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(04/25/12 7:17pm)
Head coach Gary Guyer and sophomore Lacey Fears led the Mercer University women’s golf team to a third place finish at the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship.
Guyer’s squad was in the hunt for the title after posting a 298 in the opening round at the Venetian Bay Golf Course. Mercer’s 298 was highlighted by sophomore Lacey Fears’ one-under 71, and had the Bears just eight strokes off the pace of tournament leader East Tennessee State.
Junior Aurelie Wiriath was tied for 10th overall with a 75, while sophomore Mary Alice Murphy and freshman Sarah Louise Brown both shot 76 and ended up tied for 15th. Junior Kaitlin Marrin rounded out Mercer’s competitors with a 78 and was tied for 21st.
Coach Guyer praised his team for their play in the opening round. “We played well today and could have scored much, much better,” Mercer head coach Gary Guyer said. “The team is loose and having a lot of fun. That is really what it is all about and we’ve got two more days to catch some teams,” he added.
In the second round of play, Lacey Fears fired a collegiate career-low 70, propelling the Bears to third place on the team leader board. Fears’ effort brought her 36-hole total to 141, tying her for second in the individual standings.
Sarah Louise Brown also set a career personal best in the second round, shooting 70 to move into a tie for eighth place overall. Brown’s 70 came on the heels of a first round 76 and helped her move up from a tie for 15th after day one.
Mary Alice Murphy and Aurelie Wiriath were each tied for 13th place individually with tournament scores of 150. Murphy signed for a 74, while Wiriath posted her second straight 75. Kaitlin Marrin used 79 strokes in the second round and was slotted in a tie for 26th overall with a score of 157.
The final day of play saw Lacey Fears fire an even-par 72, earning a spot in a sudden death playoff for the league’s individual title. Ultimately, Fears was upended by East Tennessee State’s Gabriella Wahl for the individual championship, while Mercer wrapped up the competition with a third place team finish.
Sarah Louise Brown shot 74 on the final day to earn a ninth place finish. Her 74 combined with scores of 76 and 70 in the first two rounds to give the Severna Park, Maryland product her second top-10 finish of the year.
Mary Alice Murphy finished the tournament with her best round, firing a one-over 73 to place 12th. Murphy’s 56-hole score of 223 was one stroke better than teammate Aurelie Wiriath, who placed 13th with a final round 74.
Kaitlin Marrin wrapped up her showing at the A-Sun Championship with a final round 83. Her cumulative score of 240 placed her 37thoverall.
The women’s golf team wrapped a successful campaign, and should contend for a title next year returning their top five golfers.
(04/11/12 8:21pm)
Hoodies on the Hill, a candlelight vigil, brought out citizens from all over Macon. Event organizers, Danny Glover, Doug Scott and Thaddeus Smith, say they believe the vigil is important to bring people together to remember Trayvon Martin, and a reminder of the necessity of unity and justice. Throughout the United States, citizens from all over have gathered in honor and memoriam of Trayvon Martin, a teenager who was shot in Sanford, Florida. George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, says he killed Martin in self-defense after the teen punched him and slammed his head on the sidewalk, according to an Orlando Sentinel report that was later confirmed by Sanford police. One of the responding officers saw a wound on the back of Zimmerman’s head and a bloody nose, and noted that his back was wet, indicating he had been lying in the grass, according to the police report. It is this account that is under direct scrutiny. Several people believe that Zimmerman did not act in self defense and pursued Martin out of his own free will. It is these discrepancies that have lead to people throughout the United States demanding justice in the death of Trayvon Martin. Many believe that Zimmerman should be tried in a court of law. In Macon, Danny Glover, one of the event organizers said, “So you have a community of individuals that from all racial backgrounds, all religious backgrounds, forgetting themselves and thinking about the bigger picture.” Another event organizer Doug Jones had this to say. “Everybody looks the same in a hoodie,” said Jones, “but everybody is not the same. “We are here tonight because we want to heal,” said Chris Horne who ran for city council last year. “We want to reconcile. We are here because we can no longer abide by injustice and we are no longer willing to live in a world that is so divided that it thinks there are only white problems and black problems but not our problems.” Drew Christian told NewsCentral, “We all need to support this movement that is going on and what happened. It’s a real tragedy what happened and that we don’t have the racial trust needed today between the minorities and the majority of the races.” Drew Christian is just 14 years old, but felt strong enough to support the matter at hand. Mothers and their children were gathered at Coleman Hill, alongside local politicians, and hooded people of all ages. Drew’s Mother thinks Trayvon and Drew are comparable. She believes this situation could have involved her own son walking home from the local convenience store. She reflects on how it might feel to lose her child. Dawn Christian, mother of 14 year-old Drew, spoke to NewsCentral “I cried, so I can’t even imagine what they feel, I don’t think there are words to express what they feel. There has got to be great pain, great tragedy, every emotion they can feel they are going through tight now, especially anger.” In the closing prayer, Councilman and Rabbi Schlesinger, acknowledged that there has to be a greater plan brought about by God.”We know that you have a greater plan, and plans for us all,” said Rabbi Laurence Schlesinger.
(04/11/12 7:46pm)
We are nearly three weeks away from college students refer to as freedom and what everyone else refers to as summer break. Summer break means many different things for many different people. From relaxation to internships, from graduate school visits to foreign excursions, summer break is filled with fun times, adventures, and life-changing experiences.
Many students are just going to go home, spend time with their families, and get some much-needed rest in over their summer holidays. Some of the best television comes on during the summer seasons, so these couch potatoes and relaxers will have a great amount to do.
Freshman Caroline Carlton is going home to Nashville, Tennessee, the home of country music. She plans to relax and go to a lot of concerts.
“This summer I am going to hang out with my friends from high school, chill pool side, and go downtown and listen to country music in Nashville! I’m also going to go to concerts,” said Carlton.
With the pressures of finding a job fresh on juniors’ and seniors’ minds, internships have proved to be more valuable then ever. Students search all spring to find the perfect internship for themselves in their particular field and some even travel beyond their home state to pursue these valuable endeavors.
A group of students who are either trying to prolong the inevitable, or gain some valuable educational experiences are searching for graduate schools to attend once they finish their undergraduate studies at Mercer University.
Some students are still looking to find a job. With graduation in a month, many seniors are still searching for that highly touted, highly paid venture into the work force. Some students have applied to many places and haven’t been offered anything yet, so their job search will continue throughout the summer and hopefully will come to an end sometime soon.
Graduating senior Daniel Larson has a military job lined up, but before he ventures into the work force, he’ll be spending some time with his friends.
“I’m going to have the three best months ever with my friends before I go to Oklahoma for five months,” said Larson. “I’m heading to officer field artillery training. I’ve got to do that for give months before I can advance in my army career,” added Larson.
Travels abroad are always exciting and a lot of students are looking to use this summer as a chance to broaden their horizons. Experiencing a different culture is an invaluable experience, and with three months of free time away from school, summer provides the perfect outlet to do that.
Junior Leslie Roberts will be traveling abroad this summer for pleasure. She will be going with her three best friends from home on a cruise. On this cruise she will be traveling from Key West to the Grand Cayman Islands and Jamaica.
“I’m so excited. I’ve been out of the country before, but this is the first time I’ll be going without my family. It should make for a great time and an unforgettable experience,” Roberts said.
Several athletes will spend a good majority of their summer breaks at Mercer in Macon. Some are required to take summer classes, while others will still be in season. The baseball and softball teams will hopefully be playing well into the summer, because that means that they will be venturing into the post-season.
(04/11/12 7:42pm)
One of the most successful individuals on the sand volleyball courts this year is Cassie Roy. Roy and her partner Jamie Duffy have amassed a 3-3 record, which pins them as the most successful duo in Mercer sand volleyball history thus far.
Roy was the first to point out that her pair’s record is not important though. “Our record as a pair means nothing without team wins, and every day we play we all try to make each other better, which will eventually lead to more wins as a team,” said Roy.
Roy, a native of Florida, grew up on the beach. She started playing sand volleyball at a young age and has developed her skills overtime.
In high school, Roy started playing in local tournaments, as well as traveling throughout the state of Florida to compete on the sand. It was this experience on the court that allowed her to be so successful once Mercer began its inaugural sand volleyball season.
Roy and her partner Duffy are the No. 1 duo for the Bears, playing some of the top sand volleyball throughout the nation at the collegiate level.
There are 16 sand volleyball teams in the nation this year, and Mercer has played four of the top six, which has pinned the duo of Roy and Duffy against some extremely tough competitors.
Not only does Roy work hard on the court, but she works hard in the classroom as well. In order to prepare for what she needs to do on the sand volleyball court, she has to make sure that everything is in order before practice even begins.
The Cluster recently spent a day with Cassie Roy to see exactly how she does it all.
8:30: Shower, get dressed, and study for daily quiz at 9:25 a.m.
9:25: Head to Principles of Finance class.
10:50: Managerial Accounting class.
12:15: Principles of Marketing class.
1:30: First meal of the day in the caf.
2:00: Prepares for 3:30 class in her room.
3:00: Gets dressed for practice in locker room.
3:30: Service Learning class.
4:15: Practice at the sand volleyball courts.
4:30: Roy begins a grueling practice in the Macon heat.
7:00: Heads back to the locker room to shower.
7:30: Eats second meal of the day at the caf or UC.
8:15: Depending on her workload, Cassie heads to either the library or to meet up with her boyfriend and friends.
11:30: Bedtime.
Cassie Roy and the Bears prepare for their next match against University of Alabama-Birmingham on April 15. Game time has yet to be determined. Roy assures that she and her teammates are prepared to go in fighting to get a win against a talented UAB squad.
(04/11/12 7:33pm)
I have faced the aftermath of writing a negative BodyByVi article, and I have come back to tell you the tale.
My opinion was not posted on the website for more than two hours before I received my first email. This email was from a girl named Julia, or so I thought. She was inquisitive about why I wrote such a negative article, because she has heard nothing but good things about the product.
With myself being educated, I decided to use some of my researching skills to figure out if this person was really who they said they were. I took the email address attached to Julia’s name and copy and pasted it into the search engine on Facebook. It turns out that Julia was never Julia to begin with (unless there was a sex change), because the name that was attached to the email address on Facebook was none other than the single person who brought this ridiculous fad to Mercer by enticing young, gullible minions to join his cause. His name was Jordan Michael Rushing.
Rushing is no student at Mercer; in fact, he doesn’t even live in the state of Georgia.
He had gotten into Facebook status wars with me earlier in the year about the nonsense that is known as BodyByVi.
Apparently, my article enticed him so much, that he decided to email me, pretending to be a girl to try and infiltrate my mind and thought process. When I had him figured out and let him know I had uncovered his true identity, he stated, “ I wanted to know how committed your life was to trying to trash the challenge.”
Well Jordan, my life is not committed to trashing the challenge. In fact, I lead an extremely normal life of a college student. I have friends, I go out on weekends, but I do not spend all of my time thinking of ways to ruin BodyByVi and all of its followers.
After a series of nonsensical and grammatically incorrect emails from Mr. Rushing, I stated that his argument with me was a waste of my time. I thought I was home free after ending the ridiculous conversation with Rushing, but I was wrong. Another Floridian quickly jumped on the BodyByVi trash Bryson bandwagon.
Chelsea Niles, another avid BodyByVier, emailed me. This email was not the nicest I’ve ever received.
In fact, it made me somewhat sad to know that people pass judgment on someone without truly getting to know them because one’s opinion differs from their own.
Niles even put me down because I was going to college (apparently getting a college degree is no longer an achievement according to the BodyByVi team).
“Let me guess, you probably go out and waste your money on booze, depend on getting a degree to graduate in the hopes of getting a decent job, and your life revolves around what other people are doing instead of worrying about yourself,” Niles wrote to me.
Well Chelsea, I do not spend all of my money on alcohol, and even if I did, that is none of your business. I actually see your BodyByFriends walking around on weekends obviously wasted, so your argument loses validity there. Yes, I am going to college, and yes, I hope that I get a good job one day. Is that a negative thing nowadays? Because if it is, let me quickly adjust my life plan, drop out of college, and make trillions of dollars scamming my friends just like you.
The most hilarious thing I find in the wake of the BodyByVi storm is that no one who promotes the challenge on campus has defended themselves to me.
I know they talk about me behind my back, which does not faze me at all. One individual even purposely ignored me and said hi to a friend that I was walking with.
I could do nothing but laugh at this point because they all revert to high school-like tactics. They are sending their friends from other states to comment and put me down, which make them, in turn, look weak and frail.
I invite any criticism. I had the gall to put my name next to my opinion, why do you not have the gall to stand up for yourselves?
Comments, questions or concerns about this opinion can be sent to bryson.c.jones@live.mercer.edu
(04/11/12 7:10pm)
The men’s and women’s cross country teams recently traveled to Atlanta to compete in the Emory Classic on Mar. 29. With several of top running programs from nearby universities competing competition was sure to be intense.
On the women’s side, sophomore Kylen Hughes and junior Kacie Knapper competed in the 3000-meter Steeplechase. Hughes finished with a time of 12:30.00 which was good for sixth place, while Knapper finished with a time of 13:00.00 putting her in ninth.
In the women’s 5000-meter unseeded run, freshman Iliana Garcia and sophomore Caley Cranford ran for the Bears. Garcia finished with a time of 20:17.58 putting her in fifth place. Cranford finished with a time of 21:48.79 giving her an 18th place finish.
The women’s 1500-meter saw a close finish. Junior Kacie Niemann fell just short of victory, finishing with a time of 4:40.00 just 1.25 seconds away from the first place finisher. The next two finishers broke the tape less than a second behind Niemann, proving competitiveness of the race.
The 5000-meter featured two Bear runners in Kacie Niemann and Christina Kivi. The two Mercer runners ran across the finish line simultaneously with a time of 18:59.00.
The men’s races proved to be just as competitive as the women’s races. In the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase, junior Andrew Weems finished in fourth place with a time of 9:44.19.
In the men’s 5000-meter, four runners for the Bears competed. Junior Jacob Law finished with a time of 15:08.56, which was good for third place. Sophomore Sony Prosper finished in fifth place, clocking a time of 15:19.00. Seniors Marc Kushinka and Chris Svidesskis finished just four –hundredths of a second apart, logging times of 15:34.78 and 15:34.82 respectively, which was good for 10th and 11th place. In the men’s 5000-meter B section, freshman Joel Aguilar finished in 19th with a time of 17:50.00.
In the 1500-meter, freshmen Jeff Law and Austin Pfeifer crossed the finish line together with a time of 4:18.50 placing them in 20th and 21st. Sophomore Kasib Abdullah was just seconds behind clocking a 4:20.00 which was good for 25th. Freshman Josh Pendley finished in 27th place running across the line at 4:21.61.
The 3000-meter saw all four Mercer runners finishing together. Kasib Abdullah, Jeff Law, Austin Pfeifer and Josh Pendley each finished at 9:51.00 taking up the 14th through 17th spots.
This was the final meet of the school year for the women’s cross country team. They will be looking to take the experience gained in this spring season to transition themselves into their competitive fall season.
(04/11/12 7:02pm)
The Mercer sand volleyball team booked the program’s first victory on Saturday, topping Tulane 3-2 at the Mercer sand volleyball complex.
The Bears’ win moved the team to 1-5 on the year while Tulane fell to 1-7.
Mercer won in a highly contested first flight competetion, as the No. 1 duo of Cassie Roy and Jamie Duffy earned a 2-1 (21-16, 19-21, 15-11) victory over Tulane’s Grace Weaver and Cori Martone.
Junior Jamie Duffy was more than ecstatic about the win in her match, and credited her partner Roy for coming up with some big plays.
“I feel like we worked as a team, and when it got tough we executed. We’ve been practicing with each other for a while now so we know exactly what the other is going to do. It was tied up going into our match, and we knew we had to come up big for Mercer. On the last point, I knew that if I gave Cassie the perfect set, that she would kill it for the win. So I focused to put it exactly where it needed to be so that she could bring us home, and she did. We didn’t want to let our friends down. We didn’t want to let Mercer down,” said Duffy.
In the next flight, Mercer’s No. 2 team of Caroline Carlton and Emily Rochefort swept the Tulane faction of Milena Dragovic and Nikki Osuna in straight sets.
Rochefort and Carlton had to overcome some adversity before the match. Carlton broke her nose the week before, and played despite her injuries. Rochefort noted that she and Carlton were both nervous.
“I was extremely nervous going into the match, because my partner Caroline had nose surgery the day before. But she went into the match without hesitation and played better than ever before. I am really proud of her and the team’s overall performance,” said Rochefort.
Mercer’s No. 3 pairing of Monica Sanchez and Jennifer Katona secured the team’s victory, overpowering Tulane’s representatives with scores of 21-13 and 21-14.
Junior Monica Sanchez credited the support of the Mercer crowd for helping them get through some rough patches in each of the matches.
I think that because we had a few matches under our belt, we felt more confident going into the Tulane match. It was definitely a team effort though, and we could not thank everyone enough who came out and supported us,” said Sanchez.
Tulane earned wins in the fourth and fifth flights against the teams of Lizzie Knapper and Erin Brett, and Madison Petsos and Emily Brett, wrapping up the day’s action.
Coming off the win, Mercer returns to competitive play in the season finale at Alabama-Birmingham on April 15.
(03/28/12 8:54pm)
The Mercer men’s lacrosse team had three key matchups in the past few weeks, with the first being against Manhattan.
The team held a visiting Manhattan squad scoreless the entire second half of the game, but in the end failed to overcome a six-goal halftime deficit and lost 8-6 at Bear Field.
Mercer trailed the Jaspers 8-2 at the half and allowed six goals in the first quarter alone. The early assault by Manhattan proved too much as Mercer’s valiant comeback effort fell just short.
The loss dropped Mercer to 0-8 on the year. The Bears scored the game’s final four goals, including three in the fourth and outshot the Jaspers 33-26, but again couldn’t find the necessary plays to record the win.
Sophomores Brett Eisenmann and Eoin Collins paced the Bears with two goals each. Sophomore goaltender Jason Bateman recorded six saves in the losing effort.
The next game for the Bears was against Wagner. The Mercer men’s lacrosse team picked up its first Division I victory downing Wagner, 14-11 at Bear Field.
Last season, the Bears recorded the program’s first win by defeating Division III Carthage at home on March 19, 2011. Head coach Jason Childs etched another program first by leading his team to the victory over the Seahawks.
After trailing by as much as four goals late in the first half, Mercer scored five goals in the fourth quarter to take the win in an astounding comeback fashion.
“Getting that first win was just what we needed to boost morale. It’s always important to ge that first win,” said sophomore captain Sam Grayson. “Unfortunately, ours came late in the season, but we look to take this momentum into the final stretch of games over the next couple of weeks and hopefully, we can pick up a second one.”
Mercer recorded program highs in nearly every statistical category including a remarkable 44 shots in the game, 28 of which were on goal. It was also the first time this season that the Bears recorded double-digit scores. The 14 goals were the most since the win last season against Carthage.
Sophomores Eoin Collins and Zack Ward tallied three goals each, recording their first hat tricks of their careers. Justin Bateman recorded a massive 14 saves in the win.
The Bears then went on to face Towson, an established lacrosse program that is currently playing its 54th season. Towson’s experience and history proved to be too much for the Bears as Mercer fell 17-8 on what turned out to be a historic evening at Johnny Unitas Stadium. Towson recorded its program’s 400th win against in program history.
For the seventh consecutive game, the Bears fell behind first as Towson recorded the games first three goals. Mercer was held scoreless for nearly the first 10 minutes of the game before Zack Ward buried his team-leading 15th goal of the season. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. Towson amassed an impressive three goals in just over a minute and the Bears failed to find the net with the same efficiency of Towson.
Mercer’s next matchup is at Air Force on Mar. 31. The Bears travel to Colorado Springs for a rematch of last season’s game played in Macon.
(03/28/12 8:50pm)
The Mercer men’s and women’s cross country teams competed recently at the Georgia Intercollegiate Invitational picking several individual accomplishments from some of the Bears’ top runners.
In the women’s races, junior Kacie Niemann broke her own Mercer record in the 5K, and won the race which featured 33 runners from some of the state’s top track and field programs. Niemann recorded a time of 17:23.92, which was nearly five seconds faster than her next competitor and 25 seconds better than her previous personal best and Mercer record.
Niemann paced the lead group from the start, but established herself as the woman to beat around the one-mile mark when she extended her lead to nearly 10 meters. Her lead had increased to 25 meters during the second mile before the chase pack began to string out.
In the third mile, Georgia Tech’s Katie Townsend picked up her pace to close in on Niemann and set herself up to try make a move in the final half mile. Townsend would get as close as two meters before Niemann shut the door and finished the race with the fastest lap of the race to win.
Sophomore Kylen Hughes and junior Kasie Knapper took second and third respectively in the 3,000 meter steeplechase for the Bears.
The men’s cross country team had several individuals perform well at the race also. Junior Andrew Weems placed second in the men’s 3,000 meter with a time of 10:00.63 and the Bears’ took the ninth through 15th positions in the 5K.
Junior Jacob Law led the Mercer pack in the 5k, finishing in ninth overall with a time of 15:27.52.
The Bears continued their spring season at the University of Georgia relays. Mercer participated on a limited basis in the 10K and 3K steeplechase races.
On the men’s side, freshman Josh Pendley won the 10K race with a time of 32:28.67. Freshmen Jeff Law and Austin Pfeifer finished sixth and seventh respectively. Junior Andrew Weems finished sixth in the 3000M steeplechase.
In the women’s races, Kacie Niemann won her 5K race, breaking her previously set record with a time of 17:22.53. Juniors Kylen Hughes and Kasie Knapper finished seventh and eighth respectively in their 3000 meter steeplechase race.
The men and women will continue their spring season traveling to Emory University in Atlanta for the Emory Classic. The teams will be looking to set more Mercer records in preparation for next year’s cross country season.
(03/28/12 8:20pm)
Last week was the Cherry Blossom Festival, and music was all the rage. At several of the parties, parades, and public events, many musical guests showcased their talents.
Several free concerts were popular during this year’s Cherry Blossom events.
Organist Catherine Elliot performed a free concert at the Mulberry Street United Methodist Church.
Several people took a trip to Coleman Hill with blanket and picnic ready for a fantastic evening of music overlooking Macon at twilight. Jazz selections were performed by Ken Trimmins and the Quiet Storm.
Saturday was all about the street parties. Large numbers of people decided to party on the pavement with national recording artist Rodney Atkins and openers Stevens Layne and Gasoline Brothers.
Another large group of people decided to dance the night away with rapper, producer, musician, and cartoonist Shock-G, the mastermind behind the multi-platinum artists Digital Underground. Best known for the hit track “The Humpty Dance,” this group, alongside Nappy Roots, a folk/hip-hop group, was prepared to party, and party they did.
Of course, Digital Underground performed their most famous hits like “Humpty Dance,” as did Nappy Roots, the group responsible for the Rock/Rap classic “Aw Naw” and the hip hop song “Po’ Folks.” Both groups were well received by the crowds.
After these performances, several Maconites, college students and visitors alike took to the local party scene. Several people ventured to Bottoms Up as well as Asylum depending on their partying preference.
Sunday, was much more chill in comparison to Saturdays party fest. During the afternoon hours, many gathered at Central City Park for a bluegrass concert. Others chose the organ concerts instead, as several churches highlighted talented organists.
The Grand Finale was at Wesleyan College. The night featured fireworks at dusk, children’s activities, food vendors and live entertainment by the Crankin’ Daddies.
This year’s Cherry Blossom festival was definitely a success musically, it should be interesting to see how the Cherry Blossom planners top this year’s events with next year’s musical talent.
(03/28/12 8:04pm)
If you’re friends with a few select people on campus, odds are you heard of something called the Body By Visalus 90 Day Challenge (BodyByVi).
Visalus Sciences came up with a weight loss program that provides incentives to their top distributers. For every person you sign up, you have the potential to gain free meal replacement shakes, money, or even a “free” BMW.
So the whole point of this so called “challenge” is to scam your friends into buying weight loss supplements with the false hopes of winning free swag. One of the girls on the “challenge,” who I spoke to, regrets ever joining this program. She was told she had the potential to make 600 to 1000 dollars a week.
Well, she didn’t, because she’s not at the top of the pyramid.
For example, if Steffie starts the 90 day challenge, and she gets her friend Davey to join, every person Davey signs up counts for Steffie as well. Once you reach a certain amount of sales, you start making money. Well the problem is that like with any pyramid scheme, these things fizzle out if you are all in the same demographic, and the only person benefiting will be the person who started the whole fad. At Mercer, if you started the “challenge” late, you would have no one to sell to unless you left campus, because everyone stupid enough to join already did.
From how I’ve heard it described, there are several different types of shakes that “help” you with different things.
The one I’ve read the most about is the ViShape kit. This kit requires that you replace two meals a day with one milkshake, I repeat, one milkshake. So instead of sitting down for a hearty breakfast or a nice dinner, you simply sip this concoction through a straw.
I agree, that for some morbidly obese people, this meal replacement shake can do wonders, but as for the people promoting the “challenge” on campus, it would not do anything substantial for them because most are athletes.
I find it baffling that athletes, who are sometimes required to work out for 20 hours a week, replace two meals a day according to what the “challenge” tells you to do. The only “challenge” that I see is trying to stay alive.
Beware, the exclusive group that I like to refer to as the BodyByViers, seem somewhat cultish when it comes to marketing their product. Not only do they bombard Facebook with this so called challenge, but if you disagree with them, they spit out random facts as if they were automatons.
Every day I log onto Facebook and I know for a fact that I will see something about Body By Vi.
It’s gotten to the point where I’ve deleted friends, hidden people from my news feed, or simply refuse to log onto Facebook during the most intense Body By Vi hours. Whether it’s doctored pictures, congratulatory posts, or even the occasional Facebook status war between the BodyByViers and us normal people, I cannot escape this craziness.
If you’re serious about losing weight, I say take the old fashioned approach. Go on a jog. Eat a salad. Ride a bike. Play sports. Don’t starve yourself.
Mercer students, please, and I repeat please, do not join the vicious ways of this cult-like weight loss group. You’ll be filled with false hope and no results. Body By Vi? More like Body By WHY?
Comments, inqueries or concerns about this opinion can be sent to bryson.c.jones@live.mercer.edu
(03/14/12 9:29pm)
Debauchery. Sin. Buffets. Drinking. Partying. Crustaceans. Jellyfish. Sun. Sand. Wind. Ocean. Waves. Studying. Homework. Conferences. Interviews. Seafood. Practice. Games. Tournaments. Home. Family. Work. Fun. Relaxation. Rest. Sleep. Road Trips. Mountains. Canyons.
These are all words synonymous with Spring Break when it comes to Mercer students. This week-long time meant for relaxation, rest and overall preparation for the final part of the semester was taken differently by many people across campus.
Cruises were definitely popular this Spring Break. Several sorority girls, frat guys, athletes and other students hit up the cruise lines for relaxation, out of country adventures and all the food you can eat (far better than the cafeteria). These all-expense-paid cruises seemed the way to go for many.
Senior and member of Chi Omega sorority, Chelsea Duke, was one of the people who opted to go on a cruise. Apparently, she had the time of her life. “The best parts about the cruise were all the outlets to have fun. They had bars, clubs, karaoke, shuffleboard, a booty shaking contest, basketball and ping-pong. But my favorite part was the 24 hour pizza bar,” said Duke enthusiastically. (The booty shaking champion was a Mercer student who has chosen to remain anonymous).
Several students felt the need to go home for the break. Some had not seen their families since Winter Break, and some just wanted the feeling of sleeping in their own comfortable bed again. Others still just needed a home cooked meal, some clean laundry and no worries.
Junior soccer player Richie Edmonson went home for the break. Unlike most, his home is not in America. He went to the beautiful island country of Jamaica to spend some well needed time with family and friends.
Other students, bogged down with work, stayed on campus for the break. They used this valuable time for studying, working on projects and having the entire campus to themselves.
Senior Biomedical Engineering major Andrew Weems was one of those people. When asked about his Spring Break that he spent on campus he simply said, “Life is a beach for some people and a bitch for others.”
For athletes that are in season, their spring break was spent playing the sport they love. The Men’s and Women’s Golf, Men and Women’s Tennis, Men’s Basketball, Baseball, Softball and Lacrosse teams all had games to play over the break.
The women’s softball team played a whopping 8 games over the break, never leaving the state of Georgia. The baseball team traveled to North Carolina, back to Georgia and then to Mississippi in the matter of nine short days. The men and women’s golf and lacrosse teams traveled to Florida, while women’s tennis traveled to Tennessee and men’s tennis traveled to North Carolina. Overall, it was a busy break for athletes.
Whatever Spring Break meant to you, I hope you had fun because now it’s time to get back on your academic grind once more and finish out the semester with 4.0’s. It’s a sprint to the end: the beloved, several month spree of freedom known as summer break.
(03/14/12 9:00pm)
On Feb. 22, Mercer Athletic Director Jim Cole announced that former Georgia Southwestern head coach, Tony Economopoulos, will take over as the sixth women’s soccer head coach in program history, effective immediately.
Since Dec. 8, the Athletic Department has been searching for a replacement for former head coach Grant Serafy, who has been one of the most successful coaches in Mercer women’s soccer history. Through an extensive searching process, that involved several private interviews, as well as team interviews, Economopoulos was finally chosen.
Economopoulos, 37, just completed his third year at Georgia Southwestern, where he helped build the Hurricanes new soccer program. In his tenure at GSW, he was responsible for all facets of the program which included recruiting, coaching, as well as travel planning. His 2010 team set the program record for most conference wins in school history. His final season saw GSW also set a program record for most wins over a three-year span.
“Coach Economopoulos was an exceptional candidate for the position,” Cole said. “He has a dynamic background and a passion for the game that will serve our student-athletes well. His coaching style, leadership and regional and national coaching accomplishments are a perfect fit for our university.”
The head coaching job here at Mercer is the fifth coaching position Economopoulos has held over an 11-year career in college soccer. Before taking over at Georgia Southwestern, Economopoulos was at Big-12 powerhouse, Oklahoma State where he served as a women’s assistant for the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
During his time in Stillwater, Okla., he was a part of two NCAA Tournament teams and helped earn a program-high number seven national ranking in 2008.The Cowgirls picked up their first-ever conference regular season championship in 2008 as he helped mentor and train four All-Big 12 Conference players, including three first teamers. The 2008 team also led the nation in goals per game and was third overall in goals scored.
Before his time at Oklahoma State, Economopoulos was the men’s top assistant coach at Bowling Green State University for four seasons. With the Falcons, he served as recruiting coordinator and was the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Great Lakes Regional Chair. In 2004, he briefly served as the interim head coach at Bowling Green and helped the Falcons earn recognition as one of the most improved Division I soccer teams in the country.
“I am thrilled to be the new head coach at Mercer University,” Economopoulos said. “I would like to thank Jim Cole and Sybil Blalock for granting me this wonderful opportunity. It is evident to me that Mercer is committed to competing and winning on the field as well as in the classroom.”
Economopoulos also currently serves on the Region III Olympic Development Program as a staff coach. He possesses a National “B” Coaching License from the United States Soccer Federation and has been a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America since 2001.
Economopoulos looks forward to keeping the Bear’s program on the right track, and looks to continue the success that Serafy began.
(03/14/12 8:45pm)
Clint Eastwood, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake and Amy Adams were just a few of the names of several stars that made their way to Macon, Ga. to film a new movie titled Trouble with the Curve.
Eastwood stars in the movie along with Amy Adams, John Goodman and Justin Timberlake, as well as Eastwood’s son, Scott. Eastwood’s producing partner, Robert Lorenz, is making his directorial debut with the movie.
The set for Trouble with the Curve is a closed one, and even locals who are in association with the movie were sworn to secrecy -- not that they were given that much information to begin with.
“I can’t say anything,” said Jimmy Pierson, whose bar, Northside Cheers, will be one of the locations used for filming. However, the film crew is already setting up barriers and taking up most of the parking lot at its location on Northside Drive, meaning fans hoping to see Eastwood, Timberlake, Goodman and Adams are likely in for some disappointment.
Stephanie Giles, an Atlanta-based publicist for the production, said even her office has scant information about the filming. “Right now, it’s a closed set,” she said.
Eastwood’s production company, Malpaso Productions, handles the shooting schedule, Giles said, and the production schedule is private.
Macon Tent Rentals was hired to provide six tent, tables and chairs to seat 300 cast and crew members near the old stables at Central City Park. Chris Barnes, who works for the company, said Tuesday that workers are setting things up but won’t be there Thursday when the movie shoots scenes at Luther Williams Field. Barnes said the company will pick up its equipment Friday.
“From what I’ve seen, they’ll have the extras here, and this is where they will do the catering,” Barnes said, adding that he didn’t think Eastwood would be at the tents. “They said it’d be an impossibility. No one is going to get to meet him.”
Ben Hamrick, business manager for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, said only the front half of Central City Park was open Thursday, with barricades next to the Round Building and the park’s back entrance on Lower Poplar Street. Places such as the track and the softball fields at the park also will be closed to the public.
Hamrick said the production rented the stadium for five days, paying about $1,000 per day for the four non-shooting days and about $1,800 for the shooting day.
Having a major production featuring the likes of A-list stars like Eastwood, Adams, Goodman and Timberlake could be an effective way of marketing the city as a tourist destination and as a way of attracting future productions.
Monica Smith, president and CEO of the Macon-Bibb County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said that while it’s difficult to measure the actual economic impact of the production to Macon and Bibb County, the benefits of the production filming here go beyond dollars.
“It does help tourism anytime we have the film industry come to Macon,” she said. “The free publicity for our local hotels, businesses and attractions will have a positive impact on our community. While I don’t know the specific numbers of how many rooms the production staff will need, it’s been my experience the city will benefit from the increase in exposure.”
Trouble with the Curve, is set to be released in September.
(03/14/12 8:41pm)
Tim Regan-Porter, president and CEO of Decatur, Ga.-based Paste Media Group, was named the first director of Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism on Feb. 14. His appointment started Mar. 1.
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in December awarded $4.6 million in grants to launch a journalism collaborative program involving Mercer’s Journalism and Media Studies Departments, The Telegraph and Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB Media) in employing digital-age storytelling skills to inform and engage Central Georgia.
“Mr. Regan-Porter offers unmatched experience as a digital media leader, and we are excited by the skills and vision he will bring to the Center for Collaborative Journalism,” said Dr. Lake Lambert, dean of Mercer’s College of Liberal Arts.
“His reputation for innovation and his experience with the business, editorial, design and technology aspects of media and publishing make him ideally suited to lead this new initiative,” said Dr. Lambert.
Regan-Porter co-founded Paste magazine in 2002 and helped progress the publication to become the third-largest popular music title among English speaking publications, trailing only behind the infamous Rolling Stone and Spin.
The magazine earned numerous editorial awards and its annual revenue grew to $5 million under Regan-Porter’s guidance.
“The Center for Collaborative Journalism is an ambitious effort,” Regan-Porter said.
“The Center’s clinical education model, enabled by close partnerships with a statewide public broadcaster and regional daily newspaper; its cross-disciplinary approach, with a focus on new technology and innovative business models; and its investment in transforming local communities uniquely position it to become a standard for journalism education and practice nationwide. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help realize the vision set by Mercer, Knight Foundation, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and The Telegraph.”
Prior to co-founding Paste, Regan-Porter worked for seven years in the tech industry as lead architect for IBM’s e-Business Group and director of development for Enterpulse, whose clients included AT&T, the City of Chicago, Coca-Cola, CNN, T-Mobile and Sprint.
Regan-Porter holds an undergraduate degree in economics from Olivet Nazarene University and has completed graduate work in business and mathematics at Georgia State University and the University of Georgia.
This summer the Center for Collaborative Journalism will move into the first floor of Phase II of the Lofts at Mercer Village.
The 12,000-square-foot Center will feature a joint newsroom shared by Mercer’s journalism department, The Telegraph and GPB Radio Macon, whose studios are currently located in a neighboring building in Mercer Village.
The media partners will also collaborate on two community engagement projects during each year that will involve Central Georgia residents in choosing important issues to cover, reporting the facts, debating the choices facing them and ultimately creating solutions to better the Middle Georgia community as a whole.
(03/14/12 8:17pm)
It was a night filled with ugly dresses, pretty dresses, tears, jealousy, ashes and overall entertainment. The 84th Annual Academy Awards aired on Feb. 27.
The evening began with the illustrious red carpet. Several stars came trying to put their best foot forward when it came to their fashion sense. Apparently, not many did. All the female stars must have gotten a memo from the Academy Awards committee that this was the season of fugly dresses, because it seemed as if each and every one of them was in a competition to see which designer/actress could pull of the ugliest look of the night.
Mellissa McCarthy, nominated for best supporting actress for her role in Bridesmaids, showed up in something you would expect to see in the old time show, Little House on the Praire. In a mauve colored dress fancied up with some glitter and sparkles, she did not do herself any favors when it came to her appearance.
Meryl Streep may have taken home the award for best actress, but some critics named her worst dressed as well. She showed up wearing a shocking sparkling golden gown resembling Christmas paper. Obviously, Meryl was expecting a gift because some people think that her Best Actress win was exactly that.
With the red carpet events winding down, the stars made their way inside for the show. The really old Billy Crystal made his way onto the stage, with an interesting but entertaining opening monologue as well as a montage super imposing himself into the most highly recognized movies of the year, including an extremely controversial bit where Crystal puts on black face. Then the show begins.
Hugo took home the first two awards of the night. Winning for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography. The Artist takes home its first award for costume design, while The Iron Ladywas awarded Best Makeup.
What’s a good awards show or celebrity event without a wardrobe malfunction? Yes, there was a nip-slip, and who else better to grace the world with her nipples than Jennifer Lopez herself. It was obvious the tape meant to hold J-Lo’s breast in place was not doing its job as a portion of her nipple was exposed for the entire acting community and home viewers to see.
Best Foreign Language film went to the Iranians. The film A Seperation took home that coveted award, and many were in tears, obviously not expecting the win.
The first large award of the night went to The Help star Octavia Spencer. She took home the coveted prize for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal as Minnie. In a tear filled speech she gracefully accepted the award.
The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo wasn’t completely snubbed, as it picked up the award for Best Film Editing. Hugo added Sound Mixing to its ever-increasing list.
Next up was an amazing but strange performance by Cirque Du Soleil. The tribute to past films was entertaining, but it seemed out of place.
The lackluster and unentertaining category for Best Animated Film went to the less than impressive Rango. Pixar obviously did not put out anything of quality as they usually are a shoe in for this award.
Best Original Song was now up for grabs. Only two songs were nominated this year….. did no one write a song for a movie at all? In the past, this category has been filled with beautiful songs giving the Academy a tough choice in picking the best one. This year, the award went to “Man or Muppet,” from the latest Muppet movie. Sounds like anyone needs to just write a song for a movie and you’ll have a chance at winning an Oscar.
Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay went to The Descendants and Midnight in Paris, respectively.
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy becomes the first Pakistani to win an Oscar. She wins for her documentary Saving Face, which followed two victims with disfiguring acid injuries as they attempt to reclaim their identities.
Michel Hazanavicius wins for best direction, for The Artist. Not entirely surprising, but when Martin Scorsese is in the category, you never know.
It was nearing two and a half hours into the show, and the stars were either getting drunk, or restless. This is when the Academy gave out the award for Best Actor. And the French have it. With only two spoken words in the entire film, Jean Dujardin from The Artist still had the chops to impress the Academy. He jumps on stage to begin his speech with a hearty: “I love your country.”
The next award to be given out was for Best Actress. There were only ever two nominees really in this category: Meryl Streep and Viola Davis. I must say I personally thought Viola gave a beyond riveting performance in The Help, but the Academy chose to award Meryl. So I guess you can’t call it an upset because it’s Meryl, but if it were anyone else it definitely would have been.
And then it was time for the biggest award of the night: Best Picture. The two most valiant choices were The Help and The Artist, but with Hugo picking up several wins no one was really sure. In the end, The Artist took home film’s top prize, and the entire cast, and production team celebrated on stage.
So there you have it, if you missed the 84th Annual Academy Awards, you are now caught up. Go see as many of these movies as you can because I can assure you, they are fantastic!
(03/14/12 8:10pm)
If you’ve been to a baseball game at Mercer University, odds are that at some point you encountered Mercer University’s Marketing Research class.
The Marketing Research class is a yearlong class designed to expose students to a variety of marketing techniques, as well as giving them the opportunity to gain firsthand experience working with a group, business, or team.
During the first semester, the class learned different aspects of marketing, and during the second semester the class actually works for and with their client to market them.
The objective of the class is to help their client attract more people to their business which they do through their marketing efforts.
Last year’s client was the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, and the year before, the client was Shane’s Rib Shack.
This year the client chosen for the class was the Mercer University baseball team.
A spring sport worked the best because the class would have ample enough time to prepare and then be able to implement their ideas as well.
Mercer senior Cagney Valloch spoke about the goals the class has when it comes to improving attendance at the Mercer baseball games.
“We had similar goals that we had with other clients. Our objective is to increase the attendance at the Mercer Baseball games and really try to help create more of a culture at Mercer,” said Valloch.
“We want to get more people to come out to the games. Since there are two marketing classes one was assigned to target their marketing efforts towards families and the other students,” Valloch added.
In order to gain more insight from the students, the class conducted surveys to gather information which then was used to help in their marketing efforts.
From the information they gathered, they realized one of the issues was that not a lot of students knew about the games, so for this semester one of the things they are trying to do is to get more word out about when the games are.
They also want the games to be more fun for the students, so they have various events planned for the games throughout the semester.
They have also set up a Mercer Baseball Facebook page that students can like, and they are even on Twitter so students can follow as well.
In an attempt to get more students to come out to the game they have planned to have different events planned throughout their season.
Some of the events are geared towards specific groups of students, but all are welcome of course. Some of the events we have tentatively planned for the rest of the season include a white out, “Try Your Luck” with baseball bingo, trivia night, date night, carnival day, Taste of Macon, fireworks, water works day and we are also thinking about hosting another corn hole tournament for students.
There’s also going to be events planned in-between innings that the students can participate in which will be a lot of fun. This includes a Hotdog race where four students dress up in a hotdog, ketchup, mustard, and taco outfit then race towards home plate and dizzy bat races.
They are also putting forth efforts to attract the local community to come out to the games and plan to implement their ideas. One idea includes a game dedicated to our National Heroes on April 3.
Students are encouraged to come and support Mercer Baseball, “Middle Georgia’s Hometown Team.”
(03/14/12 8:09pm)
On Feb. 26, the Mercer women’s golf team headed to Kiawah, S.C. for the Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Classic.
When asked about the team’s performance on day one of the tournament, Head Coach Gary Guyer simply said, “We could have played better.”
Sophomore Lacey Fears fired a two-over 74 to lead Mercer to a tie for 15th in Sunday’s opening round of play. Through her first 14 holes on Sunday, Fears was four-over par. In the final four holes, she rallied with two pars and two birdies to help lift her to a tie for 10th place individually. Her 74 outpaced 169 other competitors on day one.
Sophomore Mary Alice Murphy and freshman Sarah Louise Brown each needed 79 strokes on Sunday and were tied for 56th overall. Kaitlin Marrin recorded an 83, while Aurelie Wiriath shot 88. Marrin was 124th overall while Wiriath sat in a tie for 166th.
After day two, the Mercer women’s golf team was tied for 17th with a score of 625 through the first two rounds of play. The Bears improved by five shots on the second day of competition, recording a second-round cumulative team score of 310.
“We played better today, but so did most of the other teams,” Mercer head coach Gary Guyer said. “We had ideal conditions, but had difficulty taking advantage of it.”
Lacey Fears, finished day two’s action tied for seventh after shooting an even-par 72. Her second-round 72 came by the good virtue of 12 pars and three birdies. Fears’ two-round total of 146 had her only three shots off the leader’s pace and ahead of 172 other competitors.
Mary Alice Murphy improved upon her first round total by one stroke, booking a 78 to slot her in a tie for 75th overall. Sarah Louise Brown shot her second-straight 79 at the event and was tied for 87th overall.
Kaitlin Marrin needed 84 strokes on Monday and was tied for 155th with a tournament total of 167. Her classmate Aurelie Wiriath is slotted in a tie for 161st after following her previous rounds’ 88 with an 81.
The Mercer women’s golf team finished tied for 18th place in the 33-team competition. On Tuesday, the Bears recorded a 308, bringing their tournament total to 933.
“We played better each day, and that is one of our primary goals,” Coach Guyer said. “Today we had a chance to go low, as we were two-under par through nine holes. Our focus will be on putting for the rest of the year, because tee to green we are as good as anybody.”
Lacey Fears finished tied for 10th overall with a score of 223. In her final round of play, Fears recorded two birdies and seven pars on her way to a final round 77. Her 10th place finish outpaced 169 other competitors.
Sophomore Mary Alice Murphy posted a team-best score of 75 in the final round to solidify an individual tie for 55th. The rest of the squad rounded out with Sarah Louise Brown’s 237, Aurelie Wiriath’s 246 and Kaitlin Marrin’s 248.
(03/14/12 8:05pm)
The Mercer men’s lacrosse team has dropped four more contests to formidable opponents falling to 0-7 on the year.
The first match-up for the Bears was on Feb. 25 against Detroit-Mercy at Bear Field. The Mercer men’s lacrosse team allowed 11 second-half goals, including being outscored 7-0 in the third quarter to drop their fourth-straight match to start the season, 16-7.
The Titans of Detroit-Mercy had 20 more shots than the Bears in the game, and Mercer gave away 41 turnovers in what was seemingly a sloppy afternoon for both teams.
A lackluster first quarter saw just two goals with Detroit taking a 1-0 lead less than three minutes in. Mercer freshman attack-man Jay DeBole tied the game at one with his second goal of the season with just over three left to play in the first quarter.
The teams traded goals to start the second before Detroit rattled off three unanswered to take a 5-2 lead with just over five minutes left to play in the half. Sophomores Brett Eisenmann and Harry Baker each scored within a minute of each other to bring the Bears back to within one before the first half of play ended.
Over the next quarter and a half the Titans had six different players record nine goals to take a decisive 14-4 lead with just over 11 minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
The Bears did not give up hope however, scoring three more goals in the final 10 minutes of the game. Sophomore Cole Branch netted his fifth of the season to snap the Titans nine-goal scoring streak. Sophomore Zack Ward added a team-high two goals in the final five minutes to finish up the Bears scoring.
The next competition for the Bears was against the University of Michigan. The Bears were outscored 4-0 in the first quarter by the Michigan Wolverines, who were winless coming into the game in their first year of Division-I play. There were only six Michigan shots in the quarter, and this quickly gave the Wolverines the momentum going forward into the game.
It was not until nearly five minutes into the second quarter that the Bears were able to tally their first goal. Sophomore Nate Link made it a 4-1 Michigan lead when he scored his first of the season off a pass from Zack Ward.
Mercer would go another quarter without scoring, allowing four unanswered goals to Michigan. Halfway through the third quarter Michigan had a commanding 8-1 lead.
The Bears did get back-to-back goals from Zack Ward and Cole Branch to cut the lead to 8-3 by the four-minute mark in the third quarter, but that would be as close as Mercer would get as the Wolverines went on to score six of the last seven goals in the game.
Up next for the Bears was Holy Cross. The Mercer men’s lacrosse team dropped its sixth-straight, losing 12-6 to Holy Cross at a neutral site game played in Jacksonville, Fla.
Six different Mercer players scored on the day with Nate Link recording his second of the season off one of his team-high 11 shots. Cole Branch and Sam Grayson each added a goal and an assist. Branch is now second on the team in total points (12) with seven goals and five assists on the year.
Mercer did a decent job in the first half of dictating the pace and possession, selecting their shots on the offensive end. Mercer trailed 3-1 after the first quarter, but added 12 shots in the second and connected for two goals. Link scored the first in the second to cut the Holy Cross lead to 3-2.
The Crusaders would counter for the next two goals to extend a 5-2 lead late in the second. Zack Ward gave the Bears some momentum heading into the half when he tallied his team-leading ninth goal of the season with just 25 seconds remaining in the quarter to bring the score to within two, 5-3.
Holy Cross made several halftime adjustments that proved effective as the Crusaders scored four straight. Mercer’s 22 turnovers didn’t help.
C.J. Moore and Sam Grayson netted back-to-back goals by midway through the fourth to cut the Holy Cross lead to 9-5, but that would be as close at the Bears would get. The Crusaders scored three over the next two and half minutes to put the game out of reach.
MU’s Harry Baker scored his third of the season on a man-up opportunity with 10 seconds remaining to close out the scoring on the day.
The last match-up of the stretch for the Bears was against the Dolphins of Jacksonville. The Mercer men’s lacrosse team failed to score more than two goals in any quarter, losing 16-5.
The loss moves the Bears to 0-7 on the year. This meeting was the first between the two schools in lacrosse as both are members of the Atlantic Sun in most every other varsity sport.
For the fifth-straight game, the Bears were held scoreless in one of four quarters. Sophomore Justin Bateman, who received his first start of the season against Holy Cross, allowed all 16 goals while making just eight saves on the day. JU set the tone by jumping out to a 4-0 lead before Nate Link could put the Bears on the board at the 12:24 mark of the second quarter.
Zack Ward added his team-leading 10th goal of the season with under seven minutes to play in the first half to make the score 6-2. Ward also tallied a pair of assists in the game and now has 17 total points on the year.
Jacksonville rattled off two to end the first half and then scored the two of the second half to quickly put the game out of reach at 10-2 by the 4:45 mark of the third quarter. Mercer’s Timmy Geran scored his first of the season to put the Bears on the board in the third quarter, but Mercer trailed 11-3 after three quarters of play.
In the fourth, Mercer recorded its only back-to-back goals of the game, but it was too little too late as Brett Eisenmann and Alfonso Sciacchitano both scored with less than 10 minutes to play. By that time, the two Mercer goals closed the gap to 15-5 and the Dolphins would round out the scoring with just over three minutes to play in the game.
(02/22/12 9:52pm)
On Feb. 16, Mercer University Theatre opened its play titled, The Colored Museum, by George C. Wolf in honor of Black History Month. The Colored Museum was written in 1985 during the post-Vietnam War era. The beginning takes place on a slave ship which is traveling through time. The ship visits different museum exhibits, each of which displays African-American culture and history from the time they were brought to America as slaves all the way through nearly-recent times. Each exhibit displays a different event or lifestyle in different parts of the country during different eras of the African-American experience.The Colored Museum examines the honor and desire of African-American people to escape centuries of suffering that has been a continuous source of baggage.Mercer’s version of The Colored Museum is directed by Sherri Gilbert-Wilson. Wilson is what Mercer considers a non-traditional student, because she has already been to college before. Wilson is a retired paralegal, who has always had a passion for theatre. She finally decided that after two children and a successful career, it was time to go back to school to pursue a degree in her passion, Theatre Arts. For Wilson’s senior project, she decided to direct The Colored Museum because it was one of her favorite plays that highlighted the African-American experience throughout history.“One of the reasons I love The Colored Museum is because George C. Wolfe calls on us to acknowledge our history – whatever it may be, whoever we are,” said Wilson.“He urges us, through the play, not to allow the past to hold us back, keep us down or dictate how we will live. We must resolute enough to learn from our history, and then forge our own new paths toward a fulfilling life. There are no apologies, no excuses. Wolfe exposes the truth for what it is, and then lets the audience decide what to do with it,” Wilson said.Wilson’s vision for the play is what was able to help her turn it into a quality production. With the help of Zach Broome, who was responsible for scenic design, and Mercer junior Alex Preston, who was responsible for lighting design, the production was brought to life through stunning visuals and dramatic lighting to make The Colored Museum a truly enjoyable experience.The cast features Mercer undergrads, graduate students, medical school students as well as alumni. The cast members are: Omotola Ajibade, Briana Boatwright, Vanesha Brown, Thomaesa Brundage, Isaac Callahan, Katrina Croom, Ernestine Dahn, Mike Dumas, Alaisha Key, Kevin Mobolade, Marcella Murray, Alyncia Robinson, Daniel Robinson, Vernon Scott and even the director herself, Sherri Gilbert-Wilson, makes an appearance.The Colored Museum will be playing at the Back Door Theatre Feb. 21-25 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. The show is rated M for Mature as there is strong language and sexual references. Tickets are $5. The box office opens 30 minutes prior to curtain. For reservations or more information call 478-301-2974.