show ‘raw’ talent
By Sarah Mastrocola
Staff writer
The Dance Department’s 12th
annual performance of student
choreography, “35 Years: Raw
Edges,” will occur this weekend,
Saturday, Feb. 6, at 2 p.m. and
7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 7, at 2
p.m. in the Mary D’Angelo Per-
forming Arts Center (PAC).
Although “Raw Edges” is
a long-held tradition, some
things have changed a bit for
this year’s performance, which
coincides with the Dance
Department’s 35th anniversary
celebration.
The concert will feature
the works of the most experi-
enced student choreographers,
namely those taking the Cho-
reography III and Senior Sem-
inar courses, unlike in the past
when Senior Seminar students
had their own showcase in
the spring and Choreography
II and III were combined for
“Raw Edges.”
‘Still Walking’ centers around family’s lost son
By Kathleen Vogtle
Staff writer
This week’s addition to Mer-
cyhurst College’s Guelcher Film
Series, “Still Walking,” presents
a story that almost anyone can
relate to, in which a family who
has experienced loss and dis-
satisfaction among themselves
has gathered for a semi-annual
reunion. The family’s oldest
son, Junpei, has been dead 15
years after rescuing a boy from
drowning. The youngest son,
Ryo (Hiroshi Abe), is married
to a widow (Yui Natsukawa)
with a 10-year-old son, Atsushi
(Shohei Tanaka).
A.O. Scott of the New York
In the words of Dance Chair
Tauna Hunter, “Change is
always good, and we are shak-
ing things up a bit for our
35th.”
Another new addition as part
of the anniversary celebration
will be the appearances of two
Mercyhurst dance alumni in the
concert. Meredith Lyons (2003)
and Noelle Lelakus (2008),
who both participated in “Raw
Edges” as dancers and choreog-
raphers when attending Mercy-
hurst, will each perform a solo
for the performance.
pac.mercyhurst.edu photo
‘Raw Edges’ will be
performed this weekend.
Times describes “Still Walk-
ing” perfectly. He calls it both
“transcendent” and “completely
absorbing, so sure of its own
scale and scope that while you’re
watching it, the rest of the world
fades into irrelevance.”
Perhaps the most memo-
rable characters, though, are
Ryo’s parents. Kyohei (Yoshio
Harada), the father, is a retired
doctor; he is an oppressive pres-
ence in the home. The mother,
Toshiko (Kirin Kiki), is a force to
be reckoned with in the kitchen,
not as open in her opinions as
her husband, but still obviously
frustrated with what life has
dealt her and her family.
The ghost of Junpei colors
the proceedings. He is a con-
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
“Raw Edges” offers variety
with different dance genres,
music and thematic ideas being
put on stage. The choreogra-
phers this year are exploring
themes like living art, self dis-
covery, stress and its effect on
the human psyche, scorned
lovers and the 1742 Scottish
Act of Proscription, to name
a few.
Music used for the choreog-
raphy includes Ceolbeg, Lucia
Micarelli, Safteysuit, Yann
Tiersen, Penguin Café Orches-
tra and a score by Mercyhurst
senior Kirsten Rispin that was
commissioned especially for the
performance. Live music will be
used for two pieces in the per-
formance.
All Choreography III stu-
dents were required to include
a collaboration with another
artist as part of their choreog-
raphy, which will add interest
to the pieces presented in “Raw
Edges.” Artistic collaborations
this year involve work by musi-
cians, a costumer and a visual
tinuous presence in the minds
of those gathered, the ultimate
driving force behind their tem-
peraments, his spirit saturating
the house. He is the measuring
stick Kyohei uses against Ryo,
evaluating the life decisions of
his youngest against his dashed
hopes for his eldest.
At its core, “Still Walking” is
a movie about family. It is about
the pain and frustration every
family faces at one point or
another, but it is also about the
bonds of undiminishing love
that hold them together. Writer-
director Hirokazu Koreeda
does a masterful job at showing
this dynamic without making
it melodramatic. The result is
a warm-hearted, multi-faceted
Page 5
A&E online
merciad.mercyhurst.edu
Brew & View pleases students
The PAC’s irst Brew & View pleased students and faculty
alike, showing “Animal House” after the food and drink was
served.
Nick Jonas surprises with solo effort
Casey Harvilla begs listeners to give Nick Jonas and the
Administration a chance before swearing them off as
another boy band.
artist. Santillano, in which the chore-
Choreographer and junior ographers will speak about their
dance major Brieänna Hynish new works and answer ques-
spoke of “Raw Edges” and the tions from the audience.
choreographic process: “Actu- “I think choreographing is
ally getting to see my choreog- the hardest and also the most
raphy executed beautifully by rewarding thing I do all year.
the dancers is the most amaz- Taking the jumbled mess in my
ing thing; I’m close to tears head and having it make sense
sometimes when I watch them on stage is no small task,” fellow
dance. I absolutely love seeing choreographer and junior Claire
my ideas set to music that Hinde said.
originally inspired me. It is so Tickets for “35 Years: Raw
rewarding!” Edges” are $1 with a Mercy-
Each performance will hurst student ID and can be
include “Take-a-Break,” an purchased at the PAC box office
intermission chat moderated by in advance, at the door, or by
Senior Seminar professor Mark calling extension 3000.
presentation that is equally the D’Angelo Performing Arts
likely to make you smile as it is Center at 2:15 and 7:15 p.m.
to make you cry. Tickets are $6 for adults, $5
“Still Walking” is presented in for students and seniors and
Japanese with English subtitles. free for Mercyhurst students
It will be shown today in with IDs.
pac.mercyhurst.edu photo
‘Still Walking,’ showing at the PAC today at 2:15 and 7:15
p.m., focuses on a family that has experienced great loss.
Page 6
The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views 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.
Chivalry lives: Go out and get it
By Devin Ruic
Staff writer
Chivalry and romanticism
need not be dead. It always
amuses me when yet another
woman describes her boyfriend
as crude or chauvinistic, and
then claims that chivalry is dead
across the board.
The incompetence of your
boyfriend does not prove
anything other than individual
incompetence.
It’s a simple thing to do,
guys: Hold a door open for
a girl walking toward you.
Unfortunately, there are a myriad
of less simple responses to such
an action. My favorite tends to
be surprise, because apparently
there are so few individuals on
this campus willing to do so that
it actually warrants surprise.
Now, there’s an equal and
opposite response – and this is
Disgusted by plastic surgery addiction
By Jordan
Zangaro
Opinion Editor
Confidence is a tricky thing,
but when you have it — you have
everything. How far should you
go to solidify your confidence?
Heidi Montag Pratt, from
the TV show The Hills, thinks
the answer to that question
is ‘by any means necessary.’
After being accused of being
addicted to plastic surgery,
she confirmed that she had 10
procedures done to her face
and a breast augmentation. As
Pratt sat there looking like a
fem-bot, she looked disgusting
and alien-like.
a possible reason for his lack of
chivalry. This response is disgust
or anger. It doesn’t happen
often, but when it does it can be
quite a shock to the system for a
guy trying to be polite.
So, girls, maybe your
boyfriend is more inclined to lie
on his couch with a beer and an
Xbox controller this Valentine’s
day rather than preparing you
a (ResLife approved, battery-
operated-faux) candlelit dinner
because he’s frightened that
you might yell at him, claiming
disrespect for some reason
he has trouble understanding.
Here’s a better bet though:
You’re dating a guy too lazy to
care or attempt anything other
than what’s laid out in front of
him by you.
Anecdote time, ladies and
gents: A friend of mine from high
school is the specific inspiration
for this article, because last year
she had just been dumped and
was essentially having a case of
the yips.
I am troubled when thinking
about what this message is
bringing to young, vulnerable
girls.
In an environment where
celebrities rule and models have
the ideal body structure, what
does a completely manipulated,
barely human face gawking
about how the excessive amount
of plastic surgery makes her feel
better show the world? What are
we run by and to whom do we
listen?
I strongly agree with making
changes to make you confident
and happy. I am even a believer
in plastic surgery. I just can’t
imagine what young girls
struggling to fulfill a ridiculous
and, for the most part,
unreachable goal of being a size
OPINION February
September 3, 2010
3, 2008
She was so discouraged by Online Opinion Articles...
her past couple relationships
that she became convinced Bathroom bonding: letting it all out
she somehow didn’t deserve Victoria Gricks shares why she thinks it is
a high-quality, respectful guy. important to make a habit of talking to
So, because she saw her past your friends about what is going on with
boyfriends as “slumming,” she your life-no matter where or when.
figured all she deserved was to
“slum.”
Seems crazy, but think of
This I Believe: God, free will and Golden
Retrievers
this: How many of your friends
Through life with pets, Dr. Buyce has found an
claim to be the happy couple
in public, but then complain interesting way to connect free will to his everyday life.
about their significant other’s Find out what his dog has taught him.
personality or actions on a
merciad.mercyhurst.edu
regular basis? It seems like too
many people are willing to settle
for what they’ve got on hand,
rather than make an attempt to
better their situation.
So instead of simply dealing
with one another this Valentine’s
Day, why not actually enjoy
one another’s presence by
actually playing along with the
pleasantries of a relationship?
If you don’t want it printed . . . don’t let it happen.
Read the unadbridged version at Editors Positions @mercyhurst.edu
merciad.mercyhurst.edu. JoEllen Marsh Editor-in-Chief editormerciad
Kelly Luoma News Editor newsmerciad
Javi Cubillos Features Editor featuremerciad
Jordan Zangaro Opinion Editor opinionmerciad
Nick Glasier Sports Editor sportsmerciad
zero are thinking when the rich, Alaina Rydzewski A&E entertainmentmerciad
famous people are spending Sam Williams Graphics photomerciad
their money manipulating Tyler Stauffer Photographer photomerciad
their faces and bodies to fit an Ethan Magoc Multimedia Editor emagoc80
unrealistic mold. Ethan Johns Web Editor ejohns89
It’s a tough world, and Gaby Meza Advertising Manager admerciad
sometimes you can be your own Kyle King Copy Editor copymerciad
worst critic. Whether you are Bill Welch Adviser wwelch
making a goal, going on a diet or Brian Sheridan Adviser bsheridan
striving to stick with your New
Year’s resolution, ignore what
idiots like Heidi Montag Pratt The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst
say about how to make yourself College. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of
feel happy. finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is
Instead of longingly looking (814) 824-2376.
at Pratt, The Girls Next Door
and the models of the Victoria’s The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed
Secret Fashion show, embrace
and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the
your beauty. Be confident in
yourself. Strive to become a
letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters
better version of yourself, not are due Mondays. by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit
a fem-bot. letters to box PH 485 or via e-mail at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.
February 3, 2010 Sports
Interested in writing
sports articles?
Prior sports writing
experience or proficient
writing skills preferred.
If interested, e-mail:
sportsmerciad@mercyhurst.
edu
Mercyhurst College junior Heiden Ratner looks to lead the men’s basketball
team over Gannon University for the first time since 2007.
Lakers eyeing Knights
By Nick Glasier
Sports editor
Today, Mercyhurst College hosts
cross-town rival Gannon University in
both men’s and women’s basketball. The
women kick off the action at 5:30 p.m.,
to be followed by the men at 7:30 p.m.
The Knights have dominated the
Lakers in basketball throughout recent
memory. The women’s basketball team
has not defeated the Knights since 2003,
and the men haven’t beaten Gannon
since 2007. Things are likely to change,
however, for at least one of these teams.
Gannon’s women’s basketball team is a
dynamo this year at 22-0, ranked No. 3
in the nation. They have outscored their
opponents by an embarrassing 23-point
margin per game.
They are led by senior guard Kristina
Freeman, who is averaging nearly 15
points per game and leads her team in
assists, steals and blocks. The Knights
are a fine-tuned, veteran, high-octane
basketball machine.
Mercyhurst’s women’s basketball team
is currently 12-6. They are a rather inex-
perienced club that has experienced its
fair share of growing pains. The Lakers
Page 7
Etthan Magoc photo
are led by junior Amy Achesinski, who is
averaging 14 points per game along with
eight rebounds per game.
The match-up on paper is not a very
attractive one for the Lakers. They are
clearly outsized, have a definite lack of
experience and are frankly outclassed by
their opponent.
If they are to have any shot at pulling
off one of the biggest upsets in Mercy-
hurst sports’ history, which a victory in
this sort of mismatch would surely be,
the Lakers must slow down the pace of
play and hope for early foul trouble from
Freeman.
They will need to jump out to a quick
lead and feed off the energy brought
forth by the home crowd. Achesinski will
really have to dominate against a large
front line put out by Gannon.
This will be the Lakers only chance
against the Knights. Victory is very
unlikely. More likely, this game will get
ugly and get ugly fast as the Lakers don’t
have the size or superior three-point
shooting to make up for a lack of expe-
rience and skill in comparison to the
Knights.
For the rest of this article, go to
merciad.mercyhurst.edu and click
the sports tab.
 February 3, 2010

Laker Sports
Visit merciad.mercyhurst.edu

merciad.mercyhurst.
edu/sports
Online sports articles......................

Women’s basketball coach confident

in team
Head coach Deanna Richard is impressed with
the unity of the women’s basketball team.

LSC responds
to Baranowski
column
By Michelle Tatavosian
Contributing writer
While Laker Spirit Club understands Mr. Baranowski’s ques-
tion about the origin of the Blackout at the women’s hockey game Ethan Magoc photo
against No. 4 Clarkson University on Jan. 15, and agrees that black Mercyhurst College junior Ashley Cockell lays out for the puck. Unfortunately, despite this
is not one of the school colors, we would like to address what effort the Lakers fell to Niagara University, 2-1.
seems to be his larger issue, that of student involvement at athletic

Lakers fall from grace

events.
His piece presents the idea that LSC is not doing its job to get
students involved in the games; however, what he failed to note
was that attendance at our Blackout game was the highest so far
this season by more than 200 people. Lakers have sat atop that poll. While this past weekend was
In fact, this was the only game this season that has topped the
By Courtney Clair The loss was the Lakers’ first slow for the Mercyhurst Lakers,
Contributing writer since Oct. 31, 2009. They are it wasn’t too bad for Bendus.
1,000 mark in attendance, with the official number listed at 1,211.
While some might point out that this was due to the No. 4 ranked now at 20-2-3 for the season She scored both goals in Fri-
opponent, during two games with rival and No. 5 ranked Minne- The Mercyhurst College and 7-1-1 in College Hockey day’s game against the Niagara
sota-Duluth, attendance only averaged 658. women’s hockey team has America play. Purple Eagles in a 2-0 victory.
However, we also understand that the goal should be to have fallen from grace as it suffered The Lakers found Saturday’s Bendus currently has 20
this type of attendance and support at all of the events, not just a 2-1 loss to Niagara University loss hard to swallow as they felt goals and a total of 46 points.
those with special promotions, which brings us back to the article. and lost its No. 1 ranking in the the play favored them through- This gives her the number one
Mr. Baranowski fills the article with suggestions, yet he failed to USCHO.com poll. out the game. rank on the team and in the
present them constructively. This is the first week since “I give a lot of credit to Niag- country.
Mercyhurst Student Government, of which LSC is a branch, has the beginning of the season ara for playing us very tough Despite this achievement on
weekly meetings that are open to all students where they can pres- that the Lakers have not sat at like they always do. They’re one Friday, the Lakers fell to the
ent their ideas, which would have been a much more productive the top of the USCHO.com of the hardest working teams Purple Eagles the next after-
and constructive forum for his suggestions to be presented. poll. we’ve played this season. Sat- noon by a score of 2-1.
In essence, by merely lashing out in the newspaper instead of The Lakers did keep their urday we outplayed them, out Mercyhurst’s women’s hockey
taking action, Mr. Baranowski was being hypocritical. top ranking in the USA Today shot them, but couldn’t find the team plays against Robert
He fell victim to the same problem of inaction that he accuses Women’s Hockey/USA Hockey back of the net. That’s hockey Morris University this coming
LSC of by not doing his part as a member of Mercyhurst College Magazine Division I poll. This for you,” junior Captain Vicki weekend.
to make our sporting events the best that they could be. is the 15th straight week the Bendus said. For the rest of this article,