scene

The observer | wednesday, february 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

The GOP’s existential crisis

Blake Ziegler

news with Zig

It’s interesting to see history on the cusp of repeating itself.

We saw the rise of our nation’s first two major political parties in the election of 1796, which featured candidates from the Federalist Party and the democratic-republican Party, factions that vehemently opposed each other’s platforms. over time, the democratic-republicans became the modern democratic Party. The Federalists, on the other hand, experienced a dismal decline in the early 1800s until the party was effectively lifeless. Among other factors, a key feature of the Federalists’ demise was their opposition to the War of 1812 and threats of secession in new england. After the war, many Federalists were considered traitors by the country, which contributed greatly to the party’s death. considering that many of the insurrectionists from the Jan. 6 capitol riots were republicans or Trump supporters, one has to wonder if the GoP has a similar fate.

The GoP is currently deliberating on the party’s direction in a post-Trump era. now, the republican Party suffered heavy losses in the november election, just as I predicted last semester. despite gaining a net 11 seats, the party still lost the senate and the White house. ordinarily, the losing party spends the time after the election figuring out what went wrong. For the republican Party, this means defining the party’s identity. since President Trump has left office, republicans from all corners have been vying for either a GoP devoid of Trumpism or a GoP fueled by Trumpism. For instance, consider some efforts to purge the republican Party of the former president. representative Liz cheney (r-WY), the house republican conference chair, voted to impeach President Trump, joining nine other house republicans. senate minority Leader mitch mcconnell (r-KY) was pleased about the impeachment, seeing conviction as an opportunity for the republican Party to move past Trumpism. other acts of anti-Trumpism among republicans come from senator mitt romney (r-UT), senator susan collins (r-me) and senator ben sasse (r-ne).

At the same time, the pro-Trump sentiment is alive and well among republicans. President Trump still holds 81% approval in the party. of the house republicans, 197 voted against impeachment, and the possibility of conviction in the senate remains narrow. representatives like marjorie Taylor Greene (r-GA) and madison cawthorn (r-nc) showcase how extremist positions still appeal to parts of the republican base.

The GoP cannot move in both directions. The republican tent is not large enough to hold republicans willing to work with President biden and individuals calling for violence against democrats and spreading conspiracy theories, as rep. Greene has done. republicans have to attract new voters. The coalition of traditional republicans and white voters without college degrees that won republicans the 2016 election was not enough last november, despite those numbers growing due to higher turnout.

After the republican Party lost the 2012 presidential election, the growing consensus was that republicans needed to increase their vote share among minority communities. That strategy was abandoned in 2016 and 2020, but biden’s victory, in large part due to African-American voters, demonstrates that the current republican trajectory spells death in the GoP’s future. sen. mcconnell was right when he said conspiracy theories are a “cancer” on the GoP. conspiracy theories and misinformation alleging the election was stolen (it was not) are not how you grow your voter base. This behavior only invites more bigotry and division. republicans should rid their party of these characters and bigots by focusing on a broad coalition of communities across America. Appealing to QAnon and fringe groups was a losing strategy in 2020. rather than doubling down on that front, the GoP should become more inviting and inclusive. Whether that involves revising the party platform, reforming voter outreach efforts or other moves is a future debate. What matters now is the republican Party rids itself of the conspiracy theorists and hatred within its own ranks.

however, republicans should not completely ignore the Trump faction. President Trump appealed to 74 million voters because he championed a politics of grievance, connecting with a group of Americans who felt left behind by their society and government. despite questions on the legitimacy of their feelings of abandonment, moving past the Trumpian episode of the GoP requires understanding why they feel this way. You cannot resolve a problem without diagnosing the issue. Figuring out ways to promote common understanding between Americans in any way is beneficial during times of division. Without that evaluation and necessary precautions, we may not be able to prevent the next insurrection. now, this issue goes beyond simple partisan concerns and the self-interest of the republican Party. The conspiracy theorists within the republican Party have broad implications for our democracy. A major political party in our country championing a platform of conspiracy theories, demonizing the other side and encouraging violence only serves to weaken the sense of civic duty and unity that our nation so desperately needs. In many ways, the coming months detail the future of the GoP and the U.s. such resolution requires cooperation among all Americans, whether they are republican, democrat, or neither.

The republican Party has entered an existential crisis. Will they retire the Trumpian banner or hold it higher than before? The outcome of this decision may spell the end of the GoP, just as the Federalists dug their own grave so long ago. The GoP must resolve this conflict quickly, because at the moment, the Grand old Party isn’t all that grand.

Blake Ziegler is a sophomore at Notre Dame from New Orleans, Louisiana, with double majors in political science and philosophy. He loves anything politics, especially things he doesn’t agree with. For inquiries, he can be reached at bziegler@nd.edu or @NewsWithZig on Twitter if you want to see more of his opinions. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Why pandemic literature provides comfort in times of crisis

Elizabeth Prater

sparknd

When covId-19 began, I was in the final semester of my senior year of high school. After my exams were canceled, I found myself, like many others, with more time on my hands. I turned to literature and the arts, as they gave me a refuge from the outside world. however, I noticed something interesting about the kinds of media being consumed.

For one, the sources of entertainment that seemed to be gaining popularity were those that contained infectious diseases themselves. “outbreak” became one of the most streamed films on netflix at the end of march 2020, andpublishers reported booming sales in novels that featured epidemics. In Italy, camus’ “The Plague” tripled in sales, and Penguin had to reprint different translations in order to meet the rising demand across the globe.

At first, I didn’t quite understand this peculiar phenomenon. For me, literature is a form of escapism, in which I can explore other cultures, backgrounds and lives that are distinct from my own. I am a traveler without a passport, unrestrained by limitations, but rather, boundless in the worlds I may enter.

To read literature that features pandemics themselves seemed counter-productive. We already are surrounded by doomsday themes in our everyday lives. Why would I want to add to the chaos, to the turmoil that is already ensuing? The influx of readership in dystopian and pandemic literature led me to question why we, as humans, gravitate towards books that depict such harrowing experiences, especially when these stories begin to resemble our own.

To answer this question, I began to read literature that featured plagues, including boccaccio’s “The decameron.”Although the work takes place in medieval Italy, I began to realize that despite the time gap between the setting and the current 21st century, the tendencies of the human behavior are eerily analogous to those of today.

In “The decameron,” some of rich enjoy the arts in the comfort of their homes, experimenting with music and other forms of fine arts. The wealthiest of the lot flee to their countryside estates, leaving the middle and lower class to stay in the urban city and work, many of which succumb to the plague.

These class disparities existed long before the presence of the black death, but these inequities become amplified as resources become scarcer and more unattainable for many groups of people. sound familiar?

Pandemics demonstrate the vulnerabilities in human nature, our fears of not being able to provide for our families, achieve our goals, or even survive. humanity can become amplified by the heroic efforts of essential workers and altruistic neighbors who shop for their immunocompromised friends. At the same time, goodwill can seem bleak, with fights breaking out in stores when inventory runs low.

Although news outlets throw the word “unprecedented” in every other sentence, I am reminded through reading such literature that we are not alone — these same issues have occurred throughout history, both in real life and in the 0fiction. In a strange way, I am comforted by these characters, in that they face similar fears and worries as my own.

Literature and the arts as a form of comfort during times of uncertainty is not an unfamiliar concept. “station eleven” by emily st. John mandel features a flu pandemic which devastates the world. In the aftermath of the disease, the main character joins a group that performs shakespeare plays across the remaining settlements. Instead of surrendering to despair and futility in the obstruction of society as they knew it, groups of survivors form solidarity in performing plays for those who still live.

While the fine arts are not seen as something being essential to physical existence, after experiencing a year full of quarantine and isolation, it is becoming increasingly prevalent that implementing creativity and intellectual curiosity is necessary for one’s mental health and well-being.

Art is an expression of what it means to be human. consuming or producing art, whether it be literary, visual or any other kind, can help people process difficult events and form conclusions about the world and themselves. It has the ability to heal and provide hope, a form of rehabilitation during a year of much trauma and suffering.

While dystopian and pandemic novels do evoke dark themes such as anguish, I believe that this kind of literature also has the ability to portray hope in its rawest form. hope is not produced in contentment but, rather, when desolation is near. It is during these times of trouble that we hope for a world that is full of literature, books and the arts. In an age where many are silenced, confused and scared, when we find ourselves rooting for the protagonist who is attempting to overcome obstacles, we are truly rooting for ourselves.

Elizabeth Prater is a first-year student with double majors in marketing and Program of Liberal Studies. In her free time, she manages her goldendoodle’s Instagram account (@genevieve_the_cute_dog) which has over 23K followers. She can be reached at eprater@nd.edu or @elizabethlianap on Twitter.

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

The observer | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By JAKE WINNINGHAM

Associate scene editor

Last week, I covered the Golden Globes’ best motion Picture categories. here, I’ll run through some of the other nominations from what is shaping up to be 2021’s most entertaining, most baffling awards show.

Best Motion Picture — Foreign Language

For the second straight year, casual awards show viewers are reminded of the Globes’ headscratching ruling that foreign language films cannot compete for best Picture and are instead shunted off to their own section of the show. once again, this practice may just be delaying the inevitable — A24’s “minari” seems potentially primed to mirror “Parasite”’s dominant run in 2020, one which started in earnest when bong Joon-ho’s film earned a standing ovation for its single Globe.

Prediction: “minari”

Spoiler: “Another round”

Best Screenplay — Motion Picture

This may come down to a duel between netflix’s two awards darlings, as the built-in narrative of “mank” — written by david Fincher’s late father, Jack — battles the self-congratulatory, hand-wringing sorkinisms of “chicago 7.” Whatever. “soul” got screwed.

Prediction: “The Trial of the chicago 7”

Spoiler: “Promising Young Woman”

Snub: “soul”

Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama

more than any other acting category, Lead Actor is all but locked up, with virtually every awards prognosticator treating chadwick boseman as a shoo-in for his final role in “ma rainey’s black bottom.” This category, then, could serve as a bellwether for the remaining four noms come oscar night. Will surprise nods for riz Ahmed and Tahar rahim carry them through the rest of awards season, or will more established actors take their place?

Prediction: chadwick boseman, “ma rainey’s black bottom”

Snub: John magaro, “First cow”

Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama

This is perhaps the most fascinating category in terms of predicting the sAG, bAFTA and Academy Awards. barring a surprising upset, one of the trio of Frances mcdormand, carey mulligan and viola davis could bolster their cases for oscar glory with a win — and if that happens, their respective movies may jump to the front of a crowded best Picture conversation.

Prediction: carey mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”

Spoiler: Frances mcdormand, “nomadland”

Snub: Julia Garner, “The Assistant”

Best Actor/Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy

These categories are usually the least predictive for future awards; between separating comedy from drama and the idiosyncrasies of the hFPA, plenty of outright winners in these slots haven’t even been nominated at the oscars or sAGs. That being said, one of this award season’s most fascinating contenders was nominated in each of these categories, with sacha baron cohen and maria bakalova pulling down nods for their work in “borat subsequent moviefilm.” bakalova, in particular, has been riding a groundswell of support for her performance; a win here may portend future trophies.

Predictions: Lin-manuel miranda, “hamilton;” maria bakalova, “borat subsequent moviefilm”

Spoilers: sacha baron cohen, “borat subsequent moviefilm;” Kate hudson, “music”

Snubs: Pete davidson, “The King of staten Island;” cristin milioti, “Palm springs”

Contact Jake Winningham at jwinning@nd.edu

By NICK BRIGATI

scene Writer

orange. A color, a rhymeless word (although eminem would disagree) and a fruit that can be found at your local supermarket. To most people, the orange is just citrus from the produce section, but to authors and artists, it is a symbol of wealth.

From literature to renaissance paintings, artists have made use of oranges to symbolize ambition and luxury. Following the advent of America, the orange would go on to represent the “American dream” and everything the nation had to offer — the most overt example of this being in “The Great Gatsby,” its titular figure having “five crates of oranges and lemons [shipped every Friday] from a fruiterer in new York.” but when did oranges become emblematic of wealth and success? oranges were first cultivated in southeast Asia thousands of years ago in modernday India and china. When european colonists travelled to the east, they were captivated by this foreign, unfamiliar fruit and brought it back with them.

The colonization of America brought oranges to the southern shores of Florida in the 1500s; from there, the fruit would come to symbolize the ethos of ambition that has dominated the U.s. ever since its inception. This can be seen in “The Adventures of Kavalier & clay,” the michael chabon novel which tells the story of Jewish cousins whose nazi buttkicking heroes make them moguls in the comics industry. The comic writers’ boss, Anapol, offers them an orange he brought back from his vacation in miami beach. Later, while on the subway, Joe Kavalier takes “the orange that Anapol had given him [out of his pocket]. It was big and smooth and perfectly spherical, and oranger than anything Joe had ever seen. no doubt it would have seemed a prodigy in Prague, monstrous and illicit.”

In the 1940s, when the book is set, the bright and rich tone of the fruit elicits the warmth of the sunshine state and embodies the American dream that immigrants such as Joe Kavalier hope to achieve. Furthermore, the image of the orange stands in stark contrast with the suffering and famine that have plagued Joe’s Jewish relatives in europe during World War II — its foreign nature symbolizes all that America has to offer.

While oranges have become easily available in all developed countries in the 21st century — including in Kavalier’s home country of Prague — the fruit has nonetheless maintained its identity as a symbol of wealth, primarily due to its abundance (and the abundance of fruits in general) in affluent nations like America. In hbo’s critically acclaimed drama, “succession” — a show centered around the greed and avarice that has corrupted American society — oranges sit on the front of Kendall roy’s desk, serving as mere office decor.

In my home, fruit fills the fridge and decorates our kitchen countertop. These are not just the apples of rural Pennsylvania, but fruits from all corners of the globe: mangoes, raspberries, papayas and, of course, oranges. The majority of these fruits will eventually perish and grow rotten. even still, my mother will go to the supermarket and buy more pieces of fruit, hoping that someone will eat them but inevitably throwing most of it away.

This fruit, once a sign of wealth and cherished for its rarity and exotic allure, now often rots in thousands of homes in America and europe while still being sought after in countries less fortunate. even in the 21st century, an orange (fruit in general, really) is still considered a symbol of wealth, drawing a line in the sand between those who have and those who have not.

The observer | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By AIDAN O’MALLEY

scene Writer

I’m going to start this review by talking about film critics, not so much because I’d like to but because writer/director sam Levinson, with “malcolm & marie,” has created a situation in which I must.

In the new netflix film, John david Washington (“blacKkKlansman,” “Tenet”) portrays a director, and today was the premiere of his latest. he waits all night and into the morning for the first reviews to roll in, and when one of them finally does (from “the white lady at the L.A. Times”), the titular malcolm goes ballistic. It’s not even a negative review! In a film that more closely resembles a parade of bitter monologues than a narrative feature, malcolm’s multi-minute rant about film critics isn’t even his first

Levinson, I’ll give you this: You’re clever. now, when a critic pans “malcolm & marie,” it’s only because they’re salty you exposed them. checkmate! Truly a galaxy-brain move.

In defense of these sequences, Levinson makes a good point: Film critics (overwhelmingly white) are far too quick to politicize, perhaps to compensate for a lack of basic knowledge of the technical aspects of film form. but let’s not brush aside what this is really about. If “malcolm & marie” is, as Levinson has said, a kind of conversation with himself, then malcolm’s rant against some random freelance film critic is simply the son of an oscarwinning filmmaker whining that someone was mean to him. I direct you now to robert daniels’ illuminative piece, which explains how Levinson’s use of a black character as a shield to rail against his detractors is really rather cruel. If malcolm, like Levinson, were white, would his screaming matches with himself about the lady from the L.A. Times — very likely a real lady — leave a bad taste in your mouth? At the risk of politicizing, yes.

To be clear, that is not the only reason why I’m mixed on “malcolm & marie,” although I think as an anecdote it serves to illustrate some of its flaws. I chose the word “mixed” quite purposely, in fact, because despite some harsh words, there is plenty in this movie to admire. chief among them is the second half of that title. reteaming with Levinson after smash hit “euphoria” — which made her the youngest woman in emmy history to win outstanding Lead Actress in a drama series, age 24 — former disney channel star Zendaya is absolutely electric as marie. Admittedly, the role has a lot in common with her work on that aforementioned show, but hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. As her first truly “adult” character — marie is not a high schooler, nor anyone’s daughter — Zendaya brings the heat, nailing both moments of fierceness and quiet vulnerability in a performance from which you cannot look away. Washington also kills it as her partner, in a role that demands both a sharp kind of cruelty and movie star charm.

The quality of their acting is especially commendable when a lot of their material is, how you say, bad. While Levinson’s direction is solid, his dialogue is terribly overwritten, with diction so precise and phrases so complex that it betrays the emotions of the characters. have you ever fought with someone in your head, imagining all the perfect words to use against them? every fight in this movie sounds like that, and because the story is simply a series of fights, the film becomes repetitive and tedious. The longer this couple fights into the night, the more you wish they would just go to bed. speaking to “the technical aspects of film form,” however, “malcolm & marie” is impressive. conceived of, written and shot during quarantine — while the second season of “euphoria” was delayed — the movie was produced by much the same crew. The blackand-white cinematography by marcell rév is gorgeous, calling to mind the work of John cassavetes when coupled with Julio c. Perez’s impressionistic editing. meanwhile, the production design by michael Grasley makes great use of california’s caterpillar house, and Levinson’s needle drops with Labrinth’s score are sure to sweep you away.

If only “malcolm & marie” was as beautiful on the inside.

Contact Aidan O’Malley at aomalle2@nd.edu

“Malcolm & Marie”

Director: Sam Levinson Staring: Zendaya, John David Washington If you like: “Euphoria,” “A Woman Under the Influence”

By SOPHIA MICHETTI

scene Writer

dearest reader, never did the world think it would care so much about an 1813 british society until “bridgerton” graced everyone’s screens at the end of 2020. based off of Julia Quinn’s popular romance novel series, “bridgerton” masterfully combines luxurious sets, beautiful music, burning romances and complex familial relationships into one eight-episode season that has taken pop culture by storm. Produced by “Grey’s Anatomy”’s shonda rhimes, “bridgerton” tells the story of daphne bridgerton — the “diamond of the season” — as she searches for a husband alongside many other young women hoping to fulfill their duties to find a suitable match in england’s 1813 social season. With family, friendship, proposals, scandal, fights and Julie Andrews as the show’s Gossip Girl–esque narrator, Lady Whistledown, “bridgerton” has something any audience member would enjoy.

Though one would think it unrealistic to have a ball every night, it most definitely is true in “bridgerton.” each episode of the show features gorgeous set designs with flower and feathers galore. The vivid, pastel colors are like a painting next to the gold and silver decor of the wealthy nobility, which captures the audience’s attention even more. however, “bridgerton” blends the past with the present by pairing classic symphony soundtracks with instrumental covers of modern songs performed by an orchestra. heard an orchestral version of Taylor swift’s “Wildest dreams” on social media recently? That’s from “bridgerton.”

Although, be cautious about who is in the room while the show is on. “bridgerton” is adapted from romance novels, and those steamy scenes are present throughout the season. still, the main romance in this season is founded on friendship. The love wasn’t an “insta-love” that makes no sense in the real world. “bridgerton” reinforces the idea that the best relationships are the ones based off of camaraderie, which is important to remember in the fast-paced world we live in. In this regency era world where marriage is expected, love is a choice among the characters, thus breaking the societal norms of the period and reminding the audience of what’s important today.

“bridgerton” proves that period pieces about high society can have a diverse cast. having a racially diverse cast enriches the show by making the point that the themes of history are often more important than providing a perfect visual representation of the past. every member of the cast masterfully portrays their characters as they each navigate a world that only allows a strict path toward the future. In regency england, women were expected to marry and be perfect wives, and men were only expected to continue their family lines. each character handles these expectations in different ways, but all break some unspoken rule in order to find happiness.

Although, the most heartwarming aspect of “bridgerton” is the tight-knit family the show centers around. The eight children of the bridgerton family love each other dearly. Although some are more willing to follow society’s plan for them than others, they acknowledge each other’s differences and support each other in their endeavors to find happiness. not to mention, the familial relationships in the show give viewers moments of comic relief that produce a fun tone amidst all of the drama and scandal. Family can be stressful, but it can also be one of the greatest sources of joy.

At the end of the day, love is the core of “bridgerton.” Love for family and friends empowers the characters to act past what is expected of them to find true happiness, and that sentiment is timeless enough to ring true today. each episode is an illustrative masterpiece, but they also tell the story of characters finding their places in a rigid society. “bridgerton” reforms history and translates it to make basic statements about what values are most important to hold in life. As for the future of the bridgerton family, the social scene is already buzzing at the news of a second season coming soon, and one can only imagine where the show will go next.

Contact Sophia Michetti at smichett@nd.edu

“Bridgerton” - Season 1

Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Regé-Jean Page, Nicola Coughlan Favorite Episodes: Episode 4, Episode 8 If you like: “Downton Abbey,” “Gossip Girl” Where to watch: Netflix

square ComiC | XXX sudoku | ThE MEPhAM grOuP

Happy Birthday: look for the positive in every situation this year, and you will find it easier to make headway. how you approach people and situations will determine how much help and support you receive. Personal growth and a plan will help you achieve the success you desire. refuse to let outside influences slow you down. Strive for perfection and stability. your numbers are 6, 9, 17, 22, 27, 32, 36. ARIES (March 21-April 19): keep things moving forward. A positive attitude will help ward off emotional interference. Stay focused on what you are trying to achieve, and the difference you make will encourage others to follow suit. Choose to proceed with kindness. romance is favored. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Put your differences aside; focus your energy on getting things done on time. A push to bring about personal change that promotes a relaxing atmosphere will ease stress. It’s up to you to make decisions that support your happiness. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take on something that interests you. A new position, project or partnership will challenge you intellectually and push you to learn more and take better care of yourself and your financial future. romance is featured, and personal gain looks promising. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Offer suggestions, do your part and put unfinished business to rest. handle money matters, contracts or joint endeavors with enthusiasm, and you will make a difference to the recipients of your hard work and dedication. your efforts will result in rewards. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t let what others do upset you. Take the initiative, look out for your interests and get things done on time. Opportunity is apparent, but it’s up to you to take advantage of whatever situation you face. leadership is a necessity VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Monitor what everyone around you is doing, and you’ll avoid ending up in a compromise. live and learn. Take your time, listen carefully and make changes that improve your social standing, attitude and relationships with others. Don’t take a risk with your health or jeopardize your position because of someone’s indiscretion. Do what’s best for you. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Control your emotions, and concentrate on your responsibilities. how you conduct business, handle investments and deal with health issues will make differences to the way you live. Personal changes may be beneficial for you, but they’ll likely make someone close to you rebel. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Proceed with caution. A problem with a partner, friend or relative will surface if you are outspoken or indulgent. relax, be introspective and let situations unfold naturally. Now is not the time to start a war with someone you love. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Take hold of whatever situation you face. Be positive, offer insight and come to conclusions based on facts, not hearsay. The way you present your ideas will determine the rewards you reap. Proceed with patience, enthusiasm and thoughtfulness. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): formulate your plan, then put it in motion. Don’t let what others do or say deter you from reaching your destination. A unique approach will lead to an exciting offer. Put your effort into pursuing something that makes you happy. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Someone will outsmart you if you don’t prepare appropriately. leave nothing to chance, and you will outmaneuver anyone who tries to upstage you. Confidence, dedication and discipline will be your tickets to success. romance is favored. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): look for an opportunity, and don’t hesitate to take advantage of an offer. how you conduct yourself will make an impression on someone who can help you advance. Make suggestions and offer solutions, but don’t share personal information. Birthday Baby: you are restless, ambitious and confident. you are perceptive and imaginative.

Jumble | DAvID hOyT AND JEff kNurEk

WOrk ArEA

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Setting the record straight on my ND takes

Hayden Adams

Sports Editor

Here we go again.

Alright, I’ve put out two columns now that have elicited negative responses for my takes on not trusting Brian Kelly in 2021, an admittedly rash piece, and the debate over developing young talent or trying to make the CFP next season — a more thought-out piece that somehow managed to earn even more visceral reactions than the previous one.

Now, let’s hope the third time is the charm, because I feel the need to be explicit and convince everyone that I am not an idiot when it comes to my opinions on Notre Dame football. 1. Firstly, and I want to be 100% clear about this: It is always better to make the College Football Playoff than to miss out on it!

Happy? Even if it may have come off this way from my previous columns, rest assured that I am not one of the fools out there saying it is in Notre Dame’s best interest to miss the Playoff in 2021 and go for a New Year’s Six bowl that they can actually win. To be in the Playoff means you have a chance (even if it’s a reallllly small chance) at winning the national championship.

If Jack Coan gets Notre Dame to the Playoff, good on him. I believe he can do it, and I have said that point blank. I am simply worried about what would occur afterwards, because I do not anticipate Brian Kelly and his staff making the necessary adjustments to their offensive philosophy, which is what that second column was really about… 2. Because, in that second column, I did not actually take a position on the argument of developing young talent or earning a CFP berth. That wasn’t the point, because there’s more options than just those two things. In fact, you could do both of them, which is the most ideal scenario.

The point of that piece was to lament the most likely scenario that will occur in 2021: Notre Dame drops a game or two and misses out on the Playoff — which isn’t inherently the end of the world. However, in doing so, they will fail to get the rest of their quarterback room (and other offensive skill positions) meaningful reps because they will continue to play with the same offensive philosophy that they have been using under Brian Kelly (but more on that later). 3. I have never coached the game of football. Furthermore, I have only played peewee flag football, two-hand touch football with guys in my dorm and a few snaps for the Zahm-Keenan interhall tackle football team.

If you think I know nothing about the game of football based on the fact the only legitimate experience I have with the game is watching Kentucky, Notre Dame and the occasional NFL team play it, then you don’t have to put any stock in a single word I say. I don’t think my lack of experience automatically disqualifies my writing from having validity, but you are entitled to your opinion. 4. For me, I feel like this boils down to expectations, and we need to figure out where we all stand with our expectations for Notre Dame football. Here’s mine: Notre Dame should be competing for the national championship every single season. And, for what it’s worth, I firmly believe that Notre Dame can win a national championship next season; it would take a perfect storm to a certain degree, but IF Notre Dame were to make the requisite philosophical changes offensively, they could do it.

Is that an unreasonable expectation? As I see it, Brian Kelly dug the program out of a hole in 2016 and has made the College Football Playoff in two of the last three seasons. They shouldn’t be taking any steps back, and, more than perpetually being in the hunt for the College Football Playoff, they should actually be making noise once they get there.

To date, they have made zero noise, aside from when they start trending because their cornerbacks have gotten embarrassed by Clemson and Alabama (sorry, Donte Vaughn and Nick McCloud).

Now, what are your expectations? If it’s for Notre Dame to simply be a double-digit-winning machine, then you can stop reading because, as Dave Mason said, “We Just Disagree.” And if you think Notre Dame’s recruiting limitations prevent them from ever reaching national championship heights, you can also stop reading because, as Dave Mason said, “We Just Disagree.”

Notre Dame should be about more than just winning a bunch of regular season football games. Yes, I obviously recognize that you have to do that to make the College Football Playoff. But what the Irish have been doing is just barely good enough to get them to the CFP, and when they get there, they stick to the approach they’ve been taking, and then they get dominated.

That comes down to offense — because the Irish defense has not been what has held them back from a national championship. We’ve seen the results the past four seasons. Notre Dame loses to teams that they can’t simply out-talent because they can’t put up points against them, and eventually the defense folds because they are left out to dry for too long. It’s formulaic.

To people who point to the Notre Dame win over Clemson on Nov. 7 as evidence they can beat a team that was better than them, that was a very good, borderline great team, but I think the 2020 Notre Dame team was more complete than that iteration of Clemson. Let’s be real, that version of the Tigers was not the No. 1 team in the country.

It was a great win. It was an outstanding win. I ran around the Notre Dame Stadium field shirtless after that win. It was a better win than Texas A&M beating Florida, in my mind. D.J. Uiagalelei is probably going to be an elite quarterback, and he put up great numbers that night.

However, don’t forget that the Irish focused on stopping Travis Etienne, not Uiagalelei. Also, the Tigers were missing three defensive starters; we saw the difference they made on Dec. 19 in the ACC Championship. That Nov. 7 win was a great win, but those were two very different Clemson teams. But I digress…

I have to admit that I don’t know the intricacies of the game of football very well, but I have to believe there are buttons that can be pushed that will lead to the Notre Dame offense being more of a threat against premier competition. 5. I want to make a distinction between offensive philosophy and offensive scheme. There was nothing inherently wrong with Notre Dame’s offensive scheme in 2020. Running the damn ball was a strength, and they should have done it like they did, but they needed an injection of explosiveness to their passing attack.

Obviously, Notre Dame’s scheme is going to change in 2021. I think Kelly and co. are smart enough to shift their emphasis away from running the ball. That’s because they lose four of five starters along the offensive line and the strength of the offense, presumably, is going to come from the pass-catching personnel. I’m not worried about that.

I’m worried that there will be no change in offensive philosophy next season. Here are the key elements of Brian Kelly’s offensive philosophy that I take exception to:

He favors veterans over younger — and probably more talented — players.

That’s not inherently bad, but the way he does it has negative effects. He doesn’t give Xavier Watts or Jordan Johnson a single target as freshmen (and that’s a whole other column that I am working on) and he underutilizes Chris Tyree (see: one carry in the ACC Championship, a carry that went for Notre Dame’s only touchdown of the game).

Sure, Ben Skowronek, Avery Davis, Javon McKinley and Kyren Williams are more well-rounded than their backups, but the backups present different dynamics that can supplement the starters’ shortcomings. And secondly:

He plays the “nice guy” too much.

Remember when Kelly said he was tired of being the “nice guy” at halftime of this past season’s USF game? Well, apparently, he didn’t mean it in the way that every single person watching the broadcast thought he meant it.

See, at least to me, saying you no longer want to be the nice guy means you are about to run up the score on someone. I thought it was kinda like that scene from “Remember the Titans’ where Coach Yoast tells Coach Boone: “Run it up Herman! Leave no doubt!”

Alas, it was really just about the Irish defense making sure they shut out USF. That’s all well and good, but could Drew Pyne really only get two pass attempts in that game? If you don’t wanna be the nice guy, then don’t just run the clock out. Instead, actually let Pyne (and Johnson and Watts) get meaningful reps. And then do that against the rest of the teams you are head and shoulders above.

That way, when Ian Book goes out for a couple of snaps in the Rose Bowl, maybe Pyne has enough experience and confidence that you actually try putting pressure on Alabama with him rather than playing for the punt and hoping Book catches his breath. 6. And to the point I made in that second column about Notre Dame’s backups combining for six passes last season and how I described it as a “direct result of an archaic offensive philosophy,” I’ll admit that it’s not really a result. In my mind, the number of non-injury-replacement reps that your backup quarterbacks get is more of a measuring stick — a barometer, if you will — of how dominant your offense is.

I believe that a step in the right direction for Notre Dame would be to keep their foot on the gas and destroy opponents like Clemson and Alabama do — although of course I don’t anticipate them obliterating teams on the level of a Clemson or Alabama — then let their backup skill position players get reps with the starting quarterback and/or let their backup quarterback get reps with the starters at every other position.

That’s not just to prepare your backups in case they do need to come in for injury. It’s to give them confidence and experience so they can eventually be worked into the rotation and then, eventually, not miss a beat when they become starters themselves.

In my mind, the kinds of dominating performances that would allow Notre Dame to give their bench some run (against teams other than New Mexico, Bowling Green, USF and the like) will come when the staff prioritizes making the offense championship caliber. The scheme can change from year to year, but it’s about consistent attitude and mindset. 7. A very obvious life lesson that should have been apparent to me before my experience with that second column: People on Twitter are unreasonable, and trying to convince them of my logic is an exercise in futility. To that end, I hope others can learn from my current situation — it’s better not to engage. 8. It is very difficult to be clear and concise in my opinions on Notre Dame football, even through two (going on three) 2000-word columns. 9. “One Love” to all the critics of me out there, both the regular fans and the other Notre Dame media pundits. Sorry, not sorry, for my hot takes.

I’m just a senior physics and FTT double major with a JED minor trying to balance my objectivity with my internal homer. I’m also hoping that we can all, in the very near future, celebrate an Irish national championship together, and I’m simply offering my opinion on how Notre Dame most rapidly gets to that promised land for the first time since 1988. 10. The Notre Dame men’s basketball team just put up 90 points at Cameron Indoor and beat Duke for the first time in years. In BASKETBALL.

I know Duke is having a down year, but damn does that feel good. 11. I really just want to have 11 points for each of Notre Dame’s national championships. I can be cutesy like that.

Well, I hope that sets the record straight on everything. If not, I’ve done all I can.

If you have any further qualms, allow me to borrow from my high school drama teacher/school play director, who told me he loved suggestions so much and that I could direct them to his suggestion box … before promptly pointing to the garbage can in the room. Feel free to deposit your criticisms there as well.

Happy Valentine’s Day! “One Love.”

Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu

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

brady can’t have the credit for the super bowl victory

Mannion McGinley

sports Writer

Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Feb. 9.

hello, it’s me again, your resident Tom brady overanalyst and still-brokenhearted Pats fan.

For the first time in my life, i was content with a super bowl champion from the nFc. and, while they wore buccaneers jerseys last night, “Tommy and Gronky” (as they refer to themselves in their new short — seriously go look, that thing needs its own column, but i digress) still pulled it off.

The pair now have the most ever postseason touchdown connections with 14. rob Gronkowski now has the second-most touchdown receptions in the postseason all-time. brady became the seventh quarterback to throw three first-half touch-down passes in a super bowl. and to top it all off, brady earned super bowl mvP for a fifth time. despite these accomplishments and deserved recognition, there’s a few things left unsaid. and no, not that the refs were paid off. Until that’s proven true, one way or another, i see no point in making that claim.

The bucs defense stepped up. There’s nothing else to say there. They did what every other team the chiefs faced could not do.

Firstly, their pressure got to chiefs quarterback Patrick mahomes.

Usually if you get him out of the pocket, it doesn’t matter because always he’s ready to scramble. he’ll still get the ball downfield with your hands in his face. or, andy reid has a protective dump pass at the ready that he knows to throw without even looking. i mean, mahomes has proven that ability time and again: throwing on target balls as he’s being taken to the ground, scrambling to recover a potential fumble and running backwards 20 yards while still not taking a sack or a penalty. none of this mattered for Jason Pierre Paul and the rest of the bucs defensive line.

With three-and-a-half sacks, and a few knocked down passes, they gave mahomes a run for his money.

This cut into the space of chiefs running back clyde edwards-helaire had to work with, as well.

With only nine carries for 64 yards, he was stifled. secondly, Tampa bay shut down Tyreek hill. as Tony romo said during the game, the safeties started farther back than normal, and from there, the secondary followed hill.

They wouldn’t let him out of their sight. he had nowhere to go. hill just did not play the game at full capacity.

With these two pieces combined, mahomes had to play a sloppier game than he usually does, and the bucs defense noticed.

With hands at the ready, White and Winfield snagged two key interceptions. everyone went into this game expecting a high-scoring race to the end zone. in that race, many believed brady didn’t stand as good of a chance. a major part of why we didn’t see that has to do with the chiefs players that didn’t show up. by the end of the night, poor mahomes looked like he was on an island by himself. his offense had half given up and half been shut down. brady worked hard and, as a 43-year-old man, earned the recognition for the feats he continues to accomplish. had the chiefs offense shown up instead of the bucs defense, this could have been a very different outcome.

Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. the first half alone.

“he was due,” irish head coach mike brey said. “it’s just a matter of time with him, as he gets more and more comfortable playing for us... i just tried to wake them up a little bit. our group, when i’ve challenged them, they’ve always responded like men.” courtesy of notre dame athletics duke men’s basketball takes on the University of notre dame Fighting irish in the first half at the cameron indoor stadium on Feb. 9, 2021 at durham, north carolina. ryan was quieter in the second half, but still finished with a game-high 28 points.

“The team is in a great flow right now,” ryan said. “everyone, myself included, is getting used to playing with each other, and we’re clicking.” both offenses were prolific throughout the game. notre dame shot 55 percent from the field, while duke shot 52 percent.

“We did a great job offensively,” brey said. “We’ve got to get up to 85 and 90 [points per game]. We have the ability to score like that.”

The irish trailed by 15 seven minutes into the game, and were behind by double digits for much of the opening stanza.

“i’m really proud of our group, we took a big punch early,” brey said. a three pointer right before the halftime buzzer gave duke a 50-45 lead, and they scored the first four points out of the break, but the irish battled back, thanks to two three pointers from ryan and a dunk from junior forward nate Laszewski. a three pointer from junior guard dane Goodwin gave the irish their first lead of the night, 63-62. both teams continued to shoot at a high percentage and trade baskets down the stretch, although the irish defense stepped up and made some key plays. brey credited the zone defense with providing a defensive boost. “They are a drive at your throat group with their athletic ability,” brey said. “it made them a little more apprehensive to drive it.”

“our defense fuels our offense,” junior guard Prentiss hubb said. “When we play hard on defense, it just makes everything easier on offense.” a three pointer from Laszewski and a putback dunk from graduate student forward Juwan durham gave notre dame a three point lead with just over five minutes to play, forcing duke to take a timeout.

The game continued to go back and forth in the final minutes. after brey elected to take a timeout with two and half minutes left in the contest, a hubb to durham alley-oop dunk extended the irish lead to four. ryan took a charge with just over a minute left, and after using most of the shot clock, hubb drilled a deep three pointer to put the irish up by five points and effectively seal the game. brey described hubb as an “assassin.”

“nobody can close out [games] like him,” brey said. “he’s a fearless guy, he’s a big time winner. ... he’s unafraid of the bright lights.”

“seeing everybody happy, and everybody playing to their best ability, i think that can keep us rolling and help us through the rest of the season,” hubb said.

The irish have now won five of their last seven games dating back to midJanuary.

They will try to build on their momentum when they return home to take on the miami hurricanes on sunday.

That game tips off at 6:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on the acc network.

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Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu

the near future for the irish.

“individually, olivia markezich continues to improve,” sparks said. “she will be able to compete on a national level soon.” markezich was followed by junior maddy denner (31st), junior Jocelyn Long (51st), senior annasophia Keller (53rd), junior meghan scott (57th) and junior Jacqueline Gaughan (78th). sparks discussed the impact of having some of his top runners unavailable for the meet last week.

“Today was rough,” sparks said. “We were without three of our top six runners from the fall cross country season and those losses were too much for us to overcome today.” on the men’s side, the irish placed fourth overall in a race that featured six ranked teams.

The fourth-ranked irish put up 80 points, finishing behind first-ranked northern arizona, secondranked bYU and eighteenthranked Washington.

The irish were led by senior Yared nuguse, who placed 8th overall in the 8K race in a time of 23:16.0.

Junior teammate danny Kilrea was right behind, finishing in 9th.

The other scorers for the irish were sophomore Jake renfree, junior dylan Jacobs and senior andrew alexander. head men’s cross country coach sean carlson shared his thoughts on his team’s performance.

“We weren’t exactly thrilled about the result,” carlson said. ”i thought it was a very necessary race for us to have and kind of know what we need to adjust moving forward over the next six weeks before nationals.” carlson discussed how he believes his team is still in very good shape leading up to the national meet in six weeks.

“i think we are in a really good place,” he explained. “i’m not overly concerned that the result wasn’t what we wanted, but it is a good reminder that there is a sense of urgency to start that process of getting to where we need to be going into the national meet.”

carlson was very pleased with renfree’s performance last week.

“Jake ran really well, and he is becoming a very accountable guy in his performance,” carlson said. “at conference last fall, he really showed up and got the job done.” carlson was also pleased with how Kilrea performed, and he discussed his confidence in nuguse and Jacobs going forward.

“i feel pretty confident that guys like Yared and dylan can certainly run with or ahead of danny, but they’re just at a little bit different points in their training right now,” carlson said. “in another six weeks, they’ll be fine.” carlson discussed how important it was for his team to race against the top two teams in the country, northern arizona and bYU.

“our goal is to really start to close that gap over the next six weeks between those two teams,” carlson said. “one of our primary goals this year is to place in the top four and podium [at nationals]. how much we can close the gap on those two teams that are probably realistically going to be the two favorites will be interesting.” carlson hopes that down the road his team can be competitive with the perennial cross country powers such as northern arizona and bYU.

“i think us going out there and racing them was an important step for all of our guys to kind of see where we’re at,” he said. “We want to have more experiences where we’re competing against them because our hope over the next few years is that we can really start to be in the conversation with them.”

There will be no more meets for the irish before nationals in six weeks, but carlson is hoping that his team can use this time to train hard and focus on the main goal of performing well at the national meet.

“We can get in good training over the next six weeks as a program. on one side, we’ve tended to struggle a little bit early in the year and then really kind of run well at the end when it matters,” carlson said. “i think a lot of times, it’s very easy to get caught up and think we got to run well here and sometimes sacrifice that end goal to be able to do that. i have tried to not look at what’s immediately ahead of me all the time, but instead look a little bit more at the big picture.” in the fall, the irish had six weeks off before the conference meet, and carlson believes that his team learned a lot from that experience.

“We saw ... the kind of adjustments we thought we needed to make,” carlson said. “and we’re going to basically make those adjustments now over these next six weeks. one of the important parts of our sport is to have a lot of data and to be able to see the things that work and don’t work. and that’s all so that we can have ... a better idea of what we’re getting into.”

The national meet will take place on march 15 in stillwater, oklahoma.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

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compete against a great team in Lexington, against Kentucky,” silverio said. “We were right in there in every single match and just weren’t quite able to convert consistently on the pressure points, on the deuce points, and that was ultimately what made the difference in the match.” silvero also mentioned how grateful the team is to be back out and competing. after covid-19 swept the nation last spring, the irish played their last match of 2020 back in march and have thus made an eager return to the courts.

“it was a great learning experience for us to be back out on the court competing,” silvero said. “We’re so grateful just to have these opportunities to be out there doing what we love — competing for notre dame.”

The irish are set to host bowling Green in another split weekend at home on Friday at 3 p.m. Following their match against the Falcons, the irish will then face off against the marquette Golden eagles on saturday at 11 a.m. both matches will take place at home at the eck Tennis Pavilion and can be streamed live on und.com. com.

Contact Madelyn Stout at mstout2@nd.edu

Allison ThornTon | The observer

Notre Dame junior Maeve Koscielski volleys the ball during a home match against Purdue. The Fighting Irish won that match in a clean sweep 4-0 in the Eck Center on Feb. 13, 2019.

squads prepare for northwestern

By Emily DeFazio

sports Writer

W golf

conTinUed From PaGe 16

and she topped it all off with a total of four birdies in her final round.

Jones was able to card a final round score of 75.

While junior claire albrecht trailed close behind at 77. sophomore Lauren beaudreau was also able to score for the Fighting irish in the final round as she rounded out the field for the team with a score of 78.

The irish will be back in action again in the sunshine state in a couple of weeks when they travel back for the 2021 Florida state match-Up at the seminole Legacy Golf club in Tallahassee from Feb. 26-28.

The notre dame fencing team traveled to columbus, ohio over the weekend to compete in the ohio state invitational. This tournament was the first competition the team had had in nearly 11 months due to the pandemic. both the men’s and women’s teams left with an undefeated record.

“as a whole, the team has been doing an excellent job,” associate head coach and epee coach cedric Loiseau said. “at the end of the day, almost all of them brought a better game than they used to. To be fair, this is really a whole team effort.”

Though the team as a whole was strong, Loiseau also named some standouts from the competition, namely first-years miriam Grady and Kaylin sin Yan hsieh. due to the pandemic, the offseason looked a little different for the team, and could have affected their performance at the first showing of the season. instead of fencing, their training consisted of strength and conditioning efforts that athletes conducted individually.

“There wasn’t that much we could do, really,” Loiseau said in regards to that period of time. “but we know that our kids were very engaged to training and staying in shape because for most of them, fencing wasn’t an option.” according to Loiseau, when the team came back in august, they began intensive training for the season.

“We started a very intense program for developing cardio. We had more practice than ever, really,” he said. “We took the challenge and decided that because we couldn’t compete, we could train more and better, and we did just that.” it was that training, Loiseau said, that led to the weekend’s stellar results.

“Physically, we could see that on the second day, we were head and shoulders over any other team,” he said.

For the first match back in nearly a year, Loiseau said there was a tone of excitement among the athletes.

“They’ve been talking for months about ‘When are we going to have tournaments? i wish we could have a tournament,’” Loiseau said. “We arrived and they were all very excited.”

This was also the first match back for several athletes who had left the team in order to train for the olympics, such as junior nick itkin, among others.

“it’s definitely a great feeling for us to get those that are among the best back on our team. it was equally great for them,” Loiseau said. “They were very happy to be back.”

“The upcoming Junior olympics will not have the same effect on the team,” Loiseau said. “For now we really should have our full roster for the entire season.”

Loiseau continued to comment on the dynamic of the team now that these players have returned.

“For us it’s always good to have those guys back, but to be very honest, the rest of the team is so talented that they made sure all year last year that without those guys, they would do a great job, and they sure did,” he said.

Though the other athletes are back, Loiseau said the rest of the team “weren’t going to hide behind those guys,” which made the team stronger overall.

“now we just have a great team with those kinds of fencers back,” he said.

The team hopes to continue this momentum into the northwestern duals tournament, which will be held Feb. 21.the northwestern duals tournament, which will be held on Feb. 21.

The match is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

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The observer | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND WomEN’S GolF

Schiavone leads Irish to 12th place

Observer Staff Report

eleven months after having their 2019-2020 season cut short during a practice round for the clover cup, the notre dame’s women’s golf team is finally back in action.

The Irish rallied for a 12th place finish in their first action of the 2021 season at the Purdue’s heroes Ladies Intercollegiate at the Founders club in sarasota, Fla.

The Irish were fighting an uphill battle heading into Tuesday, the last day of the competition, sitting at 13th of 14 teams, but were able to card a final-round score of 298 and move up one spot to finish 12th in the competition.

They were led by firstyear chloe schiavone and senior Abby heck. schiavone finished tied 28th-overall in her Irish debut as she and heck both notched final round scores of 73. however, the Irish got off to a poor start in first-round action and were playing catch up for the rest of the tournament, but they were able to make up some ground in the next two rounds.

The Irish had two golfers card rounds over 80 in the first round, but did not have any more scores that high for the rest of the tournament. heck led the Irish on the first day of action as she carded a round score of 77. schiavone and sophomore madelyn Jones were just a stroke back at 78. schiavone played the par-3 holes at a two-underpar clip which ranked fifth among the 75-player field

see W GoLF PAGE 15 ND mEN’S BASkEtBAll | nd 93, dUKe 89

career day from cormac ryan pushes nd past duke

ANNIE SMIERCIAK | The Observer

Irish junior Cormac Ryan goes up for a lay-up in Notre Dame’s 9389 win over Duke on Tuesday at Cameron Indoor Stadium .

By LIAM COOLICAN

sports Writer

cormac ryan had a career game, and four other notre dame starters scored in double figures, as the notre dame men’s basketball team (8-10, 5-7 Acc) won a hard fought game on the road against duke (7-8, 5-6 Acc).

The Irish battled back after trailing by 15 points in the first half to secure a much needed 93-89 victory. ryan, who passed up a chance at the game winning shot in saturday’s loss at Georgia Tech, was inserted back into the starting lineup and made the most of the opportunity.

After missing his first three attempts from the field, the junior guard made his next eight shots, scoring a career-high 21 points in

see m bbALL PAGE 13

CRoSS CoUNtRY

nd cross country preps for upcoming national meet

By NATE MOLLER

sports Writer

Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Feb. 9.

The men’s and women’s cross country programs both returned to action this past week with the men heading down to Las vegas to compete in the silver state collegiate challenge last monday and the women competing in the Florida state Winter Xc classic in Tallahassee this past Friday.

The women’s team came in 8th place out of 18 teams with 209 points.

The Irish were led by sophomore olivia markezich who finished 22nd overall, completing the 6K race in a time of 20:46.5. head women’s cross country coach matt sparks expects markezich to be a big contributor in

ND WomEN’S tENNiS

Squad splits DePaul, Kentucky

By MADELYN STOUT

sports Writer

despite a Thursday 7-0 win against dePaul to start the weekend off at the eck Tennis Pavilion, the notre dame women’s tennis team fell 6-1 to the University of Kentucky in an away game. As a result, the Irish are now 5-3 overall in their current season. on Thursday, the Irish had a strong showing with decisive victories across the board in doubles and singles. The Irish won the doubles point to put themselves in a 1-0 lead with the wins of sophomore Page Freeman and senior cameron corse (6-4) and of first-years Yashna Yellayi and meghan coleman (6-4). moreover, the Irish also won on all single courts, including victories from corse (6-3, 6-0), Freeman (6-4, 6-2) and senior captain Ally bojczuk (6-4, 6-4). These matches led to dePaul falling against the notre dame women.

The momentum from the win over dePaul flooded the match against the Wildcats, as the Irish played aggressively; however, this playstyle was not enough to push notre dame over the edge. In fact, bojczuk was the lone winner of the match going 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in her singles match as the Irish failed to scoop up any points in the doubles division.

Two other hard-fought matches by corse (3-6, 6-1, 7-5) and first-year Julia Andreach [7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-2] also came down to tiebreaking sets; however, the Wildcats prevailed over the Irish. head coach Alison silverio chalked the loss up to a failure to remain consistent on pressure points and conversions at deuce. moreover, silverio expressed confidence in her squad and looks to use this latest matchup as a lesson as they prepare for their match of the season.

“Last weekend, we got to