Monday, April 12, 2004

by Anya Carrasco

Gazette Reporter

Prior to today’s scheduled noon release of the 2004 block results, the
Gazette sat down with Assistant Dean and Director of Residential Life
Myrt Westphal to bring you a sneak peak of the outcome.

In all, 123 block applications were processed and 61 blocks were
awarded to students. The first figure represents a 6% decrease from the
block applications received last year, which is good news for students
as it coincided with an increase in the number of blocks available.

“Of the blocking applications presented to the Committee, 31 received
their first choice and only one ended up being rejected due to
ineligibility.” Last year there were eight invalidations.

“The new dorm made a huge difference in the process,” said Westphal.
“Many students just applied for the two blocks they could block for and
did not put in a third choice for another building.”

This year, the new dorm was at the top of the list with a total of 28
applications (15 for singles and 13 for doubles). Wharton was not too
far behind with 24 blocks requested. The Lodges, usually the second
most popular, were third this time around, with 13 applications
received.

Wharton blocks were still mostly popular among rising seniors despite
the fact that one of the four rooms is designated a “loft” single —
really too small to have all the pieces of furniture laid out on the
floor. Suggestions have been made to change them to three blocks
retaining the three biggest rooms. 
Parrish was much less popular, probably because there were fewer blocks
with all the blocks on the 2nd floor and north wing gone. Construction
may also have been a factor. As usual, all the female Parrish blocks
were awarded and not all the male blocks were applied for. Westphal
predicts that Parrish will be hot next year with the installed
elevators and end of construction.

According to Westphal, rising sophomores were careful about “spending”
their first cohort — they weren’t blocking for spaces they figured
they could just pick in the regular lottery. 
Another note of interest is that only one junior got into all the
blocks of singles in Wharton, Worth, New, Strath Haven and Whittier.

Finally, 19 blocks were not applied for by any group. The 5 and 6
blocks in Pittenger were not applied for, even by the groups that put
in for the Willets 6 blocks and other 5 blocks like the Lodges.

What do all these figures mean for you? Just wait and see when the list
of assignments is posted at or before noon on the bulletin boards and
on the web. Lottery numbers will be distributed Monday afternoon.

* Statistics for Blocks ’03-’04 *

123 blocks applied for

61 blocks awarded

74 applications for 4 blocks

31 groups got their first choice

19 blocks not applied for

1 application invalidated

Best Average for Singles: 77 for 3rd floor New Dorm

Worst Average for Singles: 775 for Dana 05/08

Best Average for an all-sophomore unit: 861 for Lodge 1

Worst Average for an all-sophomore unit: 1075 for Woolman quad 14/15

Most popular first-choice blocks

24 for Wharton blocks (6 exist)

15 for new dorm singles blocks (2 available)

13 for new dorm doubles blocks (2 exist)

13 for lodges (4 available)

12 for Mertz blocks (6 exist)

* Troubles with kidnapping have been on the rise in Iraq. Seven Chinese
men have been taken hostage by gunmen in central Iraq near Fallujah
during their journey from the Jordanian border to Baghdad. Sun Bijan,
the chief of the Chinese advance team establishing an embassy in
Baghdad, is working to obtain information about the hostages and trying
to ensure their safe release as soon as possible. British citizen and
former hostage Gary Teeley was released on Sunday although no news has
been heard about the state of other captives currently missing,
including an American and three Japanese. According to CNN.com, “the
kidnappers threatened to burn the Japanese hostages alive Sunday unless
Japan pulls its troops out of Iraq.” The three hostages, Noriaki Imai,
18, journalist Soichiro Koriyama, 32, and aid worker Nahoko Takto, 34,
have been shown being abused and threatened with guns and knives,
causing many upset citizens to demonstrate in Tokyo for government
action. Japan has over 500 troops in Iraq and roughly 500 more for
humanitarian aid, but the government did not comply with the demands,
saying it would be “playing into the hands of the terrorists” to
withdraw.

* Pope John Paul II gave his traditional Easter Sunday speech with
urgings for leaders to resolve conflicts around the world, hinting
towards the crises in the Middle East, Iraq, and Africa. “May the
culture of life and love render vain the logic of death,” said the
83-year old Pope during his customary “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, Latin
for “To the City and the World.” The Pope allowed others to bear a
cross during the Good Friday ritual, a recreation of Jesus’ last hours;
although in past years, when in better health, he has carried it
himself. The Pope later presented his Easter greetings in 62 different
languages, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Hindi, and Maori.

* Yesterday, a London man bet his life’s possessions on a single spin
of roulette and wound up winning $135,000 at the Plaza Hotel in Las
Vegas. Ashley Revell had recently become a professional gambler and
made the decision to risk everything while he was still young. In order
to raise the stakes as much as possible, he sold everything including
the clothes he owned and wore a rented Tuxedo when he placed his bet
yesterday. In addition to family and friends, Revell was accompanied by
a camera crew from Britain’s Sky One television who decided to do a
short reality show on his everything or nothing experience. Revell
placed everything on red; when the ball was winding down it appeared as
though he had failed but then bobbled and landed on lucky Red ‘7’.

*****

Poetry Reading: Gregory Djanikian

Scheuer Room, 4:30 p.m.

Sociology/Anthropology Film Series: “Incident at Oglala”

Kohlberg 228, 7:00 p.m.

Film Screening: “Flower Drum Song”

LPAC Cinema, 9:00 p.m.

SWIL Movie Night: “Blade Runner”

SCI 101, 10:00 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

by Alex Glick

Sports Editor

Swarthmore’s softball team dropped two games to the Gettysburg Bullets
on Saturday in a double header at home.  The Garnet fell 8-0 in
the first contest and then suffered a ten inning 7-2 loss in the second
game.

In the first game, Swarthmore was only able to put three hits on the
board and committed four errors.  Because of the errors, only two
of Gettysburg’s eight runs were earned.  Emily Remus ’06 allowed
six hits, walked six, and struck out one in the loss.

The Bullets started with a leadoff single in the first inning, and the
runner advanced to third base after two groundouts.  Gettysburg
junior Molly Gale, who had a whopping .456 batting average before the
game, hit an RBI double to bring in the first run of the game.

The Garnet played well in the bottom of the first inning.  After
Mary Mintel ’05 reached first on an error, she advanced to second base
on a ground out and then to third after a single by Christina Procacci
’06.  But Gettysburg was able to get out of the inning without
allowing a run to score.

Neither team got a hit in the second inning, but the Bullets shot
passed the Garnet in the third, scoring six runs, all unearned, and
putting them out of Swarthmore’s reach.  Gettysburg’s offense
really broke out in this inning and was able to capitalize on two
errors and a wild pitch to bring the score to 7-0.  The Bullets
added another run in the fourth, and the game was called at the end of
five innings since they were so far ahead of the Garnet.

Swarthmore took things slowly and looked a lot better in the second
game. Marianne Klingaman ’07 pitched a 1-2-3 first inning.  The
Garnet loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning as Mintel singled,
Danielle Miller ’06 was hit by a pitch, and Procacci walked.  Val
Marone ’05 hit a ball in the infield to earn an RBI as Mintel just beat
out the throw to home, and the Garnet took a 1-0 lead.

Gettysburg’s Gale led off the second inning with a homer, but Klingaman
retired the next eight batters in a row, not allowing another base
runner until Gale singled in the fourth inning.  The Garnet took
the lead in the bottom of the third.  Kelly Siano singled and
reached second after Ashley Brandt ’07 laid down a beautiful sacrifice
bunt.  Klingaman helped herself out with an RBI single to right
field, scoring Siano.

Gettysburg was held to one hit in the fifth and sixth innings before
adding two in the seventh to bring in a run and tie the score, sending
the game into extra innings.  Neither Gettysburg nor Swarthmore
reached base in the eighth or ninth innings.

Each team was allowed to start its half of the tenth inning with a
runner on second base, and this was the spark the Bullets needed to
bring them ahead. They scored five runs in the inning, and the Garnet
were unable to come back in the bottom of the tenth.

Swarthmore played a strong second game, outmatching Gettysburg in the
first nine innings and truly hustling both in the field and up the
baseline.  The Garnet players, especially Marone, played strong
defense as well in the second game.

The Garnet, now 5-15-1 overall and 1-6-1 in the Centennial Conference,
will host Washington on Tuesday in a double header; the action is set
to start at 3:00 p.m.

*****

The women’s tennis team continued to dominate the competition this
weekend with two victories.  Half of the ladies traveled to Mary
Washington to earn an 8-1 win, while their teammates at home matched
them with an 8-1 victory over McDaniel.  The Garnet, who currently
hold a seven game win streak, have outscored their opponents 59-4 in
the past seven games.

Swarthmore only fell in second doubles action at Mary Washington. 
Anjani Reddy ’04 and Sonya Reynolds ’07 defeated their opponents 8-6 in
first doubles, while Sara Sargent ’07 and Kristina Pao ’04 took third
doubles 8-4.

Swarthmore swept all six singles matches and were victorious in the
first two sets of each match.  Reddy placed ahead of her opponent
6-3, 6-1 at first singles, while fellow senior Caroline Celano earned a
6-4, 6-0 win at second singles.  Reynolds and Marissa Matthews ’07
matched each other, in third and fifth singles respectively, with 6-3,
6-0 victories.  Pao defeated her opponent 6-3, 6-1, while doubles
partner Sargent was victorious in sixth singles 6-4, 7-5.

At Swarthmore, McDaniel was only able to pick up a point against the
Garnet in third doubles.  Sophomores Elli Suzuki and Jenna
Adelberg won 8-3 at first doubles.  Emily Townsend ’06 and Waverly
Lutz ’07 picked up the 8-1 victory in the second doubles slot.

The Garnet swept the singles action like their teammates who traveled
south. Suzuki led the way at first singles with a 6-0, 6-1 win, and
Townsend added another point to the board, defeating her opponent 6-3,
6-4 at second singles.  Lutz earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third
singles.  Sarah Fritsch took fourth singles (6-2, 6-2), Adelberg
earned the win at fifth (6-3, 6-4), and Anjali Aggarwal ’06 won at
sixth singles (6-0, 6-2).

Swarthmore (9-2 overall, 4-1 in conference play) travels to Franklin
and Marshall on Wednesday with a 4:00 p.m. match.

*****

The men’s lacrosse team defeated Ursinus 11-5 this past weekend. 
Ryan McKenna ’07 led the offense with four goals and an assist. 
Steve Isbister ’04 made 15 saves in goal.  The team returns to
action on Wednesday with a 4:00 p.m. match at McDaniel.

*****

The golf team earned second place out of four teams this weekend at the
Edgemont Country club.  Widener took first place by only four
strokes.  Eric Zwick ’07 shot 81, while Mike Cullinan ’06, Zach
Moody ’07, and Ed Goldstein ’07 each shot 83. The golf team will travel
to Cabrini today; action begins at 1:00 p.m.

*****

The men’s track team earned ninth place at the University of Delaware
Invitational this weekend.  Vernon Chaplin ’07 led the Garnet with
a second place finish in the 1500 meter run (4:02.46).  In the 400
meter hurdles, Matt Williams ’04 took fourth place in a time of 55.56
seconds.  Williams placed sixth in the 110 meter hurdles
(15.67).  Brian Hwang ’05 took sixth place in the triple jump
(11.89 meters).

Tyler Lyson ’06 earned seventh place in the 400 meter dash in a time of
51.76 seconds.  Keefe Keeley placed seventh in the 800 meter
(1:58.35).  The Garnet took fifth in the 4×100 meter relay and
seventh in the 4×400 meter relay.

The Garnet return to action on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in the Widener
Invitational.

*****

The women’s track team took a twelfth place finish at the Delaware
Invitational on Saturday.  Njideka Akunyili ’04 earned first place
in the 800 meter in a time of 2:19.45.  Jen Stevenson ’06 took
ninth place in the long jump (4.71 m).  Lauren Fety ’06 placed
seventh in the 1500 meter (5:11.86).  The women’s track team will
travel with the men on Saturday to compete in the Widener Invitational,
starting at 10:00 a.m.

*****

The men’s tennis team fell to Mary Washington 7-0 on Saturday but
picked up a 5-2 win over Salisbury on Sunday afternoon.

The Garnet were unable to pick up a point against Mary
Washington.  Their only victory came at first doubles as seniors
Mike Noreika and Frank Visciano were 8-3 winners.  Mary Washington
took the other two doubles matches and swept singles action to defeat
the Garnet.

Swarthmore came back to defeat Salisbury 5-2 on Sunday. 
Individual results from this match were not available at the time of
publication.  The Garnet travel to Washington on Friday for a 1:00
p.m. match.

*****

The men’s baseball team fell 13-0 to Ursinus and 12-3 and 5-2 to
McDaniel in a double header this past weekend. The losses bring the
Garnet’s record to 2-13 overall and 1-8 in the Centennial Conference.

The Garnet were unable to get on the board on Friday against
Ursinus.  The Bears had 17 hits, while the Garnet could only get
one (a single from Sam Faeder ’07).  Matt Goldstein ’04 took the
loss but struck out six batters in the effort.

In their first game against McDaniel, Ryan Pannorfi ’04 led the offense
with two hits (a double and a single).  Swarthmore committed seven
errors, and Jared Leiderman ’05 gave up fourteen hits, giving McDaniel
the win.

The Garnet took a 2-0 lead at the start of the second game but could
not hold on.  Pannorfi went three for four, including a triple, in
game two.

The Garnet host Washington on Tuesday starting at 3:30 p.m.

*****

Today:

Golf at Cabrini, 1:00 p.m.

Tomorrow:

Softball hosts Washington (double header), 3:00 p.m.

Baseball hosts Washington, 3:30 p.m.

Women’s Lacrosse at Widener, 4:00 p.m.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.”

–Gore Vidal

*****

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