Massachusetts Daily Collegian: September 11, 2014

Minutemen head south for first road game of the season

‘Calvary’ charges through a week of doubts

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Thursday, September 11, 2014

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‘Almost instantly upon talking to her, you felt better’ Rising UMass senior and beloved friend Hannah Frilot enjoyed playing guitar and spending time with her friends

By Marie MacCune Collegian Staff

Hannah Frilot liked helping people; friends, strangers, a casual acquaintance. She was a true leader, both passionate and kind. Frilot was a happy person who wanted those around her to be happy too. Quite simply, she was a good friend. And those close to her describe that as her biggest impact on the University of Massachusetts.

“I met my best friend on the first day of college,” said UMass senior and Daily Collegian Opinion Editor Zac Bears. “I know it sounds ‘too cliché to be true,’ but it is. She walked into my room in Van Meter on the first day of college and we were together almost every day for the next three years.”

“Hannah always walked into a room with something nice to say, a

hug to give or a smile on her face,” he added. “She was a happy person and she exuded that happiness onto everyone around her. That happiness was also combined with drive and motivation. If we made a plan, she always wanted to execute on it. She was a leader both as a friend and as a student. But that leadership wasn’t arrogant. She was a leader that you follow for the right reasons, because you trust her.”

On July 31, Hannah Frilot died after being hit by a car while walking along North East Street in Amherst. Frilot was about to start her senior year at UMass studying industrial engineering.

Frilot dedicated much of her time on campus to the UMass Pride Alliance of which she was treasurer. Kelsey Pratto, a recent UMass graduate, was secretary of the group last year and said

that when the first treasurer quit mid-semester, “We couldn’t just ask anyone to step in so we asked Hannah and she took it on full steam ahead.”

“There were many Pride Alliance meetings that would have [failed] without her,” Pratto said.

“Hannah was just there all the time. Just so enthusiastic, being there, doing anything for Pride.”

“Hannah was the person to go to when you were stressed out or frustrated,” said Kailin Scheer, a senior studying sociology and president of UMass Pride Alliance. “She always took the reins, said ‘we can figure this out,’ and calmed everyone down. She really pulled through for us.”

Pratto also spoke on Frilot’s knack for people.

“She was definitely the kind of person that you just felt good around,” he added. “I don’t know

COURTESY OF MICHELLE MANDEAU

Frilot was a member of the UMass Pride Alliance and served as the treasurer. if that was her nature or if she was doing it for us, but you just felt good being around her. Almost instantly upon talking to her you

felt better, you just felt better about life.” see

FRILOT on page 2

Drugs used for anxiety and Career Services refines sleep linked to Alzheimer’s its efforts for students

By Melissa Healy Los Angeles Times

Older people who have relied on a class of drugs called benzodiazepines to reduce anxiety or induce sleep are at higher risk of going on to develop Alzheimer’s disease, new research finds, with those whose use of the medications is most intensive almost twice as likely to develop the mind-robbing disorder.

Benzodiazepines - marketed under such names as Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Klonopin - are widely used to treat insomnia, agitation and anxiety, all of which can be early signs of impending Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly. But the current study sought to disentangle benzodiazepines’ use in treating early dementia symptoms, probing instead the possibility that heavy use of the medications may permit, cause or hasten the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia.

The study compared the pattern of benzodiazepine

use in 1,796 elderly people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s with that of 7,184 similar people who had no such diagnosis. Such a study design, conducted by French and Canadian researchers and published this week in the journal BMJ, cannot by itself establish that more intensive use of the medications causes Alzheimer’s disease.

But it does strengthen such suspicions.

Among the study participants over 66 who were living independently in the Canadian province of Quebec, those who took low-dose benzodiazepine medication, or who took higher doses but very briefly or infrequently, did not see their Alzheimer’s risk go up five years after they were first prescribed such a medication. But the picture was more worrisome for those who frequently took long-acting benzodiazepines, who frequently took high doses, or who took any such drugs regularly over several months.

The benzodiazepines spe-

cifically considered by the researchers were the shortacting anti-anxiety medications alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), oxazepam (Seresta) and diazepam (Valium), and the longer-acting anti-seizure and “hypnotic” drugs frequently used to treat insomnia: clonazepam (Klonopin), flurazepam (Dalmane), midazolam (Versed), nitrazepam (Mogadon), temazepam (Restoril) and triazolam (Halcion).

The widely prescribed medicines marketed as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata (generically named zolpidem, eszopiclone and zaleplon) are “atypical benzodiazepines” and were not included in the analysis.

The authors of Tuesday’s study created an index that gauged the intensity of a participant’s benzodiazepine use and found that at the end of a five-year period following an initial prescription, see

DRUG on page 3

Valuable campus resouce expands

By Anthony Rentsch Collegian Correspondent

As the 2014-2015 academic year kicks into gear, the University of Massachusetts Career Services office is putting enormous efforts towards helping students – both new and old – think about life after classes.

The role of Career Services, said Nessim Watson, is to help students learn how to market themselves to potential employers, a skill that often goes overlooked amidst the daily grind of classes and homework.

“Nobody teaches you how to market yourself,” said Watson, an assistant director for Career Services, who is responsible for helping science, computer science, engineering and BDIC majors, as well as

graduate students. “I see a lot of kids in my office with technical skills and abilities but that cannot market themselves. The ability to market your skills effectively is as important as the content of your major.”

“If you have one but not the other, you are not going to go anywhere,” he added.

“We see the whole student,” said Assistant Director for Career Services Rebecca Bell. “Our job is to help them translate experience into concrete skills and to help them learn how to present those skills in a way that helps them to get that job or internship.”

This is where Career Services comes in. The office provides UMass students with all of the resources they need to market themselves, including resume and cover letter writing support as well as mock interviews.

Once a student is confident in his or her ability to express their skills,

strengths and interests, Career Services has a myriad of resources to help build connections with potential employers. According to Watson, UMass Amherst Career Services hosts the largest career fair in Western Massachusetts, featuring over 100 organizations located locally, nationally, and internationally.Specialized career fairs for students of different majors are also held throughout the year.

Career Services even works with students for up to a year after graduation in order to connect them with job opportunities and other UMass Amherst alumni.

Last year alone, according to the 2013-2014 annual Career Services report, 827 on-campus interviews were scheduled as a result of career fairs and employer information sessions.

While the department see

CAREER on page 3

Police brutality causes organized rally by UM students Activists respond to Ferguson, Mo. shooting

By Marie MacCune Collegian Staff

Students of all races gathered around the Student Union in solidarity Wednesday against police brutality and racism in reaction to the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.last month.

Together Josh Odam, Christopher Young and Danielle Laroque organized the event.

Odam a sophomore studying political science and legal studies said, “This rally is something that hits home for me because it could have been me, or my brother or my cousin. I don’t want to go to any more funerals with black mothers and black sisters crying because

they lost someone to violence and racism. No more.”

“As a black community, we are like one body. It’s been a frequent occurrence, these shootings of unarmed young black men,” said senior sociology student Laroque about why she decided to become involved. “This is a way to show solidarity, to come together and make a change. That’s what we do as student activists.”

When asked why he was involved, economics major Young said, “Black lives matter. That’s all I really have to say.”

Participants wore a piece of red clothing in remembrance of Brown and listened as their fellow students took the floor to tell personal experiences of racism. Cheryl GrandisonClark, a mathematics major, read an original poem.

Faculty members were present as well, including Armanthia Duncan, a sociology instructor, and Cameron

Cox of Residential Life Services.

Both spoke to students on the importance of standing up for justice.

Student Government Assoication President Vinayak Rao also attended the rally.

“I came because our Secretary of Diversity Josh Odam was organizing it and we wanted to come by and show our support,” the president said. “As a person of color and an under-represented minority, I think it is important to come together and promote equality. This is what it’s all about.”

While the majority of attendees were from UMass, students came from other parts of the Pioneer Valley to show solidarity.

Rally organizers led the crowd in chanting phrases like “Hands up!

Don’t shoot!” and “Ain’t no power like the power of the people because the power of the people don’t stop” and “No justice, no peace, no brutal police.”

Martin, I am Mike Brown.”

Laurie Senat, a junior studying sociology, attended the rally Wednesday and said, “I feel very passionately about this issue, being Haitian-American and experiencing police brutality through my family.

My cousin Gregory was shot and killed by the police, so this is dear to my heart.”

“I hope the UMass campus knows that we are here and that they hear us, and they know we are strong people,” she added. “When we are passionate about something they will hear us.”

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN Following the rally outside the Students rallied against police brutality, Student Union, students marched violence, and the modern struggles African- through campus to the Malcom X American face.

Cultural Center where a “We Need to Talk” meeting was held.

Throughout the rally, moments of silence were held in honor of Catherine Ferris contributed to this report. young black people killed by police. Marie MacCune can be reached at mmac One student speaker shouted cune@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @ out, “I am Emitt Till, I am Trayvon mariemaccune.

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Thursday, September 11, 2014

THE RUNDOWN ON THIS DAY...

In 1813, British troops arrived in Mount Vernon and prepared to invade Washington, D.C. as part of the War of 1812.

AROUND THE WORLD TOKYO — Two nuclear reactors in Japan passed new safety standards Wednesday, for the first time since the nuclear disaster at Fukushima three and a half years ago.

The move brings Japan closer to restarting domestic nuclear power generation after the government shut down all of its nuclear plants in the wake of the reactor meltdown at Fukushima, which followed an earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

Two reactors at the Sendai power plant in Kagoshima prefecture in the south of the country obtained safety clearance from regulators on Wednesday.

The plant operated by Kyushu Electric was unlikely to start operating before December due to unfinished paperwork, Kyodo News agency reported.

The Sendai plant would still need the approval of local authorities, with public opinion nationwide on balance opposed to the resumption of nuclear power.

Currently all 48 of Japan’s commercial reactors are idle.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in April that it was planning a return to nuclear power.

In May a local court in the central prefecture of Fukui found in favour of anti-nuclear activists and blocked the restarting of two reactors at the Oi plant by operator Kansai Electric Power Co, ruling that the risk from earthquakes was unknowable.

But the government is still pushing for nuclear plants to come back online. Imports of fossil fuels to make up the shortfall using thermal power plants has helped drive the country’s trade balance into the red for the past two years.

The two Sendai reactors have a capacity of 1.8 gigawatts, or around 5 per cent of the former total output of the country’s nuclear power stations, which supplied around a third of the grid’s energy.

Nuclear was unlikely ever to contribute such a high proportion of the energy mix again, experts said. Fewer than half of the reactors were thought likely to pass the tightened security tests.

Any more than 40 years old were to be automatically mothballed, and Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi has ruled out the building of any new ones, at least for the foreseeable future.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Gates Foundation donates to fight Ebola epidemic

By Monte Morin Los Angeles Times

As the spread of Ebola virus disease accelerates in West Africa, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced Wednesday that it was pledging $50 million to fight the epidemic.

The United Nations has estimated that it will cost at least $600 million to stop the spread of Ebola, which has caused the most devastation in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. To date, the outbreak has sickened 4,293 people and killed 2,296 of them, according to the World Health Organization.

The Gates Foundation funds would be used to purchase “badly needed supplies and scale up emergency operations in affected countries,” a statement released by the foundation says.

The foundation also plans to work with public and private groups to help develop drugs and diagnostic tests that would help to keep the spread of the disease in check.

Because the initial symptoms of Ebola virus infection can mimic those of other diseases like malaria or meningitis, patients might not be isolated quickly enough, experts say.

“To date, the Gates Foundation has committed more than $10 million of the $50 million to fight the Ebola outbreak, including $5 million to WHO for emergency operations and R&D assessments and $5 million to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to purchase essential medical supplies, coordinate response activities, and pro-

vide at-risk communities with life-saving health information,” the foundation’s statement says.

“An additional $2 million will also be committed immediately to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support incident management, treatment and health care system strengthening.”

The U.S. government has so far offered roughly $100 million to fight the epidemic, while the World Bank Group has pledged $200 million in emergency aid.

On Tuesday, the Boston University-based West African Research Association called on President Barack Obama to “set the tone for the rest of the world” and increase U.S. aid for Ebola.

“We call upon you, Mr. President, to take direct, immediate and decisive action to assist affected countries in bringing this threat under control,” wrote Jennifer Yanco, the association’s director.

“We are asking for dramatically increased U.S. support to combat this threat to global security. The U.S. has contributed $100 million, but this is not nearly enough. ... Over the past few months alone, the U.S. has spent more than $500 million fighting ISIS in Iraq.

It is a national shame that we have spent only a fraction of that on our efforts to combat Ebola,” Yanco wrote.

The association describes itself as an “international network of scholars and institutions devoted to the study of West Africa and diverse diasporas.”

FRILOT

DailyCollegian.com

continued from page 1

Gregg Kemper, Frilot’s supervisor at her internship with Yankee Candle, said it was those qualities that set her apart.

“I think what really made Hannah an impressive person was her ability to make an instant and sincere connection with the people she was working with,” he said.

“Through those personal relationships, she brought a sense of credibility and fairness to her projects to which everyone responded in a positive way.”

Taylor Lescarbeau, Frilot’s friend and supervisor at UMass IT Services, noted Frilot’s wonderful personality.

“She brought life with her when she came into work.

She was always excited about something or just had something to share with us.

Whether it was a movement or song; Hannah was always invested in something.”

George Felder, a UMass senior, also felt Frilot’s warm presence.

“Hannah had the best vibes,” Felder said. “I remember the first time I saw her. Those eyes, that disposition and approachability. I immediately knew this was a person I could talk to and love and be around all the time.”

Frilot also loved music and played her guitar and sang whenever she got the chance, particularly covers of her favorite band, the Front Bottoms.

“At every open mic or when we were just hanging out, she’d grab the guitar and start entertaining everyone,” Scheer said.

“And that’s how I like to think of her, just jamming

COURTESY OF JULIE FACTOR

Frilot was known by her friends for her passion and genuine friendliness. out.”

“We spent many nights in the Greeno Sub Shop, surrounded by our closest friends,” said senior Daniel DeLucia. “It was one of her favorite spots on campus; she loved contributing to their open mi cs and having Hallie McGuire make her wraps.”

In terms of what Hannah loved about UMass, friends say it was the people.

According to Bears, she appreciated “how real UMass students are and how many great friends and passionate people live in our community.

The loss of her energy will be felt throughout the campus community.

“Our close friends at UMass number in the hundreds,” Bears said.

He added that, Frilot’s biggest impact is being a “wonderful friend.”

“In her short time on campus, she made so many people feel happy, brought so many groups of people together and facilitated more friendships than I can count. She became friends with almost everyone she met. Her magnetism drew people towards her, and through that, drew people together. The outpouring of support from our close friends was amazing…

She was loved because she always gave love. We will all miss that.”

Marie MacCune can be reached at mmaccune@umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

Up to 50 dead cats found in freezer of child-porn suspect

By Kate Jacobson and Brett Clarkson Sun Sentinel FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Amid a hot afternoon, neighbors gathered outside a home near Greenacres, Fla., and watched as live cats in cages and at least 50 dead frozen cats in garbage bags were carried out one by one.

One neighbor told the group that her daughter called the residence “the cat house,” and another remarked how cats were always in the yard.

“They’re just coming from everywhere,” said neighbor Lorraine Fenner. “I had no idea there were so many in that house.”

Deputies on Wednesday were searching Douglas Westcott’s home as part of an investigation into possession of child pornography.

And that’s when they made the grim discovery: about 50 dead cats kept in four different freezers at the residence, situated on Ithaca Circle West, authorities said.

Officials haven’t confirmed why so many dead cats were stored in freezers, but said it’s possible that someone at the residence couldn’t bear to part with the felines.

In Westcott’s case, the 55-year-old man was adamant about keeping his animals, said Capt. Dave Walesky, a spokesman for Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.

“He absolutely refused to surrender the cats,” Walesky said.

Detectives investigating Westcott in the child-porn

case also seized a computer, said Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera. Westcott was taken into custody on three counts of possessing material that depicts child sexual conduct.

It was not yet clear if Westcott would face any animal-related charges, Walesky said.

Animal investigators, called to the scene at 7:30 a.m., also seized about 30 to 35 live cats, a Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control spokesman said.

Some of those cats were suffering from respiratory infections and other ailments, he said.

“The living conditions were not acceptable for the animals,” said Walesky, indicating that investigators seized the cats because their caregiver had been jailed, but also because the animals appeared to be showing signs of neglect.

Veterinarians will examine the dead cats to determine what happened to them, but also to figure out how to care for the animals that are still alive, he said.

Neighbors said the street has been overrun with cats, and lately they’ve seen more and more strays running around the block. Fenner, who lives four houses down from Westcott, said she and her teenage daughter are constantly amazed at how many cats are running around.

She said she has called animal control to report the stray cat problem and suspects the cats might’ve been coming from her neighbor’s

house. When she called animal control, she said an investigator came out to the neighborhood but never followed up with her.

“Now that I know the story, I am shocked.” Fenner said. “All summer long, (cats) just keep showing up and running across the road.

Little did I know what was happening.”

Marie Jean-Pierre, a former resident of the neighborhood who was visiting friends Wednesday afternoon, said Westcott and his wife have been living in the house for at least 10 years. She said the couple is known for having a lot of cats and that children in the neighborhood often refer to it as “the cat house.”

“It’s crazy,” Jean-Pierre said. “I knew they had a lot of cats. They said the cats were like their kids. I don’t know what to say.”

According to Walesky, Westcott told animal investigators that he wants his cats back and that he will fight Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control to win back custody of his animals.

That decision could be made by a judge in about a month, Walesky said.

While officials determine why Westcott was keeping the animals, Walesky said this case shows signs of animal hoarding.

Typically, people who hoard animals live with an unmanageable number of dead or live animals and can’t separate themselves from them - regardless if they are dead or alive, Walesky said.

CAREER

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continued from page 1

offers an entire range of traditional career advising help, Rebecca Bell said that many casual events are also planned to reach a wider audience. On Sept.

29, for example, there will be a “What (Not) To Wear” Career Fashion Show from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Commonwealth Honors College Events Hall. The event will include students modeling interviewappropriate attire, representatives who will give participants feedback on their own interview attire and a booth that will take professional headshots for LinkedIn accounts.

As hinted at by the LinkedIn photo booth, Career Services has made significant efforts recently to emphasize the importance of having an online presence.

“It is as important as having a resume,” Watson said of having online

DRUG

Thursday, September 11, 2014

accounts such as LinkedIn, which serve as confirmation for employers that you really do exist.

While all of the resources are at students’ fingertips, many students fail to consider the idea of having a career until their junior or senior year. The transition from student to employee is an incredibly daunting process, which is why Watson said Career Services is making a concerted effort to connect with underclassmen early.

“A lot of students do not find out about us until senior year,” Watson said.

“We are reaching out to freshmen and sophomores now.”

Unfortunately, as Bell mentioned, since many students do not find out about Career Services until later in their college careers, few students use the valuable resources that the office has to offer.

“Our workshops are definitely under attended,” she said. “I would love to see more students use our resources.”

UMass Career Services has certainly taken steps toward making Bell’s hope a reality. In the past year, two new career advisors have been added to the staff.

For more information about the UMass Career Services office, or to get started with the process of searching for a job or internship, like their page on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, visit 511 Goodell Building Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; walk-in advising hours from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., or go to the Library Learning Commons Tuesday 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Anthony Rentsch can be reached at arentsch@umass.edu.

continued from page 1

Alzheimer’s risk mounted steadily. Those who took the cumulative equivalent of daily doses for three to six months over a five-year period were roughly 32 percent more likely than those who took none to develop Alzheimer’s. Those who took the cumulative equivalent of a full daily dose for more than six months were 84 percent more likely to do so.

There’s already strong research evidence that frequent or regular benzodiazepine use degrades memory and mental performance in

humans and animals. And some research suggests that with regular use of this class of drugs, the receptors to which they bind in the brain become less active.

And lower activity of those receptors has been linked to cognitive decline.

“In view of the evidence, it is now crucial to encourage physicians to carefully balance the risks and benefits when initiating or renewing a treatment with benzodiazepines and related products in older patients,” the authors wrote.

International medical

guidelines recommend the use of benzodiazepines as treatment for anxiety disorders and transient insomnia, but caution that they are not meant for long-term use, and should not be taken steadily for more than three months. But many patients continue to take these drugs for years. In addition to their cognitive effects, benzodiazepines are widely implicated in the national epidemic of opioid pain medication overdoses and fatalities that result from mixing them with alcohol and opioid drugs.

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“The year was 2081, and everyone was finally equal” - Kurt Vonnegut

Thursday, September 11, 2014

to Letters the edItor

There is no such thing as ‘reverse racism’

Editorial@DailyCollegian.com

To the editor:

For the Boston College game, it was great to see about a couple thousand students leading the Minutemen out of the tunnel at Gillette Stadium.

For the Colorado game, it was equally embarrassing that only 88 students showed up. Yes, I realize that going

to Gillette takes a lot more planning and time than just rolling out of bed and walking to McGuirk, but Coach Whipple has the Minutemen playing an exciting brand of football and deserves your support.

There will be bumps in the road during the transition to FBS football. but the current players are the

foundation for the future, and the student body should be there to support that foundation.

With all the social media, I know that you can do this: for the Homecoming Game, the student sections should be a sea of maroon and white. Perhaps with one section wearing maroon and another white, or with

a large maroon “U” in the white section and a huge white “M” in the maroon section. Be creative!

That day, we won’t be able get to McGuirk until kickoff, but we’ll make it.

Go UMass!

A few weeks ago, my colleagues and I were having a discussion regarding the underrepresentation of students of color in state universities across the United

Sincerely, Tom “Vuss” Wisnauckas, Dec. ‘76

Josh Odam States. I attributed the disparity, in part, to highly segregated public education systems and Supreme Court decisions, which ban racebased college admissions decisions. In response, my colleague (who just so happened to be a white, heterosexual and male-bodied individual) stated that he does not believe in affirmative action programs because it is a form of “…reverse racism, which results in white students being unfairly targeted because of their skin color.”

“That’s simply not true,” I instinctively replied.

“It’s true to me,” he insisted.

His life experiences led him to accept concepts such as “post-racism” and “reverse-racism” as truth.

That was his truth, but it is certainly not mine.

I am a person who is very particular about language and words. I pride myself on knowing the history and underlying meaning behind words before I use them, especially if those words directed at someone.

“Reverse racism” just like “post-racial,” is an asinine term for a bankrupt notion.

People of color cannot be racist because racism is institutional. Racism is systemic.

Racism is normalized. People have to understand that the term racism is an indicator: it identifies a network of structures and institutions (the state, the police, universities, corporations, banks, etc.) used to oppress and marginalize entire populations. Allow me to further illustrate this: Black people cannot enslave, colonize, marginalize, imperialize nor politically and/or economically disenfranchise white people.

We do not have the capacity to enact “white codes” or impede on voting rights of white people because we do not have access to privileges, systems and resources to do so. Racism is not one person blatantly being discriminated against; it is an entire group of people operating within a structure where the idea of racial inferiority is woven into the fabric of the society, so much so that it makes it difficult for a person not to discriminate.

The rise of “reverse-isms” is indicative of the current racial/political climate in the United States in that whenever a person of color or a member of an oppressed group demands resources which will help fulfill their needs as human beings, the automatic assumption is it has to be a zero-sum gain.

If we give something to ‘the

Letters to the editor should be no longer than 550 words and can be submitted to either to Editorial@DailyCollegian.com or to DailyCollegian.com. We regret that, due to space constraints, not all letters will be printed but can be found online.

Do accused rapists deserve their checks and balances?

One of the most gut wrenching problems on college campuses or any-

Ian Hagerty where in the world is sexual assault and rape. A National Institute of Justice study found that every year, up to 19 percent of women on United States college campuses experienced rape or attempted rape. To think of this on a personto-person level while walking around University of Massachusetts is simply staggering and changes my perception of an otherwise hopeful seeming atmosphere. I can’t even imagine that on average one in five women I encounter has had to deal with such an experience. The number is probably even higher, because many instances of rape or sexual assault go unreported. Rapists shouldn’t be allowed on the streets and deserve our harshest punishments.

Now, as an NPR report outline on Sept. 3, many college students accused of sexual assault, including a male UMass student, are suing their respective schools, claiming that their rights were violated and they didn’t get a fair hearing.

The accused UMass student claims in the NPR report he received consent from the other anonymous UMass student and alleged victim, while she claims to have been drinking, with no memory from the evening except being held down while having sex.

Shortly after, she told a

friend what happened. The friend alerted a dorm advisor. Within two days, the school launched an investigation.

“Right from the start they treated me like I was the scum of the earth,” the UMass student accused of sexual assault told NPR when describing the investigation process. He was told

experience can be stressful and humiliating, so someone would be hard pressed to make a false accusation for any reason.

However, according to the journal, Violence Against Women, a review of every rape allegation made on a college in the U.S. amassed to an estimate of 5.9 percent of rape alle-

“Even if there is only a 1 percent chance that the accused is not guilty, we should still have some other checks and balances in place so that every person gets a proper chance to defend themselves.” that he was being investigated for sexual assault and that he only had several hours to move out of his dorm. Shortly after, he had a hearing process and was expelled from the school.

The defendant’s complaint was that he was denied his rights and wasn’t allowed any witnesses or an attorney to speak on his behalf during his hearing.

The attorney representing the UMass man among the others suing their respective schools say that schools are desperate to prove that they aren’t soft on sexual assault, and therefore might hastily jump to a conclusion of guilt.

It is hard to imagine anyone falsely accusing someone of rape or sexual assault. It is such a serious issue and such a terrible one, even to joke about, that we would all hope no one would have any reason or want to cry wolf. The entire

gations being false. This in no way downplays the monstrosity of the act of rape or proves the innocence of any of the defendants discussed.

Chances are, the men filing the lawsuit are guilty and they should definitely be brought to justice. This does beg the question, though: shouldn’t we all have a right to defend ourselves?

Plain and simple, we should have a better system in place for handling this type of situation. Even if there is only a 1 percent chance that the accused is not guilty, we should still have some other checks and balances in place so that every person gets a proper chance to defend themselves. The thought of being kicked out of your home within hours and shortly thereafter expelled from school without any due process seems like something you would find during Communist Blacklisting

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

in the United States, or when prisoners were being detained at Guantanamo indefinitely without trial.

Of course, these are harsh examples of rights violations, but it is a slippery slope.

Some may argue that if we add more checks and balances to the current system, that more guilty rapists will get away with their crime. There may be insufficient evidence or the accused could win out with a better lawyer. However, this doesn’t change the fact that we shouldn’t be putting the innocent behind bars.

I’ll repeat again, that false accusations of rape are rare and accused rapists should never be able to get away with their crime, but can we really use a system that assumes guilt before innocence?

This is a very tough subject, because when it comes down to it, the only evidence of an incident of rape or assault can often come down to the word of one of those involved. Also, rape is a crime that shouldn’t be given any reasons to be easier to commit. What I do know is that if relinquishment of human rights is allowed for the sake of the greater good, how are we supposed to justify that? I don’t think we can justify it and I also don’t think we can let any rapists slide through the cracks. There has to be a better way to handle this.

Currently, I just don’t know what.

Ian Hagerty is a Collegian columnist.

He can be reached at ihagerty@ umass.edu.

minorities,’ the majority group will be losing out.

One of my favorite examples of such a mentality is this: It’s unfair that Black students have a Black Student Union when white students do not. To put it simply, the University of Massachusetts is a white Student Union.

The same narrative is true for other “-isms” that exist in our society. If the College of Natural Sciences launches an initiative geared to bring more women/female-bodied individuals into the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, it is not reverse sexism. It is merely a method to provide an equitable playing field for those whose lives have been systematically devalued by a society, which places the emphasis on straight, white and Anglo-Saxon males.

Please do not misunderstand: Do some people of color have unsubstantiated beliefs about individuals based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or cultural backgrounds? Of course. Is there hate, intolerance, discrimination, stereotyping, bigotry and prejudice found in these communities?

Of course. However, racism is not a term that can apply to people of color because we still operate from an oppressed position in this society as compared to white people.

I personally do not believe my colleague is racist.

However, one does not have to be racist to benefit from a racist system. This is why when he looks in the mirror, he sees a man. When I look in the mirror, I see a Black man. The same holds true for my female-bodied colleagues, as it is a fact that this society does not let us forget.

Unless one is arguing that people of color are “naturally inferior” to white people (which is an explicitly racist position), there has to be an admission of some mechanism which limits opportunity. That mechanism is racism: the existing social, political and economic rule systems that discriminate against people, either overtly i.e. racial profiling or covertly limiting the Black electorate through redistricting, redlining, etc.

We admire and revere the individualist who succeeded by pulling themselves by their bootstraps. However, I cannot pull myself up if someone takes my boots away and prevents me from obtaining another pair.

When one blows the “reverse-ism” horn, they succeed in making the issue all about them. They draw attention away from the fact that there are groups of people who are not represented in certain arenas due to persistent historical and institutional barriers.

Josh Odam is Collegian columnist.

He can be reached at jodam@umass. edu.

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The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is published Monday through Thursday during the University of Massachusetts calendar semester. The Collegian is independently funded, operating on advertising revenue. Founded in 1890, the paper began as Aggie Life, became the College Signal in 1901, the Weekly Collegian in 1914 and the Tri–Weekly Collegian in 1956. Published daily from 1967 to 2013, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.

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Thursday, September 11, 2014

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FILM REVIEW

‘Calvary’ laces optimism with a morbid sense of humor Gleeson navigates a week of doubts

By Griffin Lyons Collegian Correspondent “Calvary” is two things. It is the English version of the Latin name for Golgotha, the hill Jesus Christ was crucified on, and it is a comedy whose staggeringly morbid sense of humor is braced by the hard-worn hopefulness of an aging priest. “Calvary” is the second film by John Michael McDonagh, following his debut with the dark comedy “The Guard” in 2011. Mining comedy from even bleaker circumstances than that debut, the film’s humor is a departure from its predecessor in parts and an escalation in others, but it’s also the key to a belief in the human potential for goodness that underpins the entire story.

“Calvary” follows Father James Lavelle, the Catholic priest in a small Irish coastal parish, played by McDonagh’s collaborator in “The Guard,” Brendan Gleeson (“In Bruges” and “Edge of Tomorrow”). One Sunday, during confession, a parishioner tells Gleeson that he will kill him as revenge against the Catholic

Church for molestation he suffered at the hands of a different priest decades ago. He gives Father James a week’s time to set his personal business in order. It’s nothing personal, the parishioner explains; it’s simply that killing a good priest will generate more shock and attention than killing a bad one.

That week forms the arc of the film, as Father James faces one last succession of crises from his congregation with care, sincerity and wry humor.

The tension between the concept of goodness and the struggle to live according to it encapsulates the entire film. As village priest, Father James at once commands respect from the village and serves as the focus of intensely resentful disillusionment with the Catholic Church that he represents. In his personal life, Father James is a recovering alcoholic and grapples with guilt as he attempts to reconcile with his adult daughter Fiona (Kelly Reilly, “Sherlock Holmes” and ABC’s “Black Box”), born before he joined the priesthood and estranged after the death of her mother.

The value of faith is an issue that dominates the film. One quiet, wrenching scene takes place in a

hospital, as Father James administers last rites to the dying husband of a stranded tourist (Marie-Josée Croze, “Munich”). As he subsequently prays with her in the hospital’s chapel, they discuss the nature of faith.

The tourist wonders how it could be so easy for some people to lose their faith.

Father James offers that perhaps, for them, faith is only the fear of death.

On his way out, Father James encounters another challenge to the meaningfulness of his work in a brilliant but pessimistic exchange with Aiden Gillen (HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and “The Wire”) as Frank Harte, an atheistic doctor who loves to cajole the priest about his faith. Wondering out loud about the limits of the role he plays versus the one Father James does, Harte admits that he’s beginning to feel a little clichéd playing from the same repertoire of cynical observations. “The material’s getting a bit stale,” Father James agrees.

In Calvary, however, everyone’s material is getting stale. The knowledge of his impending demise throws things into a new light for Father James, but little looks different. Confronted with issues such as a young

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Father James (Brendan Gleeson) consults a parishioner (Chris O’Dowd). parishioner (Killian Scott) debating joining the army as an outlet for his escalating romantic frustration, an elderly writer (M. Emmet Walsh, “Blade Runner” and “Blood Simple”) openly discussing the pros and cons of ending his life before he grows infirm and senile and an unbearably obnoxious financial speculator (Dylan Moran) seeking to ease his conscience by donating to the church, Father James

responds to their dramatics with wry, pretension-deflating humor and a genuine effort to help them. Each encounter, however, leaves him a little more worried about the limits of his ability to do good.

Despite the barrage of doubt, contempt and tragedy, Father James’s belief in goodness is what sustains him, and ultimately, the film. In a conversation with his daughter Fiona on

a walk along the coast, he expresses to her the belief that sin is focused on too often, and that virtue is neglected. Confronted headon with the former, Father James’s choice is to search for the latter, even where there may not be any.

As he says, “Forgiveness has been highly underrated.”

Griffin Lyons can be reached at glyons@umass.edu.

FILM REVIEW

‘Real Time’ returns to HBO Michael Fassbender strikes Bill Maher back for all the right chords in‘Frank’ more uncut debate

By Alex Frail Collegian Staff

On Sept. 12, political pundit and standup comedian Bill Maher returns to his 9 p.m. timeslot on HBO. “Real Time with Bill Maher’s” hour-long episodes feature a packed itinerary with standup, interviews and a panel of three specialist commentators. For the past 12 seasons, the program has offered incisive political commentary, bipartisan debates and political action campaigns like the Flip a District movement.

Maher, a famous standup comedian with a specialization for political satire, previously hosted “Politically Incorrect” from 1993 to 2002 on both Comedy Central and ABC. Rumors followed the program’s cancellation. Speculations arose that it was punishment for Maher’s remarks about the 9/11 attacks, misconstrued as celebrating the terrorists’ bravery.

Controversy occasionally arises for Maher on HBO. Most recently, he was heavily criticized after the Red Sox’s World Series parade, during which players paused in memoriam at the Boston Marathon’s finish line.

In response to the parade, which he deemed overly sentimental, Maher said, “I mean, your city was not leveled by Godzilla.”

The comments drew responses from a myriad of angered fans across Twitter, Facebook and even from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. Some called for his resignation from HBO. Maher, however, pointed out his criticism was directed at the sentimental patriotism of the event, not at the victims of the terrorist attacks.

Despite these abrasive

comments, Maher has persevered. Moreover, he is on the ascent. Now in its 12th season, “Real Time” enjoys an average rating of over four million viewers a week.

A three-person panel eats up the bulk of each “Real Time” episode drawing from specialists from both sides of the aisle in Washington, namely U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner and U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

Guests also include significant figures like astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and journalist Glenn Greenwald.

Each panel, regardless of its political affiliations, features informative discussions about timely topics, from the legalization of same-sex marriage to the rise of ISIS. Perhaps Maher’s greatest contribution to television’s political discourse is the variety of ideologies his show gives voice to. Maher himself is an outspoken atheist and a defender of women’s rights, the legalization of same-sex marriage and the legalization of marijuana. “Real Time’s” panel often books one to two ideological opponents of Maher.

The panel spars in heated, intellectual debates.

The show’s balance extends to Maher’s inevitable skewering of political figures. While the host’s lacerating tongue often lashes the Republicans (Maher once said, “Democrats have moved to the right and the right has moved into a mental hospital”), Democrats are never safe either. On one episode, Maher said, “If a Democrat even thinks you’re calling him liberal he grabs an orange vest and a rifle and heads into the woods to kill something.” Maher’s bipartisan jibes, always with kernels of truth rather than baseless complaints, prove he’s a knowledgeable host.

Most viewers express relief at Maher’s ability to cut through the fluff that

many other networks, like CNN, MSNBC and Fox News are entrenched in. Rather, HBO’s uncensored platform allows him to lead uncut discussions on the most polarizing topics. Lately, Maher has advocated primarily for climate change prevention.

At the start of “Real Time’s” 12th season, Maher launched Flip a District, a political action movement to oust a congressman or woman from a heavily gerrymandered district.

Unsatisfied voters – mostly liberals in conservative districts – posted to Twitter why his or her representative deserved to lose in November’s midterm elections. The campaign purports to combat gerrymandering, or redistricting, one of the leading causes of incumbency turnover rates, regardless of a candidate’s productivity in Congress.

“Real Time’s” website will choose a representative from the #flipadistrict Twitter feed sometime in September. After, Maher’s team intends to scout the district, to learn about its candidate and people and to “flip” the district by ousting the incumbent. The response to Flip a District has been widespread. Frustrated voters across America took to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to win Maher’s help during the midterm elections.

Bill Maher is the pundit for voters in search of meaningful debate and the comedian for viewers who enjoy social commentary. His program comes at you like a sledgehammer. It’s nothing like the wry satire of Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert.

Rather, he’s an uncensored outlet for the politically incorrect, a shameless crusader for progressivism and an unhinged Jon Stewart for the frustrated American.

Alex Frail can be reached at afrail@ umass.edu.

Stellar cast shines in a whimsical story

By Nathan Frontiero Collegian Staff

The room is dim. Four musicians tinker with their instruments as a fifth, the front man, walks onstage.

A slight but noticeable crescendo accompanies his entrance. He is tall, with a strong build. Atop his broad shoulders rests a large fake head wearing a nondescript expression.

He feels for a cable around the microphone stand and connects it to the head.

As he begins a cult-like incantation over the increasingly chaotic froth of sound, we can’t help but expect an event. But at the very moment we think the scene will meet our anticipation, the sound system overloads and sparks fly out from the amplifiers.

This moment sums up “Frank” decently well. At first glance it feels like it should be an event, but ultimately the film exists on a far smaller, more intimate scale. Although its larger narrative scope feels meandrous, its offcenter nature is often darkly hilarious. Director Lenny Abrahamson and co-writers Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan play with a frenetic, emotional spectrum, jumping sometimes very sharply between bleak and bright beats.

Domhnall Gleeson is our proxy as Jon, an office worker and aspiring musician. The film’s opening sequence works masterfully to establish his character. We see him stare out at the ocean, mouth closed, as his voice makes stumbling attempts at songwriting in the

soundtrack. As Jon walks through his town, he continues to throw these ideas at the fourth wall to see what sticks. Talk about “show, don’t tell.”

By cinematic happenstance, Jon meets Don (Scoot McNairy), the manager of a little-known band with the barelypronounceable name “Soronprfbs.” After their keyboard player’s recent suicide attempt, the band has an opening, which Jon rapidly accepts. Off they go into the woods, to a secluded cabin where they spend nearly a year recording what aims to be the band’s masterpiece. Jon schemes to make it their big break, and the increasingly ridiculous hashtags he affixes to tweets about the band’s progress are a welcome humorous spice.

“Frank” moves meditatively through its 95 minutes. Abrahamson understandably spends most of his time, and ours, focusing on the titular character’s eccentric creative process.

The role requires much of Michael Fassbender, whose recognizable face is covered for nearly the entirety of the film. When we finally do see beneath the giant papier-mâché head, the effect is neither shocking nor comforting.

The transition is seamless thanks to Fassbender’s commendable consistency and commitment. He carries Frank’s enigmatic persona with physicality, expertly conveying emotion through the slightest changes in body language.

The head’s appearance remains unchanged, but in the slightest tilt of his shoulders, Fassbender reveals a devastating shift in feeling. He sinks deep into Frank’s elusive demons, and adds affect-

ing duality to the mysterious character. The film also plays with the difficulty of understanding the alleged genius, as Frank starts literally describing his hidden facial expressions. Fassbender’s deadpan earnestness is so wonderfully ridiculous it keeps you engaged on hilarity alone.

Gleeson is equally compelling in his perhaps toofamiliar role as a famehungry everyman, but it’s Maggie Gyllenhaal who cuts deepest. As Clara, the band’s foul-mouthed synth and theremin player, she easily owns all of her scenes, on multiple levels.

Her acting is fittingly sublime for a character who obsessively controls nearly everyone around her.

She’s formidable on both sides of the script and her absolute commitment to getting what she wants manifests in the film’s funniest and most surprising scene.

“Frank” works best when it plays up its own quirks. But for its ending, which all too dismissively sweeps an important issue of mental illness under the rug, the film successfully conveys its storytelling. The denouement fails to fully acknowledge this very serious undercurrent running throughout, and in so shruggingly loses some of its heft. That lapse isn’t enough to offset the film’s unique charm.

Thankfully, the film relies more on its leads and mood than on the resolution of its deeper tensions. “Frank” drops a few threads too abruptly, but like any good performer, it leaves the audience wanting more.

Nathan Frontiero can be reached at nfrontiero@umass.edu.

6

Thursday, September 11, 2014

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Comics Turn

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that vanilla into vanilla sprinkles.

P oorly D rawn L ines

B y R eza F arazmand Puddin Pop

HOROSCOPES aquarius

Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

Though your operatic and enthusiastic singing tendancies are frequent, most of the time people can’t hear your iPod too.

pisces

Feb. 19 - Mar. 20

leo

Jul. 23 - Aug. 22

A good cold pizza can make an excellent breakfast food, but not all breakfast foods make an excellent cold pizza.

virgo

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

Calling a salami, baloney and spam sandwich Some days, you just come into a lot of a “three meat sub” would be like calling a cheese. And you know what? That is never, bowl of tomato, pickle and lemon a fruit salad. ever a bad thing.

aries

Mar. 21 - Apr. 19

taurus

Apr. 20 - May. 20

gemini

May. 21 - Jun. 21

In order to be more efficient while working, make sure you wait until it’s a complete freaking emergency to use the bathroom.

Though it doesn’t say so in the manufacturer’s instructions, it’s really important that you don’t boil glow sticks.

libra

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

scorpio

Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

Ain’t nothing like nine holes of mini golf to really spice up an ice cream cone.

The immpermanence of life can be summarized by the fact that any cup can be a disposable cup.

sagittarius

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

Dying your hair blue right before a job interview shows your risk taking gumption.

Honestly, you’ll probably get the job.

Late to class? Try some new, surprisingly acceptable excuses, like spiders!

cancer

capricorn

Jun. 22 - Jul. 22

Using Snapchat as a method to distribute suplemental class materials would definitely keep you away from using Snapchat again.

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

Have you ever looked at a bird’s ear? No? Go ahead. Check.

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VANDERBILT to commit to improving the run game.

Jamal Wilson and J.T. Blyden will likely split carries again this week, as the two backs have taken about 70-percent of the teams handoffs this season. Wilson has 70-yards to Blyden’s 68.

Wilson also has the only rushing touchdown of the season for UMass.

Although Wilson is currently listed ahead of Blyden on the team’s depth chart, Blyden mentioned that he’s always ready to go on the sideline and said his main job was to look out to see if Wilson needed a rest midway through the drive.

One of Vanderbilt’s main problems on defense this season has been its

continued from page 8

ability stopping the run allowing 180-yards against Ole Miss, and 144-yards against Temple in the season opener. Although those stats might be appetizing for Minutemen fans, Frohnapfel knows just how difficult it’s going to be for his team to move the ball.

“They’re huge. The whole front seven is big, the secondary is big, and they can all run. As an offense you know they have a lot of talent on their defense and we have to execute very well if we want to win.

Kickoff from Vanderbilt is set for noon and can be seen on Fox Sports South or ESPN3.com.

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@ umass.edu, and can be followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

7

MEN’S SOCCER

Minutemen happy to be home

By Jason Kates Collegian Staff

After an extended four game, 10-day road trip out on the West Coast to begin the season, the Massachusetts men’s soccer team is finally back in the Bay State.

For the first time this season, the Minutemen (0-4) will not be taking a plane to get to their next game, with an in-state contest at Boston University set for this Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.

Devin O’Neill, winless in his first four games as interim head coach, took several positives from the experience out west, but mainly is happy to be back in New England, where UMass will be playing its next eight games.

“We sure are glad to be home,” he said. “I know the guys are definitely excited to be back here, so it’s feels good to be back in familiar surroundings.”

O’Neill also mentioned that despite the losses, the team feels like they have improved and have gained experience that will be valuable for his team as the season progresses.

At this young point in the season, UMass will look to forget about its first four games of the season, and focus on the game against the Terriers (2-2).

In terms of the offensive performance so far, there are several aspects that O’Neill would like to see his team

improve on in order to succeed. The Minutemen have scored only two goals in four games, while squandering 12 goals to the opposition.

“We just have to get out of the back a little bit better and get our forwards in better positions to generate chances,” he said. “We also would like to see ourselves be a little more dangerous in certain restarts situations, so we’re hoping that that comes around and we’ll be able to score a few.”

BU has also had its struggles offensively with winning both of its games by the score of 1-0, including an overtime win versus Fordham in the season opener.

As for the game this week-

end, O’Neill will be on the lookout for several things from his team. “It always begins with competitiveness and how hard we work. We also want to do a great job defensively, and if we can be a little better at generating goal-scoring opportunities and taking those chances when they come, I think we’ll be in good shape.” O’Neill said.

Being winless after a few games can be demoralizing for any college team, and the Minutemen will try to not let get too overwhelmed with the thought of winning their first game this Saturday.

Jason Kates can be reached at jkates@umass.edu.

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Thursday, September 11, 2014

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FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL

HEADING SOUTH

Defensive struggles continue for UM Third downs hurting UMass

By Mark Chiarelli Collegian Staff

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Trey Dudley-Giles returns a kick last Saturday against Colorado.

Minutemen travel to SEC foe Vanderbilt

UMass football faces tall task on Saturday

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

The first couple weeks of the season for the Massachusetts football team have not been easy.

Week 1? Atlantic Coast Conference rival Boston College.

Week 2? Pac-12 foe Colorado.

What does week 3 bring for UMass?

A matchup against Vanderbilt, coming from arguably college footballs best conference, the southeastern conference.

The SEC produced seven consecutive national champions from 2006-2012, and although the Commodores have not been one of those teams, Vanderbilt isn’t

going to be a walk in the park either.

“This is a good team,” head coach Mark Whipple said. “This team knows how to win down there. …

They’re really talented.”

Despite the programs recent success, the Commodores have struggled this year following the departure of head coach James Franklin to Penn State – UMass’ next opponent. Vanderbilt (0-2) has struggled this year being outscored by its opponents 87-10, with the lone touchdown coming off a fumble recovery.

The majority of the Commodores problems can be linked directly towards the quarterback situation in Nashville.

As of Wednesday night, Vanderbilt has four quarterbacks listed on its twodeep depth chart, none

of which are listed as the starter.

Stephen Rivers has started the past two weeks for the Commodores throwing just 18-for-50 (36 percent) for 246-yards, zero touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Johnny McCrary, Patton Robinette and Wade Freebeck are the three other quarterbacks currently in contention for the starting job this Saturday.

Ralph Webb has been Vanderbilt’s most dynamic offense weapon through two games this season averaging 5.2-yards per carry on 32 carries for 165 yards.

Saturday’s contest also marks the first true road game of the season for the Minutemen, who went winless away from Gillette one year ago. UMass’ last and only road win in program

history came on November 10, 2012 in a 22-14 win against Akron.

“It’s not like going to an Alabama,” Whipple said.

“I don’t think the noise will be a factor, but we’ll work on some silent stuff just in case.”

“Our main thing to worry about is if there is going to be a silent snap count,” quarterback Blake Frohnapfel said.

“It’s something that we haven’t really worked on yet, but it’s definitely something we’ll take care of.”

Frohnapfel showed major signs of improvement from week one to week two, throwing for three touchdowns last week against Boston College.

However, one of the Minutemen’s main goals on offense has been see

VANDERBILT on page 7

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Overtime taking a toll on UMass Minutewomen want first regulation wins

By Tom Mulherin Collegian Staff

After losing two of the three games in its first home stand of the season, the Massachusetts women’s soccer team looks to find success on the road, as the team begins a four-game road trip, beginning with a matchup at Northeastern on Thursday.

The Minutewomen (2-3-1) enter their second road trip of the season with a decent road record of 1-1-1, with two of those games going into double overtime. Extra-play periods have in fact become a theme for UMass this season, as five of their six games have gone beyond regulation, and four have carried into double overtime.

Of those games that have reached overtime, the Minutewomen have fared slightly well in the “sudden death” scheme with a 2-2-1 record. Normally, the fre-

quency of overtime games in the beginning of the season would make a cause for concern, especially when UMass is two overtime games away from reaching its season’s total from the previous year of seven. In head coach Ed Matz’s case, however, he says that overtime does take a toll on the girls, but is not quite a concern for the Minutewomen just yet.

“It’s not a concern for us physically because we’re in fairly good shape,” Matz said. “Our depth has helped us in overtime games, especially this last Friday where it was close to 90 degrees, and muggy against Cornell.

Mentally and emotionally, sometimes [overtime] might be playing on their minds, but no I’m not too concerned with it right now.”

This year, depth has served a big contribution to how well the team is playing.

Matz has said in the past that he sometimes doesn’t know what the starting lineup will be for the next game because of how deep the team’s talent

pool is. In UMass’ five overtime games, Matz has worked the lineup so that at least 16 girls played 20-plus minutes in the game. Most other teams don’t have more than 15 girls getting those minutes, and two pairs of fresh legs can make a world’s difference.

Despite their good start in overtime games this season and Matz‘s lack of concern, the Minutewomen are looking to avoid those kinds of games in the future. Matz believes that the frequency of overtime starts to give a player the mindset that close games will go into overtime, so he thinks that the team would be better off without it.

“I would just like to win in regulation,” Matz said. “We need to be more confident when we have a lead. It’s like a double edged sword; when we’re down we have the confidence to score a goal to get the game into overtime, but we have to have that same confidence when we are up a goal. Overtime is goal to goal, and is just a tough way to win

or lose a game.”

The defense this year has looked strong for UMass.

In its six games, the team hasn’t surrendered more than two goals in any given game, while the struggling offense has only scored more than one goal in a game once.

Heading into Northeastern, Matz expects a very tough game to start off the road trip.

Even with how different the outcome is with the two sides of the ball, Matz says he has put his focus on improving the defense even more.

“Northeastern is a very good team,” he said. “This is going to be a very tough game, and I think we have our hands full with this matchup. We’ve had very few shutouts this year. I’m concerned with the one or two mistakes we are making that led to goals in our team defending. Ultimately it’s costing us wins, we have a tough month ahead of us.”

Tom Mulherin can be reached at tmulheri@umass.edu.

The Massachusetts football team learned on Saturday against Colorado that part of sustaining offensive pressure was simply possessing the ball.

UMass totaled 24 minutes, 45 seconds of offensive possession en route to scoring 38 points in the 41-38 loss. It prolonged drives for the first time in the young season – including an impressive 12 play, 85-yard first quarter drive which resulted in a touchdown – and executed some of the principles of coach Mark Whipple’s aggressive pro-style offense.

Saturday’s performance was a significant improvement over the first week against Boston College, when the offense struggled to score seven points.

Now, the goal is simple.

Allow the offense more time to lay the foundation and gather some momentum. And that onus falls on the defense.

“I think (our defense) is frustrated,” Minutemen defensive coordinator Tom Masella said.

The frustration stems from an inability to finish drives defensively.

UMass has lost the time of possession battle in both games this season and the defense struggled to stay afloat in the late stages of each one.

According to Masella, it’s not due to lack of chances. The Minutemen can’t get off the field on third downs and it’s hindering the entire unit’s performance.

UMass allowed opponents to convert on 54 percent of third downs. Colorado and Boston College combined to move the chains 19 times against the Minutemen, a debilitating number for a defense short on depth.

To make matters worse for a scuffling defense, there isn’t any specific area to focus on.

“We had them in third and 8, third and 9, third and 10 five or six times, which is what you want,” Masella said. “We didn’t get off the field, whether it was a penalty, whether it was not keeping the quarterback in the pocket or not making a tackle.”

The mistakes were abundant.

Minutemen outside linebacker Kassan Messiah – who lost his starting spot due to inconsistent play – committed an offside penalty on third and 4 as UMass trailed 34-31 in the fourth quarter.

The play handed Colorado a fresh set of downs.

Later in the same drive, Minutemen defensive back Jesse Monteiro committed a similarly frustrating penalty, as officials whistled the redshirt freshman for a defensive pass interference penalty on third and 21.

Colorado scored a touchdown on that drive and opened its lead to 41-31.

UMass missed a variety of tackles throughout the contest and prolonged drives on its own. The defensive play allowed the Buffs to gather momentum

“You have to zone in and be focused. You have to be mentally tough.”

Da’Sean Downey, UMass Linebacker of their own and kept the Minutemen offense next to the water coolers.

“It’s been a full range for us and that’s been disappointing, that’s really been disappointing,” Masella said.

Freshman linebacker Da’Sean Downey, who made his first career start Saturday, said the letdown’s come from lack of attention to detail.

“You have to zone in and be focused,” Downey said.

“You have to be mentally tough to get your assignment done.”

Shuffling the cards Masella’s readjusted his depth chart at outside linebacker recently due to an assortment of ineffectiveness and injury.

Starter Trey Seals is still relegated to the sideline and a walking boot as he works back from a left foot injury. He suffered the injury against Boston College and missed the game against Colorado.

The coaching staff wasn’t confident he would play against Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Messiah, his opposite counterpart in Masella’s 3-4 defense, also isn’t starting. The coaching staff decided to move Lucas Amato over Messiah on the depth chart. While the staff still believes in Messiah, it’s clear the results aren’t up to par.

“I think he can be a really, really good football player,” Masella said. “I don’t think he’s played up to the level that he expects or we expect him too. But it’s not because of effort, it just hasn’t clicked for him yet.”

Both Amato and Downey made their first career starts at outside linebacker against Colorado.

Looking ahead The Minutemen were originally scheduled to face Vanderbilt again in 2018, but a restructuring of the agreement between the two schools erased that meeting. Instead, UMass will face the Commodores for the final time on Saturday and Vanderbilt will pay the Minutemen $650,000.

UMass is also preparing for games at McGuirk Stadium.

The school will hang seven more commemorative banners inside the stadium and plans to turn Stadium Drive into a fanfriendly area on game day.

The plan is to line the road with various tailgating activities for fans and to paint the UMass logo onto the asphalt leading up to the stadium.

Mark Chiarelli can be reached at mchiarel@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Mark_Chiarelli.