The Towerlight (August 27, 2019) by The Towerlight

Towson’s campus and community news source

August 27, 2019

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August 27, 2019

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August 27, 2019

Editor-in-Chief Bailey Hendricks Senior Editor Tim Klapac

News Editor Mary-Ellen Davis Asst. News Editors Keri Luise

TOWSON

TRENDING.

Sophia Bates

WELCOME FRESHMEN

@kxngjustin_

Arts & Life Editor Meg Hudson

Paws worker just told me my pleasure lmaoo, they acting different for y’all freshman

Asst. Arts & Life Editors

Sports Editor

@In_a_Poole What possessed Towson to close down two dining facilities while bringing in 3000 extra people

Asst. Sports Editors Muhammad Waheed Jordan Kendall

Senior Staff Writers

@stupidbabyonion We accidently went to Towson during Freshman Weekend.

Staff Writers Albert Ivory Suzanne Stuller John Hack Aaron Thomas Marcus Whitman

God help us.

Brooks Warren Jalon Dixon Grace Coughlan Amanda Murayama

Photo Editor Brendan Felch

Staff Photographers Liam Beard Lacey Wall Owen DiDonna Nikki Hewins Ryan Moriarty

@TowsonHorse Welcome back Tigers! & Welcome to TU Class of 2023! News Editor, Mar y-Ellen Davis, ha nds out Towerlight pape rs to incoming fr eshmen during Thursday ’s move-in.

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General Manager Mike Raymond

Art Director Victoria Nicholson

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8000 York Road University Union Room 309 Towson, MD 21252 (410) 704-5153 editor@thetowerlight.com thetowerlight.com The Towerlight print edition is published by students of Towson University on Tuesdays. The Towerlight is owned by nonprofit Baltimore Student Media Inc., BaltimoreStudentMedia.com. The Towerlight’s advertising deadlines are firm: Wednesday noon for space; Friday noon for art. Classifieds appear online and in print and are self-service at TheTowerlight.com/classifieds. We encourage letters to the editor and online feedback. Commentaries, letters to the editor, editorial cartoons and other editorials express the opinions of their authors and not necessarily the views of the newspaper. The Towerlight does not discriminate based on age, color, condition of handicap, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. ©2019 by The Towerlight, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved.

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Opinion

August 27, 2019

New beginnings and opportunities Simple, green behaviors BAILEY HENDRICKS Editor-in-Chief @imsimplybailey Hello and welcome back to campus, Tigers! My name is Bailey Hendricks, The Towerlight’s Editor-in-Chief. The editorial board and I spent the start of last week making the Survival Guide to answer new students’ questions about campus, and then spent the end of last week passing issues out, tabling, and meeting new students. It was great to see so many new faces, get new subscribers (thetowerlight. com/subscribe) and even get some new applications. Thank you to everyone who supported The Towerlight. If you didn’t already know, The Towerlight is totally free! You will see issues in buildings all around campus throughout the school year, and I highly recommend you pick one up if you see them. We also have a daily newsletter called Towerlight Today which highlights important stories from the week. I suggest you, your parents, your extended family, and

all your friends subscribe at thetowerlight.com/subscribe to stay up-todate on University and community happenings. We put out a new issue every Tuesday. Inside you can find news stories on Towson’s campus and community, columns, reviews, sports previews, highlights and recaps, puzzles and even ways to save you money. That’s right. We often have advertisements with coupon codes, discounts, and giveaways. For example, in last week’s issue, Herban Legends offered students 15% off, Tutti Frutti 10% off, and Stumpy’s Hatchet House in Towson is offering students a chance to win a VIP axe-throwing party for up to 10 people by going to http://bit.ly/stumpysu. You can get involved with The Towerlight by talking to us at the Fall Involvement Fair on Sept. 4 from 4 to 6 p.m. in West Village Commons and by saying hello at our Open House on Sept. 9 from noon to 4 pm in our office – the Union, room 309. There you can meet the editors, fill out an application, enjoy free pizza, and even see how we put together the newspaper.

We will also be having more tabling events throughout campus as the semester goes on. If you see the staff in a Towerlight t-shirt and want to learn more, don’t be afraid to say hello! Other ways to get involved include sending a Letter to the Editor, Photo of the Week, or comic strip to editor@thetowerlight.com. We love hearing from you! This week’s cover story, written by Arts & Life Editor Meg Hudson, highlights how the Towson community is implementing more art into the city and how students and the University are getting involved. It talks about the details and behind-the-scenes of Towson’s new “Welcome to Towson” mural, located in uptown and exciting ways to bring more art to Towson. I hope you enjoy it. With the excitement that came with our first issue, I couldn’t be more excited for the semester to kick off. I hope everyone has an amazing semester back to school and gets back into the groove seamlessly. It’s going to be a great year! Thanks again for supporting The Towerlight!

PORTIA BHARATH Columnist

During the summer, I was given the opportunity to conduct research at the University of Michigan at its very own Center for Sustainable Systems. My project title was “The Relative Effectiveness of Common Green Behaviors.” It sounds a bit intimidating and maybe even complicated, but I can assure you that it is something you have probably thought about before. If you have ever placed a bottle in a recycling bin or turned off the water while brushing your teeth, you have “participated” in a green behavior – which is just an action people take to help the environment or, at the very least, minimize harm to the environment. With climate change remaining a hot topic in the news, media

companies are overrun with articles urging the everyday citizen to participate, do their part, and fight to save the environment. It can be overwhelming, quite frankly, and the average American is so preoccupied with trying to keep up with the hustle and bustle of life that it’s challenging to remember every little item on that “50 Things You Can Do to Fight Climate Change” listicle that they read two weeks ago. The goal of my project was to quell some of those anxieties – I want people to understand that small habits (or even one habit!) can have a significant effect on their personal carbon footprint, and to encourage people to make manageable changes to their everyday routines that will decrease their negative influence on the environment. - To read the rest of this column online, visit thetowerlight.com

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News

August 27, 2019

Students navigate campus detours Towson reroutes students around construction

LURENE HEYL Contributing Writer For the start of the fall 2019 semester, students are welcomed back with ongoing campus construction. Towson has been working over the past year with its campus construction plan including new buildings being built and renovated, including the Science Complex and the University Union. All current construction and renovations are expected to be completed by 2021. “Disruptions to students within the University Union are mostly impacted at the Susquehanna Dining area,” said Scott Guckert, director of construction services at Towson University. “The Patuxent Room will not be serving food and has become, in part, an overflow for the Susquehanna Room dining. The new Science Complex should have little to no additional impact on student travel through the fall and spring semesters.” While there may have been some temporary unavoidable barriers, Construction Services works to find ways to come up with efficient solutions. The campus has taken adjustments to accommodate the student community. “The University Union proj-

ect is an example of where we have displayed the construction phasing plans on the corridor walls to keep the campus informed on next steps in the renovations,” Guckert said. “Our biggest challenge is providing accessible routes for disabled members of our campus community. The topography does not lend easy transitions for wheelchair users. As a result, some accessible routes can be longer than normal.” According to Guckert, TU Parking and Transportation Services does provide paratransit services that can get wheelchair users closer to buildings under construction. “We continue to work with contractors to minimize the durations of detours that may affect the disabled community,” Guckert said. “We make every effort to provide and maintain informational and directional signage around construction sites.” Despite the obstacles that may occur, Guckert says that when it comes to prepping and alerting incoming students for the construction on campus, they can use multiple sources to provide the current conditions regarding the construction activities. These include detour signs, TU Today

Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight

During the renovations, the University Union will have adjusted dinning space. The Patuxent Room will not longer be open to serve food.

Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight

Students were welcomed back to Towson this week with the construction taking place across campus. Projects like the new science building have created a need for detour signs to help Tigers get to class. emails, social media posts, building directional and informational signage and the Towson University website or construction page. “It is important to familiarize yourself with campus detour routes prior to the beginning of the semester,” Guckert said. “Understanding commute times with established detours will minimize conflicts with class and dining schedules.” Mass Communications Adjunct Professor Suzanne Loudermilk has adjusted to her new route around the ongoing campus construction. “The construction of the new Science Complex has made the walk from Glen Garage to the Media Center longer, but I’ve gotten used to it,” she said. “I factor in extra time to get to class, just in case I can’t find a parking spot right away.” While some students have had to leave earlier for classes to arrive on time, Loudermilk says that has not been a problem for her students. “Construction doesn’t seem to have affected class attendance in the long run,” she said. “After the first few weeks of the semester, most people figure out how to

time the parking and getting to the classroom.” Just as many others, Loudermilk is excited for the construction to be complete. “Actually, it’s been fascinating watching the building process, but it will be nice to have Glen Drive open to two-way traffic again,” she said. “I’m also looking forward to not always being on the lookout for construction equipment.” Shawna Elliott, a junior at Towson University, shared her frustration with the campus construction going on for her entire college career and affecting her routes around campus. “It has affected how I manage my time in the mornings, especially if I know I have an extra detour to take to get to classes,” she said. “My freshman year, I lived in the Towers and that bridge was under construction. Sophomore year, I lived in Millennium and the West Village Bridge was closed due to the construction that was being done on Burdick.” While the ongoing campus construction has affected Elliott’s college experience, she does however look forward to visiting the campus in the future

to see the new changes that are to come. “I’m glad that Towson is trying to build and expand the campus, but I am upset that I won’t be around to see it,” she said. “These projects won’t be completely finished until after I graduate, so while I like the idea of having all of these new, fun concepts, I won’t be here to enjoy them.” Guckert says in the meantime, students can look forward to the campus continuing to grow with the newly released design of the College of Health Professions, with renovations and construction happening through 2020. “The Glen Towers will be undergoing a multi-phased renovation including new exterior cladding and HVAC units throughout, which is scheduled to begin being worked on in summer 2020,” Guckert said. “The newly renovated Glen Dining Hall will be open spring of 2020, the new Science Complex will be completed fall 2020 and the University Union Renovations and Expansion will continue through 2020.” More updates on the larger campus construction projects can be found on Towson University’s Campus Construction page.

News

August 27, 2019

Starbucks giftcards go offline SOPHIA BATES Assistant News Editor @sophiabates23

MARY-ELLEN DAVIS News Editor @Mel_Davis_1998

The Towson University on-campus Starbucks posted a sign outside its entrance saying that Starbucks gift cards were offline Monday after community members were not able to scan their cards. “We are accepting: Cash, Credit, and meal plans ONLY,” the sign read. “We apologize for any inconvenience.” Juniors Chye Guasa and Zia de Jesus, who both live off campus, were disappointed when the store would not accept their gift cards. “We go here, I’m pretty sure 3-4 times a week,” Guasa said. “Usually we get it before class.”

De Jesus felt it was simply an unfortunate situation. “It’s the first day of school and the Starbucks scanner card thing isn’t working,” De Jesus said. Store Manager Torri HinesAllen said that the issue was caused by the system they are using. “The whole campus got a whole new system so it’s working out kinks and stuff now,” Hines- Allen said. The store also posted a sign saying that due to limited product, it could not accommodate light ice and no ice request in certain refresher drinks, including Strawberry Acai refresher and the Violet Drink among others. “It is only a temporary technical issue,” said Matthew Palmer, the U n i v e r s i t y ’s Director of Media Relations and News. The Towerlight will update the story when more information becomes available.

6,000 Tigers move onto campus

Freshmen moved onto campus throughout the day Aug. 22 in preparation of the new semester. Below are some snapshots from move-in day taken by Photo Editor Brendan Felch.

Aug. 23: An unknown person took several items from the Stephens Annex. Aug. 23: A staff member received an unwanted email at the Towson Center. Aug. 21: TUPD is investigating an allegation of an employee inappropriately touching another employee. Aug. 19: A campus security authority referred one resident student to Student Conduct for an alcohol violation at Millennium Hall. Aug. 17: Baltimore County Police arrested a non-affiliate for making a false report of a robbery at York Rd & Aigburth Ave. The Towerlight’s “Police Blotter” is a representative sample of crimes occurring on and off campus. The blotter is not intended to be all inclusive. For a list of all crime reports, visit www.towson.edu/police.

• • • • •

About 6,000 students will live on campus this year, according to Towson University. And about 2,500 of TU’s 2,700 freshmen are living on campus. About 300 TU students have volunteered to assist with move-in. A record 23,000 students are anticipated to take classes at TU this fall — including about 20,000 undergraduates and 3,100 graduate students. New students include about 2,700 freshmen, 2,100 students transferring in and 775 graduate students. TU’s new student class is comprised of its largest population identifying as minority (48%). About 25% of the new student class is African-American, the highest percentage ever for an incoming class, according to the University.

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Arts & Life

August 27, 2019

Bringing creativity and collaboration to Towson TU and TCP strive to support the community’s art economy MEGHAN HUDSON Arts & Life Editor

You may have already noticed that large, newly painted, “Welcome to Towson” mural alongside Nacho Mama’s in uptown. Its elements express what it means to be centered in Towson, including Towson University and Goucher College’s respective mascots. The mural, painted by Greenbrier artist Amy Redondo, is part of the Towson Creative Partnership’s (TCP) mission to create a creative, urban landscape in the city. TCP has also completed a number of other murals in the surrounding area, including one in the Knollwood community by local artist Liv James. “In a perfect world, we would love to be able to have a dozen [murals] placed throughout Towson, basically creating a walking tour of public art that you see obviously in places like Nashville and Australia” said David Riley, the co-founder of the Towson Creative Partnership (TCP), which is a part of the Towson Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve got one, and we hope to put up a number of other ones. TU has already been a tremendous part of this.” After seeing success with their mural projects, TCP is seeking to reach beyond mural painting. In February, Triple Crown Tattoo, located upstairs from Wells Fargo, opened its doors and became the first tattoo shop in uptown Towson. It’s owner, Deirdre Aikin, is the co-founder of the Towson Creative Partnership. Her shop has been serving as an anchor for TCPs operation. Aikin said her doors are open to any and every student. Her space doubles as a tattoo parlor and an art gallery. The art gallery aspect was a legal requirement for

her tattoo shop to open in uptown. However, she has been more than excited for its exhibitions to come. She currently features artwork largely made by students from local colleges, including Towson and Stevenson. “We have two student art shows which will be here in September [and October]” said Aikin. “One is the [TU] Photography Club, and the other is by the [TU] Communication [Studies] department. One of them is definitely a little controversial, and TU, even though the subject is very hot and heavy for right now, thought it was too political to do [on cam-

“

pus]. However, it’s totally okay for me.” Michele Alexander, the marketing and public relations manager at the Center for the Arts,has been working with the TCP to connect Towson students to the organization. “I met [Riley] very early on when I first came here about a year and a half ago,” said Alexander. “I agreed with him and felt very strongly that we needed more public art.” TCP and Center for the Arts have begun planning their first community event. “[Aikin] and I are starting to work on our next public works project, and [Towson University] will be playing an active role in a number of projects to come,” said Alexander. “The next project we’re working on planning is painting the BGE electrical boxes and the flower boxes that are around town. Ideally we can get art and design students working on those projects.” Aikin and Alexander are hoping to incite interest within the community to keep the city looking good.

The box painting event will be open to the public, according to Aikin, and she hopes to get fraternities and sororities involved. Aikin

According to Alexander, being an active member of the community, and partnering with groups such as TCP, is very important to Towson University, and in alignment with TU President Kim Schatzel’s current priorities. “There is so much build-

more rare. In fact, she has already made a difference. According to Riley, though there were a number of people behind the mural, Aikin was a creative leader behind tagging that dull wall with the vibrant mural you see today. “The [art] department is always

ing happening in Towson,” said Alexander. “Just like how Towson University is growing, so is the city of Towson. It is really important to have public art because you want to draw the creative class, young people and families to Towson. It’s not just about supporting the arts, it’s about supporting a socio-

looking for opportunities, and for the right kind of wall space for the students,” said Alexander. “They are in constant communication with the students about opportunities when they come up, and [Aikin’s] space is one of those opportunities. The Communications department, in fact, have scheduled an exhibition up there in October, and she is also going to be hosting a graduate

economically healthy enviCo-founder of the Towson ronment.” Aikin was previousCreative Partnership ly a professor at MICA in Baltimore. Her goal is to is going to do an open call for the extend an arm to art students who designs for the flower boxes that are want to showcase their more politup along uptown and on the side ical or “out there” art pieces that streets, and “have a day of art.” the university won’t, to art students “Everyone is going to get a flower who are struggling to obtain a spot box, and we’ll do this in groups, or in the university galleries, or who singles,” Aikin said. “They get an simply would like to showcase their hour to set up, three hours to paint, work in her space. Her art gallery and the streets will be filled with is a diverse space, and she plans everyone in the community adding on working with Towson University their art. And not only will it make and its students to host as many the city look good, it will keep vanevents as possible in the future. dalism down, and it will make the “I put myself through school, businesses get a little more involved working the entire way through, with the community. We’re hoping and it was super hard” said Aikin. to get groups and organizations “I saw so many great art kids get involved so that they care for their tossed to the side, never with any art boxes and help take care of our opportunity, and it used to crush me. community.” I mean some of the best artists I had Riley and Aikin are also considever seen, they just disappeared. ering hosting a small film festival They would get disillusioned and on the roof of Aikin’s space, as stop. We can’t just let these kids well as student film competitions, disappear.” interactive art exhibitions, and Aikin’s business is self sustainmuch more. They want students ing, a model she is proud to follow, to utilize the gallery. as self sustaining art galleries are

exhibition there as well. We will definitely be holding some exhibitions in her space because it’s a really neat space.” Aikin expressed that she encourages students to visit the storefront for artistic assistance and for a place to let their creative visions come out. “I would love for art students to hang out and do quick sketches of people who are walking around in here, or use this as a place where they need to step away for a minute and can sit and sketch” Aikin shared. “Bring your sketchbooks bring your journals and sit and think about what you need to do. Everybody who works here is a professional artist. Everyone here knows color theory, everybody here knows perspective, and I used to teach at MICA.” Triple Crown Tattoo is located upstairs to Wells Fargo in uptown Towson. Aikin said her doors are open to any and every student. “If you want an outside perspective on an art project that you’re working on, or you’re not quite sure how to approach something, just ask us,” she said.

In a perfect world, we would love to be able to have a dozen [murals] placed throughout Towson, basically creating a walking tour of public art.

”

DAVID RILEY

14 August 27, 2019

Arts & Life

Swift breaks records with her latest album, “Lover” BAILEY HENDRICKS Editor-in-Chief @im simplybailey

Taylor Swift dazzled fans with her seventh, most romantic, longest, record-breaking -- and dare I say best? -- album to date. The award-winning pop singer teased fans for months with easter eggs in music videos, her previous album’s calendar, magazine interviews, murals, and social media posts. And now the dreamy, headin-the clouds album is *finally* out for fans to enjoy. For those of you who have listened to Taylor Swift since the beginning, you know her sound has changed and transformed throughout the years -- just like her. Starting out as a country with

the first album she released when she was 16, to eventually sounding more pop with “Red” and then to “1989,” when the singer finally officially rebranded as pop. Her last album “Reputation” is the polar opposite of her newest album “Lover.” The new album’s name is fitting, as the album touches on all aspects of love, from heartache to feeling like you’re on cloud nine. Taylor described the album in the forward of the disk pamphlet as “a love letter to love itself -- all the captivating, spellbinding, maddening, devastating red, blue gray, golden aspects of it (that’s why there’s so many songs).” While “reputation” featured dark greens, greys, snakes, a harder-sound and almost bitter lyrics, “Lover” embraces pastel pinks and blues, clouds, butterflies, hearts, kittens, and a more up-beat vibe.

the d a o l n w o D Events@TyU! app toda

The album seems to celebrate Taylor being in a better place in her life after moving on from the phone-call Kanye scandal, being happy with long-term boyfriend Joe Alwyn, and finally reconnecting with Katy Perry. “Lover” feels more personal and heartfelt than “reputation,” and reminds me more of the “1989” era. The album features 18 songs (the most she’s ever put out on an album), including two collaborations -- “ME!,” released as a single with Brendan Urie from Panic! at the Disco, and “Soon You’ll Get Better,” a touching song about her mother’s battle with cancer, with the Dixie Chicks. In addition to “ME!,” “You Need To Calm Down” was also a single, released before the album. This album is also unique as 2017’s “reputation,” when Taylor did not do any press. However,

with this year’s “Lover,” Taylor has done interviews with Vogue, TIME, CBS Sunday Morning, Ellen, Entertainment Weekly, performed on Good Morning America, and is even opening the VMAs on Aug. 26, where she’s sure to go home with some awards. If I haven’t convinced you already how great this album is, maybe the numbers will prove it to you. Taylor sold 450,000 albums the first day the album

was released, breaking the Jonas Brothers’ record for selling the most albums in a week this year at 357,000. Amazon also reported that “Lover” “broke global records as the top album debut in the history of Amazon Music.” “Lover” will also very likely give Swift her sixth consecutive debut on the Billboard top 200 chart, which will officially be announced next week. - To read the rest of this column online, visit thetowerlight.com.

Courtesy of Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s new album “Lover has broken multiple records.

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Arts & Life

August 27, 2019

Margaret Rogerson’s return to the NYT bestsellers list ZAC SOPER Columnist

Margaret Rogerson, author of “An Enchantment of Ravens,” hit the New York Times bestsellers list once again this summer with her sophomore novel “Sorcery of Thorns.” The main character of this book, Elisabeth Scrivner, is an orphan, who was raised in a library of magical tomes and is sent through a whirlwind of psychological torture and imprisonment. She is thrust from the safety of bookshelves, and into the world of evil sorcerers and demonic monsters. She must uncover the identity of the sorcerer who has been stealing the tomes and using their power to wreak havoc across the kingdom.

This story surely surprised me in plot direction. After the first grimly toned chapter, I was expecting bleak traveling through dark woods and many, many sword fights with ancient monsters. Instead, I was met with the story of a girl who was captured and imprisoned in an unfamiliar world. There was exploration for sure, but exploration of a corrupt government in a seemingly safe society, rather than exploration of new lands. Though I was surprised by the tame nature of the plot, I was not disappointed. The exposition takes off with action, and the plot is driven by Elisabeth’s stream of consciousness as she struggles with morally corrupt power holders and solving a string of murderous crimes for a land of people she has never met. The simple layout of the kingdom and straightforward rules of

magic makes the story easy to be drawn into. Many fantasy novels take chapters and chapters of long, info-dumping exposition in order to set the world within a scope that the reader can understand, and that turns many people away. Who has the time to read a 900-page tome of a fantasy book? Rogerson has a way of packing great magic systems and world building into a simple story that remains on the shorter side of page count for a fantasy novel. Because the story is shorter than average, there remains a scarcity of subplots. Subplots are great for adding depth to the story, but “A Sorcery of Thorns” had very few main characters, and even fewer side characters, leaving the potential for subplots to be very small. I was not upset by the lack of depth because this is a high fantasy novel

Courtesy of Margaret Rogerson

“An Enchantment of Ravens,” hit the NYT bestsellers list. that only took me two weeks to read and isn’t part of a series. A star was lost from my rating because of yet another unnecessary romantic side plot in a young adult novel. While Nathaniel was a well-rounded, emotionally damaged character with a morally gray area that kept him interesting, the relationship between him and Elisabeth could have been removed and the plot may have remained the same. I find that authors like Rogerson don’t realize that their characters can be compas-

sionate and willing to self-sacrifice without love being their motivation. Nathaniel and Elisabeth could have worked together because they were facing the same enemy, their love for each other was an unnecessary motive and took time away from the intricacies of the politics in this world. That being said, the plot resolution was handled well and Rogerson allowed for a long enough epilogue to provide closure for these characters, allowing this book to serve as a great stand-alone fantasy.

16 August 27, 2019

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Sports

August 27, 2019

Tigers stumble through opening weekend

Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight

Freshman midfielder Phoebe Canoles was a key offensive spark for the Tigers in their games against the Old Dominion Monarchs on Thursday and the Marist Red Foxes on Sunday. While Towson lost both games, getting to play on the new soccer field is a sign that the changes in the program are having a positive impact on the players and coaching staff.

JOHN HACK Staff Writer @johnhack10

The Tigers kicked off the 2019 season on a brand new field at the Tiger Soccer Complex. Unfortunately, the new field yielded less than stellar results as Towson fell to Old Dominion on Thursday and Marist on Sunday Reflecting on her team’s disappointing 3-0 loss against the Red Foxes (1-0-0), head coach Katherine Vettori didn’t mince words when asked what kind of message she wanted to get through to the squad. “I think we need to be able to figure out how to win a game,” Vettori said. “But we have to figure out our personality and who we are and when times are tough, who’s gonna step up and have a voice.” In the game’s opening 10 minutes, Towson’s (0-2-0) defensive line was tested with sudden pressure by Marist, stemming from turnovers in their defensive end via failed clearances or passing miscues. “We work every single day on passing and passing patterns and, for some reason, when we get out on the field, that’s lost in transla-

tion,” said Vettori. Junior goalkeeper Hannah Warner made a few key saves early on to keep the game scoreless. That would not be the case for long, however, as Marist would strike in the 17th minute. “In the first half, [Marist] dropped their line back and we had a lot of time from our backs to make decisions, and we chose the wrong decision,” Vettori said. Towson showed signs of life with a shot from freshman Phoebe Canoles that went over the crossbar. The closest that the Tigers had come to knotting up the score in the first half came when freshman forward Demi Pierre blasted a shot labeled for the top left corner, but was stopped by a well-positioned Marist goalie. In the opening five minutes of the second half, the Tigers received a pair of scoring chances. First, Canoles came running to the left post before receiving her pass but was unable to move past her final defender and get a good angle to shoot. Less than a minute later, senior midfielder Nikki Logan got a great feed at the same spot and moved past her defender before getting a

point-blank shot right in front of goal. The ball bounced off the diving keeper before ricocheting off the crossbar and being cleared by a Red Fox defender. Logan would also create herself another scoring chance not long after, making a great move, outmuscling her defender to win the ball on a 1-on-1 before she buzzed a shot wide left of the post. Freshman goalkeeper Linsdey Pazdziorko made her first career appearance in goal when she was substituted in for Warner at the start of the second half. Pazdziorko made four saves in her debut. Marist doubled their lead when a centering pass came in from the left side of the box and a one touch shot swerved it way around and past Pazdiorko in the 66th minute. ‘The first two [Marist] goals, we got forward, we’re creating something, we’re about one more pass and we’re in, and immediately we gave it up and we were counter-attacked,” Vettori said. In the 83rd minute, Marist added to their lead when a shot floated towards the goal and off the extended hands of a jumping Pazdiorko before bouncing into the net to make it 3-0.

“We just have to keep working on the things that we’re trying to work on every single day and hope that some light bulbs go off,” Vettori said. “We started to play as individuals and we need to figure out how, when the going gets tough, how were going to come together. For roughly 70 minutes of their season-opening matchup against the Monarchs (2-0-0), Towson had continued to mount chances, but failed to capitalize. In the 14th minute, Canoles performed a stop-and-go which froze her defender, giving her more space to run to the end line before centering a low cross to sophomore forward Jenna Blank who was making a run towards the six-yard box. Blank was able to redirect the pass with the outside of her right foot, chipping it over the goalie’s left arm and into the goal. It was Towson’s first shot on goal and it gave them a 1-0 lead early on. The Tigers had additional opportunities to add to their lead, but a corner kick proved to no avail before the Monarchs knotted up the score in the 37th minute. However, conceding a goal with less than 10 minutes from halftime didn’t deter any offensive spark for Towson as

Blank came close to scoring a second time, but had shot above the crossbar. In the later stages of the second half, the Tigers showed signs of life with fresh legs, near misses and saves on shots from Canoles and senior midfielder Moriah Wigley. “For 10 seconds, we take a mental timeout and it changes everything,” said Vettori. “We were excited. We had a great crowd tonight. Just to get out and play this home opener against an extremely quality opponent who beat us four to nothing last year.” Towson surrendered a goal in the 70th minute, giving Old Dominion their first lead of the game. A third goal from the Monarchs in the 76th minute made the deficit more difficult to overcome before a fourth tally 10 minutes later all but sealed the Tigers’ fate. “I think there are a lot of positives to take away from this game and a lot to learn from since we are a pretty young team,” Vettori said. The Tigers will host Mount St. Mary’s in the first leg of the Battle of Baltimore. The game will take place at the Tiger Soccer Complex on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m.

18 August 27, 2019

Sports

Abrupt retirement of Andrew Luck leaves fans wondering what his career could have been

Jenna Blank Soccer

Sophomore forward Jenna Blank scored the lone goal for the Tigers in their 4-1 loss to Old Dominion on Thursday. Blank contributed two shots on goal in both Thursday’s loss and Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Marist.

Courtesy of aol.com

Andrew Luck walks off the field at Lucas Oil Stadium during the Colts preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Luck announced his retirement on Saturday following a seven-year career marred with injuries. TIM KLAPAC Senior Editor @pacofkla The football world was stunned with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck announcing his abrupt retirement at the age of 29 on Saturday. Citing numerous injuries and being “mentally worn down,” Luck walks away from football, leaving behind a myriad of questions about what he could’ve been if he stayed healthy. When he wasn’t hurt, Luck had established himself as one of the elite young quarterbacks, setting a record for passing yards in a rookie season, and leading the Colts to multiple playoff appearances, including the AFC Championship game in 2014. Despite his success, Luck always played behind mediocre offensive lines, forcing him to take a plethora of big hits, and spending the majority of his plays running for his life.

Luck was sacked 174 times in his 86 starts. His first setback happened when he suffered a shoulder injury during the 2015 season, causing him to miss two starts, the first of many. After a brief return, Luck was sidelined again, this time with a lacerated kidney and a partial abdominal tear, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season. Following a 2016 season that saw him set a career high for completion percentage, Luck underwent shoulder surgery. The surgery began a long road back for Luck, who would wind up missing the entire 2017 season as his recovery forced him to travel to Europe and then Los Angeles for further treatment. While Luck managed to play through the 2018 season without missing a start, the previous injuries continued to weigh him down, physically and mentally. In his retirement press conference, Luck stated that he has not

“been able to live the life I want to live. The only way forward for me is to remove myself from football.” Luck’s retirement brings back memories of Barry Sanders and Jim Brown, two hall of fame running backs who retired earlier than expected, despite their success on the field. Luck wants to spend time with his family before the violence of football destroys his body. Although a comeback once he is healed is possible, Luck’s demeanor during his press conference indicated that this decision, however difficult it may be, is the right one in his mind, leaving little doubt in my mind that his career is over for good. While I search for a new quarterback for my fantasy team, I look forward to seeing Luck contribute to the sport in other capacities in the future. Even though his playing days are over, his knowledge of football should carry to an ambassador role or a broadcasting position soon.

Sports

August 27, 2019

The Division for Student Affairs offers the

Towson to go Student LIFE Line icy white soon White helmets revealed online

Courtesy of @towsonequipment on Instagram

A new white football helmet was posted to Instagram on Aug. 2, featuring two versions, providing more flexibility to the team’s uniform. TIM KLAPAC Senior Editor @pacofkla Amid all of the expectations surrounding the football team, the equipment staff caught the eyes of fans with the release of a new, white helmet for this season. The helmet was shown off on Towson Equipment’s Instagram with a white jersey and pants combination, modeled by redshirt senior running back Shane Simpson, at the beginning of August. “I was very excited that coach Ambrose let me model the uniform,” Simpson said. A separate picture was released, showing the white helmet with both the Tiger head logo as well as the throwback “T” logo that was featured on the team’s 50th anniversary uniform last season. “They’re awesome, it’s sweet to get a second helmet like that,” said senior kicker Aidan O’Neill. “I thought the yellow helmets were as fresh as we could get, but now we’re going to look even fresher this year.” While the Tigers’ uniforms have

been predominantly black in recent years, the team has wanted new helmets for a few years, according to head coach Rob Ambrose, but the program finally had the budget to pull the trigger. “When I took this job, we needed black helmets as a program to make a statement,” said Ambrose. “As the decade has passed, the need for two helmets has arisen. There was no question in my mind that we needed to go back to the white. It was just a matter of finding the money to get that done.” The flexibility of a second helmet not only creates options for the current set of uniforms, but also provides a nod to Towson history. “Having the white helmets, along with the black, shows where we are now but also where we’ve been,” Ambrose said. With three of the first five games of the 2019 season being on the road, there are plenty of chances for the white helmet to make an appearance. “Definitely, we will wear the white and it will give us options as to what logo we use and try to keep it interesting,” Ambrose said.

This telephone line assists students with any question they may have about the University. LIFE Line is staffed and ready to assist callers Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After these hours, a voice mail message can be left and will be responded to on the next business day. You can also contact us with your questions via e-mail at studentaffairs@towson.edu.

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