The Hoya: The Guide: February 14, 2014

the guide FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2014

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The choice to abstain in an over-sexualized college culture VICTORIA EDEL Hoya Staff Writer

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ollege students have sex. Older generations shake their finger at hookup culture while students themselves grapple to make sense of it all. Maybe they’re looking for love, connection, pleasure or some combination of the three, or maybe they’re looking for nothing at all.

Yet, for all the think pieces that focus on sex at college, most of them leave out an important demographic: virgins. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 61 percent of American 18-year-olds have had sex, and while that may be the number people focus on most, there’s another 39 percent of that group that are virgins. By age 20, the number of people who have had sex goes up to about 72 percent, leaving a quarter of that age group sexually inexperienced. There is no major difference between the numbers for men and women.

Within that population, there’s a lot of diversity. There are those who abstain for religious or moral reasons. There are those who haven’t found the right person. There are students for whom it’s simply not a priority, and there are those who have tried to lose it — with little success.

With sex such a frequent topic among college students — and, in some cases, a point of pride — it’s obvious why some who fall into the minority category might feel anxious about their virgin

status. A quick Google search shows thousands of articles about the topic, ranging from adults recounting their own experiences as collegiate virgins to current undergrads explaining why retaining their V-card makes them uncomfortable.

The website College Crush calls it “The Burden of Being a Virgin.”

Kate (COL ’16)* identifies as a virgin, and, while she admits that her inexperience may keep her from taking risks, she doesn’t consider it a “burden.” She hasn’t had sex yet mostly because she hasn’t found someone she wants to lose her virginity to.

“The option hasn’t presented itself. I would have to get to a very comfortable state before even considering it,” she said. Kate doesn’t see herself having sex before she’s in a long-term, committed relationship, which she has yet to find at Georgetown.

Kate isn’t sure how her sexual inexperience compares with her friends’ lives, partially because the phrase “hook up” can have so many meanings. To different people at different times, it can mean making out, oral sex or sexual intercourse. Some of Kate’s friends use the term interchangeably, making it difficult to distinguish the implications.

“You never really know what a person’s perspective is on [casual sex] because you don’t know what their definition is,” she said. “People talk about [their hookups] all the time. … What did you actually do, and what does that mean to you?”

Kate personally has no interest in the hookup scene, in any sense of the word.

“I don’t think I would ever meet a stranger and have sex with them, not at this point,” she said.

And while her friends often make out with boys

they meet at parties, she’s not comfortable doing that with someone she just met.

---------------------------------------------------For those in the LGBTQ community at Georgetown, the matter of remaining a virgin is further complicated by certain expectations and stereotypes.

Aaron* (SFS ’16), like Kate, also wants to wait until he trusts his partner completely before he has sex. That means that, although he has been in three relationships, he has remained a virgin.

“I don’t do anything [sexual] unless I’m in a relationship with someone because I personally like that emotional connection. I think it just heightens it,” he said. “I need to trust this person completely before I can make that jump to sex.”

“There definitely is a big pressure to have lots See VIRGINITY, B2

THIS WEEK THEATER REVIEW

LIFESTYLE

Corrupt to the Core

Folger Theatre production highlights the dark side of ‘Richard III’ VICTORIA EDEL Hoya Staff Writer

Pairing Stats and Human Rights

Alex Luta (COL ’16) discusses how the success of his statistics research has contributed to a human rights project. B2

Newseum Exhibit Falls Short

The “Anchorman” exhibit at the Newseum is more hype than substance, featuring little more than props of a cult film. B3

FOOD & DRINK

Bowling Alley With Culinary Flair A new entertainment and dining venue on M Street is perfect for good times and good food. B5

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Drama of Love

“Endless Love” conveys the unique, up-and-down emotions of young romance. B6

Fusing Global Sounds

Bombay Bicycle Club’s new album experiments with styles and techniques from around the world with mixed results. B6

THEHOYA.COM/ THE-GUIDE @thehoyaguide

There’s something perversely appropriate about performing “Richard III” — one of William Shakespeare’s bloodiest and most political plays — just a block from the Capitol Building. Shakespeare’s Richard, a devious, evil, masterful politician, would certainly give the men and women of the Hill a run for their money.

“Richard III,” playing at the Folger Theatre until March 16, focuses on one of England’s most controversial kings. At the play’s beginning, he’s merely the brother of the newly crowned king, their family having just won the throne at the end of a long war. Richard (Drew Cortese) is the ugly duckling of his three brothers — crippled and generally considered the outcast — but his eyes are on revenge and the throne. He manipulates the tensions of the court in order to get what he wants. Where Richard differentiates from the typical American congressman (well, hopefully) is that he isn’t afraid to murder people in order to get what he wants. At least, that’s the way Shakespeare paints him, though historians have argued for centuries as to whether that portrait is accurate.

Shakespeare hasn’t written a story that is easy to perform convincingly. The audience needs to both love and hate Richard in order to be invested in the story, and have some grasp of what all the court politics are about. If one focuses too much on that second task — whose allegiances are with whom at any moment, what the characters’ back stories are — the story becomes a little incomprehensible. I could tell that the audience was getting caught on details; I’ve never seen so many people look at the program in the middle of a show to try to remember which character is related to whom.

But loving and hating Richard? It’s easy to do that while watching the Folger’s production. Cortese’s Richard is charming from the play’s beginning, drawing the See FOLGERS, B3

COURTESY TERESA WOOD

Lord Stanley (Richard Sheridan Willis) crowns Richard (Drew Cortese) in a performance of one of William Shakespeare’s most twisted dramas at the Folger Theatre.

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the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2014

FEATURE

Like a Virgin: The Other Side of Sex Culture VIRGINITY, from B1 of sex in the gay community,” he said.

“I’ve had three long relationships, and so a lot of people think that within a couple weeks you’re having sex.” Aaron felt that pressure to hook up soon after arriving on campus.

“When I got to college, you go to the first Pride party or you go to Town [Danceboutique, a gay bar] and it’s all hooking up,” he said. “Someone told me if you talk to a guy for more than 10 minutes, you’re supposed to go home with him.”

Once Aaron made it clear he was not interested in hooking up, he quickly found himself labelled a “prude” and “bitch.” He thinks part of the problem is the way newly out members are brought into the community.

More experienced gay men immediately want to hook up with these men, in order to “show [them] what being gay is.”

“What it creates is [that] all these people coming out, they only associate being gay with sex and not the romantic aspects of it and not the community aspects of it,” he said. Aaron believes that because so many newly-out gay men associate the community solely with sex, they don’t realize that they have the choice to opt out of that culture — partially because not having sex is rarely discussed.

“You don’t talk about [virginity] as much,” he said. “I’ve had to pretend I’ve had sex for some people because people just assume [I have], and I don’t want to go into it with strangers.”

---------------------------------------------------Giovanna Kimberly (COL ’16) sees sex as something other than a collegiate bucket list item. She plans to remain a virgin because she wants to be in a trusting relationship, and for her, this means abstaining from sex until marriage.

Her Catholic faith has been a large factor in this decision. While she was taught from a young age that sex was only for married couples, she needed to explore that idea for herself to make sure it was what she believed.

“I started to think of what I wanted and what that meant for me because I didn’t want it to be a rule imposed on me, but rather, the teachings of the Church become my basis, but I make my own decision,” she said.

“I believe in the sanctity of human sexuality and that sex is a culmination of the exclusive love between spouses,” she said. “Sex is the incarnation of the wedding vows [that say] I will love you freely, totally, faithfully and fruitfully, and when you have sex outside of marriage your body is making a promise, even if you are not.”

Still, Kimberly isn’t sure that many Catholic students at Georgetown share her feelings. She sees the culture of casual sex as harmful to students.

“Scripture talks about sex as the joining of two people into one, and we live in a society where casual sex is so prevalent.

We’re always seeing joining together and tearing apart, and we wonder why so many people are so broken,” she said.

And Kimberly is not the only one concerned about the psychological effects

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of sex. Dana Drecksel (NHS ’17) has also made the decision to abstain from casual sex to do what is best for herself, not just what she may feel pressure to do.

“It’s more than just the physical connection, especially when it’s someone’s first time,” she said. “It creates this psychological bond and that if you’re just using that casually, you are losing something, and it has an emotional toll.”

For Drecksel, who is pre-med, it’s not just the mental aspects of casual sex that keep her from it. She worries about putting herself at risk for sexually transmitted diseases.

“On a college camPERCENT OF pus such as George18-YEAR-OLDS town, [STDs are] a big problem because we’re HAVE HAD SEX a closed campus in that people are having sex with other Georgetown students for the most part, and so if someone contracts something, it can spread really fast,” she said.

According to a study by the Stanford University Sexual Health Peer Resource Center, it’s estimated that one in four college students has contracted an STD, and the Center for Disease Control has stated that nearly half of the 20 million newly transmitted STDs each year are among people between the ages of 15 and 24.

Drecksel similarly chooses to stay a virgin because of her Catholic faith.

“By waiting until marriage, this is a sign of our commitment to one another, that we’re going to wait and withhold that bond and build other parts of the relationship,” she said.

While Jane* (COL ’14) has also remained a virgin for religious reasons, her decision to do so was less obvious. Until she started dating her current boyfriend, who is also Catholic, she had always thought the decision to remain a virgin was obvious. Then, however, she and her boyfriend realized that many of the Catholic couples they interacted with and respected — including their own parents — had engaged in premarital sex.

“The scare tactic that’s used sometimes is if you have sex then the relationship fizzles,” she said. “But then seeing healthy relationships between my parents and his parents, it can work. … Since sex didn’t seem out of the question anymore, it was very attractive to me.”

Yet, Jane’s boyfriend was adamantly opposed to having sex before marriage.

Now, the pair is engaged in a constant conversation about what they want and what is right for them, though for now they have decided not to have sex.

“At first I was kind of disappointed because I really liked him,” she said. “But at the same time, going through life after making that decision, it was really [liberating] because we didn’t have to worry about when we’d do it. We didn’t have to worry about where we’d do it. We didn’t have to worry about social repercussions if someone found out.”

While many of Jane’s friends are virgins, she occasionally worries that other people judge her for her decision.

“Sometimes I wonder if people are thinking ‘there’s something wrong with her psychologically’ or ‘she’s Catholic; that’s the only reason she’s doing it,’ or ‘she’s bowing down to the patriarchy because she doesn’t want to have sex,’ which is a lie,” she said. “I do want to have sex. At the same time, I’m not bowing down to patriarchy either. … I still think for myself and ask questions and do the kind of reading I need to do to figure out what’s best.”

---------------------------------------------------Religious sexual ethics are not just reserved for heterosexual people. Tim Rosenberger (COL ’16) is gay and Christian — two identities that can feel at odds.

“For gay people with religious convictions, there’s this weird thing where the people in your religious community say you’re gay; why bother having sexual ethics?” he said. “Gay people say [the religious people] don’t like you, so why bother subscribing to their sexual ethics?”

Rosenberger says that many of the same reasons that straight people ab-

stain are applicable to members of the it as such, although there is a large discrepancy of opinion on whether oral gay community, like himself.

“Beyond religious reasons, a lot of gay sex “counts.” Generally, she thinks the people want exactly what straight peo- virginity conversation doesn’t resonate ple want. They really want to fall in love. strongly with queer women.

“Having had sex or not having had They don’t want to just have a whole bunch of random hookups,” he said. sex is something people are talking “Although gay men specifically have this about, but it’s never really talked about reputation for being really promiscuous, in the context of losing virginity because they have perhaps deeper emotional I think virginity is something that’s still needs than the average straight man considered very hetero,” she said. when it comes to hookups.”

Abby Grace (SFS ’16), vice president of GU Pride President Thomas Lloyd (SFS H*yas for Choice, explained how issues ’15) believes the issue of sexual ethics is of virginity are wrapped up in patriarparticularly messy for members of the chal norms.

LGBTQ community.

“I’m from Mississippi, where there’s “People who talk about authentically an insane amount of pressure put on loving relationships — and those only something that’s just arbitrary,” she being where you’re celibate before mar- said “Why would you celebrate male riage — [means] there’s no place for gay sexuality but when a girl comes to you people in that framework because even with the same outcome it’s met with if we get recognition of our marriages condescension?” on a state level, we probably won’t still “A lot of it comes out of very historical have it sanctioned by religious institu- ways of looking at virginity that you’re tions,” he said. “When someone says I only as valuable as your ability to bear choose not to have sex, that feeds into children,” she said. the shame that … we’re prone to feel Nancy* (COL ’14), who is a virgin, also because we’ve been exposed to the mes- worries about the societal pressures sage that no matter what we do, any ex- placed on that status. pression of affection isn’t right.”

“This whole idea of virginity as someAnother problem when discussing thing you’re giving someone, that is horvirginity is understanding what consti- rible,” she said. “That makes it so weirdly tutes sex. While some only count pen- uncomfortable for girls and makes it so etrative sex as the much bigger act that “takes” than it is for PERCENT OF COLLEGE guys.” someone’s virginity, the idea is Personally, STUDENTS HAVE heteronormative, Nancy hasn’t CONTRACTED AN STD as many lesbians had sex yet beand transgender cause she hasn’t people never have penetrative sex. been in a committed relationship. While “People associate sex with penetra- she doesn’t spend much time worrying tion and so for queer women, there about boys and relationships, she sees isn’t a clear definition of sex and what many of her peers agonizing over these people consider sex,” Sabrina Katz (COL situations. ’14) said. “A lot of queer women have dif“So many girls here are so amazing ferent definitions of sex.” and so smart and then they say they She explained that two women don’t define their worth by how many might consider performing oral sex guys they hook up with … but their as having sex, but that heterosexual actions are really different from that people or gay men might not consider and they are defining themselves by that,” she said. “I think our age group is ashamed of being virgins.”

That shame is perhaps most acute for men. John Higgins (COL ’15) explained that his friends who are virgins are extremely embarrassed by the fact because it makes them feel emasculated.

“Guys feel a lot of pressure and competition,” he said. “It’s bad to be ashamed about anything, but there are certain things you can’t take out of being a guy.”

No heterosexual male virgins would talk on the record for this article.

So where does virginity fit here at Georgetown? How do we define it?

Maybe virginity is a result of personal, spiritual or religious reasons against having sex. Maybe it’s simply because the right person hasn’t come along.

Maybe it’s defined as everything but penetrative sex, or maybe by complete abstinence from sexual activities. Whatever the case, it is as much an aspect of life on the Hilltop as having sex, but it shouldn’t be defined by the pressure to get rid of it.

“Most students at Georgetown believe it’s a personal decision,” Grace said. “Pursue your own choices.”

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*Some names have been changed because of the nature of this subject.

CENTER STAGE

Sophomore Creates Codes to Assist Human Rights Efforts SARAH HOUR

Special to The Hoya

When he was a freshman, Alex Luta (COL ’16) decided to apply what he was learning in his statistics class to more than just homework. Embarking on research with Professor Ali Arab, Luta began seeking to aid in airplane image clarity in human rights conflict zones. He was recently awarded the top prize at the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s student poster competition on science and human rights, and he plans to continue his research during his time at Georgetown.

MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

Alex Luta (COL ’16) won the top prize at the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s competition for his statistics research.

How did you get involved with the research?

I took an upper level stats class with my mentor, Professor Ali Arab, during the first semester of my freshman year.

During office hours, we discussed his research; I was interested in doing research, and he said that he was doing science and human rights research with some possible statistics applications. I thought that was really cool, so I asked if I could join, and he said sure.

What does your research focus on?

My mentor said that he knew about some research being done at AAAS on geospatial technology applied to human rights using satellite imagery, remote sensing and airplane imagery to look at human rights conflict zones to get an idea of what’s going on. We looked through the AAAS studies and noticed that the human rights analysts had quite a few problems with image clarity.

How did you attempt to combat these issues?

I thought maybe we could have some computational processes using computers, programs, software to try to aid in visualization. First, I tried to find other research that was going on in this field that would help the human rights analysts’ efforts in trying to get a clear picture of the human earth conflict zones.

There were also image fusion algorithms, which enhance image clarity by taking multiple pictures of one location and overlaying them. There was also software called geovisual analytics, which takes geographical data and other forms of data and consolidates it to one easyto-use interface. That was already being used in crisis situations, and I thought that might be useful and applicable to

human rights. I assembled all these different methods, found that they could be applied to human rights, put it into a poster and that became my research.

How do you think this research can be applied?

They were manually looking at pictures and manually counting structures and trying to look for where damage had occurred. For example, a terrorist group or oppressive government comes and destroys a village and you count the number of buildings destroyed. We’re trying to find a way to automate that with computers. So basically, can a computer tell where a structure has been destroyed or where a conflict is occurring in the world based on input of images over time for a specific area? We found a few algorithms that have potential applications, and we’d like to pursue that further.

How do you plan on furthering your research?

We’re talking to some computer programmers and seeing if they can adapt the algorithms. We might even find new methods that we haven’t discovered yet. I could possibly see myself doing this for the next four years — who knows how far it could take us? We want to have at least some basic computational processes to be applied in a concrete way — even if it’s just a computer being able to differentiate between a destroyed village and an intact village. But currently, we’re writing a paper.

What do you think will come of what you have worked on?

Some students at Pennsylvania State

University used geovisual analytics to analyze improvised explosive device explosions in Iraq in 2006 so that it mapped and showed where the explosions occurred, how frequently they occurred, what the intensity was. They had multiple forms of data. Maybe if we could have a map of destroyed villages and other social media data, news reports, whatever data we could find on a human rights conflict zone and put it into an interface, it would help decision-makers within that country form aid groups to help out.

Why did you decide to apply to the AAAS competition?

My mentor suggested that I enter it. So we entered the contest, they accepted my abstract and I became a finalist. They invited me to the conference, and I presented there with graduate students. I was very fortunate to win.

Has Georgetown helped further your aspirations?

Before I came to Georgetown, they said it was relatively easy to get involved in undergraduate research, and it’s true. There’s research being done everywhere at Georgetown, and the professors are really willing to take on undergraduates.

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to do research in the Cancer Center in the Lombardi Center.

How did you feel when you won the AAAS competition?

It was great. It was amazing. I didn’t see it coming because all the other posters there were amazing.

the guide

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2014

THE HOYA

B3

EXHIBIT REVIEW

TECH TALK

Henry Parrott

True Cost Of Travel Apps

T

he fast-paced and competitive world of app startups can be exciting and inspiring. With apps like Uber and GrubHub changing the way that we do everyday tasks like hail cabs and order food, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that new apps like there are an improvement. But as consumers, it is our responsibility to shop comparatively and do our homework on new and creative services in order to determine who it is that really benefits from our use of an app.

The first time I ever used the Uber app — a service that connects cab drivers with passengers — I was drawn in by the beautiful interface. With its sleek design and easy-to-understand GPS location system, it was easy to see which drivers were nearby, available and even what kind of car they were driving. From there, I was able to select from a variety of cars, each with its own price tag, and within three minutes, I was picked up by a black Lincoln SUV, driven by a man in a suit wearing sunglasses. He even had water bottles in the car for free. Frankly, it felt awesome.

However, the catch to my little Uber experiment was that a ride to northeast D.C. cost me $60. That’s about twice what you would pay for a standard cab. In a sense it is worthwhile because of the security of knowing I will be able to find a ride, and the high quality of the ride itself. Uber also offers occasional promotions and you may be able to keep the price down if you strategize. However, Uber has a nasty little trick up its sleeve: They will jack up its prices to match current demand. That means that if it is a Friday night, a popular holiday or a day with adverse weather conditions, you are going to be paying a real premium for your ride, getting well into the triple digits in some cases.

Like Uber, flight booking services like Orbitz, Travelocity and Priceline can end up being less of the deal that they claim to be. They can sneakily cost you more than it would to simply book your flight directly through the airline. However, they still offer great features that make it a breeze to schedule your flights. If money is not of concern to you, these sites can be great and save you a lot of time if your alternative is to buy tickets from a specific airline that you like. But, for the struggling university student, try this workaround: Plan your trip on a site like Orbitz, but do not actually spend any money there. Find the flight number you want and book directly through the airline. You may be surprised to learn it is cheaper most of the time.

For the price-conscious consumer (read: college student), apps like Uber are really a luxury that should be avoided in most cases. It’s important to remember that every app provider is a business for the sole purpose of generating revenue at the expense of customers.

When you give money to an app that is supplying only a connection service and is not supplying anything on its own, you are always going to be paying a higher price. I like to call this a convenience tax.

New apps are fun and exciting, and most students can afford to play around with those that interest them now and then. However, before you consider allowing an app like this to regularly replace anything else in your life, take a long look at the real financial aspects of it to make sure that you are truly making a decision that is in your own self-interest.

Because of the way that little differences in price add up to large amounts over time, take the time to see if you can find a cheaper option before you consider using any service regularly. Convenience is great, but it’s not free.

Henry Parrott is a junior in the College. TECH TALK appears every other Friday in the guide.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: MARIAH BRYK, GEMMA LAMANA, NICOLE JARVIS/THE HOYA

The “Anchorman” exhibit at the Newseum pays homage to the 2004 comedy film. The displays include over 60 costumes and props from the movie, including the iconic burgundy business suit. There are also life-sized scenes from the film and a replicated, interactive newsroom.

Newseum Exhibit Flops ‘Anchorman’ tribute more advertisement than amusement NICOLE JARVIS Hoya Staff Writer

F

or what has seemed like an eternity, the character of Ron Burgundy has been an omnipresent figure. Gracing everything from car commercials to real bookstore shelves, the beloved, fictional San Diego newsman has been not so subtly encouraging us to see the sequel to the movie that made him a pop culture sensation, “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”

One realm that has been previously separated from this sort of advertising blitz is that of the museum. Most museums are far too highbrow or specialized to promote a movie like “Anchorman,” but the Newseum is not like most museums. While the exhibit had great potential, it fails to live up to the standards of the other exhibits on display.

For Ron Burgundy, milk was a bad choice.

For the Newseum, turning its exhibit space into a glorified advertisement was a bad choice as well.

When the exhibit was announced, fans rejoiced over being able to get a more handson “Anchorman” experience. There is a recreation of the KWVN-TV anchor desk where visitors can play news anchor for a few minutes while being photographed, and a Newseum-produced film from contemporary news anchors and promotional ads from

the 1970s is available for viewing. With over 60 costumes and props from the movie, the museum seeks to make the film series iconic and worthy of being showcased. Included in the displays are the iconic “I’m #1” license plate, jazz flute, mustache brush and burgandy business suit.

Ultimately, the hype around this exhibit is mostly just that — hype. Considering how much the exhibit feels like an extended summary of the plot of the first “Anchorman” film combined with a not-so-subtle advertisement for the sequel, the museum has done a commendable job trying to tie the over-the-top satire of the film into a legitimate topic in the history of television journalism.

In 1972 — around the time the film takes place — only 11 percent of local broadcast news anchors were women, and those privileged few earned approximately half of what their male counterparts did, which puts fictional sports reporter Champ Kind’s statement that “It’s anchorMAN not anchorLADY! That’s a scientific fact!” in a more pointed historical context. Women like the fictional Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) really were groundbreaking.

However, this message is very easy to miss when it is surrounded by and buried under props, costumes and loud video clips from the film — which all happen to be centered around the male news team members. From

Burgundy’s signature red suit to Brian Fantana’s Sex Panther cologne (60 percent of the time it works every time) to the Channel 4 News desk, the exhibit pretty much has every aspect of the original film covered. It is unfortunate that the real historical issues get pushed into the background of the exhibit because gender inequality in the media hasn’t gone away, and if any museum is right to tackle its impact, it is the Newseum.

Walking through the small area devoted to the exhibit feels remarkably like wandering around three glass cases of pure promotional vehicle for “Anchorman 2.” It makes sense, since the exhibit opened in the lead up to the movie’s release, but it still feels disappointing and you can’t help but feel slightly cheated.

If you weren’t already planning a visit to the Newseum, it isn’t worth it to rush down there for just this exhibit. This is not going to give you the same sheer joy you felt when you first saw Ron Burgundy play the jazz flute and, even worse, it might taint your memory of that initial love. However, if a new Groupon discount comes along or you decide you’re willing to shell out $20 for a general visit to a great museum, then you might as well stop by. But it is by far more important that you work your way through the rest of the collections they have to offer, which are not only more stimulating but more interesting as well.

THEATER REVIEW

Dying for the Chance to Be King FOLGERS, from B1 audience into his plot. You want to hate him, but every time he smiles at you, you feel as if you are in on his twisted secrets, for better or for worse. He’s undeniably charismatic and charming, in spite of every awful atrocity he commits.

The bold move that Folger took in staging the production meant that Richard really is smiling at you. The stage has been moved to the center of the room, creating a theater in a circular setup. Richard frequently goes to the sides of the stage, standing next to the audience and making faces at them, while those on stage cope with the havoc he’s raging. It’s a dynamic and fascinating setup.

The innovative setup makes the show feel more intimate, which was clearly the director’s intent.

The director, Robert Richmond, wrote in his notes in the program: “By moving the action to the center, you, the audience, now occupy the same space, share the same oxygen, and are complicit to the decision of a serial killer.”

The cohesion of the play is also enhanced by the costuming; the men are all dressed in black, with gold chains and long jackets. They feel like a mob, putting out hits on people, their ranks impenetrable.

The audience becomes the public that stands by and watches.

The other really interesting

thing about the stage itself is the series of trap doors on the stage that serve as graves for Richard’s many victims. It increases the ghoulish, wicked energy on stage, contributing to an image of a world of danger and curses and ghosts.

Admittedly, “Richard III” can be a confusing play, partly because of its historical context. The play comes at the end of Shakespeare’s consecutive history plays that tell the story of the War of the Roses, an epic battle between the Lancasters and the Yorks. Many of the play’s characters made appearances in the three parts of “Henry VI.” But it would be wrong to go into this play with the main goal of understanding medieval British politics. Put aside all curiosities as to who hurt whom and when; you can find that on Wikipedia later.

Instead, get wrapped up in the story. It’s the story of a man who will do anything for power. It’s the story of women who would do anything to stop him. It’s a story of people who try to balance virtuous living with the desire for control, but they often don’t realize that they’ve swung too far one way until it’s too late. That’s a story that is as relevant today as it was 422 years ago when Shakespeare first put it on a page. Folger’s production, perfectly capturing the dark and corrupt nature of this tragedy, is sure to pull you into this demonic Shakespearean world.

COURTESY TERESA WOOD

Naomi Jacobson plays a darkly vicious Queen Margaret, furious at Richard’s plotting in a classic tale of cruel revenge.

B4

the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2014

APPS BJ Novak Debuts Short Stories ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

NICOLE JARVIS Hoya Staff Writer

At a recent signing event at Washington, D.C.’s Politics and Prose bookstore, B.J. Novak greeted attendees who came to listen to him speak about his experiences as a comedy writer and his recent collections of short stories. He opened with a characteristically humorous welcome.

“Thank you for coming. That’s what she said,” Novak said.

The event was an opportunity for fans to listen to readings from his new

collection of short stories, “One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories.” The actor also shared advice and reflections about his time working on “The Office” as a writer and how he dealt with the insecurities that came along with the job.

The book’s stories were what made the event special. In “One More Thing,” Novak’s wry sense of humor is on full display, tackling a wide range of topics such as a rematch between the tortoise and the hare, missed romantic connections and why you should only ever wear a red T-shirt. Between the in-

NICOLE JARVIS/THE HOYA

“The Office” writer B.J. Novak’s new collection of short stories showcases his impressive comedic talent as well as his skill as a storyteller.

NEW IN TOWN

Tasting Global Cultures One City at a Time

F

ood is amazing. It’s also a mul- bank. Many cultural groups and food tifaceted topic; it goes beyond groups on campus hold events open the dish itself, reflecting as well to all Georgetown students throughthe culture that took part in creating out the year. Georgetown Gastroit. Having grown up in large cities all nomes is a club on campus devoted my life — Yangon, New York City and to creating an appreciation for food D.C. — I am used to being surround- through cooking and eating it. The ed by a million different cuisines group has lined up a variety of interavailable at all times. For example, esting events this semester, includalthough Burmese food has its own ing “Classy College” and “Molecular identity, it is greatly influenced by Gastronomy.” Hilltop Tacos has a the cultures of its neighboring coun- similar mission; they often teach tries. Growing up, my favorite dishes people how to make authentic tacos came from all over Asia; I enjoyed and thereby make consuming them mohinga (Myanmar’s national dish all the more enjoyable. of rice noodles and fish soup) in the On the other hand, some students morning, aloo poori (an Indian curry would rather just eat the food. In dish with fried bread) that case, Georgetown for lunch and green University Grilling Socipapaya salad (a staple, ety’s burgers are an obspicy Thai dish made vious and classic choice from shredded unripe for Friday afternoons. papaya) at night.

In terms of ethnic food, My love of different many different cultural types of food followed groups also hold events me to America. In New where eating is a primaEng Gin Moe York, I was exposed to ry aspect of the meeting. the same Asian dishes I had loved The Asian American Student Asand grown up with, as well as many sociation has an event series called different types of cuisines. Only in “Taste of Asia” where it serves a parthere could someone find Greek, ticular type of food from a different Thai, American and African restau- part of Asia for dinner, highlightrants all within a five-block radius. ing its culture and cuisine. South I fully took advantage of my city’s Asian Society also holds events with unique circumstances and usually ethnic food; I once went to an event ended up trying a new restaurant or where it served delicious samotype of cuisine every week with fam- sas, triangular pastries filled with ily or friends. I loved that whenever spiced potatoes and mango lassi, I ate at a restaurant, I was not only a mango yogurt-based drink. The experiencing a certain type of food, European Club holds dinners with but also its corresponding culture. diplomats at their respective embasWhen it came time for me to ap- sies, and the menu reflects the speply to colleges, I was immediately cific culture and country. Previous drawn to universities in large cos- embassies that it has visited include mopolitan cities. I was attracted to the French and Greek embassies.

D.C.’s vibrant restaurant life and I am a firm believer in trying new its many possibilities. Motivated things and that food is always the by a desire to find alternatives to best avenue to engage people and na“O’ Donovan’s on the Waterfront” tions. Student groups at Georgetown on Friday nights, I usually go out have done it right, making sure that to dinner every other Friday night. students hardly have to strain themJust within a 15-minute walking selves to get a taste of their internadistance, Georgetown students can tional community; we do not have experience delectable Mediterra- to go out of our way or pay much in nean food at Neyla, Spanish tapas order to experience completely new at Bodega, Thai curries at Bangkok cultures and cuisines.

Joe’s and authentic Italian pizza at Il Canale.

Eng Gin Moe is a sophomore in However, it is definitely possible to the School of Foreign Service. experience different cuisines with- NEW IN TOWN appears every other out leaving campus or breaking the Friday in the guide.

credibly funny lines, though, the common element in the stories is that each contains serious, emotional reflections that make you stop and think about life in a new way.

During the talk, Novak described how these were stories he came up with while working on scripts for “The Office,” but he wasn’t able to apply their concepts to the already familiar characters of Dunder Mifflin. Thus, the spirit of the show is visible, “playing with the balance between meaningful and meaningless” in ways that strike both a reader’s heart and funny bone with equal force.

“They’re not all funny all the way throughout. Don’t worry: If you’re not laughing at some point, I’m still super talented,” Novak said.

Possibly the best example of this is the story simply titled, “Sophia.” It tackles a question that has intrigued science fiction writers for years — what will happen to the man who discovers that an artificially intelligent being is capable of love? In Novak’s world, that man is a lonely, self-described “romantic” who buys a sex robot named Sophia that falls in love with him. And so he returns her. This twist on a pretty highbrow concept could easily have been turned into a complete farce, but Novak’s writing manages to steer away from bawdiness; it instead presents a moving and even melancholy story of how we react to love and the folly of our perception of the infinite.

“The line between comedy and drama is not interesting. It’s about grounding the story in truth,” Novak said.

That truth can be many things, and it certainly doesn’t mean that the truth can’t be funny or even a little bit subversive. “One More Thing” has stories about normal everyday people, famous people (Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, John Grisham and Chris Hansen, just to name a few), old people, young people and dead people. My favorite besides “Sophia” may be the story titled “The Comedy Central Roast of Nelson Mandela,” which had me almost peeing my pants from laughing.

B.J. Novak is a funny guy. This has been established. But what “One More Thing” proves is that he is more than just Ryan from “The Office” and more than just that guy with two lines in “Inglourious Basterds.” Novak is a gifted storyteller and has a bright future ahead of him in the weird and crazy world of books.

‘FLY BIRDIE’ Free

After the creator of “Flappy Bird” removed the addictive and controversial game from the App Store, several app creators jumped at the opportunity to create a feasible rip off. The best imitation of this game on the market is “Fly BirdieFlappy Bird Flyer.” Instead of maneuvering a virtual cartoon bird, one will navigate a shadow of a bird.

Those who want to join in on the “Flappy Bird” craze but missed the opportunity to download the original should not distress. You too can mindlessly waste away hours of your time with this new version of the game.

NBC OLYMPICS HIGHLIGHTS AND RESULTS Free As college students with busy schedules, it is understandable that it’s easy to miss many of the happenings of the Winter Olympics. With the NBC app, fans of the Olympics will be able to keep count of the winners of each event, the schedule and the highlights.

The best feature of the app is the ability to live stream certain events. It’s completely free, and features great details to keep you completely up to date with the Sochi happenings, including news, photos and videos for every sport.

PENDO Free Pendo is the new, sleek way for all those detail-obsessed Georgetown students to keep up to date with their notes, plans and schedules. Backed by iCloud, it allows you to pen down any ideas that come to you, and it will understand and sync to your calendar any events you orally tell it. With easy shortcuts to add photos or share notes and ideas with friends through email and social media, the pretty, simple layout is sure to bring out your inner, organized, obsessive self.

DIY TIP

RIBBON WALL ORGANIZER

momtastic.com Hang up the cluttered papers on your desk in a more aesthetically pleasing way by making a ribbon board. Take a large board — either an old piece of cardboard or a foam poster board — and cover it in wrapping paper or a pretty piece of paper. Lay out the first ribbon so that it covers the board horizontally and wrap the edges around the back of the board. Secure the ends on the back with tape. Then, duct tape the entire length of the ribbon to turn the ribbon into a pocket. Add the next ribbon to overlap the previous one so that it covers the duct tape and repeat the process until it covers the board. Then tape the board to the wall. Perfect for storing all your spare papers,the ribbon board also provides a way to make your room more colorful.

FLOWERING LILY PADS | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

the guide

friday, february 14, 2014

THE HOYA

B5

RESTAURANt review

New Bistro Pairs Bowling With Quality Dishes PINSTRIPES



3222 M St. NW Cuisine: Italian-American $$$$ Sara LEE

Special to The Hoya

In the dining world there seems to be an understood caveat; sacrifices in food and quality of service come hand in hand with dine-in entertainment. When we were younger, Chuck E. Cheese was the place to go have dinner, and it was magical. We were handed a cupful of golden tokens and released into a jungle of screaming kids to play skee ball and whack-a-mole. We couldn’t have cared less that our dinner was a pan of cheap, greasy pizza.

Fast forward some years: We are still willing to make that trade-off at Dave and Busters, which offers a riotous time bowling and arcading in exchange for slow table service and moderately edible food. Fortunately, Pinstripes seems to be the surprising exception to this disappointing phenomenon of giving up quality food and service for fun.

Pinstripes is tucked into the end of Wisconsin Avenue, right next to Paul Bakery. The brick building opens up to a welcoming area reminiscent of a hotel lobby, and the multitude of stimuli seen upon first entering can be initially overwhelming. Directly at the front is a modern bar stand with stool seating, multiple flat-screen TVs and people

clustered with wine glasses in hand.

Further ahead, with bright lights, waiters and chefs bustling about, is an open kitchen. To the left is a staircase that leads to an upstairs section of the establishment reserved for special events.

Although the layout may be confusing, the wait staff is very helpful, making sure all guests make their way to the dine-in section on the right.

Pinstripes fully embraces their theme of modern Italian-American. The sitand-dine area is minimalistic — their walls are tan and lack any sort of decoration, save an entire wall reminiscent of a classic Italian cobblestone street — and much more quiet than the lobby. The tables are a simple, light-colored wood sparsely set with metal salt and pepper shakers and a single candle shrouded in translucent glass. However, the decor is a tad too austere. The walls, so new that you can still smell the paint, seemed to beg for a single painting or decoration.

The tables could have been decorated and made to much better reflect the restaurant’s Italian theme.

However, whatever is lacking in adornment is made up for by the terrific service.

The waiters and waitresses are uniformed in purple button ups and black aprons and pants, which really adds to the classic and upscale feel of the restaurant. The

SARA LEE FOR THE HOYA

Although Pinstripes stands out for its bowling alley and bocce courts, it sacrifices nothing when it comes to the quality of the food. Both the ahi tuna salad (left) and the s’mores plate (right) are delicious. wait staff is attentive and never fails to refill drinks, answer questions about the menu and check on the table’s status.

The food is the expected Italian-American, but with surprisingly affordable prices. The tables are immediately given a complimentary starter of garlic bread with pesto dip. The bread is not freshly baked and could have been improved with a simple toasting; however, the pesto dip was fresh with a perfectly blended balance of basil and extra virgin olive oil.

I opted for the classic spaghetti and meatballs with meat sauce ($13). I could tell after one forkful that the spaghetti noodles were house-made and cooked to a perfect chewy al dente. The sauce was not heavy at all, instead offering

RESTAURANT review

a perfect blend of herbal flavors and sweetness. The ahi tuna salad ($14) was visually stunning; four large slices of rare ahi tuna spanned the plate along with a fresh salad and homemade baguette croutons. The medley of textures and tastes was borderline genius. The crunch of cucumbers and bitterness of arugula combined with the pop of sweetness from the grapes meshed harmoniously with the salty, crunchy croutons and soft, chewy tuna. However, the tuna was a little too rare and needed a little more seasoning. We gave into our inner child and finished off the meal with an order of s’mores ($7). This indoor version of the classic campfire treat featured a plate of four beautiful

graham cracker sandwiches, with an inch of toasted marshmallow in the center and liquid chocolate on the side.

Although I didn’t participate in bowling or Bocce, an Italian game similar to bowling, the entire back area of the restaurant is devoted to games. The bowling and bocce area is dimly lit and very modern, and the black plush couches are filled with people ranging from families to young groups to couples. It is simultaneously family-friendly and hip enough for a younger crowd.

Pinstripes certainly does not sacrifice food quality for their game section. The multitasking eatery successfully blends urban entertainment with affordable, delicious and classic food.

RECIPES

citrus grilled chicken

SEI

Though on the pricey side, SEI delivers on its commitment to fresh ingredients, interesting flavor combinations and delectable dishes. The Korean kalbe tacos with barbecued short ribs are no exception.

Extravagant Asian Restaurant Creatively Fuses Flare and Flavor SEI

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444 Seventh St. NW Cuisine: Sushi/Asian Fusion $$$$ emily chiu

Special to The Hoya

SEI, a sushi bar and Asian fusion restaurant, is one of a trio of sister restaurants, including OYA and SAX, in Washington, D.C. After eating there recently, SEI’s quality of food and service convinced me that it is easily one of the best restaurants in the district. The restaurant takes dining to another level with its finely crafted dishes, and I’m sure OYA and SAX are equally as impressive. Each restaurant has its own distinct style and type of cuisine — OYA features Asian-French fusion and SAX is a French lounge — but the welcoming staff and inviting environment can be expected in any of the three.

SEI’s one drawback is that it is relatively high-end and expensive. With a menu that consists of mostly sushi and tapas, you should expect to spend a lot of money here if you’re actually looking for a full meal.

Despite our party arriving late, the restaurant still held our reservation for about half an hour after our scheduled time, even though it was during prime dinner hours on a Friday night.

Although we were late, we were seated immediately and greeted with a complimentary salmon sashimi and mixed drink cocktail sampler. The waitress was attentive and knowledgeable about

the menu, offering suggestions about appetizers and answering questions as we attempted to choose our sushi. Miso soup ($6) and a variety of salads, including a papaya salad with green papaya, pickled lotus root, peanuts and dried shimp ($8) are available to begin with, and with the variety of entrees — from the traditional to the bizarre — the small plates are ideal, as you don’t have to be as selective. Stick with something familiar, like the pan-seared salmon with panko crust, lemongrass and Thai basil pesto ($10), or be more adventurous with crispy alligator ribs, served with sweet soy sauce ($14). You can also accessorize your plates with everything from Brussel sprouts seasoned with peanuts, kimchee and lime ($6) to miso caramelized kabocha, an Asian winter squash, with miso brown sugar butter ($6).

The dishes offered are multidimensional, combining different flavors and textures, and the presentation is also very aesthetically pleasing. I opted for the Korean kalbe tacos ($12), a delicious blend of barbecued short ribs, kimchee slaw and sriracha sour cream. Unfortunately, the dish consisted of only two tacos, which was disappointing due to the relatively high price and because it left me unsatisfied.

I followed the tacos with the crispy duck legs ($13), which were rich and succulent, served

busycooks.about.com For an easy and tasty meal that incorporates an array of flavors, try making some citrus grilled chicken breasts. With a minimal amount of ingredients, a marinade of sweet honey with zesty citrus juices and an easy prep process, making and eating this meal is sure to be a delight. The recipe calls for a grill, but if you don’t have one or aren’t lucky enough to own a George Foreman, sauteing the chicken in a regular stove top pan will work just as well.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup orange juice 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons oil 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine the honey, orange and lemon juices and the salt, pepper, garlic and oil in a zip-close bag. Shake or massage the bag to mix the ingredients together.

Add the chicken breasts to the bag, seal the bag and turn it to coat the chicken in the marinade.

Place the chicken in the bag and leave in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to marinate fully.

After 1 to 2 hours, remove the chicken from the marinade and grill on a 2-sided grill for 4 to 6 minutes ( double the time if grilling on a regular grill) or sautee the chicken in a pan until cooked all the way through.

with sweet soy and shiitake chips. They were divine. The skin was as crispy as promised while the meat was tender and cooked to perfection; although it is described as a small plate, it was the perfect entree.

What can’t be passed up, however, is the sushi. Although pretty pricey, you can design your own sushi roll with either white or black rice and main ingredients ranging from roasted duck to fried oyster ($7). Enjoy fruit with your sushi? One of their specialty rolls, the S.O.S., is stuffed with salmon, strawberries, avocado and an orange miso sauce.

Pair your drink with one of their creative takes on a basic cocktail. Their lavender margarita ($12) is a blend of blanco tequila, lavender and vanilla infused simple syrup, egg white and lime, while the liquid wasabi ($12) contains unfiltered sake, vodka, lime juice and habanero and ginger infused simple syrup.

Their extensive sake and wine list is also perfect for the over-21 crowd.

The final verdict: SEI is a mustvisit, although probably better for a celebration or a special night out. The dishes are so wellcrafted and enticing that SEI is not a place you’ll only visit once.

A reservation is recommended, since it’s on the streets of Chinatown and can get packed on weekend nights.

To use the remaining marinade as a sauce, bring it to a boil in a small saucepan and continue boiling for 3 to 4 minutes.

grand reserve chardonnay

ultimatewineshop.com Nothing pairs better with citrus and chicken than a dry, oaky chardonnay. Originally from the wine region of Burgundy, France, chardonnay has become the best-selling wine variety in the United States and is widely produced along the West Coast. The Kendall-Jackson-Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2011 ($18.99) is an affordable exemplar among these “new world” chardonnays and will bring out all the flavors of this excellent meal.

cherub’s cup

cocktails.about.com This Valentine’s Day, embrace the pink, love-filled holiday with a drink that captures the spirit. Sweet and made with a variety of different alcohol, this cocktail is sure to impress that special someone or prove to be the perfect sipper for a day spent with friends. The fruitiness of the cherub’s cup makes it ideal as a dessert or as a delicious and indulgent pairing with citrus chicken.

1 part St. Germain elderflower liqueur 2 parts vodka, citrus vodka or Hendricks Gin 3/4 part fresh lemon juice 1/4 shot simple syrup 1 part muddled strawberry Top with Brut Rose Sparkling Wine Strawberry for garnish Shake the St. Germain elderflower liqueur, vodka or gin together with the lemon juice, simple syrup and muddled strawberry and strain over ice in a glass. Top with Brut Rose or Brut Champagne and garnish with a strawberry.

B6

the guide

THE HOYA

Friday, february 14, 2014

Album review

movie review

So Long, See You Tomorrow



Bombay Bicycle Club

Joseph Kuperschmidt Hoya Staff Writer

Bombay Bicycle Club, as the band’s name might imply, is determined to sound worldly and dynamic. On their fourth studio album, “So Long, See You Tomorrow,” this British indierock band has taken influence from all over the globe to create a consistent sound that is both foreign and familiar. Teetering on the line between rock and electronica, “So Long, See You Tomorrow” exhibits originality without restraint, and while imperfect, the album is just intriguing enough to deserve a listen.

Opening the album, “Overdone” assaults the ears with full force. Layers of complex sounds — including a sample of Indian music — crash into each other, and fortunately, a fascinating song comes out of the collision.

FLICKR

The indie-rock band’s new album uses an original mix of sounds.

However, these in-your-face tracks become far too common, especially in the beginning of the album.

“It’s Alright Now” is similarly complex but catchy, and “Carry Me,” the most explicitly electronic song of the bunch, goes on a bit too long.

Although none of these songs are individually bad, hearing them in succession can become tedious and taxing, diminishing the excitement of their uniqueness.

Thankfully, the pace slows down, starting with “Home by Now.” Lead vocalist Jack Steadman duets nicely with Lucy Rose, a guest on five of the album’s songs. The track is mildly sweet without losing too much of the edge of the album’s earlier songs.

“Whenever, Wherever” accomplishes the same feat, keeping down the tempo without losing energy.

“Luna” and “Feel,” the two strongest tracks on the album, feel like the best expression of what the band is attempting to do. They incorporate an international vibe into the band’s electronic-rock sound without either aspect becoming lost or muddled.

“Luna,” a playful ode to the night, as well as the album’s first single, never tries to be more complicated than it needs to be, and it benefits from being the set’s shortest song. “Feel” smoothly integrates the music of Eastern Europe, resulting in an infectious, festive track.

A mostly traditional piano ballad, “Eyes Off You” seems a little out of place amongst the unconventional beats that take up most of the album, especially given the song’s blandness.

It is an unexpected, and perhaps jarring, addition to the playlist. The band appears to agree, as halfway through this nothing-special track electronic antics return to give it a faint pulse before dying out completely.

universal island records

To bring this interesting set to end is the title track “So Long, See You Tomorrow.”The song, an overlong goodbye that never quite takes off, gives the album a gratifyingly soft close despite its flaws. On most of the album, the lyrics play second fiddle to the intricate instrumentals.

If the band were to release the same 10 tracks with completely different words, most listeners probably wouldn’t notice. Typically, the lyrics nevcoer go beyond generalizations and hypotheticals, but they also never become criminally cliche. They offer another coat of sound, and perhaps purposely, they are not a heavy layer.

With so much originality and risk, “So Long, See You Tomorrow” is easily distinguishable from work by other bands. At the same time, it can become difficult to differentiate one track from another amongst all this experimentation. Bombay Bicycle Club, now four albums into their professional music career, has developed a distinct artistic identity, and has figured out how to showcase it. But often, songs sound like reiterations of the same musical ideas. Still, the inventiveness and unpredictability of these ideas does a lot to make up for their repetition.

COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde star in this tense and passion-filled drama about young love that goes beyond a summer fling.

Endless Love



girl meets world

Rethinking On-Screen Love Lessons

I

am no expert on love. I’ll be spending this Valentine’s Day as the ultimate single girl cliche — watching Netflix and drinking wine with my roommate. However, all that Netflix watching has made me pretty arrogant when it comes to giving advice about things that I only know about because I saw them in a movie. Thus, I’m compiling the best and worst advice television and movies have to offer on love in the hopes that it may also help you, whether you’re spending Valentine’s Day with a special someone or Frank Underwood.

Good advice: Breaks do not work.

This might be the first lesson I ever learned while watching “Friends” at an age that, in retrospect, was inappropriately young. Ross and Rachel went “on a break” at Rachel’s behest. Ross slept with someone during that time. Rachel finds out about this after they get back together, and Ross confused by how upset she is memorably shouts, “We were on a break!”

The line is played for laughs throughout the series’ run, but it gets to the root of the problem with breaks. No one has any idea what they mean. The two people on a break are neither together nor not together, neither split up nor seeing each other. Asking someone to go on a break is really just delaying the inevitable — chances are, you and your beau aren’t Ross and Rachel — so suck it up and talk about it without adding the extra drama.

Bad advice: Be arrogant.

You’re not Han Solo. When your girlfriend says she loves you, answer with “I know” and you will not be going home happy.

Good advice: You can’t control the

people you love.

While this is a common theme, “500 Days of Summer” illustrates this most brilliantly. Tom wants Summer to be his girlfriend and to love him unconditionally, even though she makes it clear that she doesn’t feel the same. Only after she dumps him does Tom realize that he never really knew Summer at all. He was so focused on seeing her in one particular way that he never saw who she actually was.

Victoria Edel Bad advice: Use grand romantic gestures.

In “Big Fish,” Edward Bloom fills a meadow with his beloved’s favorite flowers in order to prove the depth of his love. In “10 Things I Hate About You,” Heath Ledger’s Patrick hijacks the PA system to serenade Julia Stiles’ Kat. Everyone in “Love Actually” relies on these, as if they have no other way of communicating.

Grand romantic gestures are the foundation of Meredith and Derek’s relationship on “Grey’s Anatomy.” The characters of “How I Met Your Mother” also use this trope a lot, with rain dances, stolen horns, marching bands and elaborate proposals. The last one doesn’t sound so bad, until you remember that Barney isn’t even dating Robin when he proposes.

That only works in TV land.

Do not do this unless you are almost positive that it will be well-received. Rejection stings, but public rejection stings a lot more.

Good advice: Leave something at his house.

Like Cinderella’s prince, he’ll have to find you the next day to return it. That’s the perfect excuse for another date.

Bad advice: Men and women can’t be friends.

It’s not just “When Harry Met Sally” that’s extolling this trite wisdom; rather, tons of television shows and movies are supporting the dubious theorem.

Jim loves Pam on “The Office,” Ducky loves Andie in “Pretty in Pink,” Nick loves Jess on “New Girl,” Hermione loves Ron (no matter what J.K. Rowling says), Tony loves Pepper in “Iron Man” and even Buzz Lightyear loves Jessie in “Toy Story 3.”

But, depite what these examples suggest, men and women can be friends. Do not view all people of the opposite gender as merely potential romantic interests, or you’ll miss out on a lot of beautiful, platonic friendships.

Good advice: You don’t have to always be right.

Mike Birbiglia (COL ’00) has a new stand-up special on Netflix entitled “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend,” which you should definitely watch. Birbiglia’s character is adamantly opposed to marriage, but ends up hitched anyway and explains, “I didn’t believe in marriage and I still don’t. But I believe in her, and I’ve given up on the idea of being right.”

All relationships are, at least in part, about compromise. And when you’re obsessed with winning, it keeps you from communicating, trusting and loving.

Let it go.

Victoria Edel is a senior in the College. GIRL MEETS WORLD appears every other Friday in the guide.

BEST BETS

Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Gabriella Wilde Directed by: Shana Feste Bisi Orisamolu Hoya Staff Writer

“Endless Love,” inspired by the 1981 adaptation of the novel by Scott Spencer, will renew your faith in movies about young people in love.

The film follows a story of two lovers just out of high school who are naive and wholesome enough to convince everyone else that their summer romance is actually true love. And for once, no situational gimmicks are used to pull you into the plot.

Jade Butterfield (Gabriella Wilde) is a graduating senior who has spent the last four years either lost in a book or with her family. Jade worships her father, Hugh (Bruce Greenwood), and credits him with keeping their family together after the death of her older brother, Chris (Patrick Johnson). Jade, a sad, sheltered, daddy’s girl, only gets the courage to come out of her shell when she meets David Elliot (Alex Pettyfer).

Sparks fly between the two of them almost immediately, and they begin a whirlwind romance.

Jade’s father immediately dislikes David when he discovers the two of them in a closet together. From there, the relationship between David and Hugh only gets worse, especially when Jade decides to give up an internship opportunity to spend more time with David. Their endless love becomes forbidden love as Jade’s overprotective and overbearing father aims to protect his well bred, high-achieving daughter from her working class lover. “Endless Love” is a very Romeo and Juliet type of love story, complete with a remake of the scene from Shakespeare’s play where Juliet talks to Romeo from her balcony.

It’s not so much the plot that carries this movie but the way that each event unfolds. There are a lot of unexpected twists and turns that keep the movie from seeming dry or repetitive of other films in the genre.

The character development was very good, enough to make you genu-

inely attached to the characters and their saga. The actors definitely know how to pull off a passionate drama. You can’t help but feel sympathy for even the most flawed characters: a tyrannical father that sleeps in his dead son’s room, a boy who is haunted by his parent’s failed marriage, an unhappy housewife who has given up on her lifetime passion of writing. It’s much more than just a simple tale about love. These characters remind us that everyone has a story.

The soundtrack features artists including Franz Ferdinand and Tegan and Sara and does a good job of inducing the appropriate emotions at the right times. It makes you smile, makes you sad and makes you angry — at times, members of the audience were crying. However, the more intense scenes are alleviated by comic relief through the form of David’s best friend, Mace (Dayo Okeniyi).

Perhaps what I liked most about “Endless Love” is that it captures the essence of youth in a very convincing way. Since it is a remake of a film from the ‘80s and the second adaptation of the novel by Scott Spencer, it’s impressive that the film remains so relatable and refreshing. In one of their first interactions, David, Jade and Mace are speeding down the road in a “borrowed” car. It’s moments like these in the film that resonate with the audience’s memories of their own teenage years. We can all relate to David and Jade being caught in a time in their lives when everything seems desperately important and urgent and there is reason in even the most irrational decisions. Beyond that, “Endless Love” challenges the assumption that older generations are wiser when it comes to all issues concerning love. A little over-the-top and dramatic at times? Perhaps. But this Valentine’s Day, perhaps it would do us all some good to be inspired by these hopeless romantics.

ON CAMPUS

Valentine’s Day Open Mic

Friday Music Series

GU Dance Company

Careers for the Common Good

WHERE: 1318 36th St. NW WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.

INFO: Facebook PRICE: Free

WHERE: McNeir Hall When: Friday, 1:15 p.m.

INFO: events.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

WHERE: Davis Performing Arts Center When: Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.

INFO: events.georgetown.edu Price: $8 students/$10 general

WHERE: Fisher Colloquim WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

INFO: events.georgetown.edu Price: Free (RSVP Required)

Whether you’re going solo, or you need a place to take your date, stop by the Black House’s Open Mic on Valentine’s Day. Prominent author Rashim Darden will perform a piece, and the event will also showcase artists from The Corpus Collective, a spoken word poetry group and Graffiti DC, a slam team from the Washington area and other performers.

Husband and wife vocal duo Richard Giarusso and Allison Mondel will be presenting songs of the Romantic era, including works

by Schubert and Mahler. Both are acclaimed by the Washington Post as “otherworldly” and “perfectly controlled.” This performance of German masterpieces is a classy way to spend your Friday afternoon.

Georgetown University Dance Company performs its annual formal production, presenting nine pieces of different styles including jazz and ballet. The show will feature performances by the Phantoms and Black Movement Dance Theatre. Entitled “Transformations,” the event features 17 dancers and will be directed by Professor Miya Hisaka Silva.

Sponsored by the Cawley Career Education Center and the Center for Social Justice, this event will bring Georgetown alumni to share advice for students interested in fields related to service and social justice. Including representatives from nonprofits and education areas, this networking opportunity will allow students to compare their situation to those previously in their shoes.

the guide

friday, february 14, 2014

Winter’s Tale

THE HOYA

movie review

MUSIC

New Releases



Starring: Colin Farrell, Jennifer Connelly Directed by: Akiva Goldsman Hannah Kaufman Special to The Hoya

Akiva Goldsman’s “Winter’s Tale” is a jumble of corny concepts mashed together in an unoriginal, forgettable tale of magical true love. The film follows the story of a poor immigrant boy meeting a rich, red-headed girl and beginning an affair that reveals to them the meaning of true love and life, only to find themselves hindered by a malicious antagonist that must be overcome. This fantasy romance stays painfully true to the cliched plots and performances that plague the genre.

From the introductory lines of the movie, one already feels the effects of a superficial dialogue that becomes a chronic problem for the rest of the film. Its lack of originality takes on a tone of forced sagacity as a woman’s voice preaches to the audience about abstract messages concerning the meaning of life and death. This lackluster opening is followed by two hours of unconvincing plot, where Peter Lake (Colin Farrell) strives to bring back to life his deceased love Beverly Penn (Jessica Brown Findlay). Characters readily accept mystical concepts that randomly make their way into the story, leaving viewers to wonder exactly how sane these people are. The human world is supposedly mixed with an underlying secret world of spiritual beings, and yet the characters who encounter

these supernatural forces take only seconds to incorporate them into their believable reality.

Likewise, Peter’s time jump from the 20th century to the present day is a rushed and unexplained endeavor. It focuses solely on his objective to find and complete a mysterious “destiny,” glazing over the technological, cultural and emotional gaps that similar time travel movies like “Enchanted” deal with extensively. With such a gaping plothole as this, it’s hard to repress your inner skeptic.

In a movie with big names like Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jennifer Connelly and Russell Crowe, one would think that the actors could carry the movie with brilliant performances. However, while they may nail their diverse accents in the immigrant-heavy 20th-century New York setting, they are never able to pull the movie beyond its second-rate script. Colin Farrell’s delivery of Peter Lake encounters the same problems as his earlier role in “Total Recall”: the character remains flat and completely predictable within the confines of the plot. Russell Crowe takes on a malevolent persona similar to the one he adopted for “Les Misérables,” yet his idiosyncrasies are lost in an agonizingly stereotypical bad-guy character. The actors are unable to save the plot from its inherent flaws, which stagnates at an unsatisfactory depth for the duration of the movie.

RoboCop

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman Directed by: José Padilha Flor Lee

Special to The Hoya

Remakes are rarely known to trump the originals, and this aphorism rings true for director José Padilha’s take on the 1987 film, “RoboCop.” The newly released movie conveys the same underlying themes

‘BRIDGES’ BROODS 

COURTESY VILLAGE ROADSHOW PICTURES

Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findlay fail to raise this movie into something noteworthy, instead getting pulled down by the poor script.

In the midst of so many plot plotholes and mediocre performances, several minor highlights are able to temporarily break the corny romance mold. Light is a major theme in the movie, connecting life and death with the greater magical forces of the universe. The lighting of each scene becomes central to the story’s meaning, and its subtle changes capture one’s attention. Moments where street lamps seem to glow brighter and where light reflects brilliantly across the room are pleasing to the eye, and the film succeeds visually in this way.

The costumes are stereotypical, with the henchmen wearing threatening black coats and top hats that always match perfectly.

However, this apparent downside

at times works in favor of the movie. Coupled with the vivid lighting, the costumes give the movie the potential to be experienced like a familiar childhood fairytale.

Furthermore, the over-the-top dialogue occasionally adds moments of awkward everyday sayings that break the seriousness of the situation and add humor to spots that are sorely in need of life and originality. Thus, the film offers glimpses of where it could have been successful in its stylized genre.

All in all, “Winter’s Tale” is a more magical, less relatable version of “Titanic’s” classic love story.

Without unpredictable plot twists or any significant character developments, “Winter’s Tale” can be added to the crowded ranks of its unexceptional contemporaries.

movie Review



as the first version: the ambiguous nature of free will, the conflict between the mind and heart and the corruption rooted in entrepreneurial practices. However, in a smart attempt to modernize its premise, “RoboCop” (2014) focuses more on the political aspects of crime and portrays how biased media and certain marketing tactics can sway

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public opinion.

In 2028, the world’s leading tech business OmniCorp introduces robot drones and plants them in Iran to supposedly prevent violence and terrorism. Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton), the CEO of OmniCorp, wants to increase his profits by incorporating the drones into domestic security protocol. This cannot be done due to the Dreyfuss Act, a piece of legislation that outlaws the use of robots in the United States.

Senator Dreyfuss (Zach Grenier) does not want a nation regulated by emotionless machines, regardless of Sellars’ claims that robots can efficiently eradicate all crime — starting with crime-ridden Detroit, the home to the world’s dirtiest thugs.

Noticing that the majority of Americans concur with Dreyfuss, Sellars

COLUMBIA PICTURES

The remake of the 1987 original “RoboCop” features exciting action scenes and visual effects, but it fails to effectively develop the characters, despite starring the likes of Gary Oldman.

collaborates with renowned scientist Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) to “put the man in the machine” and names his new invention RoboCop. When protagonist Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) — a dedicated cop, father and husband — is suddenly in critical condition, OmniCorp takes him in to create the RoboCop prototype.

The best action movies should not only showcase impressive visual effects and entertaining combat scenes, but also develop meaningful relationships between characters to bring purpose to the chaos of the film. One of the main issues with “RoboCop” is its lack of character development. It was obvious that Murphy’s wife Clara (Abbie Cornish) and son were merely props to further depict him as a virtuous and respectable man, and not much can be said about Murphy’s friendship with fellow cop Jack Lewis (Michael K. Williams). This could be due to the movie’s central focus on Murphy’s internal struggles. Additionally, the excessively cheesy performances led to several cringe-worthy scenes. Kinnaman’s acting actually improved as his character became more robotic and less human. The ,pvie was unintentionally humorous in its attempts at satire: The remake attempts satire on media and how it rarely presents the whole truth to society, but its lack of true wit results in shallow humor.

On a more positive note, when judged solely on its action scenes, “RoboCop” did its job in successfully entertaining the audience. The graphics and visual effects utilized in the film were impressive and definitely portrayed the futuristic elements of 2028. It also presents a fresh take on the original movie; it adopts a completely new focus and develops the battle between machine and the man inside. Padilha successfully found a safe median between redundancy and irrelevancy, in terms of producing a remake; the movie wasn’t too similar to its prototype, but it didn’t completely abandon the original premise. However, it lacked the rich meaning and dark sci-fi qualities entrenched in the 1987 favorite.

New Zealand pop duo Broods has released an impressive debut single, “Bridges.”

With a languid but powerful, thumping beat and shimmering electric melodies, this track perfectly balances a laid back feel with underlying energy. It’s electro-pop at its finest — icy cool with an unforgettable hook and dreamy vocals. The sleek production is striking, and the duo deserves credit for being so confident with spacious and, at times, gentle sounds when electro-pop typically tends to be loud, persistent and demanding. “Bridges” is a surprising, beautiful track that is sure to launch the band into the spotlight.

‘NO ONE’S GONNA LOVE YOU (LIVE)’ BAND OF HORSES  While Band of Horses have always stayed true to their folky core, the band tends to slip up in their studio albums with overproducing their tracks. Now, with their all-live album, “Acoustic at the Ryman (Live),” the band is showing off their true comfort with live performances.

This track is one of their strongest.

The electric ‘90s noise has been replaced by gentle piano playing and stripped-back guitar. The vocals are raw and striking and put across much more successfully the beautiful and emotive lyrics of the song. It will remind you why live music is just so much better.

‘CARISSA’ SUN KIL MOON  This folk-rock act has released their sixth studio album, “Benji,” and the songs are as gratifying as ever. “Carissa” is the most impressive, with instrumentals that bring out the country sound. What makes it a success are the vocals and lyrics. With Mark Kozelek’s deep voice, the song instantly becomes more powerful and convincing. The lyrics of “Carissa” tell the heartbreaking story of a mother’s life cut short at the age of 35. Filled with what Rolling Stone has called “casually devastating lines ... [as] a series of eulogies delivered in real time,” it’s a heart-wrenching song.

Not easy listening by any means — if you’re playing close attention, anyway — but a brave single nonetheless.

‘AUTOMATIC’ MIRANDA LAMBERT  Country girl Miranda Lambert has released her new single with much enthusiasm from her loyal fans.

Featuring her tough yet thoughtful lyrics and a country melody, it’s hard to not be won over by her catchy rhythm and powerful vocals on “Automatic.” Although it is not startlingly unique, the song certainly certainly possesses the key ingredients to be a successful country track. “Automatic” successfully balances the element of live performance through Lambert’s vocals with the sleek instrumental production and is satisfyingly easy listening.

AROUND TOWN SpeakeasyDC’s Sucker for Love

‘Scapin’

portrait of america

‘TWELFTH NIGHT’

WHERE: 9:30 Club WHEN: Friday, 6 p.m.

INFO: 930.com PRICE: $22

WHERE: Source (1835 14th St. NW) WHEN: Friday to Sunday, times vary INFO: constellationtheatre.org PRICE: $15 to $45 depending on seating

WHERE: National Portrait Gallery WHEN: Saturday to Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

INFO: npi.si.edu

WHERE: 9:30 Club WHEN: Monday, 7 p.m.

INFO: 930.com PRICE: $25

SpeakeasyDC, an open mic group, has been highly acclaimed for its heartfelt and hilarious storytelling. Constantly adding to its cast, SpeakeasyDC has a great array of different storytellers all with their own flavor and unique perspective. Their Valentine’s Day show features love stories of all natures, perfect for a great date night.

Constellation Theatre presents an outrageous comedy telling the story of a cunning and clever servant named Scapin. Directed by Kathryn Bryer, “Scapin” is an adaptation of Moliere’s original playwright “Les Fourberies de Scapin” written in 1672. A wild, physical comedy, the play buzzes with energy from its characters and numerous improv scenes.

Only open this weekend, this exhibit displays the diversity and depth of American culture in a 12-foot multimedia American flag. Created

by David Datuna, this flag incorporates Google Glass. While wearing these glasses, Datuna’s flag comes to life revealing historical and contemporary American figures through visual and interactive mediums.

Head out to Arlington this weekend to see the Synetic Theater present a special twist on a classic Shakespeare play. “Twelfth Night” tells the story of two fraternal twins, Violet and Sebastian, who are shipwrecked and separated. What ensues is a timelessly comedic tale of mistaken identity, gender confusion and unrequited love.

But this time, it’s set in the roaring ’20s!

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Sports

THE HOYA

Friday, FEBRUARY 14, 2014

women’s basketball

down to the wire

Last-Second Win for Pirates Team USA Impresses

In 1st Olympic Game

Carolyn Maguire Hoya Staff Writer

With six seconds remaining in the game, the Georgetown women’s basketball team had the opportunity to defeat Seton Hall (14-9, 5-7 Big East). The Hoyas (8-17, 2-11 Big East) were down 72-71 but had possession of the ball with time for one final shot. Freshman forward Faith Woodard got a shot off, but the would-be, game-winning jumper rimmed out as time expired.

“All 40 minutes were significant — every play,” Head Coach Jim Lewis said. “Not just the last shot that went in or didn’t go in.”

Wednesday’s game — which was started eight hours early because of the winter storm threat — was Georgetown’s to win. They led by as many as 13 points and had a seven-point advantage with less than three minutes remaining in the game. But the Hoyas were unable to finish the game strongly, committing costly turnovers and missing key free throws.

“We were in the bonus and needed to make free throws but we didn’t,” Lewis said. “We took some ill-advised shots that we didn’t need to take. It is easy to shoot a jump shot, but it’s not always smart to take the jump shot.”

Seton Hall took advantage of these miscues and with 10 seconds remaining, took the lead on a layup by junior forward Bra’Shey Ali. “We lacked interior defense [in the closing minutes],” Lewis said.

“This started from dribble penetration from the perimeter; so it is not just a center or a forward — it is the entire team.”

At the end of the first half the Hoyas held a 35-27 advantage, as the Georgetown defense played with a lot of energy and shut down the Seton Hall offense. The Pirates responded in the second half, though, and dominated inside. They penetrated the seams in the Hoyas’ defense, which gave them easy layup opportunities.

Seton Hall also outrebounded the Hoyas 20-14 in the second half. The Pirates’ second-half offensive rebounds led to 12 second-chance points while the Hoyas only managed five secondchance points.

“We knew rebounding would be the telling factor in the

O

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Sophomore guard Logan Battle scored a career-high 17 points in Georgetown’s 72-71 loss against Seton Hall. game,” Lewis said. “Rebounding is not about athleticism. It is not about who can jump the highest; it is about fundamentals. We missed too many fundamental block outs which allowed them to get offensive rebounds.”

Throughout the game, the Pirates defense overwhelmed the Hoyas. They forced 19 Georgetown turnovers and had nine steals.

“Seton Hall, to their credit, is good at what they do — pressure and stealing the ball,” Lewis said.

“They are number one in the conference in steals.”

Sophomore forward Logan Battle had a breakout game for the Hoyas, scoring 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting off the bench.

“Logan has worked hard to come back from the injury,” Lewis said. “Logan is really not a typical player. Her basketball personality is one of poise and composure. She was productive today in the way that she can play the game as we all know, and we need to have that from her consistently. Today she got into her rhythm and was very good.”

Georgetown had three other scorers in double figures — senior co-captain and forward Andrea White, freshman center Natalie Butler and freshman forward Faith Woodard. Butler recorded another double-double scoring 17 points and grabbing

12 rebounds, but only managed one point in the final 14:30 of the secondhalf. White finished with 15 points while Woodard had 10.

Seton Hall had three players in double figures. Sophomore forward Tabatha Richardson-Smith led all scorers with 18 points. Senior forward Janee Johnson had 12 points and junior guard KaDeidre Simmons had 14 points.

With the loss, the Hoyas fall to 8-17 on the season and 2-11 in the Big East. Georgetown will return to the court Feb. 15 when it takes on Butler in Indianapolis. In the teams’ last meeting Jan. 11, Georgetown stormed back from a 19-point deficit to down Butler 85-79. White led the Hoyas with 25 points and 10 rebounds while Butler sophomore guard Blaire Langlois had 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the last meeting.

Since that game, the Hoyas have sputtered. They have only managed one win — last Saturday against Xavier. Meanwhile, Butler has gone 4-4, which includes two three-point losses to No. 24 St. John’s.

The Hoyas will look to win their third Big East game Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

“We keep finding out more and more about ourselves.”

Lewis said. “We’re much better than anyone knows, ourselves included.”

n Thursday, Team USA’s men’s ice the tournament because of their combined hockey team won 7-1 in an absolute speed and pure scoring ability.

Another key to Team USA’s scoring will be thrashing of Slovakia. It’s clear that Head Coach Dan Byelsma won’t change the the power play, and after today’s game it is lines after such a great performance, so a clear the power play will depend on Kane. Kane recap of each line in Thursday’s game can was at the center of both of Team USA’s unsucbe used as a preview for how the Ameri- cessful power plays, but he’s an expert at entercans will proceed going forward. ing the zone and setting up his teams’ power Many questioned the line combinations play units smoothly. that Byelsma put together prior to the first Defensively, Byelsma made many USA game. But the team’s performance against hockey fans happy when he decided that Slovakia silenced critics, myself included. the bulk of the defensive minutes would At forward, Byelsma placed Ryan Kesler as go to the four blueliners: Ryan Suter, Paul the top center in between Dustin Brown Martin, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Ryan Mcand Patrick Kane.

Donagh. Each played upwards of 18.5 minPrior to the tournament, I was concerned utes — the majority of the minutes. In the about this decision. I was hoping for Kesler quarterfinals and beyond, assuming team and Kane to be grouped with either team USA reaches that point, Byelsma will most USA’s all around best forlikely continue to rely on ward Zach Parise or Max them because the play of Pacioretty, another pure the top defensemen will scorer who would benefit be key for the Americans from Kane’s great playto knock off any other top making and stickhandling teams. USA goalie Jonaabilities. Admittedly, I was than Quick’s performance wrong. Kesler had a plus was also noteworthy — he 4, while recording a goal saved 22-of-23 shots. and an assist. Kane had The rest of the teams Tom Hoff two assists, and Brown in the men’s tournament also scored. Not too bad. break down nicely into four The second line of Joe Team USA silenced tiers. First, we have Sweden Pavelski at center and James and Canada in the first critics with its 7-1 tier as the top two teams. van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel — Maple Leaf linemates Henrik Sedin was win against Slovenia Because — also jumped in on the a late omission from the scoring. Riemsdyk and Kesteam due to injury, I believe on Thursday. sel each had two assists and Canada is the team to beat.

Kessel also scored a goal.

Team USA, and Russia closeThis line was built to score, given that they ly follow. Before the tournament, I would have combined for a ridiculous 84 goals this have given Russia the slight advantage, but year, and they did their jobs against Slovakia. after the USA’s performance today, I am hesiThe fourth line, comprised of Paul Stast- tant to do so. ny, Max Pacioretty and T.J. Oshie, was also The next four, which could make some noise impressive in the first game. Stastny had but are very unlikely to win, are probably Slovatwo goals, and the line as a whole played kia, the Czech Republic, Finland — who will go all-around great hockey. as far as goalie Tuukka Rask takes them — and The only line that failed to live up to ex- Switzerland. The final four of Norway, Latvia, pectations was the third line. David Backes, Austria and Slovenia are just happy for the opZach Parise and Ryan Callahan were expect- portunity to represent their countries. ed to form the strongest line, but against Team USA will return to the ice SatSlovakia they didn’t play their best hockey urday morning against Russia. Russia’s — especially on offense. Although Backes defense is weak, and its forwards are top did have a goal, the line wasn’t sharp, and heavy — although Alex Ovechkin, Ilya KovParise and Callahan combined for only one alchuk, Pavel Datsyuk and Evgeni Malkin shot on goal. But, if the other three lines, are amazing. But Russia was less than imor at least two, are scoring, then Byelsma pressive in its opening game — a 5-2 win could easily shift the third line to be used over a Slovenia team that doesn’t have one mainly for defensive purposes.

NHL player. Given that the Americans deThe simple way to look at Thursday’s stroyed a better opponent than Slovenia, game and look forward is to say that, if Team against whom the Russians played below USA scores anywhere in the same tier as its their standards today, the Americans’ first game, they’ll likely take home Olympic hopes are flying high. gold. The biggest knock on Team USA was that it didn’t have enough pure scorers, but Tom Hoff is a junior in the McDonough I am confident that Pavelski, van Riemsdyk School of Business. DOWN TO THE WIRE and Kessel can be one of the top lines in appears every Friday.

BASEBALL

track & Field

GU Begins Campaign in NC Hoyas Face Strong Teams at Iowa State Nadav SenENSIEB Special to The Hoya

Madeline Auerbach Hoya Staff Writer

After impressive performances at the Penn State Invitational and a valuable weekend of rest, the Hoyas will travel to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic.

Top-notch track and field programs from around the country will appear at the invitational, including No. 1 University of Texas on the women’s side and No. 2 University of Florida for the men. In all, there will be over 50 teams from around the country at the meet.

Though the Hoyas’ schedule indicated their participation in the Valentine Invitational Meet, the team intended to compete at Penn State, take a weekend off, and then head to Iowa. Despite the high level of competition at the meet, some Georgetown runners will be staying home to prepare for an even bigger meet that will be taking place next weekend: the Big East meet.

“We have some athletes who we just decided it was best for them to stay at home and train and get ready for Big East,” Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Patrick Henner said. “Our athletes are either resting and training or going to compete at Iowa State.”

Overall, Georgetown is an impressive team, but the middle distance is its most notable strength. At Penn State, Georgetown senior Billy Ledder took the top spot in the men’s 800 meter. Meanwhile, freshman Amos Bartelsmeyer placed first in the men’s 1000m invitational after finishing the event with a time of 2:22.75 — a meet record.

“I think our middle-distance runners have been running very well,” Henner said.

“I think on the national level that’s what our main strength is right now.”

Still, Georgetown is not a team to dismiss in the other events. The Hoyas distance runners on the women’s side include graduate student Kirsten Kasper, who impressed at Penn State. For the men, juniors Collin Leibold and John Murray are both entered into the 3000m race.

The Georgetown sprinters have made strides as well. Graduate student Amanda Kimbers is back healthy after an injury, and other athletes are continuing to improve.

“Devante Washington and Mike Andre in the sprints are really starting to shine,” Henner said of the competition the team will bring to the sprinting events.

Georgetown’s other entries in the meet include junior Andrea Keklak, senior Chelsea Cox and freshman Ryan Manahan.

Keklak finished second in the women’s mile at Penn State, while Cox finished second in the 1000m.

“We’ve only brought our very best athletes to this meet,” Henner explained.

“There’s going to be a high level of competition. So the people we’re bringing out here, we feel, are national caliber athletes.”

Though many of the Hoyas’ best runners are well prepped for Iowa State, Georgetown’s top distance runner, graduate student Andrew Springer, is still recovering from an injury.

“He’s been out, but he’s starting to get going running again. I don’t know if we’re going to have him play indoor, but he’ll definitely be ready for a great outdoor season,” Henner said.

After the Hoyas compete at Iowa State, they’ll focus on the Big East meet. Though the results this weekend will not impact their conference standings, running at Iowa will be helpful for the Hoyas as they approach their conference championship and the closing stages of the season.

“We hope it’s going to help us to compete better at the Big East meet,” Henner said of Iowa State. “This meet is more about trying to get times that will get our athletes qualified for the NCAA championships and to further cheer us up for the Big East meet.”

Top to bottom, it is essential that they run well and adapt appropriately to whichever event they are competing in.

“We’re looking to compete well and run fast in a variety of situations — fast-paced races, slow-paced, top-level competition,” Henner said. “Just having a race mentality that’s going to work in all sorts of scenarios.”

The Big East field will present significant competition for the Hoyas. Providence boasts one of the top distance programs in the country, while Villanova and Butler also have strong programs. In all, the Big East contains some of the most talented teams in the country.

“In the middle distance and distance areas, the Big East meet is going to be one of the very best in the country,” Henner said.

Events at Iowa State will take place Friday and Saturday, and are tentatively set to begin at 11 a.m. Friday.

This weekend, the Georgetown baseball team will kick off its season in North Carolina with games against Marshall University and Wake Forest on Saturday, and against Towson on Monday.

After finishing last season with a 25-28 overall record and a 5-19 record in the Big East, the Hoyas look to have more success this year in the restructured Big East. Because of conference realignment, the Big East has only seven teams playing baseball this year: Georgetown, Butler, Creighton, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Villanova and Xavier.

“It’s still a very good baseball conference. Still very good baseball teams in that conference,” Head Coach Pete Wilk, who is entering his 14th season leading the Hoya squad, said. “We used to play nine weekend conference series and now we have six, and that’s a big difference. You [have] to fill the other weekends with nonconference foes, and they vary in terms of levels.”

Conference play for the Hoyas starts April 4 against Xavier and runs for six weekends, concluding with a three-game series against Butler from May 9 to 11. The schedule also features intracity games against The George Washington University on March 19 and April 1, as well as the Big East tournament starting May 21.

Senior first baseman Steve Anderson and junior pitcher Jack Vander Linden — the two team captains — will provide leadership for the Hoyas.

Sophomore catcher Nick Collins, who was voted to the preseason AllBig East team at both catcher and designated hitter, also will play a key role this season. After an outstanding freshman season that saw him hit .333, Collins appears ready to take his game to the next level this year.

“I expect he’s going to be a guy that’s going to hit in the middle of our order and play a role both offensively and defensively for us,” Wilksaid. “I was happy for Nick that he was picked preseason, but I also told him that doesn’t mean squat.”

Collins is one of six returning everyday starters from last year’s team, along with eight returning members of the pitching staff. That type of veteran leadership is often very valuable to teams, and the Hoyas will rely on their older players, especially early in the season.

“Obviously we’re going to lean on those veterans, and they’ve been through this season before,” Wilk said. “They know the ebbs and flows.

Hopefully they will be able to shepherd the younger guys through the ups and downs.”

Even with the veteran presence, Georgetown will need a couple new players to step up after losing second baseman Danny Poplawski and cen-

FILE PHOTO:CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

Sophomore catcher Eric Webber played in 42 games for the Hoyas last season. He hit .204 in 142 plate appearences.

terfielder Justin Leeson— last year’s team MVP — to graduation. Coach Wilk does not think this will be an issue, though, and is very confident other players will step up to fill the role those two played last season.

“The middle of our order is deeper than ever,” Wilk said. “We’re looking for a better year out of [junior infielder] Ryan Busch. He was banged up last year for a lot of the season and struggled on both sides of the ball.

He’s capable of playing the game very well. I’d like to see Anderson produce RBIs. Anyone of those guys can lose the baseball in a hurry and change the game in a hurry.”

At the heart of the order will be senior outfielder Christian Venditti, who returns after leading the Hoyas with seven home runs and 36 RBIs last season.

Another player looking to make his mark for the Hoyas is junior infielder A.C. Carter, a recent transfer from Seminole State College of Florida.

After winning the Florida Collegiate Summer League batting title in 2013, Carter is primed to be a major contributor to the Hoyas this season.

“I think Carter is someone that hasn’t been talked about because he transferred in, so we don’t really know him, but I think he can provide some offensive pop and add depth to our order,” Wilk said.

The pitching staff will be led by Vander Linden, sophomore Matt Smith and junior Will Brown. That trio will be starting this weekend’s games against Marshall, Wake Forest and Towson, respectively.

In addition to their on-the-field competition, the Hoyas will also team up to help fight childhood cancer by supporting the St. Baldrick’s Foundation throughout the season. As part of this, players have decided to shave their heads after the April 5 game against Xavier.

The Hoyas were picked to finish fifth out of seven teams in the Big East preseason coaches’ poll, behind Creighton, Seton Hall, St. John’s and Xavier. However, Wilk said he and the team don’t put stock in rankings.

“I couldn’t care less where we’re picked. I care where we end up. If we can stay healthy, we have a big chance to put up a good amount of wins, and I’m looking forward to watching us.”

sports

FRIDAY, february 14, 2014

THE HOYA

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the sporting life

swimming & diving

Hoyas Gear Up for Snowboarding Needs White Season’s Final Meet I Tony Baxter

ference opponents but they did perform better against Big East rivals.

In the upcoming week the Georgetown has seven swimGeorgetown swimming and div- mers — three men and four woming teams will prepare for the en — that are potentially competBig East championships. The ing in their final meet and races. dive team will compete at Villa- But the Blue and Gray, a youthful nova from Feb. 13 to 15 while the team, have seen outstanding perswimming team will leave for formances from their freshmen Sewell, N.J., on Feb. 19. and sophomore swimmers.

The Blue and Gray finished Walk-on freshman Martin their regular season just the Vanin has provided huge hope way they wanted to. Both teams for the Hoyas’ future. Along with earned wins over Providence Vanin, sophomore Austin Evenover the weekend, a team that son has also had a great year, will also make an appearance in finding the most success in the the championships. individual medley and long disBoth teams enter the final tance events. stage of the season with a lot The women’s team has also to be excited about. The men’s had some standout, young memteam has yet to face off against bers, which provides encouragea strong Xavier ment for the futeam this year, ture. Freshman but it has won “I’m not really Molly Gaynor all of its other focused on where has performed matchups with well, especially Big East op- we are going to end in butterfly ponents. The events. Sophowomen also up in terms of the more Nicole have yet to face standings.”

Tronolone has Xavier, but, also had a fanthey have suftastic season.

JamIe holder fered losses earTronolone has Swimming & Diving Head Coach lier in the seacompeted in son to Villanova and Seton Hall. long distance events, mostly the “I’m not really focused on 500-yard freestyle and the 1000 where we are going to end up freestyle. in terms of the standings,” Head Though the Hoyas have strugCoach Jamie Holder said. “I just gled at times this season, they think that when we take care of are entering this final meet swimming fast the points will healthy and in the best physical take care of themselves.” shape they have been in all year.

Villanova is expected to be the After beating Providence, the strongest team on the women’s Hoyas will enter this meet with side of the Big East champion- momentum and confidence that ships, while the men face a more they can swim with the rest of even field. The men are poised to the Big East. compete with Xavier and Villa“Butterfly is going to be a nova for the conference title. strong suit for us in both the 100 “On the girls’ side for sure it’s and 200. Our distance is going going to be Villanova. Seton Hall to be good. Overall, I think we is going to be tough to beat as are pretty well rounded,” Holder well,” Holder said. “On the guys said. “Our weaknesses, I would side definitely Xavier is the favor- say, [are] going to be the breastite from what I can see. Villanova strokes. We have some strong and Seton Hall also have some breaststrokes, but not as much pretty good swimmers on the depth, especially on the guys’ guys’ side.” side.”

Last season, in a very differThe men’s team will certainly ent Big East, Louisville won the have a better shot at the title, women’s side, while Notre Dame but the women have a chance to fielded the best men’s squad. But make their mark too. Although this year, with the reshuffled the Villanova women’s team is conference, nobody can confi- expected to win, Georgetown is dently predict the results. Both poised to have a strong showing Louisville and Notre Dame are at the meet, and finish among no longer in the conference, leav- the top teams in the Big East. ing teams like Georgetown, Vil“I expect them to swim really lanova and Xavier with the op- fast. This is our biggest meet of portunity to bring home the Big the year, what we have worked East title. for all year,” Holder said. “I exIn a frustrating season, the pect that they will all have best Hoyas struggled against non-con- times.”

Special to The Hoya

t is no surprise that Shaun White, even in defeat, is the major story of the 2014 Winter Olympics thus far. Before White, snowboarding held a niche audience; now, his name overshadows all others who enter the growing scene of extreme sports. That includes new half pipe gold medalist Iouri “iPod” Podladtchikov — a deserving winner whose signature “YOLO flip” proved too difficult for White and all other competitors to master.

What is shocking is how much of the story in Sochi pertains to White’s unpopularity within his sport — a stark contrast from a man so singularly championed by the public at large. But in retrospect, it seems only natural that White might find himself alone at the top — particularly since his competitive nature clashes with the bro-like culture of snowboarding championed by other riders. This competitiveness is both a gift and a curse. It has propelled him to literal heights no one else can reach in snowboarding, but it has also fostered cold relations with fellow riders.

White is the first to admit that his social skills are not his strong suit. His inability to temper his competitiveness is seen clearly in his poor handling of a loss to rival and friend Kevin Pearce in the documentary “The Crash Reel.”

When White dropped out of the slopestyle event in Sochi last weekend, the backlash was strong and unrelenting. For fellow riders, it was an opportunity to unleash their collective frustration with White. He decided to focus on his top event — the half pipe — after determining the slopestyle course unsafe, citing numerous crashes during practice by experienced riders (himself included).

But slopestyle favorites called him a chicken, saying he dropped out because he knew he could not win. 15-year-old American Kyle Mack called White out on Twitter for taking a spot in the Olympics that could have gone to him. 18-year-old Brandon Davis — the rider most likely to have won White’s spot — was more forgiving and said “I do feel bad for him in

the sense he’s getting so much backlash for what he’s doing. I don’t believe he deserves it that harsh ... the whole snowboarding community doesn’t really like Shaun. But ultimately, he is the face of our sport; there’s no point in hating him so hard. He’s the hardest working guy in our sport. And he certainly deserves respect.”

The only other notable defender of White is the man who usurped him.

Iouri Podladtchikov’s burgeoning fame

Darius Majd

Shaun White is the face of snowboarding, and other riders need to respect him. has given him an insight into the kind of attention and pressure that has been thrust upon White all these years. “I’ve hung out with him, gone out with him, known him over the years,” Podladtchikov said.“I have a little better insight because I’ve grown and gotten more attention too. But it’s not comparable to his. And considering how hard it is for me — I look at him, and I’m almost surprised to see him handle it like that. He makes it look easy.”

But where Podladtchikov empathizes with White and is not bitter about the attention he has received, other riders have been icy to say the least. None more so than Danny Davis, White’s American teammate, who, like many White detractors, cannot seem to reconcile the higher profile, White has brought to the sport with its laidback roots. Davis yearns for the purity of snowboarding — shredding the slopes and exploring the backcountry — and is obviously dis-

pleased with the current focus on contest scores and merchandise.

While this desire to represent the purity of snowboarding is admirable, the position Davis has put himself in is one of hypocrisy. He wants snowboarding’s image to be about carefree backcountry exploring, free of marketing and ruthless competition, yet he brings up these points as he participates in the bastion of all competitions — the Olympics. The sole purpose of competing here is to win — a sentiment that Shaun White and “iPod” have expressed unapologetically. “[White]’s insanely talented. He has worked very hard,” Davis said. “You can’t hate him for that. I hate to talk too much s- - - on him because he’s not a bad person. He’s just different than me. I truly love snowboarding.”

Davis loves one side of snowboarding, but he needs to recognize that the need to be the best — to do things no one else can on a snowboard — is a valid passion, and that his participation in the Olympics makes him complicit in this passion.

Davis also resents that White’s popularity has fed into merchandise and branding: “The thing with Shaun is, he’s got a line at Target, which is great to get kids into Shaun White and snowboarding. But it’s tough when you don’t give too much back to snowboarding.” Davis said. However, intentionally or not, White’s presence has “given back” to snowboarding 10 times over, causing a spike in popularity and expanding the market so that guys like Davis can make a profitable career from the sport that they love.

Regardless of their opinions of White as a person, the snowboarding community needs to respect not just White’s impressive skills and hard work, but also all he has done to increase the popularity of the sport. After all, Shaun may promote himself and his brand, but Davis certainly isn’t complaining about the money he gets from Mountain Dew and all of his other high-profile sponsors.

Darius Majd is a junior in the College.

THE SPORTING LIFE appears every Friday.

men’s lacrosse

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Freshman attack Peter Conley scored two goals on seven shots in Georgetown’s season-opening win against Mount St. Mary’s. The Hoyas defeated the Mount 10-4 and will take on Navy on Feb. 15.

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a little slow in the first quarter, but we maintained a positive attitude and started doing the little things right in the second quarter and shots started to fall and our offense really started to click,” McCormick said.

Mount St. Mary’s struggled against the Hoya defense and turned the ball over 18 times while Georgetown only turned it over 12 times.

The Hoyas had assists on six of their 10 goals, two by senior attack Jeff Fountain and two by junior attack Bo Stafford.

Co-captain and graduate student Tyler Knarr led the team with eight groundballs, which allowed the Blue and Gray to win the faceoff battle 11 to seven.

Redshirt junior goalie Jake Haley was not tested much on the afternoon. Haley had five saves and only allowed four goals.

Georgetown looks to build on it strong effort when it travels to Navy this Saturday. Navy cruised to an 18-5 victory in its season opener against Virginia Military Institute on Feb. 8.

They are an experienced squad, returning six of 10 starters from last season. Those returners will be out

for revenge, as Georgetown won last year’s matchup between the two teams in overtime by a final score of 9-8. Navy Head Coach Rick Sowell has never beaten the Hoyas, despite playing them four times.

For Georgetown, it will be a quick turnaround.

“Short week,” Warne said. “It’s a good Navy team. They are going to play hard, ride hard, do everything 100 miles an hour. We have to be ready to take a few punches and be able to punch back at the same time.”

The game is set for noon Saturday in Annapolis, Md., at Jack Stephens Field.

MEN’s BASKETBALL

Hoyas Face Red-Hot Red Storm JOHNNIES, from B10 Harrison is sophomore forward Jakarr Sampson and freshman guard Rysheed Jordon, both of whom are scoring threats that Georgetown needs to be aware of. Meanwhile on the defensive end, sophomore center Chris Obekpa is one of the best shotblockers in the country.

For Georgetown, the play of senior guard Markel Starks and sophomore guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera — who broke out of his recent shooting slump with a 22-point performance against Providence — has carried the

team. Smith-Rivera in particular has found ways to impact the game even when his shot wasn’t falling.

“DSR shouldn’t be defined by scoring points,” Thompson said. “We need him to rebound and make passes, and then he’ll find a way to get baskets. And he did a good job of that [against Providence].”

The return of Trawick has been critical in giving the Hoyas another scoring threat and ballhandler to provide depth to an overworked backcourt. Down low, senior forward Nate Lubick and junior forward Mikael Hopkins have upped their inten-

sity as of late in terms of controlling the glass.

“When Mikael and I aren’t rebounding, we’re not going to win games,” Lubick said. “We knew we needed to change that.”

The Hoyas’ attention to detail has spurred their turnaround and has forced their way back into the conversation for the NCAA tournament.

Georgetown needs to maintain this trend if it wants to continue its winning streak. Sunday’s game against a streaking St. John’s team should provide a good test and indicate what the team is capable of achieving.

SPORTS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Georgetown (8-17) vs. St. John’s (18-5) Tuesday, 8 p.m.

McDonough Arena

FRIDAY, FEBR UARY 14, 2014

BASEBALL

TALKING POINTS

The Hoyas will play the first three games of their season this weekend.

See B9

MEN’S BASKETBALL

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All 40 minutes were significant — every play. Not just the last shot that went in.

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Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jim Lewis

No. 10 Hoyas Set for Season Opener Hoya Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO: CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

GU Looks to Continue Resurgence ASHWIN WADEKAR Hoya Staff Writer

The last time Georgetown (15-9, 6-6 Big East) traveled to Madison Square Garden it broke a five-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, closing the door on No. 7 Michigan State in a 64-60 win. The Hoyas are hoping for a similar result when they take on St. John’s (15-9, 5-6 Big East) in New York on Sunday at 7 p.m.

After struggling through one of the worst slumps of Head Coach John Thompson III’s time at Georgetown, the Hoyas have turned it around to win four straight games in what has morphed into of a revenge tour of sorts — a second attempt at Big East opponents that gave Georgetown trouble the first time around.

After Michigan State, Georgetown upped DePaul — a team that gave the Hoyas a scare in the teams’ first meeting — by a double-digit margin, and then it beat Butler for the second time — which took only 40 minutes. Most recently, Georgetown knocked off Providence, a team that beat the Hoyas by 18 points in January.

Georgetown’s recent wins have not been flashy. Instead, Thompson’s formula for success has been fairly straightforward: shoot more free throws than the opponent, don’t give the ball away and take high-percentage shots.

“The way this team is built, we can’t turn the ball over,” Thompson said after the win against Providence. “We have to get to the foul line and limit their second shots.”

Providence Head Coach Ed Cooley had a similar take after the game, noting that it takes time to adjust after losing players, such as junior center Joshua Smith, who is suspended for the remainder of the season for academic reasons. Junior guard Jabril Trawick, who was sidelined for the better part of a month with a broken jaw, returned and has also helped with depth and scoring.

“They are more synchronized and have better team chemistry,” Cooley said of Georgetown.

The game this Sunday with St. John’s will be yet another rematch. In the first meeting, the Hoyas had little trouble with the Red Storm and even the 77-60 final score does not truly reflect Georgetown’s dominance in the game.

The Hoyas, however, are not guaranteed the same outcome Sunday. St. John’s is not the same team Georgetown beat.

Since St. John’s five-game losing streak ended with a win over Dartmouth, the Red Storm have won six of their last seven games, with their only loss coming in a 63-60 defeat on the road against then-No. 20 Creighton. The Red Storm got the Bluejays back however, edging No. 12 Creighton 70-65 at Madison Square Garden last Sunday.

Unlike Georgetown, St. John’s relies on transition buckets and quick shots for scoring. The consistent play of junior guard D’Angelo Harrison, who is averaging almost 23 points and six rebounds in the last three games, has been key to St. John’s recent turnaround. Alongside See JOHNNIES, B9

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The number of consecutive wins by the men’s basketball team heading into Sunday’s game.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

MOLLY MALONE

Junior forward Mikael Hopkins had eight points and 11 rebounds against Providence.

NUMBERS GAME

The No. 10 Georgetown women’s lacrosse team will take on Delaware in its first game of the season Saturday at 1:00 pm on the MultiSport Field. The Hoyas went 13-6 last season and made an appearance in the Big East Championship game, finishing with a conference record of 6-2. Though the Blue and Gray lost five starters to graduation, seven will return this season to assist the team in pursuing a second straight appearance in the Big East championship.

Senior goalkeeper and co-captain Barb Black is a major returning player for the Hoyas. After leading Georgetown to an exceptional record last season with 96 saves and a .350 save percentage, Black is back for her final season on the Hilltop. The senior faced over 350 shots last year and is ready for the challenges that await her over the course of the season. “[Black has] really stepped into that role, I think she’s matured a lot, obviously being a senior as opposed to a freshman,” Head Coach Ricky Fried said. “She really understands what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to do it and has really kind of relished that role as a senior leader this year.”

The three other captains bring not only leadership, but also undeniable skill to the squad. Senior defender M.J. Coyle and senior midfielders Hannah Franklin and Kelyn Freedman are returning starters for the Hoyas and are prepared to lead the team by example. Last year, Freedman tallied 31 goals and 10 assists at midfield while Franklin added 25 goals and 10 assists. The dynamic duo will rely heavily on Coyle to control the defensive zone as well as Black to protect the net.

“I think the biggest thing is that

[the captains] compliment each other very well,” Fried said. “They know when to chime in and balance each other out, which is very helpful for the coaches. The rest of the seniors have really stepped into that leadership role as well, while the captains are the face of the leadership. Everyone is filling that void.”

Though the Hoyas are currently ranked 10th in the country, the team is not worried about the polls. The rank does, however, put a target on Georgetown’s back, as teams always relish the chance to knock off a top-ranked squad, and Delaware will be looking to do just that Saturday.

The Blue Hens were competitive last season as they went 10-6, with a 4-3 record in the Colonial Athletic Association. While Delaware is currently unranked in the NCAA poll, it did receive votes and will likely make its way into the top 20 at some point this season. It will be the second straight year that Georgetown and Delaware kick off the season against each other.

The Hoyas came out victorious last time with a 16-12 final score.

The Blue Hens competed well last season and are likely to continue their success, even with the loss of four key starters.

“As always, at the end of preseason, everybody is ready to play someone else,” Fried said. “Our mentality is where it needs to be in the sense that we know we’re not as good as we’re going to be in a couple months.”

One Delaware player the Hoyas will have to watch out for this Saturday is junior midfielder Caitlin McCartney, who was recently named to the preseason all-CAA team. McCartney led the Blue Hens with 41 goals and 46 points last season. Not only is the captain skilled near the goal, but she also controls the draws. A 2.43 draw control percentage last

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Senior co-captain and goalie Barb Black started all 19 games for the Hoyas last year. She had 96 saves on the season. season is just one of the junior’s many impressive statistics, which also include nine hat tricks, gamewinning goals and more.

Georgetown will rely on its consistency to find success, according to Fried.

“I think one of the biggest strengths of this year’s team is we’ve been very consistent thus far. We have a lot of people who are inexperienced but have really stepped up to fill voids,” Fried said. “I think the biggest thing is

our consistency and that there’s not a big drop off from the highest end to the lowest end this year, which I think has been different from past years.”

While the first few games of the season usually serve as a way to iron out any wrinkles the team may have, Georgetown hopes to get a quick start and begin its season with full force. With a strong combination of skill and leadership, the Hoyas feel that this year could be special.

MEN’S LACROSSE

McCormick Leads Team to 1st Victory SAM SOLOMON

Special to The Hoya

The Georgetown men’s lacrosse team started the season with a strong showing Wednesday afternoon against Mount St. Mary’s.

The Hoyas, who in the preseason were picked to finish fourth in the Big East, defeated the Mount, 10-4, which was their 15th win in the teams’ last 16 meetings.

“I think we just kept playing

our game,” Junior midfielder Charlie McCormick said. “Everybody knew what they had to do and staying positive I think was a huge key for us.”

The game started off slowly as both teams seemed a little rusty.

The Hoyas managed 13 first-quarter shots, but were only able to score one goal. With just over two minutes remaining, junior attack Reilly O’Connor scored the lone goal of the first quarter.

“It was the first game,” Head Coach Kevin Warne said. “We were playing a lot of young guys, and so I think it was their first experience and you can’t replicate that in practice.”

The pace picked up in the second quarter. After a Mount St. Mary’s timeout the teams exploded for three goals in less than two minutes: Georgetown scored two while Mount St. Mary’s managed one making the score 3-1.

JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Junior co-captain and midfielder Charlie McCormick scored three goals in Georgetown’s 10-4 win over Mount St. Mary’s on Wednesday. McCormick was voted preseason all-Big East.

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports

“We just had to get in the groove a little bit,” Warne said.

“We were pretty patient but as the game wore on I think you saw a different team for the last three quarters than the first quarter.”

Mount St. Mary’s junior attack Christian Durham scored a goal to pull the Mount within one with just under five minutes left in the first half. But from there, Georgetown scored three straight goals to take a 6-2 lead at the end of the second quarter. The Hoyas maintained their momentum in the second half, scoring two quick goals to take an 8-2 lead.

In the five straight goals, McCormick scored two of his three.

“Our offense, again, just really clicked, and everybody knew what they had to do, and everybody was where they had to be at the right time,” McCormick said.

“I think all the hard work is finally paying off.”

McCormick was selected to the preseason all-Big East team after finishing second on the team with 27 points last season.

“Charlie is Charlie. He does what he does very well,” Warne said. “When he dodges hard and gets his hands free then he can do some things. So we are excited about how he is developing.”

Freshman attack Peter Conley finished the scoring on the day for the Hoyas with two goals in the fourth quarter.

Throughout the game, Georgetown maintained control and outshot the Mount 46-22, which was well aboce their season average of 32.2 shots per game last year. In the second quarter alone the Mount were outshot 17 to four. In the same quarter, Georgetown had the ground ball advantage, 14 to eight.

“We kind of came out and we’re See MOUNT, B9