Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, March 27, 2023

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Volume 57, Issue 64 | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com

Students gather for PrideFest Notre Dame student government hosts three-day event celebrating LGBTQ+ voices on campus

By CAROLINE COLLINS Associate News Editor

Over the weekend, Notre Dame student government hosted PrideFest, a three-day series of gatherings for members and allies of the LGBTQ+ campus communit y.

The programming began Thursday afternoon w ith a lunch and learn session, followed in the evening by a LGBTQ+ remembrance v igil and a LGBTQ+ Acousticafe.

Friday’s “Queer Joy” student panel featured undergraduate, graduate and law school students who talked about their experiences as part of the LGBTQ+ communit y.

The panel was moderated by senior Matt Heilman, who posed questions to the panelists about how they discovered their sexualit y, what resources they have utilized on campus and adv ice for prospective LGBTQ+ students apply ing to Notre

Dame.

Each of the students shared their personal experiences on campus and ref lected on how their identit y has shaped their time at Notre Dame.

“It’s so interesting to hear about how ever yone has learned about their identit y in different ways and has different stories, and ever y stor y is important,” Heilman said.

The panelists also discussed organizations on

Week acknowledges Palestinian struggles

By ANGELA MATHEW Manager of Talent and Inclusion

As part of Palestinian Liberation Week, Student Voices for Palestine (SVP), w ill be hosting a Palestinian cultural cafe, a documentar y screening, a talk by activ ist Lesley Williams and a mutual aid fundraiser Monday through Thursday.

Traditionally, this week is know n as Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW ) across the world.

The obser vance originated in 2005 at the Universit y of Toronto doing

the Palestinian “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” (BDS) movement.

“IAW aims to raise awareness about Israel’s decades-old regime of settler-colonialism and apartheid over the Palestinian people and to mobilize global action to help dismantle it​,” the BDS movement’s website conveys.

Senior Thanh Nguyen, a leader of Student Voices for Palestine explained the use of the name “Palestinian Liberation Week,” as opposed to IAW.

“In our conversations, we wanted to center policy narratives to … turn our gaze away from the oppressor and towards Palestine and Palestinian communities,” Nguyen said.

Graduate student Daniel Bannoura, who is from Palestine and is another leader of Student Voices for Palestine, highlighted the importance of the week’s events in an American context.

“US ta x dollars see PALESTINE PAGE 4

campus they feel are safe spaces that allow them to be their true selves.

Sophomore Connor Marrott explained how he was able to find a sense of communit y at Notre Dame by getting involved w ith LGBTQ+ advocacy groups on campus.

“It is possible to find your communit y here at Notre Dame, you just have to want that realit y,” Marrott said. “And meeting people that have really similar

Observer Staff Report

Friday morning, the Saint Mary’s community received an email announcing the results of the Student Government Association election. Scarlet Peters and Hannah Kaczor, who ran unopposed, will be 2023-2024 student government president and vice president, respectively.

Both rising seniors, Peters and Kaczor have been a part of SGA since their sophomore

NEWS PAGE 3

years, working within various committees.

Peters and Kaczor based their campaign platform on five goals. The first goal aims to improve the quality of education among Saint Mary’s students, and they plan to do this by advocating for proper funding to all departments.

Their second goal focuses on building relationships within the tri-campus community.

The pair’s third goal is centered around inclusion and

SCENE PAGE 5

diversity. They plan to do this by working with other committees and organizations on campus with a similar goal, as well as listening to student voices.

For their fourth goal, Peters and Koczor talked about their plans to reward students’ work with more fun events and giveaways.

Their last goal is to be respectful of student voices, aiming to be driven by student suggestions and feedback.

VIEWPOINT PAGE 7

see PRIDEFEST PAGE 4

HCC inaugurates new president

LIAM KELLY | The Observer

Holy Cross inaugurated its sixth president, Dr. Marco Clark, Saturday. Clark expressed optimism for the College’s future in his address.

By LIAM KELLY News Writer

Peters-Kaczor win Saint Mary’s SGA election

experiences kind of creates a sense of solidarit y.”

Senior Francine Graham said she appreciates Show Some Skin, an organization that performs monologues w ritten by students about experiences of discrimination or feeling like not belonging on campus, whether that be due to race, ethnicit y, language barriers, gender identit y or sexualit y.

“I believe that this is our time,” Holy Cross President Dr. Marco Clark declared during his presidential inauguration Saturday afternoon.

Clark, the first layman to serve as president of the College, has held the role of Holy Cross’ sixth president for the past nine months after succeeding Fr. David Tyson.

Following an academic procession accompanied by bagpipes, Bishop of the Diocese Fort WayneSouth Bend Kevin Rhoades delivered the event’s invocation.

Rhoades was next joined by other prominent figures in the South Bend community, including mayor James Mueller, Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins and Saint Mary’s President Katie Conboy.

Mayor Mueller expressed

FENCING PAGE 12

excitement for what is to come under the leadership of Clark.

Jenkins also offered praise of the new leader.

“I can think of no one better to carry forward this extraordinary legacy and ministry of the brothers as president of this Holy Cross College than you,” Jenkins said to Clark.

After the introductions, Clark was presented with the ceremonial mace and medal of Holy Cross and then officially proclaimed president.

Beginning his inaugural address, Clark described the gratitude he felt to be in his position.

“The most pressing emotion in my heart right now is grateful,” Clark said. “I’m grateful that I get to fulfill my vocation, my destiny, through this ministry of leadership see HOLY CROSS PAGE 3

M LACROSSE PAGE 12

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Notre Dame’s Golden Dome stands behind the sprawling branches of God Quad’s trees, silhouetted by a gray sky. Sudents of the tricampus community returned from their spring break to a new week of classes and the usual sub-par weather of South Bend.

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3

SMC hosts health fair to highlight resources

By KATELYN WALDSCHMIDT Associate News Editor

Saint Mary’s students filled Angela Field House Friday afternoon for this year’s health fair sponsored by the Kristine Anderson Trustey Wellness Program.

Director of student involvement and advocacy Liz Baumman, who is part of the wellness program coordinating committee, explained the event’s origin and goal.

“The fund was started by a generous alum, who is Kristine Anderson Trustey, with a specific purpose to enhance student wellness on campus,” Baumman said.

The fair consisted of tables from student groups and organizations providing both on-campus and off-campus resources. Tables covered topics ranging from physical health and mental health to spiritual health.

Sophomores Izzi Linus and Katie Harrington, both soccer players at Saint Mary’s, were at the fair representing the student organization Morgan’s Message. Linus described Morgan’s Message as an advocacy group for mental health, especially among student-athletes.

Holy Cross Continued from page 1

and Catholic higher education at Holy Cross. I have found my deep gladness here.”

Clark focused on his predecessor Fr. David Tyson who served as president for five years, praising Tyson’s guidance of Holy Cross through a difficult financial time.

“This College is one of the few in the country that is debt free, that has a growing endowment… and that has established an academic and faith identity that is worthy of national and international recognition,” Clark said.

Clark described his gratitude for the school’s “world-class” faculty

“It’s really important for us that a lot of people know that they have a community to go to,” she said. “A lot of the time athletes are struggling without you knowing about it.”

Another student table, the Wellness Advisory Council, drew in a great deal of participation from their interactive ”Just Dance” game.

Table hosts Jada Reitmeier and Mila Swiacki said the council’s goal is to raise health awareness on campus and bridge the gap between students faculty and staff. Reitmeier said having an interactive game at their both stresses the importance of having fun.

“We’re just here to have fun and give yourself a break. Have fun, take care of yourself and you don’t have to be serious all the time,” she said.

In addition to student-provided resources, representatives from the College staffed numerous tables.

Heather Abbott, a counselor at the Health and Counseling Center, ran a table about past and current mental health trends.

“I’m here just sharing some of the changes in the field of behavioral health and then along with the things that are treatments and

approaches to mental health and well-being,” Abbott said.

Abbott added that the health fair is a great opportunity for students to learn about resources readily available to them.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to learn about the resources that are available on campus and to get information about taking care of their whole being, both physical and mental,” she said.

A table that drew many students, mostly because it displayed a recipe for the infamous ”Borg,“ was one on barsafetyoperatedbyReneeSchutze from Health and Counseling.

“Our main goal is safety here at this table,” Shutze said. ”[We are] talking about alcohol poisoning risks so that way [people] understand the new trends with the Borg and how much alcohol is really in that.”

Shutze’s table was also giving away StopTopps, a cover for your drink in the form of a sticker.

“We’ve had women that come in and they either know somebody or they’ve been affected by date rape drugs,” she said.

First-years Caitlin Mitchell and Abbey Duggan both said they attended for the giveaways, but they

added that they were pleasantly surprised with how much they enjoyed the event.

“I really like it, especially the phone booth where you put your phone there and just walk around without it,” Mitchell said.

Junior Bailey Siglow said she was drawn to the health fair because of “the free tote bag” but said she was happy to learn about some of the resources available.

“Definity informational, I just got the number for Smick security,” Siglow said. “There’s just a lot of safety things that I never know about.”

Baumann said she thought the health fair this year was a great success.

“We had increased attendance this year which was awesome. The students seemed very engaged,” she said.

Baumann, who had her own table highlighting the Mother Pauline food pantry, added that it was great to see and chat with so many students.

“I had the opportunity to speak with students that knew about the resource that I was tabling for and had accessed that resource, but also students who had not heard or didn’t

know how to access the resource,” Baumann said.

Baumann also spoke about how important it is for resources outside of Saint Mary’s campus to come show students what they have to offer.

“It’s just such a fun opportunity to get to connect with our campus partners, but also our community partners,” she said.

One such outside resource was the Notre Dame fire and police departments.

“I’m always grateful when our campus safety and the Notre Dame police and fire attend,” Baumann said. ”They’re always very engaging. The Notre Dame police and fire were participating in our ‘Just Dance‘ booth which was hilarious and fun.”

Baumann said the best way to give feedback is to email her or direct message Saint Mary’s wellness on Instagram.

“We’re so grateful to the students that attended and hope they’ll share their feedback with us as we continue forward,” Baumann said.

and staff as well as the brothers of the Holy Cross, who he credited for helping him “discern a vocation” in Catholic education.

Clark also said he was humbled to be given the honor of serving as president.

“I’m also humbled to be in this position of getting close and doing the work of the church in Catholic higher education, which shapes students in the image of Christ, to create a world in which love and justice prevail,” Clark said.

Above all, Clark described his mood as “hopeful” for the future of Holy Cross.

“This young college has certainly been through its fair share of afflictions, trials and difficulties,” Clark noted. “She has borne her

crosses. Through the resilient spirit of the Congregation of Holy Cross and trust in divine providence our College today is poised for a bright future.”

Clark pointed to recent trends in admissions to support his optimism.

“The application numbers for Holy Cross College this year are double what they were this time last year and the highest in the history of the College,” he touted.

Clark then turned his sights to the future, offering a preview of his fiveyear plan for the College.

“I have a vision for a vibrant and expanded campus that prides itself on academic excellence and faith formation, high impact teaching and learning, a student body that is actively engaged in academic and

student life and a college which offers programs that widen access, while enhancing outcomes and learning,” Clark explained.

One of the main priorities of this five-year plan will be the improvement of the College’s facilities, Clark said.

“We’re going to expand and renew construction, and we’re going to repurpose [and] remodel the learning and the work environments to better meet the needs of the College,” he said.

Clark also reassured any concerned students that on-campus dining options would be expanded in the future.

Outlining his plans to expand Holy Cross’ academic offerings, Clark added that he hopes to offer

microcredentials and certification programs for students.

“Imagine walking away with an undergraduate degree and microcredentials in IT areas… project management, continuous improvement, leadership, nonprofit management and so much more,” Clark said.

Holy Cross will also seek to expand its academic partnership programs with Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s through the Gateway and Driscoll programs, Clark said. Clark also raised the possibility of growing those pathways beyond the tricampus area.

Another goal of the five-year plan will be to double down on the liberal arts, Clark said.

“In an era in which many colleges and universities are straying from this core foundation, at Holy Cross College we’re leaning into the liberal arts even more with an integrative interdisciplinary approach that provides a well rounded, flexible and personalized foundation that can prepare our students for success in many different fields,” Clark said.

Focusing on the College’s Catholic character will be central to all parts of the plan, Clark added.

“I want to teach our students to seek the Lord wholeheartedly and approach their intellectual pursuits with humility and openness in a culture of encounter,” Clark said.

Clark also described his goal to make the college a “hub” for “faithbased service and justice ministry.”

Concluding his remarks, Clark reemphasized his feelings of hope for the future of the College.

“The late Pope Benedict stated that those who have hope act differently,” Clark said. “I hope you see I act differently. And it’s because I have such great hope for the future of Holy Cross College.”

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NEWS

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PrideFest Continued from page 1

“I think that’s been very valuable for me to interact in a space where everyone has something that brings [them] together, even if it’s not the same thing,” Graham said.

The students acknowledged that while not everyone on campus may be accepting of

Palestine Continued from page 1

support the oppression of the Palestinians and it is US foreign policy that is effectively hurting and has maintained a normalized system of oppression … the bullets that were killing Palestinians and the bombs destroying homes were made in Pennsylvania and the planes were made by Lock heed Martin,” Bannoura said.

Bannoura also talked about the lack of awareness about Palestine on campus.

“Notre Dame is a ver y sanitized, mostly white space,” Bannoura said. It’s ver y unsettling for someone like me … for example, in 2021, when Israel bombed Gaza, I completely shut dow n … I couldn’t work … I got incompletes on all my papers. But when you walk around [on campus], and no one has a clue … that’s why SV P, this activ ism and our events, is essential.”

On Monday, the club w ill host a “Palestinian Cultural Cafe” at Hagert y Family Cafe from 6 p.m. to 7 pm. Students w ill be performing A rabic songs like “Wa Ana Amshi”

by Marcel K halife, “Lamma Bada Yatathana” by Lena Chamamyan and “Masar” by Le Trio Joubran. Attendees can do Palestinian crafts like embroider y while they listen to the music and tr y traditional snacks.

There w ill be a screening and discussion of the documentar y “Children of Shatila” on Tuesday in room 246 of Duncan Student Center. The film is about the Sabra and Shatila massacre of 1982 where Lebanese militia attacked Palestinian refugees liv ing in Lebanon in coordination w ith the Israeli government. According to A l Jazeera, around 2000 to 3500 people were killed in the massacre.

Farah K hashman, a senior involved in communications for SV P, said film screenings are a really good way to get students engaged w ith the club’s interests.

K hasman is an international student from Jordan.

Her maternal grandmother f led Jerusalem to Eg y pt in 1948 when Palestinians were forced out. Her maternal grandfather, who died

LGBTQ+ students, there are allies and administrators who are supportive.

Nicholas Yanek, an MBA student, said it is important to navigate and determine who those supporters are and lean into them during hard moments.

The panelists also touched upon the idea that Catholic teaching and queer affirmation go hand in hand with one another.

“Jesus’ message is all about love,” Harkins said. “And I think there are very few other communities, if any, that are built exclusively on love like the queer community because we just want to be able to love people as we feel is right and love people as we are and for who they are.”

PrideFest concluded Saturday with Pride Outside, which was moved inside to

Duncan Student Center due to inclement weather. At the event, representatives from the University Counseling Center and Center for Student Support and Care chatted with students about University resources for the LGBTQ+ community.

Student body president Patrick Lee and his staff also distributed f lowers provided by Irish

Gardens.

PrismND hosted a “LGBTQ+ Legacies” art showcase in the Jordan Hall Galleria later Saturday afternoon.

The showcase featured artwork by LGBTQ+ students in a variety of different mediums, from drawings to short films.

before she was born, was originally from Nablus and fought against the Israeli occupation of Palestin.

K hasman highlighted the value of film screenings in prov iding awareness to students who may not have a personal connection to the region as she does. “[The screenings] really get students emotionally charged and then that is a good segue for us to prov ide them w ith some concrete facts about the conf lict, especially if the film was their first introduction,” K hasman said.

Lesley Williams, a Black, Jew ish activ ist from Chicago, w ill be giv ing a talk titled “Repressing Palestine on Campus” in 1030 Jenkins Nanov ic from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday. Williams is a member of Jew ish Voices for Peace, “a national member-driven organization dedicated to a U.S. foreign policy based on peace, human rights, and respect for international law” and the “largest Jew ish organization committed to Palestinian liberation in the world” according to its website.

“A lot of people are scared to engage in healthy advocacy because of the charge of ‘you’re going to be antisemitic if you talk about Palestine’ so [Williams’ talk] w ill address the underlying definitions of what antisemitism is and how it has also been weaponized in the past to repress Palestinian speech on campuses.”

Nguyen said.

On Thursday, SV P members w ill be tabling at 12:30pm at Duncan Student Center near Modern Market. They w ill be selling merchandise like keffiyeh, or Palestinian scar ves, made by Hirbaw i factor y, the last authentic Palestinian factor y producing them. The proceeds of the sale w ill go to Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PRCF).

The club w ill also be hosting a mutual aid fundraiser on Thursday in room 134 in Duncan Student Center from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. where attendees can make and buy bracelets to support PRCF. Thursday, March 30, the last day of the club’s week of events, is know n as Land Day and is significant to Palestinians.

“In ‘76, Palestinian

workers were killed by Israelis,” Bannoura said.

“That led to a lot of protests and eventually, the rise of the Palestinian intifadas, the Palestinian uprising … so ever y year Palestinians commemorate that day … and not just those in the West Bank and Gaza Strip but also in historic Palestine.”

K hashman emphasized how Land Day is not just about physical land or propert y.

“If you look up like the Palestinian map over time, you can see how the occupation takes the land but there’s also a specific … connection to the land in terms of the olive trees and the lemon trees that we have there,” she said.

“There are these iconic pictures of old women hugging trees as the [Israeli] occupation forces for demolition want to come in and cut them dow n … in Jordan I know that people

have these tiny jars that they wear around their necks that have some of the dirt [from ancestral land in Palestine] and the keys to their houses that have been taken away,” K hasman added.

SV P members said that they hope that this week of events w ill lead to more attention towards issues facing Palestine. Bannoura talked about the double standard that ex ists on campus w ith regard to activ ism.

“W hen Ukraine was attacked, ever yone [on campus] was up in arms … you would think that students would be similarly educated and aware [when it comes to Palestine],” he said.

Nguyen, who worked at the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theolog y Center in Jerusalem, a Palestinian Christian organization over the summer, highlighted the importance of ideolog y and Notre Dame’s connection to the issue as an institution.

“Palestine is an American issue,” Nguyen said.

“Christian Zionism, which is a theolog y, in support of Israeli policies and Zionism in general, has been at the forefront of Christian movements, especially … in the US.” “For a lot of Palestinian Christians who are less than … 1% of the population now … understanding the Bible through this lens is problematic. So they started a liberation theolog y that argues that Jesus was a Palestinian under Roman occupation,” Nguyen said.

“This is relevant to Notre Dame because the theolog y department here is ver y connected to Jerusalem, and yet they’re really hesitant to say any thing about the realit y on the ground and we think that’s prett y problematic for a faith institution.”

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The observer | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com

By CHRISTINE HILARIO Scene Writer

In 1997, Fleetwood Mac reunited to perform for MTV’s “The Dance.” Lead singer Stevie Nicks and lead guitarist Lindsay Buckingham performed “Landslide” alone together, and the tension between them was palpable. Years prior, Nicks and Buckingham were in a relationship that fell apart.

Around the time of their breakup, drummer Mick Fleetwood split from his wife, and bassist John McVie and keyboardist Christine McVie ended their relationship. In the midst of all their fraught relationships (and drug usage), the band recorded their 1977 album “Rumors.” In spite of (or perhaps due to) this turmoil, “Rumors” became one of the most critically and financially successful albums of all time. Nicks’ and Buckingham’s emotionally-charged performance and the drama surrounding “Rumors” inspired Taylor Jenkins Reid to write “Daisy Jones & The Six,” which has been adapted into a 10-episode Amazon Prime series.

The series follows the rise and fall of the eponymous Daisy Jones & The Six, who recorded one insanely successful album in the 1970s, “Aurora,” and never made music together again.

20 years later, the band members and some of the people surrounding the drama are interviewed to get the true story of what happened.

The heart of the drama is a love triangle between rhythm guitarist and frontman Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin), lead singer Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) and Billy’s wife, Camila (Camila Morrone). Similar to Fleetwood Mac, the other band members have their own issues at this time, but their arcs are less

By CAITLIN BRANNIGAN Scene Writer

It is a major stretch to call “Demon Slayer: To The Swordsmith Village” a movie.

The latest installment in the popular action anime functions more to excite fans about the new season than to deliver good cinema. The film is the last two episodes of season two combined with the first episode of season three, which will not be released until April 9th. This renders the movie entirely inaccessible to non-fans, as it has no discernible story arc of its own. Though the filmmakers acknowledged this before the movie’s release, it was misleadingly marketed as if it were like the last “Demon Slayer” movie, “Mugen Train,” which featured entirely new content.

Mashing all these episodes together and calling it a movie could’ve been an enjoyable experience for fans if there were literally any edits made to the original material to adapt it to cinema. Instead, viewers were thrown right into the climax of season two with very little exposition as to what happened leading up to this. The not-so-exciting end credits of each episode played in between the action, which was awkward to watch in a theater. The same scene played twice at one point because it was in the end of one episode and the beginning of

fleshed out. While all the actors gave excellent performances, the characters feel more like stereotypes than people. For instance, despite being the titular character, Daisy Jones falls into Manic Pixie Dreamgirl territory. She is aggressively free-spirited and helps Billy make better music. During a song-writing session at their producer Teddy Price’s (Tom Wright) mansion, Daisy suddenly strips down and dives into the backyard pool. Billy asks if she’s taking a break, to which she blithely replies that she’s still songwriting. Despite this, Riley Keough gives a highly-charismatic performance, which lends depth to her character.

Billy and Daisy’s romantic tension stems from their “twin flame” approach to music and life. The show conveys this through extended songwriting montages, but this doesn’t do much in establishing the chemistry between the two characters. Billy has a beautiful wife and child already, and his will-they-won’t-they relationship with Daisy doesn’t work unless the tension between them is palpable.

Billy and Daisy’s chemistry isn’t nonexistent, but it never seems like they want each other to the point that Billy would leave his family. Nicks and Buckingham have more romantic tension in their four-minute-long performance of “Landslide” than Billy and Daisy havwe in the entire 10-episode series. It isn’t bad, it just leaves something to be desired.

Speaking of something to be desired, a show like this lives and dies by its music. Daisy Jones & The Six is meant to be the biggest band of the ‘70s, and if the show’s music comes up short then the entire premise falls apart. The music is, in all fairness, pretty good. Claflin and Keough’s voices harmonize

well together, and the songs are catchy. However, it’s difficult not to compare “Aurora” to “Rumors.” It’s completely unfair to compare the songs in an Amazon Prime show to one of the greatest albums of all time, but it’s harder to buy into Daisy Jones & The Six’s incredible success when I know the scope of talent of their real-life counterpart. You either have star power or you don’t; it’s impossible to manufacture, which makes conveying it in a show immensely challenging. While the show does its best to convince us of Daisy Jones & The Six’s star power, it’s at times difficult to buy into.

The best part of this show is by far the costuming.

“Daisy Jones & The Six” showcases the absolute pinnacle of ‘60s and ‘70s fashion. Every character has their own unique style that conveys their personality. Daisy’s costuming is especially noteworthy, with its Stevie Nicksinspired boots and flowing tops.

“Daisy Jones & The Six” is entertaining despite its weaknesses, but it overall left me wondering why a Fleetwood Mac biopic hasn’t been made.

another episode.

The last straw was that the transition between season two and season three content was incredibly unsatisfying. It felt like catching the end of one movie and immediately watching the beginning of a completely different one. The pacing, characters, setting and plot understandably change between seasons, but with the amount that changed there was no way this could have conceivably been made into a coherent movie without making controversial changes to the source material.

Many people saw this to watch the beginning of season three. It was disappointing. It starts with an amazing scene in the infinity castle, but quickly moves to a much slower-paced introduction of the season’s new setting and characters. Though the setting is somewhat intriguing, the characters are boring so far.

The one good thing about this movie was the eyecatching animation. “Demon Slayer” is known for its stellar action scenes, which jumped out at the viewer on the big screen. The animation is bright and loose, and the combination of CGI with traditional animation was so well done I barely noticed the change. The characters come to life and the fastpaced action is easy to follow. I was blown away by the infinity castle scene in particular. Although it’s a relatively calm scene without any head-turning

action, it’s just as captivating because of its spectacular animation and music. I felt like I was totally immersed in this scene because of its striking presentation of detailed scenery and vivid characters.

I can’t recommend this movie to anyone who isn’t already a fan of the “Demon Slayer” series. There is no point to seeing it otherwise. Having seen season two already, I was still very confused. I had no idea what was going on in the first ten minutes of the movie. I also wouldn’t recommend watching this to get a sneak peek at season three because the movie solely provides exposition, which won’t be worth watching until new episodes start coming out and the new characters (hopefully) become more f leshed out.

“Demon Slayer: To The Swordsmith Village” is a great immersive experience of amazing animation, but not worth watching otherwise.

Contact Christine Hilario at chilario@nd.edu

“Daisy Jones & The Six” Starring: Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone Favorite Episode: “Track 10: Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Contact Caitlin Brannigan at cbrannig@nd.edu

“Demon Slayer: To The Swordsmith Village” Directed by: Haruo Sotozaki If you Like: “One Piece Film: Red”

MEG HAMMOND | The Observer

6

The observer | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

A brave new world

Go Irish, beat imposter syndrome

Oluwatoni Akintola Andrew McGuinness

Meditations

Sports Editor

What is your first memory? It’s probably something very random. But maybe it provided a hint about the person you will become — your interests, your personality, a glimpse into the future and the past all at once.

My first memory is not that. It’s going to preschool or daycare and being excited they had a Thomas the Tank Engine set. My second memory, however, feels more telling. It is from probably about a year later, at the house of someone from named Stephen who I went to first grade with. I do not remember anything that happened there, but I remember how I felt — shy.

So much has changed in the 15-plus years since then. And yet, that feeling still lingers. As I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that my shyness is probably not its own thing, but a symptom of something greater. Mental health has become an increasingly popular topic in society, and for good reasons.

There are so many facets to it, so many ways a person can be thrown out of sorts. One of the most well-known ways is something called imposter syndrome — “a psychological occurrence in which an individual doubts their skills, talents or accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud,” according to Wikipedia.

Shyness isn’t the only way this manifests, but it’s probably the most all-encompassing. If you were born an extrovert or combat bashfulness better than I have, it’s easy to discount. Everyone has big things that stress them out, and I’m no different. But the things that most people see as stress relievers — like chilling with your friends — stress me out too. That feeling is always there.

For a while, I tried to ignore it. And that worked for a while — until my junior year of high school. I had actually made a couple of pretty good friends by then who I knew had a bigger friend group that I really wanted to be included in. But how could I, someone who struggled to make friends their entire childhood, fit in with a dozen or so of the coolest people (people way cooler than me) that I knew?

I accepted for a while that I couldn’t, convincing myself that having a friend group probably wasn’t as great as it seemed. It took a (thankfully not serious) car accident on New Year’s Eve to realize just how stupid that thought was. Of course, that only made me more afraid to ask because the stakes for failing seemed higher than ever.

But, in June 2019, I did ask. And for the last four years, I have been lucky enough to call those people my friends. Their friendship means the world to me – I could dedicate this entire article to them and still fail to capture just how happy I am to spend time with them and how much they mean to me.

As a result, that doubt went away for a while. My senior year of high school was largely full of blissful peace and confidence. But then COVID-19 hit, we all left for college and I realized those feelings weren’t gone for good. I have also made some great friends at Notre Dame, and yet it still isn’t completely erased. It keeps me constantly second-guessing and hunkered down in my dorm room on weekend nights when I should be going out. I want to do just that, but at the same time, I also don’t.

When I get invited to do stuff, I am happy to be included — and always a little worried I’ll somehow mess up and never get the chance to do it again.

As a second-semester junior, this is a big time in my life. I applied to be Sports Editor of The Observer, to be an RA in Siegfried and for all of the internships. Guess what — I was named Sports Editor. And selected as an RA. And chosen for a great internship.

Each of these new opportunities comes with a heightened level of responsibility. And therefore, a heightened level of fear. Confidence and poise are paramount for interviews for these things. Yet when preparing, I couldn’t help but hear the same thoughts I always fret about. “Why are you even trying this? Do you really think you’re qualified to help others? What will everyone think of you if you fail?”

I have met some great writers and better people at The Observer — more people I’m lucky enough to call friends. They include our last two amazing sports editors, Aidan and Manni, and other wonderful people who I know will be at the forefront of our work going forward. People who, like my friends from high school back home and the ones I made at my internship last summer, I am terrified of letting down, fearing that stepping into a bigger role will expose fatal flaws that I’ve been able to hide. Flaws that will make them realize that no one should want to be friends with me, the same way I felt in middle school when my two best friends at the time moved away and I literally had none.

I remember what that was like. People used to ask me who my best friend was and I literally could not provide an honest answer. It was so deflating. The thought of ever being back there one day is scary.

But even acknowledging all of those admittedly irrational fears, things have gotten better. I don’t have to doubt whether I’ll have friends — after all, I see about a dozen of them every time I turn my phone on. I’m not letting my worries about all of these things stop me. There are plenty of great things on the horizon. I know I have people I can talk to, and if nothing else, a song that I can throw on repeat to escape my problems in 2:54 bursts.

Even though it is sometimes hard to accept it, I know I have made so much progress over the last few years. Despite my nerves, I’m still really excited to become our next Sports Editor and try to make this special place even better. Unfortunately, the doubt still weighs me down at times. Maybe there is no way to truly escape it. But all of my happiest moments — that fateful summer night in high school, football games and tailgates at Notre Dame, late nights editing and laughing alongside my good friends here — have come when I’ve been able to put them aside.

That’s more than enough motivation for now for me to keep fighting it. Even more importantly, so is knowing that there are people who are happy to call me a friend, whether it’s stupid for them to or not.

You can contact Andrew at amcguinn@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Stop complaining about the Starship robots. Seriously.

First of all, they’re unimaginably polite. They yield the right of way to people and even squirrels, which makes them more considerate than 99% of electric scooter riders on campus. But secondly (and more importantly), their presence on campus is valuable because they serve as the harbingers of a new world. A world in which machines walk (or I guess for now roll) side by side with human beings.

Last month, a petition went around demanding the removal of Starship’s robots because they change what it means for us to “be here together” on campus. On the surface, this means that there’s now a tad bit more to be mindful of as you make your way around campus, but I think that our community’s reticence to accept the delivery robots runs even deeper than that. People didn’t resist the robots because of the minor inconvenience they impose on us. They resisted them because they were afraid of the truth that the robots make painfully obvious. Humanity is marching into a brave new world.

Those of us who have read Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” or George Orwell’s “1984” will understandably shudder at my choice of words. I chose them intentionally because I understand the dark side of the rapid pace of technological advancement recently. I understand why so many people are concerned about it. These new solutions bring with them new problems.

Advancements in machine learning mean that doctors can spend less time on menial administrative tasks and diagnose conditions more accurately. But these advancements also mean that an AI can now impersonate the voices of your friends and family, or put 4 million truckers out of work.

This isn’t new, though.

Throughout all of history, technological advancement has always meant a dichotomy: new ways to thrive, and new ways to suffer. In 1886, Carl Benz patented model No. 1 of his Benz motor car, and a few decades later, cars were in widespread use across Europe and America. Today, motor vehicle accidents are the number one way that teenagers lose their lives and also the number one source of carbon emissions globally. But we take the good with the bad because we all understand that our modern society would be unimaginable without motorized

vehicles.

So, the Starship robots should stay, and it’s actually for the very same reason that people petitioned for them to be removed.

They do change what it means to “be here together.” So did the Internet. So did the BlackBerry.

So did Uber. What it means to “be here together” has always been changing and evolving. Every new morning when we get out of our beds, we are stepping into a new world with new possibilities.

We’re stepping into a world in which we don’t have to brave a frigid South Bend morning to get a warm cup of coffee. A world where a “chatbot” can help us with our programming homework. One hundred years ago, this was only conceivable in works of scientific fiction. One thousand years ago, it wasn’t conceivable at all. As a community, we’re privileged to live on the cutting edge of innovation, and I think that we should become more comfortable with that reality. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can step up to become the drivers of that innovation and the safeguards against its negative consequences.

So, the next time you cross paths with a Starship robot, I think that you should feel inspired that mankind continues to use technology to approach and go far beyond its potential. A lot of times we take for granted just how unfathomable the world we live in truly is. Thousands of years ago we navigated by way of lights in the sky. Today, we use the lights in our pockets. Technological advancement has raised the global standard of living and enabled upward mobility, the likes of which has never existed before in our world. Of course, we must also remember human nature.

People will undoubtedly exploit new technology if it means they can dominate or manipulate other people. I would argue however that this is a defect of man, not machine. Regardless, we should be wary of the dark sides of our continual innovation and work to mitigate them as much as possible.

But mostly, we should be grateful that we get to live in a time in human history where a robot can deliver our morning doses of Au Bon Pain right to the doors of our residence halls.

Oluwatoni (Toni) is a first-year majoring in Business Analytics at the University of Notre Dame. He can be reached at oakintol@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The observer | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

Why we stay Kate Casper Outsider Instincts

I’m sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs on Fieldhouse Mall, watching seas of accepted students wearing Notre Dame drawstring backpacks on their tours. They’re walking past landmarks like LaFun and Stonehenge, places that are now just pitstops on a tour, but might very well become their stomping grounds in only a short time.

I love watching them gaze around the quad, wide eyes fixed on current students like me … girls still in their pajamas at 2 p.m., writing Observer articles just for them.

As a Gateway student last year on a guaranteed transfer track from Holy Cross College to Notre Dame, my entire life revolved around getting in. I remember walking past the golden dome, tears stinging my eyes, just praying I’d make it here. I dreamt in Notre Dame acceptance confetti and Grotto candles … I ran to the “Rudy” soundtrack and studied till I couldn’t feel my fingers.

I’ll never forget the day I got in (officially). I signed into my ND admissions portal from the front yard of my parents’ Virginia home, and I took a deep breath as I opened the decision: Accepted.

So I sobbed for a while and texted Michael Hines to let him know. He responded in all caps, “WELCOME HOME!” which sent chills down my spine and made my cry harder — because until that point, Notre Dame hadn’t been a home for me. It’d been a dream, something to aspire to. And that day, for the first time, I knew it finally always belonged to me.

Just a few months later, my feelings were very different.

Having achieved my goal, I was in a constant state of “now what?” And somewhere in that pool of “now what?” (coupled with some mononucleosis-fueled angst), I found my excitement replaced with dissatisfaction and even anger.

I was angry that everyone was signing leases for senior year when I still had no idea who I wanted to live with. I was angry that after we lost (badly) to Marshall University, students were quick to attack Marshall’s acceptance rate and average ACT score but slow to accept defeat. I was angry that too often people would question why I was an English major, under the assumption that I wouldn’t have job security post-grad. I was angry that Notre Dame was closer to real life than I’d imagined. In other words, Notre Dame didn’t exist in that dream space it used to, that dream place full of beer and endless kindness and bagpipes (soooo many bagpipes).

So in October, I told my friend I wanted to transfer.

We talked about it briefly one night, and then never again.

And while I never wound up applying to transfer anywhere, I remember feeling so ashamed that I even had that passing thought. I knew I was supposed to love Notre Dame: I was supposed to love the school spirit and those beautiful, drunken tailgates and the community that transcends time and place, but I was disappointed in so much. I was disappointed in the student body, which sometimes felt pretentious and homogenous, the academics, which sometimes felt overhyped and the culture that sometimes told me I wasn’t good enough. I was certifiably: Falling out of Love with Notre Dame™.

But then something changed.

I started asking my friends some questions — why they came here and why they stay here — and I realized sometimes we get too comfortable asking people “why did you come to Notre Dame?” when really we should be asking “why do you stay at Notre Dame?”

Because this … is a choice. Every day we attend classes and go to events and eat and sleep and study on this campus, we are choosing to stay. We are saying “yes” to the Notre Dame experience and “no” to everything else. We are opting in.

So, you might ask me: Kate Casper, why do you stay?

And I’ll tell you, I stay because there is no place like Notre Dame, and I really really need Notre Dame.

I need study sessions that are followed with trips to the Grotto. I need old white men to hand me drinks before football games and talk to me about the “good old days in Dillon Hall.” I need advocates and alumni who tell me: English majors can do anything. I need friends like Clare and Viz and Aedan and my Gateway family and the BP girls who are always game for a 30-minute weekend debrief (preferably on a whiteboard). I need Tyrone to grin at me and say, “Good morning” when it’s 2 a.m. and I’m finally leaving LaFun. I need Johannes Gorranson to push me and make me a better poet. I need formals in Corbett Hall with a date named Quack who guesses my phone password using only “magic.”

Really, I need all of this. I need the bitter cold in my parka just as much as I need those Indiana summer days at the beginning of each year when North and South Quad come alive with students playing spikeball and sprawling out in the grass on picnic blankets. I need mac ‘n’ cheese from Yaz’s and lake walks and runs around Notre Dame and St. Mary’s College and Holy Cross. I need the good times and the bad. I need the nights I dance till my legs give out just as much as the nights I feel like the loneliest girl on this campus … because sometimes, that happens too.

This is life — there will be ups and downs, but I can’t think of a better place to spend my downs than Notre Dame.

That’s why I stay.

Kate Casper (aka, Casper, Underdog or Jasmine) is from Northern Virginia, currently residing in BreenPhillips Hall. She strives to be the best waste of your time. You can contact her at kcasper@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Hey hey! Ho ho! Radio country music has got to go!

Jonah Tran De Re Publica

Mid Wallen’s most recent album “One Thing at a Time” shocked the country music stage with 111 minutes and 36 seconds of consummate entertainment, writing and variety. That boy from East Tennessee has proven once again that there is still plenty more subject matter concerning the unpleasant relationships with past lovers and his pleasant relationship with alcohol. Given the current statistics, it is safe to say he will continue to dominate the country music boards this year, as he did in 2021 and 2022. The future of country music rests (in peace) in Mr. Whiskey Glasses’ hands — a future drastically different from past country, which was characterized by uniqueness and an emphasized story-telling aspect. As not to offend the alliance of “Wallenites,” I will not mention that country music is trending toward mass produced, impersonal, catchy — mind you — garbage.

I must make a few disclaimers. First and foremost, I am not a country hater; in fact, I love country music, which is why the genre’s trends are so troubling that they compel me to the keyboard. Secondly, I intend for the topic of discussion to be legitimate country music (sorry Walker Hayes, Kane Brown and Dan & Shay). Thirdly, I have conducted extensive, topicspecific research through listening to “One Thing at a Time” from start to finish, the entire 1 hour 52 minutes, and in one sitting to substantiate my claims. Finally, though I poke fun at the concept of Wallenite fanatics, I can attest to their existence.

I used to know one.

As I have hinted at previously, my argument is divided into three concepts: entertainment, writing and variety. I will analyze the current state and future trend of country music through the figure of The Tennessean, an apt representative given his consistently high level of popularity. I understand the allure behind him. His recent music is quite entertaining in that it is pleasing to most ears: a Southern-twangy, youthful

voice singing of memories of love under the melodic strums of a guitar or cadence of a trap beat. The music is undoubtably catchy. Moreover, I can conceive that people say Mr. 865 is good because his vocals are enjoyable or the song itself gives off good vibes. I cannot, however, conceive that a positive assessment of his current music has claims deeper than mere entertainment.

Overall, radio country music platforms entertaining songs that are popular but not necessarily written well. Into this genre, do Mr. Mullet and others like him manufacture on a mass scale mediocre music.

As for the writing, I will credit the man. He helped write 33.3% of the 36 songs in “One Thing at a Time.” Impressive.

Very nice. Now let us see Zach Bryan’s album “American Heartbreak.” He solo wrote 97.1% of the 34 songs; the 2.9% remaining represents a cover of “You Are My Sunshine.” The point is that radio country music, overall, has lost sight of its potential to tell intimately stories with deep ties to one’s sense of home and relationships. At its core, country music is a personal form of storytelling. However, the impersonality imparted by third party authorship so drains any possibility of uniqueness that the derelict template is reasonably applicable and readily available to any singer. What follows then is the competition of singers to vie for the top position of popularity by adding their own flair to the template. If Morgy and other singers of the sort were to write their own music, they would embody the fullest identity of “artist” since they have influence in all aspects of their art. Until then, Mr. Sandy Boots is just a singer.

The stereotype goes that all country music sounds the same: the same voices singing about the same topics including alcohol, girls, trucks, etc. This assessment is a dismissive caricature, but there is still truth in its suggested motifs. I acknowledge that the variety of subjects that a country song can cover is limited.

How is one to overcome this obstacle? Developing new, creative metaphors? No. Engaging in new relationships for subject matter purposes, Taylor Swift style? No. Rehashing ambiguous memories with forged dialogue, but with autotune and a trap beat? Yes! The easy way out is to add variety by injecting

incongruous elements of another genre into the music. The hard way out is to be creative or develop new relationships, but that would require thinking and patience. The expedient course takes precedence over the honorable one, and the former is, in fact, rewarded more graciously than the latter.

Instead of genuine music from artists like Luke Combs, Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan and Chris Stapleton just to name a few contemporaries, we settle for a “cowboy” whose favorite instrument is a MacBook Pro. It frustrates me beyond belief not only to consider this trend of preference but also to witness rise of the Wallenism, of which adherents come from a youthful demographic. Mr. You Proof is, in fact, you proof. He is an inviolate idol, who can say no word or produce no song that will diminish his reputation. The godhead has no obligation to bless his disciples with quality music, a token of love, for he cannot love anyone more than his hometown. History has already shown this.

It is my most sincere hope that something in this article has respectfully offended you. I want you to disagree with me. I hope you accost me in public or write me a passive aggressive email. It would make my day! My email is jtran5@nd.edu. This is the only way you would actually take time to examine why you consume the media you consume. Have you ever thought deeper about the art form that is music? How can you expand your perception of country music, or any music for that matter?

Why do you settle for so much less than what you are worth?

Should you consider apostasy of Wallenism? Valid questions might I say.

Jonah Tran is a first-year at Notre Dame double majoring in Finance and Economics and minoring in Classics. Although fully embracing the notorious title of a “Menbroza,” he prides himself on being an Educated Young Southern Gentleman. You can contact Jonah by email at jtran5@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

8

Sports

The observer | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Coolican: The incredible atmosphere of the World Baseball Classic Liam Coolican Senior Sports Writer

A version of this column was published online March 23, 2023.

It would have been impossible to script a better ending for the World Baseball Classic. Mike Trout against Shohei Ohtani. Bottom of the ninth. Two outs. 3-2 count.

One run game. Ohtani dispatched his MLB teammate w ith an absolutely w icked slider to secure the 3-2 v ictor y for Japan in the final game of the tournament Tuesday night.

It was the perfect conclusion to what was perhaps the most exciting ten days of baseball we have ever w itnessed. I had the priv ilege of attending Saturday nights’ quarterfinal between the United States and Venezuela in Miami, and it was w ithout a doubt the most incredible atmosphere at any baseball game I have been to.

I bought a last-minute ticket in the upper deck, which was close to 90

percent Venezuelan fans. If someone had told me I was in Caracas, I might have believed them. From the deafening chants of “Ponche” (strikeout in Spanish) whenever a Venezuelan pitcher got to two strikes to the absolute pandemonium that ensued after Salvador Perez’s gamet y ing double in the fifth inning, it was clear how much this tournament means to the players and the fans.

Trea Turner’s go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning of that game was one of the best moments of the tournament, and the United States ultimately prevailed 9-7 in that game to advance to the semifinals. ​​“It’s one of the greatest games I’ve ever been a part of. The passion in this building was absolutely incredible,” team USA manager Mark DeRosa said, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

Star Puerto Rico and New York Mets closer Edw in Diaz went dow n w ith a knee injur y while celebrating his team’s massive v ictor y over the Dominican Republic.

W hen it was later determined that he would likely miss the entiret y of the upcoming season, many fans and pundits, nearly all of them Americans, deplored stars getting injured in what they called a “meaningless” tournament.

W hat these commentators overlook is how much competing on the international stage means for the players and fans, especially those outside the US. According to Japanese media, 48 percent of households in Japan watched their quarterfinal matchup vs. Italy, a record number of v iewers.

For the first time, Cuba, an immensely proud baseball countr y, allowed MLB players who defected to join their team, although only those who “have maintained a positive attitude towards our baseball and our countr y.” W hile many players were either not inv ited or did not w ish to represent the Cuban government, it is still an unprecedented step.

In other countries, such as Great Britain, Italy and the

Czech Republic, where baseball is not nearly as ubiquitous, the Classic helped make inroads to increasing fan bases there. Miami was also the perfect location for much of the tournament, w ith the large Latin American population getting to root for their teams throughout the week.

Even Mike Trout, the American captain and perhaps the best hitter of our generation, played w ith a passion we have not seen from him in years. He and Ohtani are both stuck on the perpetually mediocre Angels, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2014, and this tournament gave him the opportunit y to play truly meaningful games for the first time in a decade.

As a whole, we Americans were not nearly as passionate about our team as fans and players in many other countries. It was a strange experience being in Miami for the game, as the U.S. was listed as the road team, and it certainly felt like a road env ironment w ith the

thousands of Venezuelans in attendance. Another factor is that many of our best players–especially pitchers– elected not to participate in the tournament, while most other countries had most if not all of their top players rostered. Still, how often do we get to see what are essentially all star teams competing in games that actually matter? The American lineup was so stacked that Turner was batting ninth for most of the tournament.

It is unfortunate that stars such as Diaz and Jose A ltuve w ill miss significant time w ith injuries sustained during the Classic, but that is no reason to denigrate an event that means so much to players and fans worldw ide. This was the most exciting baseball I have ever watched, and I can’t wait for its return in 2026.

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

ND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Irish fall to Terrapins in Sweet Sixteen

By OLIV IA SCHATZ Senior Spor ts Writer

The Fighting Irish traveled to Greenv ille, South Carolina to take on the second-seeded Terrapins. After a season plagued w ith injuries, the Irish were determined to prove their worth.

However, it was Mar yland who would ultimately pull ahead and w in 76-59.

The Terrapins got out on an early lead, w ith a 5-0 run. Junior for ward Maddy Westbeld turned the tide, putting Notre Dame on the board and igniting a 6-0 Irish run. However, this lead would not last long, as Mar yland would quick ly go back ahead and spend the rest of the quarter in the lead. Similar to their matchup against Mississippi State, the Irish failed to make a three for some time, ultimately finishing the first 10 minutes dow n 16-14.

Mar yland once again got off to a strong start in the second. But Westbeld once again broke through,

making three to tie the game 19-19. That appeared to be the spark the Irish needed.

Junior for ward Kylee Watson added another basket, sophomore guard Sonia Citron got a steal and the Irish were off to the races. Notre Dame went on an 11-point run before the Terrapins called a time-out. The Irish extended their scoring stretch immediately after the stoppage, but Mar yland stabilized thereafter. Still, Notre Dame took a 32-31 lead to the locker room, 20 minutes away from reaching the Elite Eight.

However, another hot Mar yland start put Notre Dame’s chances in serious jeopardy. Fouling proved to be a problem for the Irish in this game, w ith both Watson and graduate student center Lauren Ebo tally ing their fourth foul midway through the third quarter. Head coach Niele Ivey was forced to reach deep into her already depleted roster which the Terrapins took advantage of. They ripped off a 9-0

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run that forced Ivey’s hand and the Irish head coach called a timeout.

Out of the break, Citron was sent to the foul line to get the first point for the Irish in t wo minutes. Emotions were high and Citron would commit a pair of turnovers and an offensive foul as the Irish struggled to stay grounded. A late shot clock v iolation gave Mar yland another chance to stretch their lead, but the Terrapins were unable to beat the buzzer.

Going into the final quarter though, Mar yland still held a 57-45 lead.

The fourth quarter would prove to be a challenge too difficult for the Irish to conquer. W hile Notre Dame started w ith the ball, a foul would send the ball in the Terrapins’ favor. Turnovers and fouls continue to plague the Irish, allow ing Mar yland to set the momentum in their favor. W hile Watson was back in w ith four fouls, Westbeld was see WBB PAGE 10

MARY VOTAVA | The Observer

Irish sophomore Sonia Citron makes her way down the court, dodging her University of Maryland opponent on Jan 12, 2022.

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ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: The pendulum swings, and it’s your turn to play. Choose your tools wisely, and make kindness, consideration and honesty your preferences. Work diligently toward your goal, but don’t present or display your progress prematurely.

If you want to make an impact, using the element of surprise works best. Trust your instincts, follow your heart and turn your actions into a springboard for success.

Your numbers are 5, 17, 21, 28, 30, 34, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Things will start piling up if you aren’t savvy in handling money, people and prospects. Be on guard to make a move, change direction or start anew at the snap of a finger. Know your worth, set high standards and finish what you start.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Get everything in place before you start something new.

How you deal with situations will affect what others offer you in return. Channel your energy into doing something good for someone, and doors will open. Romance is favored.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your emotions will keep you at the top of your game.

Feeling compassion for the underdog will put your heart in the right place and your actions on track for rewards. Combine insight with experience and whatever you suggest will go the distance.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Say little and do a lot. Opportunity will come to you if you spend more time helping those less fortunate. Your abilities to put others at ease and protect those in need will lead to new beginnings. Love is in the stars.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t move until you have everything in place. Make opportunities instead of expecting others to make them for you. Use your intelligence, agility and speed to conquer your dreams. Follow your heart, not someone else’s lead.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep your feelings to yourself and concentrate on selfimprovement and personal growth. What you experience or learn will help shape what’s yet to come. Change begins with you; success will follow if you are true to yourself. Love is on the rise.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Slow down, look around you and enjoy the simpler side of life. The time taken will help you recognize what you want to do next. Don’t let anger consume you when finesse, kindness and incentives are your best alternatives.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Reach out to older friends and family and let the experience enrich you. A unique look at the possibilities and how to bring about positive change at home and in relationships will improve your life. Make romance a priority.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Say no to anyone taking advantage of you. Stick close to home and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Think outside the box, and you’ll come up with stellar solutions that make you look good. Share your feelings with someone you love.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Put your heart on the line and confide in someone you love. Asking for help will make life easier. Listen to suggestions without overreacting or taking on more than you can handle. A lifestyle change is doable, and romance is encouraged.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put your house in order. Don’t hesitate to put items you no longer use up for sale or pass them along to someone in need. Relief will set in as you declutter your life from top to bottom.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t get down when you should get moving. Host an event, do something exhilarating or sort out differences with someone you love.

Find a way to make a difference, or provide something to your community that adds value and peace of mind.

Birthday Baby: You are demonstrative, anxious and changeable. You are challenging and proactive.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports

The observer | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com

MLax Continued from page 12

Corrigan said after the game about the crowd. “But it was a terrific atmosphere.”

Like they had done in five of their first six games, Notre Dame struck first when sophomore attacker Chris Kavanagh tallied his 22nd goal of the season. But unlike those earlier games, that score was not the start of the Irish building a big early lead, but rather a prelude to Virginia doing so.

The Cavaliers feature a pair of star attackers, Connor Shellenberger and Xander Dickson, who were both on top of their game Saturday.

Shellenberger wasted no time answering Kavanagh’s goal with one of his own. Virginia put on a clinic during the rest of the quarter, scoring four more times while stymying the normally-potent Irish attack.

The last came from Dickson off a Shellenberger feed and put Virginia firmly in the driver’s seat, leading 5-1 after the first.

Following nearly 18 scoreless minutes, Notre Dame finally ended their drought early in the second quarter. Graduate student LSM Jose Boyer gained possession after a Virginia turnover and went coast to coast to score his first goal of the season. The Irish would score again soon after but were held at bay by quick Cavalier answers that pushed the score to 7-3.

The final minutes of the half were tense, with Notre Dame working hard to make the halftime deficit more manageable.

With under two minutes to play, senior attacker Pat Kavanagh scored to trim the Cavalier lead back down to three. And senior attacker Jake Taylor followed that up with a critical goal in the final seconds. Taylor’s score made the contest a 7-5 game and gave the Irish some momentum for the second half.

Adding to that momentum was the arrival of the Notre Dame football team at halftime. After finishing their practice, the team walked to Arlotta Stadium and watched the game from the grass berm.

It might seem unrealistic that anything that went on in the crowd could have a tangible impact on the game, but the energy brought by the football team’s appearance (and enthusiasm) seemed to provide Notre Dame with a jolt of energy. Chris Kavanagh scored a leaping goal just over a minute into the third quarter. Soon after, Pat Kavanagh’s long-range score knotted the game at 7-7 and sent a jubilant crowd into celebration.

In addition to the Kavanagh brothers’s shot-making, the Irish’s ability to create possessions was critical in their 4-0 run. Virginia won six out of seven first-quarter faceoffs. Over the final three periods, each team won 11.

“We got the ball some,” Corrigan said about the Irish’s

comeback. “Their faceoff guy did a good job early, I thought [junior Colin Hagstrom and sophomore Will Lynch] did a nice job [later]. Our faceoff guys and our wings battled and got some possessions back.”

A tie game in the second half was a scenario that Notre Dame was comfortable with.

Unfortunately for the Irish, it was all Cavaliers the rest of the way.

“We had everything we wanted. Five minutes gone in the second half, we’re right where we wanted to be in the game.

We’re right where we wanted to be with the score,” Corrigan said. “We just got outplayed from that point forward.”

Trying to gain separation from the nation’s top team, Virginia turned to its bread and butter. The combination of Shellenberger and Dickson proved nearly impossible for the Irish to stop.

Even after snow began to fall midway through the quarter, Shellenberger’s play-making ability allowed him to keep setting up easy looks for open teammates. Dickson wasted no opportunity to find the back of the net.

Notre Dame senior goalie Liam Entenmann recorded 11 saves on the day, several of which had a high degree of difficulty. But even he could not withstand the onslaught of Cavalier shots from right on his doorstep. By the end of the third, Dickson had scored four times in the quarter. Three of those goals were assisted by Shellenberger, and Virginia led 13-9.

The Irish would keep battling in the fourth but were plagued by unforced miscues and unable to draw any closer.

Corrigan noted that pregame emphasis had been placed on limiting mistakes and capitalizing on opportunities. Virginia’s NCAA-leading offense was sure to create scoring chances for themselves. Giving them even

more kept the Irish from getting back into the game.

“We had chances that we didn’t convert and they had some that they did, but also some that we gave them,” Corrigan said. “We came into the game saying that we have to keep them from getting the sloppy, easy goals and I think they got about three of them.

Those three make a big difference, and then we honestly just didn’t shoot the ball very well today.”

Virginia stretched the margin to six before ultimately closing out a 15-10 victory. Pat Kavanagh led the Irish with two goals and two assists.

Chris Kavanagh and Taylor each chipped in a pair of goals as well. Shellenberger and Dickson finished with seven points apiece for the Cavaliers.

With the defeat, Notre Dame saw its 12-game winning streak snap. The Irish will now face its first taste of adversity this season. They will focus on putting the loss in the rearview mirror, knowing it does nothing to change their postseason goals.

“Whether we won this game or lost this game, Monday comes, we go back to work.

Go back to the process of what we do every week to prepare for the next game. We can’t go back and relitigate this one,” Corrigan said. “This one’s over, and we’ll learn from it and get ready for next week.”

Next week will bring a road trip to Syracuse, where the Irish will hope to return to their winning ways and grab their first ACC victory of the season. But bigger picture in mind, it will be their first chance to build on Saturday’s defeat and prepare to challenge Virginia later in the season, during the April rematch in Charlottesville and potentially further down the line in the NCAA Tournament.

Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu

WBB Continued from page 8

taken out after her fourth.

Notre Dame v isibly panicked. From miscommunication to shots that did not fall, Notre Dame could not close the ever-grow ing gap.

Ebo’s fifth foul, committed w ith 4:44 left, destroyed any faint hopes of an Irish comeback.

The Terrapins ultimately won by a 76-59 final. That was in major thanks to their t wo players Diamond Miller and Shyanne Sellers.

Both women ended w ith 18 points on the night and Sellers held an additional eight assists.

T here wa s a tea r f u l goodbye f rom Ebo a nd g raduate

Softball Continued from page 12

start, retiring the top of the Orange order in the first inning, but slipped in the third.

A home r u n by Te s s a G a l ip e au g av e Sy r ac u s e a 1- 0 le ad, one t h at w ou ld b e pu s he d to 5 - 0 i n t he fou r t h i n n i ng.

S ophomor e Sh a n non Be c ker pr ov ide d s ol id r e l ief f r om t he bu l lp en to s a l v a ge t he i n n i ng , but t he d a m a ge w a s done.

Gr aduate st udent i nf ielder L ex i Oroz co belted a t wo-r u n home r u n to g ive t he I r i sh hope i n t he bot tom ha l f of t he i n n i ng , a nd a si ng le by sen ior outf ielder L eea Ha n k s wou ld pu sh ac ross one more i n t he sevent h, but it w a sn’t enoug h. Sy r ac u se evened t he ser ies at one apiece to set up a n a f ter noon r ubber match.

Worthy of a series-deciding contest, the second

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g ua rd Da ra Mabrey, who ha s been out si nce Ja nua r y w it h a n ACL i nju r y. W h i le a major it y of t he Ir ish w i l l be ret u r n i ng nex t yea r, t hose t wo w i l l say t hei r f i na l fa rewel l to Not re Da me. W it h 734 poi nts for t he Ir ish i n her t h ree yea rs, Mabrey ha s made a substa nt ia l i mpact. A nd wh i le t h is wa s her f i rst yea r w it h t he Ir ish, Ebo ha s a lso made a substa nt ia l i mpact on t he cou r t.

Mar yland w ill now go on to the Elite Eight to play the w inner of this afternoon’s Sweet Sixteen matchup bet ween the Universit y of South Carolina and UCL A. Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu

game of Sunday’s doubleheader was the tightest of the three. Irish head coach Deanna Gumpf put Tidd back on the mound, and she dueled w ith Sy racuse’s Lindsey Hendrix in a cla s sic .

W it h a 0 - 0 t ie p er si st i ng t h r ou g h s e v en i n n i ng s, t he s er ie s s e eme d s et for a c i nem at ic c l i m a x . T he l ig ht i ng fore c a ste d for t he r e st of t he n ig ht d i sa g r e e d . A f ter a v a l i a nt ef for t to pl ay t he top of t he eig ht h, t he g a me w a s of f ic i a l l y c a l le d at 7: 30 p.m . T he r ubb er m atc h ende d i n a t ie, a s d id t he s er ie s.

Not re Da me sof tba l l w i l l be back i n act ion o n Tu e s d a y w h e n t h e y f a c e o f f a g a i n s t IU P UI a t Mel i ssa Cook St ad iu m.

Fi rst pitch w i l l be at 5 p. m . a n d t h e g a m e w i l l b e o n ACC Ne t w o r k Extra.

Contact J. J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu

Sports

ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | The Observer

Baseball

ND WOMEN’s LACROSSE

Irish fall to Cavaliers

By NATE MOLLER Senior Sports Writer

The No. 11 Irish fell to No. 12 Virginia 16-13 in a highly contested game in Charlottesville, Virginia.

With the loss, the Irish fell to 6-3 on the season and 3-2 in conference play.

Senior attacker Jackie Wolak had a career-best six goals in the game. Three of her tallies came in the fourth quarter to give the Irish a chance late in the game. Her eight points were also a career best.

The Irish grabbed the lead early Saturday with a goal by junior midfielder Mary Kelly Doherty. Doherty’s goal came from a free-position shot just under three minutes into the game. The Cavaliers would answer, however, to tie the game at one apiece five minutes into the game.

Doherty and Wolak added two goals at the end of the first quarter to force a 3-3 deadlock after 15 minutes of play. The Cavaliers would lead from then on out.

Virginia began to pull away from the Irish early in the second quarter by scoring

two goals in the opening minutes to take a 5-3 lead.

The Cavaliers scored again in the second quarter, but Wolak scored her second of the game to bring the lead to 6-4 midway through the quarter.

Virginia took control of the game in the remainder of the half. The Cavaliers scored five unanswered goals to take a commanding 11-4 lead.

Junior midfielder Kelly Denes got the Irish back on track in the second half, scoring her seventh goal of the season to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 11-5.

Wolak and junior midfielder Kristen Shanahan scored as well for the Irish in the third quarter. The Irish faced a 12-7 deficit heading into the final quarter.

Although the Irish scored six goals in the fourth quarter, they were unable to make up the deficit, and the Cavaliers held on to win 16-13.

The Irish will return to action this Monday at Arlotta Stadium when they take on Brown at 4 p.m.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

Continued from page 12

glove back, allowing the ball to travel deep into foul territory and score Humphrey from first.

Moving along to the bottom of the sixth, freshman second baseman Estevan Moreno quickly restored Notre Dame’s lead. He yanked Hawks’ 76th and final pitch into the left field shrubs for his first Frank Eck Stadium long ball. With the Irish up 4-3, Aidan Tyrell did the rest. The graduate student pitched to contact, limiting Louisville to two hits and no walks over his closing 3.1 innings. In the ninth, Prajzner made a sprawling play to get a key force out at second, and the next pitch landed in Zyska’s leftfield glove to end the game.

Game two: Notre Dame 5, Louisville 4 Sunday’s doubleheader kicked off at 11 a.m., and Christian Knapczyk made sure everyone was wide awake. The Louisville leadoff hitter ambushed the game’s first pitch from sophomore Jack Findlay, belting a home run to right. Notre Dame nearly answered in the second, but sophomore third baseman Jack Penney flew out with the bases loaded and two outs. On the other side, Louisville tacked on runs in the fourth and fifth to go up 3-0. First, Eddie King Jr. drove in Ryan McCoy with a single. Then, Logan Beard took a Findlay fastball deep to center for a solo shot to open the next inning.

As they did on Friday, the Irish

turned the game upside down in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Penney atoned for his untimely flyout with his fourth long ball of the year. Then, Prajzner and Zyska reached with walks, forcing Louisville starter Greg Farone out of the game. Carter Putz greeted his replacement, Will Koger, with a 412-foot blast to center. The three-run bomb gave Notre Dame a 4-3 lead, and there was still more damage to come.

Next up, graduate right fielder Brooks Coetzee hit a laser to leftcenter that was gone off the bat.

With those back-to-back blasts and a five-run inning, Frank Eck Stadium was electrified.

Findlay finished his 5.1 innings with nine strikeouts, giving way to graduate arm Carter Bosch. The Georgetown transfer walked the bases loaded with one out in the seventh, putting the tying run at second base.

Pinch hitter Brandon Anderson stepped in and torched a ball to Putz, who snagged it and tagged the runner off first for a threatending double play. In the eighth, graduate southpaw Will Mercer came on and walked in a run, loading the bags with the tying run at third. Napczyk, who had already reached base four times, bounced the ball to second, where Moreno made a smooth pickup and tossed to Putz for the third out. From there, Mercer worked a 1-2-3 ninth, securing the series for Notre Dame.

11

Game three: Louisville 2, Notre Dame 1

the tone in the weekend’s final game. Through two innings, the starters combined to punch out eight. Ninth hitter Brandon Anderson led off the third with a slicing liner into shallow left, which Zyska appeared to catch on a slide. However, as the second-base umpire ruled the ball down and Zyska made an appeal, Anderson reached second.

He would later score the opening run on a Ryan McCoy groundout.

Notre Dame again responded, as a Penney single and Prajzner double opened the fourth, setting up a game-tying Zyska groundout.

Sophomore Radek Birkholz relieved Hely and pitched well at first, but yielded the go-ahead run on back-to-back sixth-inning hit-by-pitches. His successor, junior Matt Bedford, walked the bases loaded in the seventh. With that, head coach Shawn Stiffler called upon junior Ryan Lynch, who had recorded just three collegiate outs entering Sunday. Not only did Lynch escape the jam with consecutive breaking-ball strikeouts, but he gave Notre Dame 2.1 shutout innings. The Irish offense, however, did not reap the benefits of his work.

Prajzner singled with one away in the ninth, but Putz made the final out on a rocketed lineout to short.

Before continuing conference play against North Carolina, the Irish will host Butler in a midweek matchup. The game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at Frank Eck Stadium.

Strong pitching between Louisville’s Carson Liggett and Irish graduate Blake Hely set

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

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Fencing Continued from page 12

going 2-0 in two-touch and four-touch bouts. They each received second-team AllAmerican awards. Freshmen Maruan Osman-Touson and Jonathan Hamilton-Meikle, who finished eighth and eleventh respectively, each earned honorable mention All-Americans.

Junior Luke Linder finished first in sabre, going 21-2. He was 5-0 and 2-0 respectively in four-touch and 1-touch bouts. This was his second national title, his first coming from the 2021 Championships.

Linder’s victory marked the sixth sabre national title for the Notre Dame Fencing Program. His performance earned him a first-team AllAmerica honor bestowed by the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association.

Junior Kaylin Sin Yan Hsieh finished 5th in individuals going 16-6. The defending epee National Champion went 7-6 in onetouch bouts and undefeated in all other situations. She earned second-team AllAmerican honors for her performance. However, another Notre Damer won in epee this year. Freshman Eszter

Muhari finished 21-3 in competition, going undefeated in two-touch, three-touch, and five-touch bouts. All of her losses came on of close onetouch bouts. Senior Amita Berthier tied for third in foil, with a 20-4 finish. She won all of her one-touch and fivetouch bouts, collecting AllAmerican Honors. Graduate student Kara Linder finished fifth in sabre after going 16-7 in match-ups, also given second-team All-American honors. Sophomore Rebeca Candescu finished ninth for Notre Dame and was given honorable mention AllAmerican Honors.

After scoring highest in the team round with 188 points and being +295 from the individual competition, Notre Dame ended with a total of 1108 points, 29 above the second place Princeton.

This is the 13th national title for the fencing program, a school record for a single program. This is head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia’s fifth title with the team. Additionally, Kvaratskhelia led the Irish to back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. They are the first campus team to win back to back to back championships.

Contact Annika Herko at aherko@nd.edu

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The observer | MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com

FENCing

nd SOFTBALL

Irish tie first game since 2008

By J. J. POST Associate Sports Editor

Notre Dame softball made histor y on Sunday night, t ying their first game since April 24, 2008 in a 0-0 stalemate against Sy racuse. The weather delay-induced draw left the squad’s weekend series against the Orange knotted w ith a 1-1-1 final record.

The first game of the series would prove to be the most comfortable for the Irish.

Notre Dame rolled, w ith a pair of first-inning runs opening a strong outing by their bats. Graduate student pitcher Pay ton Tidd y ielded t wo runs in the second, but that would be the extent of the damage on a day when the Irish ace was at her best.

Junior infielder Karina Gaskins’ third-inning home run sparked a run of offense that would give Notre Dame a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Tidd would add a couple of RBI in the third, part of a game-high four RBI

outing.

The Irish continued pouring in offense in the fourth inning, plating three runs to put the game in run-rule range. It was the back end of Notre Dame’s order that did the damage, w ith Tidd, sophomore infielder Jane Kronenberger and freshman outfielder Mickey Winchell driv ing in the runs.

Tidd remained in the circle for the fifth inning, and the veteran finished her complete game w ithout issue. A 1-2-3 inning ended the contest by run rule.

After a postponement due to bluster y March weather, the series resumed on Sunday. Notre Dame, w ithout the benefit of having their ace in the circle, couldn’t pick up where they left off.

Breakout freshman pitcher Micaela Kastor got the nod in the circle for game t wo.

Kastor got off to a strong see SOFTBALL PAGE 10

Irish claim third straight national championship

By ANNIKA HERKO Sports Writer

For the third year in a row, the Notre Dame fencing team are national champions.

In the 28 team competition held at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, the Irish battled hard against rivals Princeton (No. 2), Columbia (No. 3), Harvard (No. 4), and Ohio State (No. 5).

The Irish finished first in team and individual competitions to take home the title.

The only team categories they didn’t score the highest in were men’s epee, women’s saber and women’s foil. In men’s foil, the Irish dominated by a margin of seven.

Senior Marcello Olivares tied for third in epee with a total record of 20-4. He was undefeated in one-touch and four-touch bouts. Freshman Chase Emmer tied for third in foil with a final score of 19-5, see FENCING PAGE 11

SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Irish senior epee Gareth Spiteri lunges towards his opponent, scoring a point during the Decio Duals on Jan 28.

BASEBALL

nd MEN’S lacrosse

Irish fall to Virginia in battle of top-ranked teams

Irish get revenge on Louisville

By MATTHEW CROW

By TYLER REIDY

Associate Sports Editor

Associate Sports Editor

For On Saturday afternoon, No. 1 Notre Dame men’s lacrosse hosted No. 3 Virginia in one of the most highly-anticipated matchups of the year.

While the Irish matched the Cavaliers step for step through most of the game, a decisive second-half run carried Virginia (7-1, 1-0 ACC) to a 15-10 win and handed Notre Dame (6-1, 0-1 ACC) their first defeat of the season.

Despite dismal weather conditions that included temperatures in the 30s, heavy winds and intermittent snow, the atmosphere was electric for a duel between two of the nation’s best teams. Arlotta Stadium was filled to the brim and then some. Over 3,000 fans packed the bleachers and stood in any open space they could find.

“It was great, it would have been even better if we’d had a beautiful day for it,” Notre Dame head coach Kevin

Entering the weekend, Notre Dame baseball hadn’t taken a series from Louisville since 2009. The Cardinals made four College World Series appearances during that stretch and are currently among the nation’s top ten again. Despite the circumstances, the Irish ended the 14-year drought, stealing two of three from the sixth-ranked team in America at home to move to 12-9 and 4-5 in ACC play. The series featured three one-run contests, two come-from-behind Irish victories and a game with five total home runs.

see MLAX PAGE 10

Game one: Notre Dame 4, Louisville 3

GABRIEL ZARAZUA | The Observer

Irish sophomore attacker Chris Kavanagh cradles the ball as he runs down the field against University of Virginia on March 25.

Irish junior Jackson Dennies squared off with Louisville starter Ryan Hawks to open the series. The latter looked untouchable early on, as Notre Dame struck out five times in the first three innings.

Meanwhile, Louisville’s dangerous offense got rolling in the second.

With two men in scoring position, Gavin Kilen pulled a single through the right side, putting the Cardinals

up 2-0.

Though the Irish stranded runners at second and third in the fourth, they followed through an inning later. Sophomore outfielder DM Jefferson and junior center fielder TJ Williams, who combined to reach base four times from the bottom of the order, both singled to kickstart the frame. Then, for the second consecutive game, graduate shortstop Zack Prajzner put Notre Dame on the board. His tworun double to the left field corner tied the game at two. The next man up, graduate outfielder Jack Zyska, traded places with Prajzner on an 0-2 count, pushing the Irish ahead 3-2.

All the while, freshman Caden Spivey had slowed down the Cardinals in relief. He retired six of his first seven batters but quite literally threw away his clean day in the sixth. With two away and a man on first, Will Cook chopped a two-strike pitch to the third base side of the mound. Though Spivey set his feet for the long throw, he led graduate first baseman Carter Putz into Cook’s path. Putz pulled his see BASEBALL PAGE 11