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NEWSPage 2 December 5, 2012

Monday, Nov. 26

Possession of drug paraphernalia

Warde HallRes-life incident

Friday, Nov. 30

Criminal mischief to vehicle

Lot #1

Referred for discipline

Friday, Nov. 30

Larceny

3923 Lewis Ave.

Referred for discipline

MercyhurstUniversity

Police & Safety Police Log

Sunday, Dec. 2

Liquor law violation

Warde Hall

Res-life incident

Many students would agree that arenovation to the Briggs and Lewisapartments is needed and MercyhurstStudent Government (MSG) is takingaction to make that happen.

The Campus Life Committee andVice President for Student Life GerardTobin, Ph.D., meet monthly to choosegoals to strive for. Currently, theirgoal is to look into students opinion

on apartments and see what studentsthink should be improved upon. Theyenact this goal through surveys thatengage students in the considerationprocess.

MSG acts as a middleman betweenthe students and the Mercyhurst Boardof Trustees.

[It] is also the voice of the stu-dent body, said Sarah Allen, assistantdirector of the Center for StudentEngagement and Leadership Devel-opment.

MSG will present a report of apart-

ment improvements to the Board ofTrustees, who play a huge role in howthe university budget is doled out,during the Board of Trustees meetingin February.

At the end of 2012 fall term, MSGconducted a survey that asked ques-tions about maintenance and whatshould be improved in the apartments.

According to MSG President Rich-ard Molloy, these surveys were pains-takingly conducted door-to-door andface-to-face.

Students seemed glad that we weredoing something [visibly] proactiveabout the situation, Molloy said aboutthe decision to do a face-to-face surveyrather than an online survey.

MSG paid specific attention toapartments, previously housing threestudents that now house four stu-dents or will do so in the future. Thenumber of apar tments to hold fourstudents is expected to increase in thefuture.

Briggs and Lewis street apartmentswill become strictly four residentapartments again [in the future], said

senior and Resident Assistance Adri-anne LaGruth.An apartment meant for three

people can comfortably accommodateall three residents but the inclusion ofa fourth resident makes space a seriousissue.

One of the ways they have comeup with to deal with the space issueis to replace the bulky wooden fur-niture currently in apartments. Withslimmer furniture and dressers thatcan be stacked horizontally insteadof vertically under beds, space willbe saved.

Though the surveys are still in pro-cessing because of the great volumeof responses, according to Allen, therehas been a trend in which rooms stu-dents consider need improvements.

The kitchen and the bathroom aretwo areas where problems exist.

Since the apartments are old, manybuilt in the 1940s, there is a great dealof strain in these two areas. For exam-ple, ventilation in bathrooms is ade-quate, but no available window meansthat sometimes bathrooms stay moist

and this encourages mold growthwhich is a health concern.

The cost to renovate one apart-ment is relatively small, said Tobin.

But when there are many apart-ments that need improvements thecost becomes great. Thus, imple-menting a gradual process ofimproving apartments is a great con-cern of future endeavors.

Some apartments, such as the High-land Square apartments on Briggs

Avenue, could be redone into highend apartments for students in orderto deal with aging apartments andspace issues. However, there is a catch.Students would have to pay more forthese high end apartments.

[It would] cost different amountsdepending on where a student lives,said Tobin, but students would haveto pay more to live in the high endapartments [than a regular apart-ment].

The apartment improvementssurvey collected well over 250responses and so far boasts a mainlypositive student response.

By Kieston BromleyStaff Writer

MSG strives to improve apartments

Student faces serious problems

with ther drain from mold and

mildew in her apartment.

Contributed photo

Twerking workout provides

Youve read the word on somesocial network, maybe watched a videoon YouTube, or just heard someonesay it: twerking might be one of theyears sensations.

Although the fever started a fewyears ago, after a series of videos ofa group of girls who named them-selves Twerk Team were uploadedto YouTube, the dance style has gar-nered legitimate mainstream attention

thanks to rappers including the word a mix ture of twitch and jerk in the lyrics to their songs.

Now, freshman Kennethea Wilson

instructs a twerking class at the RECCenter. The workout is said to help

tighten your abs, tone your legs, andshape your butt, and takes place onTuesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. at the RECCenter.

Student reactions have been pos-itive, praising the originality of thecourse. Sophomore Alexis Pringle said,Its a fantastic workout. Its a fun, newalternative to exercising.

My sister has been into twerkingfor awhile and is really good at it. Nowthat its at Mercyhurst Id like to learnthe skill like my sister, senior LindsayOgden said.

The workout is very fast paced andtypically features a combination ofquick arm and buttocks movements.

The class is a first of its kind at the

Recreation Center and provides awhole new type of exercise.

Despite knowing little about thenew exercise, students are still excitedto try something new.

The new twerk class sounds reallyinteresting. Something Id really havefun doing and definitely worth a shot.I plan to go next week, sophomoreLauren Smith said.

Others are not so sure about theclass.

The class seems very odd. Thedance movements seem to resemblethose of an exotic dancer, senior Ben-jamin Snedden.

Wilson can be contacted for ques-tions at kwilso24@lakers.mercyhurst.edu.

By Juan Mendez

Staff Writer

exciting exercise at REC

Know anyone that deserves to be Laker of the Month?

Please send all nominations with a brief summary of why they deserve the

award to lakerofthemonth@lakers.mercyhurst.edu

MSG members and the Merciad staff are exempt from being nominated.

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Page 3December 5, 2012 NEWS

Students build houses in New Orleans

While most of us were spending ourThanksgiving break relaxing at home,16 students and three chaperones wentto New Orleans for six days to helprebuild houses that were destroyedduring Hurricane Katrina.

Throughout the duration of theirtrip they worked on three houses,

which were all at different stages ofrepair. The students worked on these

houses with Project Homecoming, anindependent program to help those inneed.

Director of Service LearningColin Hurley was one of the chaper-ones that accompanied the students.

Sometimes we had to go back-wards to go forwards, Hurley said.

Some of the existing housesneeded to be gutted before they couldprepare for rebuilding. When they

were ready to be restored, there werevarious jobs that had to be done torenovate the homes to their proper

conditions.When not working on the houses,

the group got to explore New Orle-ans and help the city in additional

ways. They volunteered at the local

soup kitchen and helped give outfood through the New Orleans mis-sion.

Junior Bobby Sumner said this washis most rewarding experience.

My most rewarding experiencewas going out and connecting with

the homeless by giving them foodand water because its a lot differentfrom having people come in to a soup

kitchen. We got to see them in theirenvironment, rather than them comingto us. It was an eye-opening experi-ence, Sumner said.

Another student commented on hisfavorite experiences.

I enjoyed meeting the houseowner of where we were doing ourbuild because it was good to see whatour work was going toward, saidjunior Joe LaGruth, Also, Bourbon

Street was a lot of fun.In addition, to visiting Bourbon

Street, they went to the Po Boy Festi-val and toured the city.

We dined with the rich and thepoor, Hurley said.

The trip gave students and chaper-ones the opportunity to grasp a deeperunderstanding of people of NewOrleans and the city life.

Hurley also believed one of the ele-ments students learned from this trip

was the importance of community.As a group they shared meals, laughedand worked together, so as their trip

was nearing its end, everyone was sadto see it end.

If you are interested in helpingwith upcoming builds or attending asimilar trip, over spring break a groupis going to North Carolina and spotsare still available. You can contactCampus Ministry for more informa-tion.

In addition, Service Learning andCampus Ministry are planning ongoing to the New Jersey coast overspring break to help with the Hurri-cane Sandy relief.

To sign up for more service learningtrips, visit the service learning page onthe Mercyhurst portal.

By Kayla KellyFeatures editor

Students work together to rebuild houses in New Orleans over Thanksgiving break.

Contributed photo

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NEWS December 5, 2012Page 4

News BriefRadio station gets new look

Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 8, the Mercyhurst radio station will transi-tion into a new mixed format. The transition will occur to get morestudents involved with the radio station with music that they enjoy.

The new format will allow students to host their own radio showswith a music layout of their choice, according to university officials.

WYNE-AM station (North East) and WMCE-FM station willmerge together under the new format and will be accessed on eriera-dio.com.

Athletic events will be advertised and enhanced on the station at

various times.During times shows are not airing, classic 60s, 70s and 80s hits

will be played. Jazz music will be moved online and streamed 24/7 onerieradio.com.

Students are encouraged to join and get involved in the radiostation.

Shows currently airing are Captain Dan in the Morning, SpanishRadio and Polka Party. Several classic hits are included in these shows.

Shows in the making include Choice Cut with Dennis Lebec, TheBrady G Show and Love Songs with Sarah.

These stations will have public access Monday, Jan. 7, on both 88.5FM, 1530 AM and online at erieradio.com

In addition, a logo creation contest will commence to refresh themake-over of the station. The winner will receive a $50 dollar VISAgift card.

Entries are due Friday, Dec. 21, electronically to communication@mercyhurst.edu. Files should be submitted in PDF form and thewinner must submit their entry as a vector file.

Any proposals for student run shows should be sent to Dan Gearyat 824-2264 or at dgeary@mercyhurst.edu

Fashion Club raises funds with Christmas items

Fashion Club is getting into the holiday spirit with the Christmas

fundrasier this week.This Thursday and Friday (Dec. 6-7) in the Carolyn Herrmann Stu-

dent Union from 11a.m. - 2 p.m., members of the club will be sellingChristmas items and treats on the front table.

Personalized fashion merchandising koozies are one of the severalitems sold at the table.

Come finish your Christmas shopping by making a purchase and

supporting the club.

Carpe Diem Academy urges votes for violinsMercyhurst Universitys Carpe Diem Academy and the Greater Erie

Youth Symphony Orchestra are competing to win a $15,000 grant forfree violin lessons to children in Eries inner-city.

The winner is determined by a popular vote and the entire Eriecommunity is encouraged to vote.

The grant given from a $60,000 share from the Erie CountyGaming Revenue Authority.

Voting will continue until Wednesday, Dec. 12, at noon. Only onevote per person for each category of the $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000grants.

Votes can be cast at http://www.erieuchoose.com/.

MSG hosts Great Room

grand re-opening

This Sunday, Dec. 2, MercyhurstStudent Government (MSG) held itsgrand re-opening of the newly re-doneCarolyn Herrmann Student UnionGreat Room.

In conjunction with last years

Senior Class Gift committee, MSG

had been working on the project forabout a year to update and refurbishthe Union.

Actively changing the room over thesummer and in the fall, the new Stu-dent Union now holds a new sound-proof glass wall, four new flat-screenHDTVs with Direct TVs NFL Sundaypackage, new furniture and end tables,accent rugs, a new pool table, two newfoosball tables and art-work.

The event included a ribbon cuttingceremony with many in attendance

and a viewing party of the Steelers vs.Ravens game, with plenty of free foodand drinks.

MSG President Richard Molloy hada few words to say on the event.

We are excited for students to seethe finished project of over a year,said Molloy. We took inspiration forthe project from the old room wherethe sisters used to play pool. We

wanted to update and modernize it,

make it functional. Its really great tosee students using it a lot already andthat we had a great turn out today.

MSG Vice President Brian Lom-bardo added, I think that this is agreat project. Its one of the biggestMSG has done in a long time. Itsnow a place students can come torelax and enjoy the space. A lot ofthe credit for this goes to the MSGBoard from last year and the SeniorClass Gift Committee. It really was ateam effort.

There was a large turnout for the

event, with the food being gone min-utes after the ribbon cutting. Stu-dent reactions to the upgraded roomseemed to be very positive.

Its exciting to see people alreadyusing the new Great Room, seniorKelley Clarke said.

Senior Nikki Sherretts agreed withClarke.

I think it provides a better atmo-sphere for students to hang out, asopposed to before, said Sherretts.There are a lot more activities for stu-dents to do together now.

By Mark VidunasStaff Writer

Richard Molloy, Jenna Dascanio, Brian Lombardo, Sr. Rita, Chris-

tine Barber, Sarah Allen and Preston Reilly attended the re -opening

of the Great Room to celebrate the additions.

Contributed photo

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FEATURES Page 5December 5, 2012

The Miracle on 38th Street mightlook and sound familiar to some stu-dents, because it is a re-vamped versionof what has been called Christmas onCampus.

The administrative offices in the

Carolyn Herrmann Student Unionhave been working together to con-tinue a longstanding Christmas tradi-

tion at Mercyhurst.The Campus Involvement Center,

Campus Ministry, the Office of Ser-vice Learning, the Marion Shane Mul-ticultural Center and Parkhurst DiningServices are collaborating to continuethe campus tradition, while preparingfor changes brought by the new 4-1-4academic schedule next year.

The event will take place on Friday,

Dec. 14, from 3 to 6 p.m. in the stu-dent union.

Organizers of the event hope to

create the same service-centered feelthat has been present in past events bybringing together Mercyhurst Univer-sity and the Erie community.

Fifty children ages 4-10 from localagencies will visit campus for the after-school program, giving Mercyhurststudents a chance to give back to thecommunity.

A more intimate and meaningful

event is the goal, achieved by limitingthe number of participants this year.

This year agencies include the House

of Mercy, the MLK Center, JFKCenter and the Boys and Girls Clubof Erie.

Each child will be matched upwith a student volunteer, whom theywill par ticipate with in various craft sand activities provided by RegisteredStudent Clubs and Organizations(RSCO).

The event also includes Christmas

carols, holiday dancing, Christmastree lighting and a visit from Santa.Children will each receive a Christmas

gift and have an opportunity to makeand pick out gifts for their parents orguardians.

Volunteer numbers are beingcapped at 50 and all volunteers mustattend a meeting Wednesday, Dec. 12at 4 p.m. in the Mercyhurst StudentGovernment Chambers.

If interested in volunteering, con-tact Activities and Spirit Coordinator

Preston Reilly at preilly@mercyhurst.edu.

By Preston ReillyContributing writer

Student Union offices collaborate

on Miracle on 38th Street

Graphic Design alum Kaitlin Badgerssnowboard design picked by Target

Every major at Mercyhurst hasa capstone class for seniors to takethat combines all of the knowledgethey learned in their four years. Forone hardworking student, her finalproject can now be found in Targetstores nationwide.

Kaitlin Badger graduated in 2012from the Graphic Design program

and she created a snowboard designfor a project in her Portfolio Devel-opment class.

When looking for jobs, graphicdesign majors are required to presenta portfolio of the ir complied workto present to their potential employ-ers. This class focuses on how tocreate said portfolio in a professionalmanner.

Jodi Staniunas-Hopper teaches theclass and explained that students arelearning how the system of gettingsomething produced works.

In order for that to happen, Sta-niunas-Hopper partnered the class

with a local design studio Core Cre-ative.

Core Creative has a local manufac-turer as a client, and Target is a clientof that manufacturer.

There are many phases the workhas to go through including count-less revisions, tweaks, channels, andfocus groups before it manages toland itself on the desk of the Targetmarketing department.

Target was shown about 30 differ-ent designs and Badgers design was

the chosen one.The manufacturer created an addi-

tional three designs available for saleat other locations.

It was a cool moment, walkinginto Target and seeing the snowboardand thinking, I did that, but if it

wasnt for Jodi [Staniunas-Hopper] itnever would have happened, Badgersaid.

Staniunas-Hopper is also proud.I am thrilled that after all the

work put in that Kaitlins design wasselected. We can only hope to strikemagic again. We are currently meeting

with the design firm to get our march-ing orders (trend reports) to createboard designs for 2013-14 winter,she said.

Badger explained her design pro-cess as one that was very difficult forher, because she was completely outof her comfort zone.

As students, you learn the basicsof graphic design and certain ways toportray things, but this project was

very complex, and I had to make adesign that I would not usually make,

Badger said.She explained her design was tar-

geted to a younger demographic andthought that geometric shapes andbright colors would be best to appealto that audience.

Badger is currently working forNoresco in Pittsburgh and she iscontinuing her passion for graphicdesign.

She is using her graphic and webdesign skills to convince companiesto reduce their emissions. She ismaking posters and websites to ulti-

mately attract people to use energysaving behaviors daily.

I am extremely happy to repre-

sent Mercyhurst, said Badger. ButI especially want to thank Jodi [Sta-niunas-Hopper] because she does so

much for her students, to enable us tomake connections and get hands-onexperience with real clients.

By Abigail RobinsonStaff writer

Kaitlin Badger takes a photo with her new Target snowboard design.

mercyhurst.edu photo

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September 3, 2008 FEATURESPage 6 December 5, 2012

Campus Ministryprovides shelter

There is a rise of homelessness inErie, Pa.

With the winter months comingup, its going to become even moredangerous for people living out on

the streets.To make matters worse, homeless

shelters in the city have started turn-ing people away.

To counter this, Mercyhurst Uni-versity Campus Ministry is star ting amovement of emergency homelessshelters for those who cannot get intoa regular one.

The issue of homelessness wasfirst brought up at a public meeting

on Monday, Oct. 19. After the meet-ing, churches and other facilitiesdecided to host themselves as emer-gency shelters.

The emergency homeless sheltermovement began Saturday, Dec. 1,and will continue until the beginningof April.

Campus Ministry plans to have

select groups of students and employ-ees to stay overnight at the emergencyshelters.

The overnight g roups will be splitinto two shifts.

The first shift will stay at the shel-ters from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. and thesecond shift will stay at the sheltersfrom 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Students can earn service learningcredit if they participate in one of

these two shifts.This is only a short term emer-

gency solution. Were not tryingto build a brand new shelter, saidDirector of C ampus Ministry GregBaker. We just want to get thesepeople off the streets so that theydont die from the cold winter

weather up ahead.

Campus Ministry is also planningon looking at affordable housing.

They plan to do this in order to reducethe amount of homeless people in thecity of Erie.

For more information regardingthe emergency homeless shelters orto get involved, contact Greg Bakerat (814) 824-2301 or gbaker@mercy-hurst.edu.

By Daniel TarrStaff writer

Dr. Rodriguez joinscriminal justice dept.

This year Mercyhurst University

has welcomed 25 new faculty mem-bers, including Frank Rodriguez,Ph.D.

Rodriguez is a member of Mercy-hursts Criminal Justice Department.

He currently teaches AmericanCriminal Justice, but has taught Crim-inology and Police System and Proce-dures at other schools.

Rodriguez was born in the south-ern tip of Texas only five miles awayfrom the Mexican border.

When I look at the map, and seewhere I was born in the southern tip

of Texas, I see that a lot of Mexicowas north of me, he said, Its veryeasy to see how different my life couldhave been.

Rodriguez lived on the border forseveral years and saw the hardshipsthat workers from Mexico experi-enced.

From a young age Rodriguezwanted to be a police officer,influenced by his uncle who was amember of the Edinburg PoliceDepartment.

Growing up when I was three or

four years old, I would see my unclein his police uniform, and I would seehim with his badge and his gunto mehe looked like a soldier.

And then he would come over with

his police car, and he would turn onhis siren and his horn and it was likeChristmas, Rodriguez said.

After high school, Rodriguez wenton to get his undergraduate in crim-inal justice and went into the policeacademy at age 21.

Rodriguez is a former police offi-cer of Pegresso Police Department inPegresso, Tex.

He earned his bachelors degree atthe University of Texas Pan America,and earned his masters and doctoratedegree from Prairie View A&M Uni-

versity.During this time he received hisdoctorate in criminal justice with aspecialization in juvenile justice.

After receiving his degrees he wenton to teach at University of TexasPan-American, Prairie View A&MUniversity and the University ofHouston Downtown.

He has taught almost every agegroup: bilingual kindergarten classes,middle school, high school and at thecollegiate level. He has also coachedbaseball for a juvenile home and for a

high school varsity team.Rodriguez quit the police depart-

ment, realizing that the work was justnot for him.

He disliked having to work such a

stressful job, and dealt with some verygruesome situations.

It takes a very special kind ofperson to be a police officer, Rodri-guez said.

After leaving the force, Rodriguezmoved to California to live withhis sister and while living there hisyounger brother died.

His brother had been working allday in the hot Texan summer andhad been out drinking, which left himdehydrated.

His brother then got into trouble

with the police and was maced andtazed by the officer, shutting downhis liver.

This incident led Rodriguez to ge this masters and Ph.D. so he couldteach at the collegiate level and edu-cate the people who would be in thesesituations.

I love this campus. I fell in lovewith this campus the first time Iwalked on to it, said Rodriguez.

He added that he views hiscoworkers as a family away fromthe family.

By Derek SmithContributing writer

Senior Caitlin Handerhan enjoyed blogging about her Haiti trip.

Amid steamy temperatures, we ventured from the seclusion of our con-vent to visit students in Gros Morne.

Our first stop walking through Gros Morne was a visit to the John

XXIII school. As we entered the open-air high school, Sister Marilyn, SisterAnnette and Dag, our Haitian born-American raised translator gathered towait for the girls as I took a stroll through the main hall way of the school.

Walking through the school, I saw classroom after classroom packed withstudents. They stared at that crazy white girl in the tie-dyed t-shirt with thebig camera, waving and calling in Creole for me to come to their classrooms.Not wanting to disturb classes, I headed back towards the entrance whereSister Marilyn was, surrounded by a few girls in their school uniforms.

What I didnt see was the group of girls coming down the stairs to myright, and I was immediately plastered with kisses from the new arrivals.Caught completely off guard, I didnt realize it has a sign of respect to kissthe cheek of a person in greeting as well as goodbye. After I recovered fromthe initial shock, it was quite an endearing custom.

After the greetings were concluded, Sister Marilyn spoke to a few of thegirls and we learned a little more about their school day. After saying good-bye, we left the gated area of the school, and headed further into the city.

The sights that met us past the school were astounding. Not only werepeople living in extreme poverty, but also they were cheerful. Going abouttheir daily lives with such a sense of normalcy, since this is the only life theyhave known. Some were perplexed by my camera, and seemed to shy awayfrom it, but others were happy to pose for a photo. Snapping countlesspictures as we went, I was able to get many great candid shots of daily lifein Gros Morne.

Turning down a side street, Sister Annette took us up to a black metaldoor, looking foreboding with bars on top. This was the school we were

visiting next. Never would I have picked this out as a building with dailyoperations, let alone a school.

But our walk back up to our lodgings was nothing like the commute someof these girls must make. The trials and tribulations these girls go throughin the pursuit of education amazed me. I really took for granted not onlythe proximity I am to my schooling, but how readily available is was to mein the U.S.

Stay tuned to learn mor e about Caitlins trip to Haiti in upcoming columns.

Hurst to Haiti:

Schools of Gros Morne

Girls gather around for picture at the John XXIII school.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 7December 5, 2012

Friends of Mercyreturn to campus

Online Full list of events can be

found on the PAC websiteView upcoming performances:

www.pac.mercyhurst.eduwww.merciad.mercyhurst.

edu/arts_entertainment

As you walk through the groundfloor of Old Main you will notice that

from end to end the walls hold a vastamount of artwork. These are all partof the Friends of Mercyhurst ArtShow, now in its seventh showing.

Each artist participating in theexhibition has a connection with theUniversity, ten of which are formerstudents and seven are Mercyhurst fac-ulty members.

Many of the artists have partic-ipated in the show in previous years,donating works to the MercyhurstCollege Permanent Art Collection,

which is graced with works from the

Friends exhibits.A featured work in the show isRaku Place: The Bamboo Rock amixed media installation by Gover-nors Artist of the Year Award Recipi-

ent Susan Kemenyffy.Raku Place is a 47-acre botanical art

garden run by Susan Kemenyffy andan Edinboro University art professor.

Raku Place: The Bamboo Rock ismodeled after a bamboo grove withinthe garden with a prominent large rock

in the middle of the grove.The display takes up the entirety ofthe alcove adjacent to the financial aidoffice, comprised of bamboo stalksalong the walls, short cordgrass cover-ing the floor, and a cutout of the boul-der in the center.

Another interesting work is a mobileby David Seitzinger titled, Healing.

Seitzinger is an Erie metal artist whoalso collaborated with Gary Cacchioneon the Giant Quacker, which is thelarge duck seen around the campus.

The metal mobile hangs in thecenter of the hallway, and is comprisedof colorful geometric shapes on eacharm of the mobile.

One Mercyhurst alumnus, ScottRispin, has three works in the pro-

gram. Two of them are small gauchepaintings depicting French Creek, withdark tones in French Creek ShadePrequel and the impression of waterripples in French Creek Saegertown.

Dispersed throughout the hallwayare pieces of driftwood art by Brian

Pardini.Near the doors to Preston Hallresides the Guardian of the Steppe,resembling a bust of a man with along face, and the Rising figure, whichlooks like a standing person with armsstretched out to embrace an unknownthing. This exhibition is a display ofthe wonderful talent that Erie has tooffer and will come to an end on Sat-urday, March 30, 2013.

Be sure to take a stroll through thefirst floor of Old Main to check outthis truly one-of-a-kind works fromartists that help give Erie a creativeatmosphere we can all be proud of.Looks like The Quacker isnt theonly piece of art to take notice of.

By Ethan DovenskyContributing writer

The Friends of Mercy art show is housed on the first floor of Old Main and features an extensive collec-

tion of art, including this painting created by James Vredevoogd.

Sarah Hlusko photo

Langer Film Series:Where Do We Go Now?Set in a remote village where the church and the mosque stand

side by side, Where Do We Go Now? follows the antics of the

towns women to keep their blowhard men from start ing a religious

war. Women heartsick over men lost to previous flare-ups unite to

distract their men with clever r uses, from faking a miracle to hiring

a troupe of Ukrainian strippers.

Taylor Little TheaterFriday, Dec. 7, 2012 - 2:15 p.m. & 7:15 p.m.

pac.mercyhurst.edu photo

Well-known operasingers visit campus

Earlier this week, the DAngeloDepartment of Music was joined bythe company of two internationalopera singers who now teach voice atthe Depaul School of Music in Chi-cago, Il.

Voice Coordinator Jane Bunnelland Professor of Voice Marc Embreenot only attended the Student Forum

performance class held in WalkerRecital Hall every week to hear arandom selection of the DAngeloSchool of Musics talent, but alsogave three individual voice lessonsto one Mercyhurst student and twoalumna while here.

After attending the student forum

class, Bunnell and Embree joined agroup of voice majors in their Opera

Workshop class and gave a lecture onimportant information for the stu-dents to know if they were to pursuetheir careers in performance.

One of the most important and fun-damental pieces of information givento the students was done by Embree,

who said that one of the most import-ant aspects of voice is breath controland support, without which, propertechnique cannot be sustained.

The voice students here at Mercy-

hurst owe this amazing opportunityto meet and work with internation-ally acclaimed singers to DAngeloDepartment Chair Louisa Jonason,

who became close friends with bothBunnell and Embree when the threeperformed in New York City together.

By Mathew AndersonA&E editor

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September 3, 2008ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 8 December 5, 2012

Collaborative orchestra concertdelights DAngelo audiences

When one thinks of autumn, onethinks of a number of things: thesolemn beauty of the landscape, thegrowing darkness of the season andthe nobility of the more sensual sea-

sons falling into winter.During the Mercyhurst Symphony

Orchestras Fall Concertdirected byDr. R. Scott Tomlison and performedin the Mary DAngelo Performing ArtsCenter, Dec. 2 the themes of nobil-ity and the diverse colors of beauty

were exemplified and carried through-out the whole of the performance.

The program featured a numberof pieces by such famous names asBartok, Britten and Beethoven, as wellas some newer and more well-known

works, such as an orchestral arrange-

ment of O Holy Night.The program was also unique inthat this concert was the first in Mer-cyhurst Universitys history to featurean orchestra integrated with membersof orchestras from Penn State Beh-rend, Gannon University, SUNY Fre-donia, as well as Mercyhurst studentsand alumni. This experiment was very

well-received.Sophomore Rosalie Reed said, I

really liked the connection betweenthe areas; its always good to bring ina greater sense of community in ourmusic program.

The performance started wonder-fully strong with the perennial favor-ite Beethoven, and a piece called theNamensfeier Overture (the NameDay Overture).

The Canzonetta followed the firstmovement, and provided contrast

with its delicacy and Romantic-sound-ing leading tones and minor tonalitieslonging to return to major.

The final movement of this work,the Tarantella, was quick, spirited,and with a strong brass solo followingbehind. It could remind one of any-thing from a kind of chase to a chil-drens song.

The next piece on the concert, Lul-laby, by William Hofeldt, proved tobe one of the most popular from theaudiences perspective, even though itcame from a composer whose nameisnt as recognizable as Beethovens.

Senior Kaleigh Hubert said, Ireally liked the Lullaby because it was

slower, different, and it flowed wellwith the rest of the performance.

Indeed, this piece began to showsomething that wasnt so spirited andardent as the rest of the works in theprogram, but allowed for a bit of a lullin the emotional action of the concert.

The gorgeous rolling chords in thecello with a sweet, simple violin melodyover top that continued through thepiece made a work that sounded quitemodern. It maintained these qualities

while remaining an orchestral master-piece to be respected among the likes

of Britten and Bartok.

Bela Bartok, a composer known forhis efforts in preserving folk music,followed, with a brilliant selection ofshort, characteristic folk tunes calledRomanian Folk Dances.

These were all small pieces thatseemed to form character studies,pieces that lasted hardly a minute each,but which gave one a sense of musicfrom that area of Eastern Europe:

Wide, open fifths, bright, windingthemes, and a surging strength broughtevery one of the works together pleas-ingly.

A seasonally satisfying arrangementof O Holy Night followed, with abeautifully shared melody and a verymodern sound in the percussion. Theprogram concluded with the popularRadetzky March by Johann StraussSr., and struck one by its precision andutter brightness.

The themes of the concert werevery much appreciated by the audience

at large, and one hopes that we shallbe able to have more performancesof this collaborative sort in the future.Freshman Nhi Tran was particularlyimpressed.

This was the first time I went toan orchestra concert; I liked the musicbecause of the orchestras expression.

Tran said.Although there will always be some

small technicalities to be worked out,Mercyhurst University succeeded in anemotional sense with this very diversefall concert.

By Marika KochStaff writer

Tis the Season,

a holiday treat

The holiday season now seems tobe synonymous with holiday perfor-mances of music and dance. This yearat Mercyhurst is no different as thedance department prepares for this

weekends performance of Tis the

Season.Held in the Mary DAngelo Per-forming Arts Center (PAC), Tis theSeason will run Dec. 7-9.

Featured in the concert is a newcreation of Babes in Toyland, cho-reographed by the dance departmentsnewest faculty, Melissa Bobick.

The scene is set to an adaptation ofthe original score, Toyland is depicted

vividly as two children are drawn intothe mythical place on Christmas Eve.

This section features Elaina Sutulaand Kelsey Sawyer as the two girls whofind themselves in Toyland. While in

Toyland, the two girls meet, play anddance with a gaggle of life-like toysthat take the forms of ballerina dolls,Hobbyhorses and Marionettes.

When asked about her choreo-graphic work, Bobick said, Whenlooking for a story to choreograph,I came across Babes in Toyland and,after some research, discovered it wasoriginally an operetta by Victor Herbertpremiered in 1903. I was lucky enoughto find an instrumental adaption of the

score that works quite nicely for dance.Throughout the pieces history therehave been many versions of the Babesin Toyland story, and most of them areextremely complicated.

Taking inspiration from each ofthese different versions, I created anoriginal holiday-themed story that

works well for ballet. Also featuredin this incredible holiday performance,the Mercyhurst Dances will perform

Santas Toy Shop, which includesseasonal magic such as Santas rein-deer, frolicking elves, and tap-dancingsoldiers all topped off by jolly oldSaint Nick himself.

The Liturgical Dance Ensemble,directed by C. Noelle Partusch, cho-reographed to J.S. Bachs ChristmasOratorio, will perform A Multitudeof Angels.

The event will be topped off bymusical performances in the lobbybefore the concert and a special treatfrom Saint Nick for each child.

Performances are on Saturday, Dec.8, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 9,at 2 p.m. in the PAC.

Tickets for the weekend perfor-mances are $15.50 for adults, $12.50for seniors and students, $7.50 forPresidents Cardholders, $5 for youths12 and under, and $3.50 for Mercy-hurst students. Tickets can be pur-chased by calling the box office at824-3000. A preview performance willalso be offered Friday, Dec. 7, at 4:30p.m. with all tickets selling for $5.

By Mathew AndersonA&E editor

Students from the Penn State Behrend orchestra joined those from Mercyhurst for an excellent display

of musical camaraderie last weekend. The collegiate orchestras gave a stunning performance of

bright and light hearted works conducted by Mercyhursts own Dr. R. Scott Tomlison.

Salina Bowe photo

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OPINION Page 9December 5, 2012The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or

the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

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The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of MercyhurstUniversity. It is published throughout the school year, with the exceptionof finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is

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The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signedand names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit theletters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Lettersare due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submitletters to box PH 485 or via email at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.

Mercyhurst radio station outdatedStations jazz line-up not appealing to students

When I turn on the radio, whetherIm doing homework or driving inthe car, I want to hear music I enjoy.

I would like to think that I listento a wide range of music and ampretty accepting of most genres.

Still, I have never turned on theradio and searched until I found jazzmusic.

Here at Mercyhurst we have 88.5Jazz FM, the station that pl ays noth -ing but jazz.

Call me crazy, but I do not thinkmost of the student body enjoys the

melodies of jazz music.As a transf er studen t, my old

school had a wide-ranged fan basefor their radio station that allowedthe students to have their own radio

shows. The DJs were allowed to playwhatever they liked as long as themusic was appropriate.

I frequently listened to the radioshows and, most importantly,enjoyed the music. The musicranged from popular songs todayto indie and alternative and more. Ienjoyed the music and hearing myfavorites as well as discovering newcatchy tunes.

I have never had the desire tolisten to 88.5 Jazz FM, nor do I

know anyone else that has either.

To me it is common sense that thegenre the kids are listening to is notjazz.

I also wonder how the idea for a24/7 jazz station came about?

Isnt a college radio station sup-posed to be for the students?

Which brings me to my point ofwhy doesnt our radio station playanything the students want to listento?

For example, our friendly collegeneighbor, Gannon University, playsa mixture of alter native and popularsongs that people in the college agegroup listen to. I personally enjoylistening to the station and knowseveral other people at Mercyhurst

that also enjoy the songs.

Considering our school rivalrywith Gannon , the fact that manystudents prefer their station to oursis supporting the ene my.

Gannons radio station caters to

their students want to listen to. Jazzseems to be catering to possibly theolder faculty here?

88.5 Jazz FM currently lacks stu-dent involvement. If the stationgave more leeway for students andallowed them to have shows outsidethe jazz world, Im sure the partici-pation would increase.

Students dont want to play orlisten to music they do not enjoy.

Its a great opportunity to have aradio station on campus; however,

if the students are not listening to

it, then whats the point?Gaining the experience from

working on a college radio stationis a wonderful thing to put on aresume. Its a way students can

express themselves and get involvedon campus.

It saddens me such a hands-onexperience seems to be going to

waste.I am happy to hear that changes

are coming to the station, withhopes to revive the failing outlet oncampus.

Hopefully, in future years stu-dents will be jamming to their ownschools station instead of our rivalsdown the street.

By Stacy SkiavoNews editor

Good mentors make allthe difference to students

I find it really amusing how all col-

lege students, whether they wish toadmit it or not, will have feelings ofdoubt and failure, feeling as thoughthey are not doing enough or willnever succeed in their field.

Furthering my amusement, comethe times when professors tell a stu-dents to reconsider their future tell-ing them that they arent a fit and

that they wont succeed.However, in the midst of those

doubts, feeling lost in a sea of under-grads, feeling as though it is going tobe nearly impossible to make yourdreams come true, comes a profes-sor that makes you rethink all ofyour doubts; with a professor whomyou were not even supposed to have,but got stuck wtih because the otherclass was already filled when you

tried to schedule.It is funny how f amily and friends

can support you, but you feel asthough they speak out of obligation.It is different when someone unbi-

ased tells you the same things thatyour family does.

It is funny how that professor youconsidered the last resort turnsinto the professor who tells you whatyou do well and how little improve-ments will help you, that knows you

will succeed, and makes sure that helets you know when you are succeed-ing.

In the midst of this holiday season,I have been trying to think aboutall of wonderful people that I haveencountered, things to be thankfulfor, and trying to let everyone knowhow much I appreciate them.

So, heres to you, unnamed pro-

fessor, for unknowingly changingmy entire perspective of myselfand everything that I do on campus.

Thank you for helping me to unmaskthe potential that, by the discourag-ing words of other advisers and thecomments of others, I did not see.

Thank you for pushing me, makingme a better student, seeing the timeand effort I put into your class, andsubtly acknowledging it.

Thank you for helping me to seethrough the negativity that I had

about myself and my progressionthrough the department, and foropening doors I didnt think I couldopen before.

I think that everyone has one ofthese encounters, whether it is inschool, a job, or just in their day-to-day lives.

It is necessary to take a look atthe grand scheme of things once ina while.

I dont necessarily have an expla-nation, or any particular beliefs, butI know that everything happens fora reason.

I cant explain why, but everyonein life has a destiny, a place where

they are to ultimately find themselvesone day.

Sometimes it just takes an individ-ual, or perhaps a few, to figure out

where your life is supposed to go.Occasionally you just need to put

all of your cards on the table and seewhere you wind up.

Blame it on miracles, religion, sci-ence or whatever you wish, Ill justcall it the game of life.

By Jaslyne HalterStaff writer

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OPINION December 5, 2012Page 10

Students dining at theLaker on Sunday, Dec. 2,were entertained by animpromptu banana-being-

chased-by-gorilla tumblethrough the dining area.The students wearing therespective banana andgorilla costumes identi-ties are unknown. Regard-less, all in the vicinity weregreatly entertained by theirantics.

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad orthe Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

The furniture in the honorslounge in is falling apart,complete with foul stainson the blue pillows adorn-ing the couches. The agingdecor might not needreplaced, but a good clean-ing wouldnt hurt anyone.

Once again the holiday season ishere.

In all this hustle and bustle it canbe very easy to overlook many ofthe things we take for granted.

As I was out shopping on BlackFriday, I began to reflect on whatI was witnessing in the vast teem-ing throng. When you stop to thinkabout it, what goes on is trulymiraculous.

The day Black Friday itself isimpressive.

No one ever declared the dayafter Thanksgiving to be a holiday,

yet it is widely celebrated all overthe country.

The gover nment did not have todirect all of the nations retailers tohave great deals and amazing give-aways, yet it happens and it happenson a vast nationwide scale.

And what takes p lace on thi s hol-iday called Black Friday that sets itapart from other holidays?

Firstly, it is very inc lusive.You dont have to be a cert ain

race or follow a certain creed. All

you need to do is want to get greatdeals. It doesnt matter what holidayyou plan on celebrating or your reli-gious belief.

People from all walks of life find

themselves in close proximity andbump elbows with each other.

Compare this to most other hol-idays that are celebrated with onesfamily in ones own home.

There is nothing wrong with thi s,

of course.I, for one, love being in the pri-

vacy o f my home celebrating thingswith family and loved ones but thisis one of the fe w holidays where youmust be out in public and with yourfellow man in order to partake, butthe impressive spontaneous orderthat has established Black Friday isnothing when you begin to reflecton what is actually going on.

Whenever you buy something atthe checkout in the mall you are

only the last in a huge line of volun-tary interactions and exchanges thathas resulted in the shirt or TV oriPod or whatever it is that you wishto purchase.

Thous ands upon thousan ds ofpeople have worked to make it pos-sible for you to buy whatever you

want to buy.It is impossible to trace the long

list of people involved in gettingsomething on a shelf for you tochoose in the department store.

Take a t elevis ion, for example .From the rare earth metals, likely

from China or Mongolia, to the plas-tic on the surface, each componentrequires additional components tobe produced in the first place.

Whether it was mining equip -ment to provide the various metalsneeded or massive oil rigs in themiddle of the sea to provide oil tobe refined for the various purposesfor which it is required.

Once the television is assembled,there are still thousands of peopleinvolved in getting it from the fac-tory to the store.

Trucks need built to fer ry theproduct to the shipping port, shipsare needed to get the TV across theocean.

Gasoline is needed to powereverything.

There are distri bution cente rsrequiring computers and programs

to track and organize the dispersalof the TV to various stores andoutlets where still more people andresources are required from janitorsto sweep the floors to cashiers eachneeding tools that are themselves

the product of thousands morepeople.

A simple TV requi res the coop-eration of tho usands and thousandsof people in order to be bought bysomeone.

Yet there is no centr al plannerorganizing this complex and mindboggling process. There is not anagency in charge of organizing andmarshaling the vast resources andpeople needed to create a single TV.

Rather, these thousands ofdiverse people from all over the

world are able to have their actionscoordinated by capitalism to stockthe shelves of stores all over the

world.I am astounded by this sponta-

neous order when I stop to thinkabout it. Thousands of people areable to cooperate for their ownself-interest in order to provide

what I want to purcha se on theshelf.

I find it very fitting and franklybeautiful when I reflect on the pur-chases made on a spontaneouslyordered holiday like Black Friday.

The purcha ses repre sent theculmination of the thousandsof diverse and different peoplesefforts guided by the very samespontaneous order that has manyof us waiting in line at 3 a.m. in thefirst place.

By Zack YostStaff writer

Holiday brings nation togetherStudent finds camaraderie in Black Friday sales

When you stop

to think about it,

what goes on is

truly miraculous.

- Zack Yost

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For the first time in recent

history, there are 4 weeksof classes before Christ-mas break instead of thetraditional 3 weeks beforewe leave for the holidays.

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SPORTS Page 11December 5, 2012

Two freshman Lakers honored by PSAC

Coming off of losing five out of

six starters can be a challenge for anyteam, but Mercyhursts mens basket-ball team is stepping up and making aname for themselves, on and off thecourt.

With last years record of 18-10 theLakers are looking to step it up on thecourt to make this year one to remem-

ber.Four new freshmen have proved to

be a valuable addition to the team aswell.

Two freshmen who made PSACWestern Div ision play er of the weekare guard Beau Samuelson and for-

ward Andy Hoving. Samuel son andHoving have started in all the gamesthus far, standing out on the court.

I think the freshmen have a realchallenge this year. They have toreally work hard and try to fill in some

shoes that we lost last year, and theyare called on to do a lot more, CoachGary Manchel said.

We have had our ups and downsso far. We have played well, but

we look like a young team. Its allabout working on our skills and reallycoming together as a team, Mancheladded.

With losing two seniors last year,along with three more key players, theLakers are a younger team than usual,but looking to challenge their youngplayers.

With a close loss to East Strouds-burg University on Dec. 1, 62-67, and

a record of 2-3 thus far, the Lakers arefighting to be a contender this year.

We definitely have a tougher

schedule this year. Four out of thefive teams we play all have winning

records and they are better than wethought. This is definitely one of

the better years in the league for theteams so it is going to be a challengefor us, Manchel said.

Leading the way is captain andsenior forward Luis Leao. With being

all-league all three years, he is oneof the Lakers stand-out players andlooking to make a difference on theteam.

Every year we expect to win, this isgoing to be a down year for us losingso many key players, but we might as

well win, and still work as hard as wecan, Manchel said.

The Lakers travel to Ohio for theirnext game on Wednesday, Dec. 5,against Notre Dame College.

By Samantha BanteStaff writer

Coach Gary Manchel advises the Lakers during their game against

East Stroudsburg on Saturday.

Sydney Cuscino photo

Womens hockey continues to impress

With a nine-game win streak and afantastic record of 14-1-1 overall, theLakers womens hockey team is anunstoppable force.

After crushing Penn State Univer-sitys Nittany Lions 7-1 on Saturday,Dec. 1, the Lakers have improved theirCHA (College Hockey America) con-ference record to 6-0-0.

With all of these statistics, it shouldcome as no surprise that the Lakershave managed to maintain a 4th placenational ranking for Division I wom-ens hockey.

In Saturdays game against theNittany Lions, sophomore ShelbyBram scored one goal and assisted intwo others. With the goal, Bram hassuccessfully scored in the last five

games.It always feels great to contribute

to the team in any way I can, especiallywhen the teams doing so well, saidBram. Im fortunate enough to be ona successful team, surrounded by greatplayers.

The Lakers have plenty of goals toreach this season.

We always set team goals at the start

of the year; our ultimate goal being towin a Frozen Four. Unfortunately, ourleague doesnt get an automatic bid intothe tournament, so in order to achieveour goal we need to ensure we stayhighly ranked, Bram said.

The Lakers have come togetherand worked hard all season, and thesuccess they are having is backed by

strong support all around.I believe the success that we have

had as a team so far this season is ademonstration everyone on the team,including our coaching staffs beliefin the team and what we can do, saidBram. We are winning and having

lots of fun, and when youre winningand having fun, everything else comeseasy.

The Lakers will travel to Pitts-burgh to face Robert Morris Univer-sity on Friday, Dec. 7, and Saturday,Dec. 8.

By Joe ChiodoSports editor

Shelby Bram brings the puck across the ice in the Lakers game against Penn State University on Saturday.

Sydney Cuscino photo

When youre win-

ning and having

fun, everything else

comes easy.

Shelby Bram

Its all about work-

ing on our skills

and really coming

together as a team.

Gary Manchel

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Sports December 5, 2012Page 12

Mens soccer reaches Final Four semis

The Lakers refused to go downwithout a fight in their National Col-

legiate Athletic Association (NCAA)Final Four semifinals 4-1 loss to Lynn

University on Thursday, Nov. 29, inEvans, Ga.

After winning the regular seasonand Pennsylvania State Athletic Con-ference (PSAC) playoff championship,the Lakers earned their spot in the

NCAA Final Four.Although starting the season withthree subsequent losses, sophomoreRyan Lund knew this year would be animprovement from last season.

I feel that we have proven manypeople wrong, especially since westarted the season with three lossesin a row. It was amazing to see such adifferent team after that, said Lund.After last years loss to Millersville inNCAA play, we were very determinedto make a postseason run this year. We

all knew we had a team with the qualityto make it far, and felt we deserved tobe in Georgia for the Final Four.

Lund recorded the only goal for theLakers on Thursday, stopping LynnUniversity from having a shutout. Offa pass from sophomore teammateDane Rimko, Lund headed a shot intothe bottom left of the net.

We were just having a rough gameand I believe it was important forus to see that we can score against atop ranked team at such a high level.Regardless of who scored the goal, itproved to us that we can play at thehighest level, Lund said.

The Lakers journey to the NCAAFinal Four had been in the planning

since before their season even began,but was not predicted to happen untilthe 2013 season.

Before the year started, we pro-posed to ourselves that we win theregional championship this year andmake it to the Final Four next year,

senior Alex Manea said.On Saturday, Dec. 1, Manea was

named to the Daktronics HonorableMention All-American team. Manea

recorded a team-high of 16 goals andseven assists.

After redshirting due to injury lastseason, Manea returned this year toplay his last season as a Laker.

I wanted to end my career hereplaying all season and I am glad I

decided to redshirt and come backbecause we were very successful thisyear, said Manea. I wanted my lastyear to be the best I could make for

myself, and to see myself accomplish-ing that feels great.

Manea pinpoints the Lakers incred-ible season success to the teamsunique blend of styles.

The players this year really compli-mented the style we have been trying

to play for the past few years, whichis one of continuous offense and pos-session. The players we had in the pastyears were not really that style, said

Manea. After the team came together

after our first three games, we startedto play like we wanted.

Lund believes the Lakers produc-tive season is a result of their dedicatedpractice and time together.

This team had a perfect balance,in my mind, of experience and overallskill. We all bonded so well, and on thefield we have been together through

everything, said Lund.With the Lakers year over, Manea

can reflect on a remarkable 2012

season.

The team was pretty affected rightafter the game against Lynn University,but after a while we all looked at theentire season and thought that we hada huge step this year and for the fol-lowing years, Manea said.

Lund is looking forward to nextseason, and another chance to reachthe Final Four again.

We are looking to make it back tothe Final Four for redemption to reachour goal of winning a title, said Lund.This year was very important for us

to develop some experience that wecan build off next season. Now that

we have done that, we are determinedto win a national title. It will be anexciting year.

Head coach Dale White knowsthat the Lakers are well on their wayto claiming the national title theydeserve.

Next season is a long way away,there are a lot of physical and mentalpreparation that needs to go in before

we start to think about next season.

The coaching staff did leave Augusta,Ga. with a very clear vision of thedirection we have to go on the field

if we want to capture a national title.

By Joe ChiodoSports editor

Ryan Lund dribbles downfield in the Lakers match against Lynn University.

Sydney Cuscino photo

Volleyball falls to Gannon in NCAA play

The Mercyhurst volleyball team fellto cross-town rival Gannon in the first

round of NCAA play.The Knights also defeated the

Lakers in the first round of PSAC

(Pennsylvania State Athletic Confer-ence) play; however, the team receivedan NCAA bid the following week.

Senior Elyse Texido was named2012 PSAC West Defensive Playerof the Year, recording 666 digs,accounting for a new school record.Fellow seniors Becky Smith and Becky

Leusch. Leusch finished the season

with a team-high 343 kills, Smith added248 kills alongside 124 blocks.

Head coach Ryan Patton thinks theall-PSAC selections represent the teamas a whole.

Our teams trademark is howwell we balance each other out, saidPatton. In a lot of ways, having oneor three players honored is truly hon-oring the whole team.

Senior Kiera Rebert agrees.We were all extremely excited to

have all-PSAC selections on our team,not only for the three amazing athletesbut also for being recognized as a pro-

gram, said Rebert. It fueled our con-fidence going into post season play.

After losing in the PSAC tourna-ment, hopes for continuing on inNCAA play were all the team hadleft.

In mid-September, we looked atthe standings and our hopes werebleak, said Patton. We knew we didnot have much wiggle room, we had toget hot and spark a run, and we did.

The Hurst drew the task of trying todefeat the Golden Knights again, who

were the No.2 seed in the region. Witha 28-5 record, Gannons wins werethe most by a Gannon volleyball team

since 1993.We spent time working on the

little technical things at practice, wetweaked and improved the physi-cal part of our game however; ourmental side changed the most,Rebert said.

When the Hurst faced Gannon inthe NCAA Tournament, the Lakersfell in a 4-game match.

In the fourth match, the Lakersnever gave up, rallying 10 straightpoints fueled by service aces fromElyse Texido.

Mercyhurst finished with a 25-11

record, representing the most wins for

the program since 1993. The Lakersdefeated every other team in the Penn-sylvania State Athletic Conference(PSAC) Western Division for the first

time ever.An NCAA tournament appearance

sets the tone for following seasons,said Rebert. Its an exciting experi-ence and a feeling that is contagious. Itis now a goal the program will contin-uously strive for.

Along with Rebert, six other seniorsexit the program in 2012. Elyse Texido,Becky Leusch, Becky Smith, AmandaBalasko, Katie Powell and Gretta Frey-ermuth.

By Lindsey BurkeStaff writer