Volume 130, Issue 4: October 28, 2021

the

VOLUME 130, ISSUE 4

SIGNAL

OCTOBER 28, 2021

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F O U A C H I TA B A P T I S T U N I V E R S I T Y

CONTENTS PAGE 2 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

COVER STORY.............................3 NEWS......................................4-5 ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT...............6 OPINIONS................................... 7 SPORTS......................................8

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Sara Patterson

SIGNAL

MacKenzie Hall

Langley Leverett

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NEWS EDITOR

Wyatt Ashlock

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT & OPINIONS EDITOR

Dr. Jeff Root Adviser

Ryan York

SPORTS EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

Valeria Gomez SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Dr. Deborah Root Adviser

Caroline Derby

AD COORDINATOR

Abby Blankenship PHOTO EDITOR

Levi Dade

PHOTO EDITOR

Jackson Carter Online Adviser

Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center Email: signal@obu.edu Phone: (870) 245-5210 The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published twice a month on Thursdays during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Nashville Leader.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via email to signal@obu.edu.

COVER STORY WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM | PAGE 3

Manning is a freshman biomedical sciences major from Russellville, Ark. Since moving to campus this fall, Manning has taken every opportunity to cultivate her own community. (photos by Levi Dade)

Biology, music, adventure: Manning does it all

BY MACKENZIE HALL News Editor

From biology labs to jazz band to Recreational Life adventures, freshman Camryn Manning does a little bit of everything.

A biomedical sciences major from Russellville, Ark., Manning takes full advantage of the community Ouachita has to offer. It was this community that drew her to Ouachita from the beginning.

“I chose Ouachita mainly because of the small school environment and prestigious academic programs. After visiting campus and seeing OBU’s tightknit community, I knew it was the school for me,” Manning said.

Since she started classes this fall, Manning has flourished in her major and believes she has found her calling. Combining her love for biology and missions, Manning hopes to pursue a career sharing the gospel and caring for others through medical missions. She felt this calling five years ago after a mission trip to New Orleans.

“After that mission trip, the Lord has really moved me to want to share him in every aspect of my life,” Manning said. “As I started to grow in my love for biology and the medical field, I felt the Lord call me to do that with my life while at the same time having a passion to speak to people about Jesus. My senior year of high school, there were several things that lined up one by one that led me to missions, Ouachita being one of them.”

While balancing her workheavy major, band practice and a transition to a new season of life, Manning has adapted well thanks to her community on campus.

“My first few months here at Ouachita have been life-changing and I feel that I have grown a lot in my maturity and faith here,” Manning said. “I’ve found a love for the little things in life like hiking, canoeing and just being in the company of other believers.

Even though schoolwork can be tough at times, I’ve found more freedom here to define my life’s direction and grow closer to God.”

Manning has met many of her college friends by attending Rec Life events. Manning’s involvement with Rec Life began with the Freshman Outdoor Orientation Trip (FOOT). The fourday excursion immerses freshmen students into the outdoors and provides opportunities to build new relationships before their first semester of college begins.

“Going to FOOT before the semester started out was a great experience that disconnected incoming freshmen from everyday life so we could rest, enjoy the outdoors and make friends,” Manning said. “From that point on, I’ve been eager to participate in Rec Life activities when my schedule allows and have loved doing things with Rec Life, like moonlight canoeing and the Shepherd of the Ozarks trip over fall break. I love being outside with community. Rec Life has been a way to do that.”

Like FOOT, the trip to Shepherd of the Ozarks provided Manning with new friendships. The trip also

taught her a valuable lesson about life balance.

“The Shepherd of the Ozarks retreat over fall break was a lifechanging trip. The rest that was provided at a cabin away from homework and cell service was irreplaceable. I met so many people of all classes and majors. Being able to step away from school was a break that really taught me the value of rest,” Manning said.

Rec Life trips have not only provided a new circle of community and moments of rest for Manning, but have also deeply impacted her spiritual growth.

“Since being involved in Rec Life, I’ve become intentional about chasing sunrises and sunsets, sometimes by myself, sometimes with others. More and more I’ve been able to see the beauty of God’s creation all around,” Manning said.

“Through Rec Life, I’ve built a desire to spend more and more time outdoors as a time to rest and reflect on God and his goodness.”

Manning encourages other freshmen to discover the

community around them by seizing every opportunity to spend quality time with people on campus.

“I would encourage other freshmen to go for it and dive into everything head-first,” Manning said. “You only get to experience this place for a short amount of time, then the responsibility of adulthood hits. Make connections, hang out and make friends while you can.”

From her efforts to grow an intentional community, Manning has found that though the student population is small, there is always someone to befriend.

“No matter where you are at Ouachita, you can always find others to be in fellowship with.

Whether it’s studying with others in your major, grabbing coffee at Dr. Jack’s or just sitting outside, everyone in this community is so welcoming and friendly,” Manning said. “There is absolutely no need here to feel alone or left out, because at Ouachita, there is always a friend just around the corner.”

NEWS

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Huckabee leads ‘Journeys of Paul’ tour

BY JULIA SHANDS Staff Writer

Former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee has hosted many trips to biblical sites in past years.

This year, Huckabee is taking a trip through the Mediterranean Sea, bringing along senior Abby Blankenship, alumnus Alex Blankenship and professor emeritus of Biblical studies, Dr. Danny Hays.

Passengers participating in the tour boarded the cruise ship on Oct. 24 on a 10-day journey to various cities in Greece (Athens, Kavala, Patmos, Rhodes and Santorini) and Turkey (Dikili and Kusadasi).

Passengers will return home on Nov. 2.

While traveling from destination to destination, passengers will get to hear engaging lectures from Dr. Hays on the apostle Paul as they follow his footsteps throughout the Mediterranean. The Blankenship siblings will be working as videographers, capturing the sights and experiences of each location on the tour.

“With the current COVID restrictions, large group trips to Israel are not possible, so Gov. Huckabee scheduled a ‘Journeys of Paul’ cruise to the Aegean Sea to visit sites on the coast of Greece and Turkey,” Hays said. “Originally, he had someone else scheduled to be the Bible teacher on this cruise, but that teacher cancelled about six weeks before the departure date.

Gov. Huckabee, scrambling to get a replacement, got my name from a mutual friend and invited my wife Donna and I to go on the cruise, with me serving as the Bible teacher. So the first time I even heard of this trip was mid-September. Fortunately, Donna and I were free at this time and we accepted.”

Travel looks differently due to COVID protocols. In order to participate in the trip, passengers had

Senior communications major Abby Blankenship and her brother, Ouachita alumnus Alex Blankenship stand ready for a day of filming near historic ruins in Greece. The two are working as videographers during the ‘Journeys of Paul’ cruise trip led by former Governor Mike Huckabee. (photo courtesy of Abby Blankenship)

to be fully vaccinated and test negative for COVID before the trip began.

For Hays, these precautions made the trip a possibility.

“As many people on campus know, I am a strong advocate of COVID prevention protocols,” Hays said. “Normally, I would shy away from going on a cruise, but

this cruise line requires both vaccines and a negative COVID test for all passengers and crew, so we thought it would be relatively safe.”

In his lectures, Hays will distinguish the biblical significance of the locations to passengers every day of the tour.

“We will be visiting several ex-

citing biblical sites from the Book of Acts (Athens, Corinth, Philippi, Ephesus) as well as Patmos (where John wrote the Book of Revelation),” Hays said. “There will be local guides to lead the group at the actual site. My job will be to teach a Bible study on what happened in the Bible at these sites and to point out the features at each site that are

mentioned in the Bible.”

Blankenship had no idea that a trip to Greece and Turkey would be included in her semester. Although the trip takes her out of classes and other obligations at school, it was an opportunity she could not refuse.

“This trip came as a surprise as Alex had asked if I would be able to join him and help film the trip,” Blankenship said. “It is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you can’t pass up. I am extremely thankful for my professors being so supportive and accommodating to make sure I am able to keep up in classes.”

Blankenship made all of the necessary preparations just in time for the cruise and now joins approximately 500 other passengers.

All passengers are on the cruise for Huckabee’s ‘Journeys of Paul’ tour.

“There are about 500 people on the cruise and the entire ship is dedicated to this particular tour,” Hays said. “That is, there are no other passengers on board who are not on the Mike Huckabee Journeys of Paul tour.”

Aside from the opportunity to teach Biblical stories on-site, Hays is excited to visit a city he has not had the chance to visit in his lifetime.

“Dr. Scott Duvall and I have led two previous trips to this area with Ouachita students, so I am familiar with most of the sites we will visit,” Hays said. “However, I have never been to Philippi, so I am especially excited about visiting that site.”

Blankenship is most thrilled to experience Paul’s journey taught by an expert at the actual sites.

“I’m so excited to hear from Dr. Hays as he is explaining the significance of each destination of Paul’s journey through the Mediterranean,” Blankenship said.

NEWS

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Honors program fosters scholarship

BY EMILEE WEBB Staff Writer

The Carl Goodson Honors Program is designed for students to pursue higher learning and academic excellence while attending Ouachita. Students in the honors program are invited to explore subjects outside of their areas of study by taking 13 hours above their regular degree plan. This motivates honors students to expand upon their intellectual curiosity. To graduate with honors, students are expected to maintain a 3.50 GPA, write an approved thesis, carry out an approved directed study, take two honors seminars and take three honors courses.

Dr. Barbara Pemberton, director of the Honors Program, is passionate about the program and its benefits for students. Pemberton is happy to assist students interested in joining the honors program.

In addition to academic advancement, honors students also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of events throughout the year.

These events are designed to create community and help students get involved on campus.

The honors program hosts a colloquium monthly that features current honors students and their ongoing directed study or thesis projects. The honors program will host a retreat for freshmen honors students on Nov. 5. This honors tradition allows freshmen in the program to visit places of worship for various religions in the surrounding area. The retreat relates to the honors OBU connections class, “Sacred Spaces,” so it is a great way for freshmen honors students to attach real life experiences to what they have learned in class.

Dane Jester, academic co-chair of the honors program, encourages current and prospective honors students to stay informed about honors activities.

Counselor Kaneil Purifoy talks with a student in his office. Ouachita’s counseling services are free for students. (photo by Levi Dade)

Students gather at the honors barbecue on Oct. 22. The honors program gives students opportunities to go deeper in their academic studies. (photo by Levi Dade)

“Students within the program can refer to their honors calendar bookmarks or watch for emails and GroupMe messages from their ambassadors to be reminded of upcoming events in Alpha Tau, the social component of the program,” Jester said. “If anyone has not received these emails or notifications, they can reach out to me at jes67033@obu.edu to make sure they are on the proper lists. Colloquium is open to all students and faculty, and email invitations are sent out to all of campus in the days prior.”

To further enhance their experience, Jester advises current honors students to consider taking on a leadership role when applications come out later this academic year.

“I would advise students to pursue leadership positions in honors, as there are many roles to be played and serving in this capacity is a great way to boost your odds to earn an honors travel grant to grow your education and pursue your interests around the world.”

Jester urges all students to consider joining the honors program, even if they did not qualify for honors when they began their freshman year.

“Students are welcomed to join the Carl Goodson Honors Program, even if they were not involved their freshman year. Many

upperclassmen have joined the program and graduated with the honors distinction. Dr. Pemberton consistently works to enable students to finish the program, so any student interested in joining should reach out to her to evaluate their paths to completing the program’s requirements,” Jester said.

Jester advocates for the completion of the program by those eligible, citing the many advantages they will have as a result.

“I would advise students in the program, first and foremost, to finish the program. It is an outstanding and easily recognizable distinction on any resume and allows you to grow your knowledge of the things you are interested in. When spread out over many semesters, the requirements are not very strenuous, and the rewards are significant,” Jester said.

For students with big aspirations for the future, participating in the honors program is a catalyst toward making those dreams reality.

“To any students not already in the program, I would say that if you are at all intellectually curious and looking for ways to grow as an individual and future job or graduate school applicant, the Carl Goodson Honors Program is the premier extracurricular opportunity that Ouachita offers to accomplish this goal,” Jester said.

Counseling center offers mental health resources

BY MALLORY GATSON

Staff Writer Mental health refers to a person’s psychological, emotional, behavioral and social well-being.

The condition of a person’s mental health informs how they handle stress, interact with others and make decisions.

Mental illness affects 1 in 5 people in the United States. Fortunately, the topic is becoming more acceptable to talk about in society.

This increased awareness results in more support for those who are in need of it.

Dr. Sue Poole, a counselor on campus, believes that the increase in demand for counseling at Ouachita is due in part to the lingering effects of COVID in students’ lives.

“I think it has been a combination of the stress everyone has been under due to the pandemic and how it has interrupted everyone’s life,” Dr. Poole said.

Kaneil Purifoy, another counselor on campus, believes that anyone can benefit from a listening ear in the context of professional counseling.

“There has always been a stigma: when you are going through something you need to tough it out… get over it… work through

it,” Purifoy said.

Society pressures individuals to quickly recover from mental issues, but these issues are often more complex than they may appear on the outside. Mental illness can cause people to act out, and many do not know how to handle those instances.

It can be uncomfortable talking to a stranger about deeply personal struggles, but Poole counters that this is actually an upside to counseling.

“When a person feels really heard, that builds trust,” Poole said. “Careful listening is a part of the process. Any relationship with trust between a person and their counselor builds over time. A lot of students are relieved when they realize their sessions are confidential.”

Ouachita offers counseling services at no cost to students. Students can contact Vickie Davis at 870-245-5220 to request an appointment.

“We do have a waiting list, not because we want a waiting list, but we are doing our absolute best to see you,” Purifoy said. “We care about each student’s whole healthnot just their mental health. We will make sure that students experience that quality of care that we are striving to provide.”

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT PAGE 6 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

Music, theatre departments present operetta

BY WYATT ASHLOCK

Arts/Entertainment & Opinions Editor When people hear the word operetta, they may be hesitant or confused. With the goal of showing audiences that an operetta is not intimidating, Ouachita’s theatre and music department are working together to put on “H.M.S. Pinafore.”

This operetta is about a sea captain’s (Cordell Hufstedler) daughter, Josephine (Hannah Gothard and Isabella Owen), who is supposed to marry Sir Joseph Porter (Brennon Humphry) but is in love with a low class sailor (Matthew Mayfield). Josephine will have to decide whether to honor her fa-

ther’s wishes or follow her heart.

Some of the show is double cast, including the female lead, Josephine, played by Gothard, a senior BFA musical theatre student and Owen, a junior bachelor of music student. While Gothard’s focus is on the musical side of the major, Owen’s focus is on the classical side.

“I love that I’m getting to do the two things that I love the most,” Owen said. “That’s why I chose this degree. I get to do so much music and so much theatre. This is exactly what I wanted to do.”

“H.M.S. Pinafore” is directed

by Stephanie Murry, Dr. Joshua Brown and Dr. Kara Claybrook.

Murry directs the acting side, while

Brown and Claybrook co-direct the music side of this production. All three of them are working closely together to bring this production to life.

“There has been a learning curve for both sides as there are some things about the culture of each department that we are teaching each other as we go,” Murry said. “It’s a great learning experience for both the faculty and students involved because we are learning about another world we don’t have much experience in.”

This is a new experience for everyone involved since this is the first time that the operetta is a part of the theatre department’s lineup.

In a typical year there are four

theatre productions and an operetta. However, when Murry and Brown were looking at the lineup, they thought it would be a good idea to combine resources.

Instead of having two standard productions, they decided to do one major production in which the cast and audience could experience something new.

“Pinafore sits right in the middle at 50% musical theatre and 50% opera,” Brown said. “It has a level of approachability and it’s palatable.”

This show provides a stand-out combination of a musical and an opera as it is not only comprised of singing. There are acting scenes as well, and this show is completely

in English.

With a runtime of a little over two hours, it is a great show for anyone who wants to dip their toe into the opera world but does not have prior knowledge of the genre.

“I hope that [H.M.S. Pinafore] makes the form of operetta a little less scary when they realize how accessible it can be,” Murry said.

“I think people will be pleasantly surprised and enjoy it a lot more than they were expecting walking into the performance.”

“H.M.S. Pinafore” runs from Nov. 4-7 in Jones Performing Arts Center. This show will count for both music and theatre arts engagement credit. For more information, visit obu.edu/boxoffice.

‘No Time to Die’ meets audience’s expectations

BY WILLIAM READ Guest Writer

It has been six years since the last installment of Daniel Craig’s Bond, and fans have been waiting patiently for his final appearance as the iconic character in his latest film, “No Time to Die.” Anticipation for this movie was already high as the runtime was announced to be two hours and 45 minutes, making it the longest James Bond movie to date. Expectations continued to rise as the film was delayed from its initial release

date of Apr. 2020, to finally being released in Oct. of 2021 in the United States.

There was certainly a lot of buildup, but “No Time to Die” did not disappoint. It weaved together aspects from all of the previous Craig films as well as a few callbacks to the original Bond films.

Without spoiling any important moments in the new film, I advise anyone planning on watching the new film to review the Craig films beforehand.

The supporting roles were both well-cast and well-scripted, but

there were quite a bit more characters to keep track of compared to the previous films. Because of this, the roles were more broad and the characters more shallow.

The viewer did not have as much of an opportunity to dig into each character and explore their development as they have in the past.

However, the nature of these roles allowed the viewer to focus more on the development of Bond and his conclusion, which is what this movie needed.

This era of Bond films is known for its stunning locations, thrilling

chases and overall impressively choreographed action scenes.

The beginning of “No Time to Die” was no different, and certainly delivered an impressive array of action scenes. It also featured Bond’s signature Aston Martin, possibly being the best Bond car scenes in the franchise. Although the first half was engaging and impressive, the second half of the movie seemed to run out of steam in regards to the action.

The scenes were still high caliber, but did not seem completely congruent with the rest of the film.

The set pieces did not seem to pay off or excite as much as they did in the earlier half but overall, the action was very well put together and still beats out other films currently in theaters.

This was the satisfying conclusion to the best saga of the Bond franchise which has movies that have already become classics. As always, James Bond will return, but in the meantime I recommend that you rewatch all of the Bond films that star Daniel Craig, and conclude the binge with a viewing of “No Time to Die.”

Arts Engagement Calendar Music Credit:

Music Credit:

Music Credit:

Faculty Recital: Cai Lei, Piano and members of the ASO. Oct. 28th at 7:30 PM McBeth Recital Hall

Guest Artist Recital: Dr. Robert Fant, Horn Nov. 2nd at 7:30 PM McBeth Recital Hall

Guest Artist Recital: Christopher Adkins, Cello Nov. 9th at 7:30 McBeth Recital Hall

Music & Theatre Credit:

Art Credit:

“H.M.S. Pinafore” Nov. 4th-6th at 7:30 Nov. 7th at 2:30 Jones Performing Arts Center

“Sompassauna”, Photograhpy by Dylan Yarbrough Oct. 15th-Nov. 10th Gallery of Moses Provine

OPINIONS

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Supernatural world not as Halloween presents it

BY SARA PATTERSON Editor-In-Chief

Many Christians in western culture today pay little attention to the spiritual world of angels and demons. I believe that this avoidance is an over-correction in an effort to steer clear of secular media’s poor representation of the supernatural.

From horror movies to comedy series, American media has no shortage of content that dramatizes or satirizes spiritual beings, especially demons. Christians are wise to avoid these abuses of the supernatural but would do well to learn the truth about the supernatural as it serves an important role in our faith.

God created and uses angels and demons to tell his story throughout scripture. Their presence in scripture suggests that we can learn something from them.

Having an overview of God’s intended purposes for supernatural beings will help debunk common

misunderstandings about them.

The word for Angels in the Bible also means “messenger.” God created them to speak on his behalf.

As angels do so, they impact humans.

In his book “Systematic Theology,” Wayne Grudem outlines ways that angel activity affects humans.

Grudem argues that angels are an example for humans in their complete devotion to serving God in every part of their lives. God also uses angels to carry out some of his plans. For example, the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would be Jesus’ mother in Luke 1 and an angel tells Phillip where to go share the gospel in Acts 8:26.

Angels also serve God by representing him on earth and opposing evil forces. In all of their deeds, they seek to glorify God. What about guardian angels?

Over the past few decades, many Christians have accepted that every human is given their own guardian angel. However, this one-to-one guardian angel idea is not sup-

ported in scripture. Rather, various places in scripture communicate a general protection of all of God’s people by angels. For example, Hebrews 1:14 says “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who inherit salvation?”

All of the angels minister to all of God’s people.

It is more likely to conclude that God sends angels to people when they are in a specific time of need than to assume that every person has their own angel for the entirety of their life.

What about demons? Demons are agents of Satan who do his bidding, much like angels do God’s bidding. The hit series Lucifer, Lil Nas X’s demonic music video and shoe line from last year and even seemingly harmless cartoon representations of Satan or demons make light of demonic influence.

This kind of entertainment leaves people with two ways to respond to the demonic: avoidance or obsession.

In his book “The Screwtape Let-

ters,” C. S. Lewis puts in this way: “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”

It’s comforting to remember that Satan is God’s opponent, but he is not God’s opposite. Satan is against God, but he does not have the power, omnipotence or omniscience that God has.

We should not take Satan and evil lightly, but we do not have to live in fear as if God is struggling against evil and could lose. God won the spiritual war for eternity when he died on the cross pay the punishment for sinners and rose to life again three days later.

Christians have a great enemy, but because of Jesus, an even greater hope.

What about demon possession?

While Christians can be met with opposition from a demon, such as temptation, doubt or guilt, they cannot be overcome by one because the Holy Spirit has complete reign over that person’s soul.

People often try to find tangible or visible evidence to explain supernatural things, but the whole point of how God works is that we cannot understand him in full.

I don’t know how powerful God could be if I understood everything about his character and his ways.

When something like supernatural beings puzzles us, we can go to the truth that God has revealed to us in scripture. While we will not fully understand all that happens on the supernatural level, we can recognize that God has designed incredible plans that involve angels to keep us safe against evil.

We can replace our desire to have all of the answers about the supernatural world with gratitude for the intricate strategies God has employed to bless and provide for the sinners whom he loves.

Activities for enjoying your own company

BY VALERIA GOMEZ Staff Writer

Your friends are busy or gone for the weekend. You see people posting on social media about their fun adventures with lots of people. The fear of missing out kicks in and now you feel like you should be with people too. You start feeling lonely.

Solitude is not easy for everyone, but alone time is necessary to recharge. Understanding that being alone does not have to mean being lonely and learning to enjoy your own company can help you to stop

relying on others to make the most of your free time. Here are a few solo activities for well-spent solitude.

1. Coffee and Bible time There is something therapeutic about getting your favorite drink and sitting down to do your quiet time. There is no better way to find peace in your busyness than spending time with God, the only source of true rest.

2. Exercise Exercise releases endorphins, your “feel-good neurotransmitters.” Engaging in movement can tremendously improve your mental, emotional and physical health.

Go for a bike ride and enjoy the fall weather or find a nice trail and take a walk while listening to your favorite music.

3. Halloween movie night Go to the nearest grocery store and buy a pumpkin. Play your favorite Halloween movie and create a fun night of pumpkin carving and snacks.

4. Tourist activities made local Have you been wanting to go to the new art gallery? Maybe a museum, store or farmers market?

Don’t wait any longer.

Treat yourself and make the trip.

It will be a worthwhile adventure that will take you outside of your

comfort zone.

5. Cooking a new recipe Find a recipe, gather the ingredients, play music or a podcast and cook. Use this time to forget about the outside world and focus on making a delicious meal.

5. Sunrise or sunset chasing To wake up early or wind down after a busy day, go somewhere with a nice view and enjoy the sunrise or sunset. Resist the urge to check your phone, go on social media or text. Soak in God’s amazing creation.

7. Tech-free time Media can become distracting or even harmful when we do not have

boundaries. Challenge yourself to spend time doing things that do not require any technology. This will develop your self-control and help to put your creativity into practice.

Spending time apart from technology will leave your mind and soul refreshed, rather than drained by the constant use of screens.

Alone time is good and necessary to reflect on life and de-stress from its problems. Solitude can also help you build a better relationship with yourself.

Use one or a few of these solo date ideas to branch out of your comfort zone and spend your alone time well.

SPORTS

PAGE 8 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

Left: Sophomore Alexis Perry crosses the ball into the box from the corner. Perry was the leading goal scorer in the game against the Crimson Storm with four goals. (photo by Sarah Dean) Right: Junior David Stankovic dribbles past Southern Nazarene defenders. David Stankovic is now the current goal scoring leader for Ouachita’s Men’s Soccer team with three goals. (photo by Abby Blankenship)

Soccer teams play against SNU, OKBU, NSU

BY RYAN YORK Sports Editor

The men’s and women’s soccer teams played four collective games last week. On Thursday, Oct. 21, both teams played against Great American Conference (GAC) opponent the Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm. It was an attacking onslaught from the Lady Tigers, winning the game 7-0.

Sophomore Alexis Perry scored four goals achieving a hat-trick and then some. As for the Men’s team it was a tightly-fought victory with the winning goal coming in the 76th minute. The final score was 2-1.

The second round of games was on Saturday, Oct. 23, with both Tiger teams losing to their respective opponents. The Lady Tigers they lost to rival Oklahoma Baptist University 0-2. For the men’s team, it

was a loss to Northeastern State University 0-1.

From the start of the Lady Tigers versus the Crimson Storm, Ouachita controlled the ball. Starting in the 25th minute, Ouachita broke open the flood gates with a goal from Junior Gracen Turner. Shortly afterward, the second goal came from Perry off an assist from Senior Jaymee Dotson in the 26th minute. Then, ending off a five-minute outburst, Alexis Perry scored her second goal from an assist by Turner in the 30th minute of the first half. As the clock closed on the 45th minute to take the teams to halftime, Freshman Ashton Inman received a beautiful through ball from Freshman Megan McKay, giving her a clear shot on goal from outside the box. Inman took the shot, putting the ball just over the SNU keeper giving the Lady Tigers a 4-0 lead at halftime.

As the second half started, Perry achieved her hat-trick in the 49th minute, assisted by Dotson. In the 60th minute, Turner achieved her second goal of the game giving the Tigers a 6-0 lead. Putting the nail in the coffin, Alexis Perry scored her fourth goal in the 67th minute giving the Lady Tigers the final score of 7-0.

The men’s game against SNU started out with multiple shots from the Crimson Storm. In the first 12 minutes of play sophomore Armani Atilano had three saves.

Shortly after, in the 16th minute, the Crimson Storm took the lead off a header by sophomore Daniel Trojman. In response, junior David Stankovic scored the equalizer goal off an assist from sophomore Ebon Jordan in the 33rd minute.

The score was tied 1-1 at halftime.

In the closing part of the second half, goal scorer Stankovic subbed

off for sophomore Marshall Prather. Two minutes after the substitution Prather gave Ouachita the lead 2-1. Sophomore Hagan Sanchez played the ball into the middle of the field where Prather received the ball. With a nice dribble to play on the inside of the SNU defender, Prather pushed forward to take the shot, putting the ball just left of the keeper.

In the game against OKBU, the Lady Tigers fell short as the Bison focused play on a quick attacking strategy. This gave the Bison a numbers advantage in their attacking third, where adding in the accurate short passes set the Bison up for quality shot attempts.

On the defensive end OKBU used an aggressive tactic where once they lost possession, they did not get back to recover but rather put heavy pressure on the Lady Tigers until they regained the ball.

This play style did not allow for Ouachita to have much control of the ball throughout the game.

In the Men’s game against the RiverHawks the teams were evenly matched with neither side allowing for much of any goal scoring opportunities. The RiverHawks capitalized on one of their few opportunities in the first half giving them a 0-1 lead against the Tigers. The second half was more of the same as neither side allowed more that six shots. NSU sealed their victory with only allowing one shot attempt in the 89th minute.

The next home game for the men’s team will be Oct. 28 at 3 p.m. against the Fort Hays State Tigers. The last men’s home game will be Oct. 30 at noon against the Newman University Jets. The next home game for the women’s team will be Nov. 6 at noon against the East Central University Tigers.