Inside A2
Inside A3
Inside A4
Opinion: Reflections of a junior music student
A&E: Theatre department puts on ‘Silent Sky’
Sports: Women’s basketball defeats Davenport University
Monday, Feb. 28, 2022
Vol. 54 No. 21
Saginaw Valley State University’s student newspaper
thevalleyvanguard.com
POLICE BRIEFS Civil Incident On Feb. 17 at 5:26 p.m., officers spoke with two 19-yearold SVSU residents at the SVSU Police Department for a roommate dispute. The students advised they were having issues with their roommate. After taking statements police was determined that this matter was civil. The case will be turned over to student code of conduct.
Suspicious Person Biology sophomore Kara George (left) and political science junior Jeffrey Ramsey (right) debate the effects of COVID-19. Vanguard Photographer | Sarah Brege
Students discuss the pandemic at ‘Pastries and Politics’ Rebekah Williams
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Vanguard Reporter
VSU’s College Republicans and the College Democrats hosted their February ‘Pastries and Politics’ event with the scheduled topic of the COVID-19 pandemic. Diva Patel, a political science and biology senior, said the topic was decided at last month’s Pastries and Politics. Patel is the president of College Democrats.
“[People] were interested in sharing their personal thoughts and opinions on the pandemic,” Patel said. “It is also a very timely topic of discussion.” Abigail Sefick, a political science sophomore and the president of the College of Republicans, said there was something that she loved about discussing this topic. “While we are all tired of talking about COVID, everyone came into the conversations with
Junior Sarah Doran talks about unemployment. Vanguard Photographer | Sarah Brege
open minds,” she said. “It is really important that we all become comfortable discussing current events in a civil manner, while also developing solutions to problems in the community.” The discussion went back and forth, allowing each side to bring their thoughts and concerns to the table. “A key highlight from the event was seeing all of the participants at Pastries and Politics having civil and productive conversations with one another,” Patel said. “It was incredible to see how individuals with different viewpoints can still find things in common.” The event had about 21 people in attendance to enjoy the pastries and the political conversation. However, for this Pastries and Politics, Sefick said they did things a little bit differently. “We threw a wrench into the event by numbering everyone off, so it would push people outside of their comfort zones - to promote growth; I was worried that would have hindered con-
versation, but all of the groups had really diverse and educated arguments that were really beneficial,” Sefick said. “I am so grateful for people who are willing to engage in tough conversations and are willing to flesh out the issues in society, it gives me hope for the future.” Sefick highlighted what she thought was the key part of the event. “There was one key area that caught me by surprise: no one thought that lockdowns were beneficial in the long run,” Sefick said. For the next Pastries and Politics, the groups will discuss the topic off United States Policy, foreign and domestic. “The topic was chosen based on what attendees wanted to discuss,” Patel said. “I believe that the topic of U.S. policy is fascinating and will help students have an active discussion on the policies that the United States is currently implementing on the domestic and foreign fronts.”
On Feb. 17 at 10:22 p.m., officers were dispatched to the Zahnow Library for a suspicious person. The non-student was located and given a trespass letter due to them making inappropriate comments to students.
Vehicle Fire On Feb. 18 at 3:45 p.m., officers responded to parking lot K for a vehicle that was smoking. Officers arrived on scene and located the vehicle which subsequently caught on fire and was destroyed. Kochville Fire and Rescue arrived at the scene and put out the vehicle fire. No other vehicles were damaged.
Property Damage On Feb. 21 at 10:10 p.m., officers responded to parking lot C for a vehicle that was covered in soap and trash. Officers spoke with the 18-year-old SVSU resident who owned the vehicle. There was no physical damage to the vehicle. This incident is still under investigation.
OBU holds Black Lives Matter rally Event teaches students about using safe sex practices Alyssa McMillan Vanguard News Editor
On Feb. 26, SVSU’s Organization of Black Unity (OBU) group held a Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally in remembrance of Trayvon Martin. Laila Boggan, OBU president and nursing junior, touched on what happened at the event. “Within this event we plan to rally from C100 to the intersection of Bay Rd. and Pierce Rd. to commemorate Trayvon Martin and the creation of the BLM movement,” she said. “From there we plan to regroup in C100 where we will have a guest speaker. [Then we’ll] open up the discussion to the students where they can deliberate about how they feel about the progress we have and have not made in America.” The event has held as part of the Black History Month events and was meant to bring unity. “We decided to hold this event as part of our other Black History Month events because part of Umoja, or unity, is celebrating each other and the joys of us being a community,” Boggan said. “We must also be able to come together when the time calls to make things right.” The rally was held exactly 10 years after the fatal shooting of Tray-
von Martin occurred. “Upon the news that Feb. 26 makes it 10 years since Trayvon Martin was murdered, and eventually sparked the BLM movement, we knew that something had to be done to honor his life and speak out against the injustices that are still happening today,” she said. Boggan said many people were too young to understand what was happening then but, because of lack of change, they’re still fighting the same injustice. “To me, this event is highlighting a fact that would have gone over my head, and multiple others, if it had not been brought up,” she said. “The fact that we were [eight, nine, 10, or 11] years old when Trayvon Martin was murdered and we’re still yelling the same things shows that there is a lot of change that needs to be made.” To her, the event was a way to bring awareness to campus. “I feel like this event is important because the issue that we, as black people, face today are the same issues that our parents and grandparents faced when they were our age,” she said. “I feel like this event brings awareness to those on campus that racism and discrimination against black people occur to this day and needs to be talked about.”
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Emily Burke Vanguard Reporter
On Feb. 24 the resident assistants (RA’s) of South and Southwest partnered with PHE to put on ‘Sexy Education.’ The program was created to educate students about everything having to do with sex. Attendees were given free condoms and raffle tickets upon entry. The raffle tickets could be put in a drawing for a chance to win one of three prize baskets. The three baskets all included different things. One with sex products such as condoms, lube and a Kama Sutra book; another with feminine hygiene products; and lastly one with Virginity Rocks merch and a gift card to Lover ’s Lane. Attendees were also encouraged to spin a wheel to guess the price of products. These products included IUDs, condoms, Plan B, a vasectomy and more. If guesses were close enough to the actual price, another raffle ticket was rewarded. “I thought the price guess-
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ing activity was cool,” Alayna Houghten, a first year social work student, said. “It was definitely an eye opener on how expensive it is, especially for women.” After check-in, attendees sat at tables where they could make bracelets and read infographics with safe sex tips. Some of these tips were when to get tested for STIs, when to get pap smears and how to do self-exams. The first activity was trivia via Kahoot. The Kahoot consisted of questions about sex, relationships and sexual health. The first, second and third place winners were given extra raffle tickets. This was Isaac Zamora’s, a pre-occupational therapy freshman, favorite part. “My favorite thing from the event was probably the Kahoot game,” he said. “I learned a lot about STIs, and I feel like the information was very beneficial. My general take away was that wearing protection is very important.” There were some questions from the trivia game that were Opinion...................A2 A&E..........................A3 Sports.......................A4
eye opening for students. “I knew mostly everything already, but there were a few things I was surprised about,” Houghten said. “Like the question about how young girls are more likely to normalize abuse toward women.” Others that were a surprise were that intercourse during pregnancy can cause ectopic pregnancy. Another fact was that the leading cause of death for 1519 year old girls was pregnancy complications. The last event was Sexy Heads Up. It is similar to Ellen DeGeneres’ game Heads Up. This is where the person who guesses holds a card to their head and others try to get them to guess what the card says. Words on the cards consisted of terms pertaining to relationships, sexuality and sexual health. Those who participated all received a raffle ticket. After the game, the raffle for the baskets occurred. As attendees were leaving they were given candy and more condoms.
Opinion
Page A2 | Monday, Feb. 28, 2022 | thevalleyvanguard.com | The Valley Vanguard
All women should be celebrated during Women’s History Month Alyssa McMillan News Editor Psychology anmcmill@svsu.edu
Tuesday marks the start of Women’s History Month. Everyone knows what it is, but I don’t think everybody knows where it comes from or why it’s so important. Women’s History Month technically started in 1981 when Congress was asked to pass Pub. 97-28 which made the week starting of March 7 Women’s History Week. This continued until 1987 when Pub. L. 100-9 was passed, making all of March Women’s History Month. It was created to celebrate the contributions women had made to the country that had previously gone unnoticed. Some of the more known women were people like Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman. More recently, we’ve
had Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Kamala Harris. These women have all dedicated their lives to making our country a better place in their own ways. Harriet Tubman helped slaves escape through the Underground Railroad, Rosa Parks protested segregation and Ruth Bader Ginsburg stood up for women’s rights in the Supreme Court. Women’s History month is not only about them, but also the lesser-known women who made an impact as well. Sheila Michaels, for example, wanted women to have a title that showed that they didn’t just belong to a man and discovered the title “Ms.” She went on the radio with her discovery and soon after, women had a new title that didn’t see them as a man’s belonging. Michaels did something so small yet so important for women. Up until that point, women were spoken to in terms of who they were married to or who their father was.
For the first time, they could say that they were themselves. They were no longer referred to as someone’s daughter. They were now referred to as their own person. Women’s History Month is for all the women like Michaels who did something that might have seemed so insignificant at the time, but has actually changed how women are perceived. Someone else who deserves more recognition is Rosalind Franklin. Franklin lived from 1920-1958. During her life, she managed to uncover the structure for DNA. Her data directly led to the research that discovered the double helix. However, at age 38, Franklin passed away. A group of three men took credit for her work. They even went as far as to publish a book on “their” findings in which they took shots at the late scientist. Franklin discovered groundbreaking evidence and completely changed the way we look at DNA and everything we know about biology.
Science wouldn’t be nearly as advanced without her. Yet, she never seems to get the recognition that she truly deserves. I didn’t hear her name until college. This month is about the women who have done incredible things like that. It’s about the women who weren’t working for recognition. They were working because they were passionate and wanted to make the world a better place. As important as these women are, Women’s History Month is also about everyday women. The women I bet you often take for granted in your life. The kind of woman who works hard to keep her family together, the single mom who works two jobs to pay the bills. This month is about them as well. Frankly, without them, the entire world would stop spinning. Women are caregivers, professionals and leaders-usually all three at once. They’re some of the strongest people I’ve ever met. This month is about them too and all the good they put out into the world.
Reflection of the junior music student Audrey Bergey Photo & Design Editor Music Education arbergey@svsu.edu
It’s the year 2022 and we are approaching midterms of the winter semester. I have been reflecting and going through a large number of trials and errors since before the start of the semester, let alone since my freshman year, two years ago. To me, it is amazing how far I have come in my college career. There have been many fears and worries especially when the pandemic turned life upside down. I have considered a number of times if I was doing the right thing, putting my time and energy in the right direction. Unfortunately, I have fallen into habits and continue to struggle to stay on top of my schooling, emotionally and mentally. I continue to pass classes and make the Dean’s List, but am I really getting what I need out my college experience?
Am I truly learning? I feel like I am just making deadlines and not fully receiving or digging for the information, the tools, the experience I need to become a better musician and teacher. With the pandemic forcing me to stay inside with limited contact with people, seeing those I care about struggle, as well as other outside stressors entering my life, I find I am losing sight of myself and the goals and dreams I had as a college freshman. I walked into SVSU with the dream that I’d teach music and grow into a great performer. I remember being excited and very interested in what I was doing. I kept thinking about the classes ahead and the progress I would make. I can at least say that I have grown and learned, but it feels so much hindered as the days, months, and now years continue on. There is so much that runs through my head. Despite being someone who strives to be organized, prepared and attentive as best as I can, I am still failing to be
consistent. I can barely keep my eyes open for a morning class, let alone keep up with assignments and the details required of those assignments. For those of you reading this, just know you are not alone. Life has been so different and continues to change as we learn and grow as adults. What is the point of this article? Maybe it is just for me to release some frustration, some worry and some stress that continues to bubble inside. Being alone in this past year has been a huge eye opener with a large amount of frustration, tears and the growing fear – am I here for the right career? And how do I figure that out? How does anyone figure that out? Am I doing too much outside of classes? Am I hanging out with people who are taking away from my experience? Am I prioritizing the right items? Am I putting enough time in to be successful? I could continue on with these questions, but that doesn’t help me or
anyone if I can’t find the right answers to them. I was reminded Monday in a voice lesson – why are you here? Why do you spend the money to be at SVSU? Why be in that voice lesson right now? Is it to have a grade at the end of the semester? Or is it to learn and find my potential as a vocalist? I realized I got caught up in the deadlines-- the “fake it until you make it” ideal. I walked out of that lesson very upset at myself for not better preparing. I knew better and that hurt the most. But my teacher was right, no matter how hurt and upset I was in that moment. I was at school because I wanted to continue this path of becoming a great vocalist and the best teacher I could be for the students I’d have in the future. So, to all college students reading this – you got it and don’t forget why you came to college in the first place. Don’t forgot your dream, as corny as that sounds. It’s important and that is what drives the intention, interest and love for what you do.
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The Valley Vanguard is published by the students of Saginaw Valley State University weekly in the fall and winter semesters, with one issue published in the summer. Our office is located in Curtiss 110a on the campus of SVSU, at 7400 Bay Road, University Center, MI, 48710.
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A&E
The Valley Vanguard | thevalleyvanguard.com | Monday, Feb. 28, 2022 | Page A3
Music professor hosts faculty recital featuring Michigan musicians Audrey Bergey Vanguard Photo and Design Editor
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hea Miller Recital Hall welcomed professor Dr. Colin Wood to feature guest artists from around Michigan for his faculty recital on Friday, Feb. 25. Joined on stage were Rufus Ferguson on piano, Javier Enrique on bass and Michael J. Reed on drums. “Each one is a fantastic performer, educator and composer in their own right, so I was delighted to share the stage with them,” Wood said. The concert began at 7:30 p.m. opening with “Stella’s Waltz” composed by Wood himself, specifically written for his daughter. All the music in the program was composed by Wood. “Many of these pieces were written for family members or important events in my life, so the music is very important to me,” Wood said. “I would call the style modern jazz, which just means improvised music that draws influence from across the jazz tradition as well as other styles and genres.” Music junior Felicia Snyder attended the recital. “I thought that was so cool and I love how it has sentimental value behind it,” Snyder said. Preparation for the faculty recital looked a bit different for Wood. “I have spent some time recently running through the pieces of this recital in order to get the feel and pacing of the concert,” Wood said.
Colin Wood shares recital stage with Rufus Ferguson on piano, Javier Enrique on bass and Michael Reed on drums. Vanguard Photo Editor | Audrey Bergey “Also, I continue my regular practice routines of playing and learning new jazz standards, transcribing great jazz solos, and developing jazz language. Staying connected to the jazz tradition is always helpful, even when preparing new and original music.” Wood also made some slight changes while preparing for his recital. “I have made some adjustments to the tunes, some of which I have played many times before, to keep them new and interesting for both myself and the audience,” Wood said.
Music students Felicia Snyder and Seth Bearden both enjoyed the recital. “[My favorite] was the second movement of the “‘Upward Suite,’” Snyder said. “That ‘Prophetic Frenzy’ was so cool. The drum solo in it was insanity.” “My favorite part was either ‘Wistful’ or ‘Talvez,’” Bearden said. “They were both really good.” Michael J. Reed, featured on the drum kit, was a fan favorite. “He puts so much personality into what he does,” Bearden said. “It’s super cool to
see. He was very creative with a lot of ways he did things. There was a very large variety and options and textures he used. He was very creative and energetic; it was almost humorous.” Wood brought color and the characteristic saxophone sound that rang throughout the hall. “Overall, I really like Wood’s tone,” Snyder said. “It’s so warm. It’s such a specific shade of orange that I can’t put a name on it. Absolutely would love to see something like this again. The four of them together was honestly great.”
Performances by music students showcased in ‘Music Majors in Recital’
Jeremy Weaver (left) and Gabriel Monger perform at recital. Vanguard Photographer | Ryan Pelletier
Audrey Bergey Vanguard Photo and Design Editor
On Wednesday, Feb. 25 music students performed for “Music Majors in Recital.” A variety of performances were brought to the stage featuring instrumentalists and vocalists. Music students auditioned to
perform for “Music Majors in Recital” during their jury performances in the Fall 2021 semester. Mezzo-soprano Megan Donnelly performed her piece “Song of Black Max (As Told by the de Kooning Boys)” by William Bolcom. “I love cabaret-style singing,” said Donnelly. “If you don’t know what that is, think 1920s
jazz club. Bringing the character of my piece to life is what I like most about it. For a moment, I can put myself back in time on another place of existence.” Donnelly felt her performance of the piece went well, even if it wasn’t perfect. “As musicians, I feel Ike we are too hard on ourselves sometimes,” Donnelly said. “Of course there were some things that I wasn’t pleased with in regard to my performance. There are things I’ve done perfectly a thousand times over in the practice room that I didn’t nail on stage. Overall, I did well. I portrayed the message of the song, and I provided a performance that many people enjoyed. I think that is the real measure of success in performance; If you had fun with the audience, if you created an enjoyable environment, that’s the magic of live music.” This was Donnelly’s first solo performance. “This experience gave me the opportunity to put my sound out there as a representative for the SVSU school of music,” Donnelly said. “I was able to face my performance anxiety head on with no one to lean on but myself. This helped me to claim back some musical independence that had been left behind with the start of the COVID pandemic.” Donnelly enjoyed the support she received. “What I loved most about the recital was the support form the fellow performers and music majors that attended the performance.,”
Donnelly said. “It helped me to see the family I gained from being a music education major here at SVSU.” Tenor vocalist Pierce Tyndall performed the piece “Le Bestiaire” by Francis Poulenc. “This piece was a collection of smaller works organized into a ‘song cycle,’” Tyndall said. “The variety of the smaller pieces created contrast. This challenge of having to portray many different characters within the same performance was a lot of fun to master.” Tyndall also felt the performance went well. “My performance was perfect,” Tyndall said. “It felt right to me, and I received multiple praises after the concert. I’ve been working on the piece for a long time, so it was settled in my bones.” Tyndall wanted the audience to not take his performance seriously. “I wanted the audience to have fun while experiencing it,” Tyndall said. “This collection is not to be taken seriously. The comedic underpinning is what makes this piece work. It was my goal to make the audience laugh at the different characters portrayed through the music.” This was the first French piece Tyndall learned. “It was very difficult at first,” Tyndall said. “Through working with my teacher, Kevin Simons, I was able to better understand how to sing in the French language.”
Theatre department showcases women’s history with performance of ‘Silent Sky’ Connor Rousseau Vanguard Reporter
The SVSU theatre department performed “Silent Sky” from Feb. 23-27. This was a play following the life of Henrietta Leavitt, an astronomer who faced challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field at the dawn of the 20th Century. Alyssa Yankee, a theatre and marketing senior, played the leading role of Henrietta Leavitt. She said the audience really could connect to the characters. “This show is full of humor, love and amazing characters,” Yankee said. Yankee also said that the play is relevant today because it can be an inspiration to women in today’s world. “This play is relevant because it shows the role of women in a place where they were not always accepted,” Yankee said. “The persistence and passion of the female characters in this show is something that modern women may feel connected to today when trying to pave their path in the world.” Jennifer Lothian, a professor of theatre, served as a costume design mentor for the show. She said being a mentor is both a challenging and rewarding position. “[As a mentor] you are wearing three hats at once-- that of a teacher, that of a designer, and that of an audience member-- and then communicating ideas and feedback from all of those points of view,” Lothian said. “Mentoring brings together my love of
Members of the SVSU theatre department rehearse for their production of “Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson. Vanguard Photographer | Ryan Pelletier teaching and passion for costume design, and seeing that passion ignited in others and seeing them grow in front of me is truly rewarding.” Lothian said this play is important because it teaches about resilience in a world full of challenges we humans must overcome throughout our lives. She also said that costume design was crucial to the success of the show because it helps shape the setting and the world the story is taking place in. “Costume informs time period, season and other practical information, but also information in terms of emotion,” Lothian
said. “What a person chooses to wear informs a lot about how they feel about themselves, the environments they are exposed to, and the connections they make to others. It’s incredible to capture that in a character on stage.” Lita Weekley is a technical writing sophomore who attended the show because she wanted to learn more about the contributions women made to the field of astronomy. She said she noticed signs and advertising for the production and it caught her attention. “I love how bold and moving the actors portrayed the parts,” Weekley said. “They had
extremely convincing acting and were really sassy. The design was [also] incredible. I love space, and I loved how they integrated moving images, smoke and music. The historical and space aspects were fascinating to learn.” Weekley said she left the show impressed and with new thoughts on the pursuit of one’s dreams. “The biggest takeaway of the show was to pursue my dream even in adversity, and that sometimes you need to step back from something to figure out how it works,” Weekley said.
The Valley Vanguard A&E Editor Madeline Bruessow | E-mail mpbruess@svsu.edu | Office 989-964-4482 | Instagram @TheValleyVanguard 110A Curtiss Hall
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Sports
Page A4 | Monday, Feb. 28, 2022 | thevalleyvanguard.com | The Valley Vanguard
Track and field athletes receive GLIAC recognition Rebekah Williams Vanguard Reporter
Senior Maddie Maloney (left) and senior Maddie Barrie (right) celebrate scoring 1000 points in their career. Vanguard Photographer | Justin Kruskie
Women’s basketball players reach 1,000 point milestone Rebekah Williams
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Vanguard Reporter
VSU women’s basketball had team split two games at home over the weekend. The games move the team to 16-10 overall and 11-8 in the GLIAC. The team opened the weekend on Thursday with a win over Davenport University, 65-57. Senior Maddie Barrie and senior Maddie Maloney each scored the 1,000th point of their careers during the second half of the game. SVSU had 28 points in fastbreaks, shot 22-of-56 from the field and outrebounded Davenport. Junior Kaitlyn Zarycki was the leading scorer for the Cardinals with 18 points. Maloney added 16 points and Barrie 11. Junior Tori DePerry led the team with nine rebounds. The game started off slow for both teams until Maloney came in with a three-pointer giving the Cardinals the lead. At the end of the first quarter, SVSU led 16-7. SVSU continued the lead in the second
quarter, but Davenport began chipping away. At the half, SVSU led 27-21 and continued this lead into the third. Zarycki hit a layup to make the lead 44-39 at the third. Maloney reached her 1,000th point with 6:48 left in the game, scoring two more threepointers later. With one minute left in the game Barrie was fouled. She hit her first free throw which brought her to 1,000 career points. SVSU lost their second game of the week to Grand Valley State University on Saturday going 56-49. Zarycki lead the Cardinals for points and rebounds, with 21 and seven respectfully. The game started out slow with the teams going back and forth until Zarycki hit a threepointer at 7:34 giving the Cardinals a five-point lead. The team had six steals and went nine of 12 in free throws compared to Grand Valley’s seven of 12. Grand Valley made up the deficit and tied the game at 8-8 with 5:58 left in the first quarter.
The quarter finished out with the Cardinals down at 17-14. Grand Valley held the lead in the second quarter and at the half, the Cardinals were down 32-21. The Cardinals spent the third quarter attempting to catch up to Grand Valley but could never quite reach. The third quarter finished with SVSU down 45-36. The fourth quarter started out slow but kicked up with a three-pointer from Maloney and a jump shot from Zarycki, bringing the score to 47-41. With 2:58 left on the clock, DePerry made a free throw putting the Cardinals down three at 52-49. Grand Valley came back after the free throws and the Cardinals couldn’t keep their pace, giving Grand Valley the victory at 56-49. Saturdays game concludes the team’s regular season. Next, the Cardinals will compete in the GLIAC Tournament from March 2-6 in Big Rapids.
Softball team starts season with tournament-style play Sadie Shepherd Vanguard Sports Editor
SVSU softball kicked off the season competing in the Rosemont Dome Tournament on Thursday and Friday. The team played two games each day, winning over one team and falling to the other on both days, leaving SVSU at 2-2 to start the season. Competition started on Thursday with SVSU taking on Upper Iowa University (UIU) and claiming a 2-1 victory. Sophomore Emily Depew pitched the entire game, striking out six, walking one, and allowing just one run on eight hits. While UIU started with a 1-0 lead in the second inning, that changed at the top of the sixth when sophomore Alyssa Muench hit a double, scoring junior Jackie Popko and tying the game. Senior Julia Salisbury broke the tie later in the inning with a RBI single to center, giving SVSU a lead that UIU couldn’t take. In Thursday’s second game, the Cardinals
were shut out by Lewis University, falling 4-0. Junior Jaclyn Groves pitched the first four innings and took the loss with two walks, one strike out and three runs on four hits. Senior Julia Mundy pitched the last three innings, walking two, striking out one and allowing one run on three hits. Lewis had a 3-0 lead by the third inning and had reached 4-0 by the fifth. The Flyers held this lead, giving the Cardinals their first loss of the season. Friday started on a high note as the Cardinals claimed a 7-5 victory over Truman State University (TSU). Muench pitched most of the game, allowing one run on three hits, striking out seven and walking one in the last four innings. SVSU led in the first after Popko stole a run while freshman Sara Moos was at bat in a suicide squeeze play. Despite this early advantage, TSU quickly gained a 4-1 lead after a run in the first and three more in the second. After a double steal by junior Sarah Gersch and RBIs from Salisbury, senior Blasia Moyler
and senior Meagan VerVaecke, the Cardinals led 5-4 in the third. SVSU maintained this lead until a run by TSU in the sixth tied things up. The Cardinals claimed the win in the seventh after RBIs from VerVaecke and sophomore Leah Denome. In the team’s second game of the day, the Cardinals took on Winona State University (WSU) and ultimately lost 4-3. Depew pitched the first six innings and took the loss after walking two, striking out five and allowing four unearned runs. SVSU started with a 2-0 lead in the first after a double by Muench and a single by Salisbury. A Cardinal error in the second allowed for a run by WSU, but a double by VerVaecke in the fourth helped SVSU maintain their lead. Despite this, a Cardinal error allowed for two WSU runs in the fifth and this along with an RBI by the Warriors in the fourth ensured WSU’s win. Next up the team will travel to Florida on March 6 to participate in week-long competition at The Spring Games.
SVSU track and field competed in the GLIAC championships this weekend at Grand Valley State University. Assistant coach Evelyn Kammeyer said the team was looking forward to the energy that comes from conference championships. “It’s a great environment and being in a solid conference puts us in position to have a really special opportunity to compete together against some top-notch rivals,” Kammeyer said. Kammeyer said the level of experience the team has also helps in competition. “A lot of our student-athletes have been here before and know what to expect in the championship environment, so knowing that we are headed into this with level heads is definitely a great feeling for us as a staff,” she said. On Saturday both the men and woman soared into success. As of Saturday evening, the men were in fourth place with 16 points and the women in second with 49 points. Junior Cheyenne Williamson placed first with the pentathlon, scoring 3768 points. Additionally, she won the long jump GLIAC title with a leap of 5.89 meters. Junior Taylor Lucas also did well in the long jump competition. She placed third marking 5.32 meters. The distance relay team, sophomore Jenna Picard, senior Alona Olshevska, senior Lauren Buckner, and sophomore Alexa Keiser placed second at 11:48.72 In the weight throw, senior Ali Aldrich placed third, tossing 17.62 meters. Another third-place award was given to the Cardinals for the 5000-meter run by senior Arianna Wegienka. The men’s distance medley relay finished third with 10:00.51. The team consisted of senior Brendan Nesbitt, freshman Dominic Suliman, sophomore Ryan Mixon and freshman Corey Bowers. Thomas Hufton placed fourth in the 5000-meter run with a 14:34.10 time. For the pole vault Deven Varela placed fifth marking 4.30 meters. The team put forth their best effort and proved to be a balanced team. They made a successful mark at the tournament just as Kammeyer hoped they would. “We hope to put forth a balanced team on the women’s side, with point contributions coming from all event groups,” Kammeyer said. She noted the men’s side did just as well, scoring more points in the bigger categories, evening out the tournament. “On the men’s side, we have the ability to score big in some events as well and would like to see points coming from all event groups.”. This game marks the end of the regular season for the Cardinals. The next tournament will be the Indoor National Championships, which is set to take place in Pittsburg, Kan. on March 11 and 12.
Men’s basketball falls to Davenport, wins over GVSU Rebekah Williams Vanguard Reporter
The SVSU men’s basketball team kicked off the week with a loss to Davenport University but came back to defeat Grand Valley State University on Saturday. The Cardinals’ final home games for the year place them at 18-10 overall and 12-8 in the GLIAC standings. On Thursday, the Cardinals fell to the Panthers, 67-62. Freshman Freddie McIntosh led the Cardinals with 13 points while senior Darnell Hoskins Jr was close behind with 11 points. Senior Tyler Witz was the leader for the game for rebounds with 14. SVSU had 22 fastbreaks, 37 rebounds and shot 23-of-58 from the field. Hoskins opened the game up for the Cardinals with two three-pointers. The teams went back and forth with baskets throughout the first half. Davenport caught up with the Cardinals and tied the game at 25-25 with 6:13 left in the half.
Davenport took the lead at the half after an 8-2 run on the Cardinals. Davenport gained a 12-point lead once the second half picked up. SVSU began working to close the gap with sophomore Tre Garrett’s free throw and McIntosh’s layup and 3-pointer. With 4:28 left, SVSU had the lead once again, before the Panthers took it back with 3:11 remaining. With 45 seconds left SVSU was within one point of Davenport. Garrett stole the ball, but the Panthers snagged it back and fouled the Cardinals. With 25 seconds left to play sophomore Delano Smith hit his free throws, giving Davenport a lead of only two. SVSU had a turnover with 12 seconds left in the game where Davenport was able to hold the victory. The second game of the week held a different story for the Cardinals, ending in a close win over the Lakers, 66-64. Smith led the Cardinals with 22 points and added eight rebounds. Witz led the team for rebounds with nine, adding 10 points.
McIntosh added 11 points and junior James Toohey added seven. The team had five steals and went 21of-55 from the field and 15-of-18 on free throws. The game started with SVSU down but that didn’t stop them from coming back to take the win. SVSU was down by five until freshman Steven Post hit a three-pointer bringing the score to 12-10. Grand Valley picked up the pace and with 9:34 left they led 21-14. The Cardinals attempted to close the gap but remained unable to during the first half. With three seconds left Smith made a layup putting SVSU close behind Grand Valley at 37-34. The second half opened with Jake Van Tubbergen from Grand Valley hitting a jump shot. The Cardinals bounced back with a jump shot from Witz bringing the score to 39-36. Witz hit another layup putting the Cardinals only down by one point at 56-55. Smith hit a free throw to tie the game at 56-56 with 7:22 left on the clock.
The teams traded baskets until SVSU reached 63 points. From there Grand Valley could not recover, giving the Cardinals the victory.
Senior James Toohey looks to pass the ball to freshman Freddie McIntosh during Thursday’s home game against Davenport. Vanguard Photographer | Justin Kruskie
The Valley Vanguard Sports Editor Sadie Shepherd | E-mail sshephe1@svsu.edu | Office 989-964-4482 | Instagram @TheValleyVanguard 110A Curtiss Hall
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