T&C Print Edition Week 9

otterbein college thursday, nov. 12, 2009 vol. 91, issue 9 www.otterbein360.com

tan cardinal&

How to woo your date in 10 cheap ways

Text lingo unacceptable for the classroom

Football on its last leg for Senior Day

Reduce, Reuse, Cycle

opinion

page 2 | t&c |www.otterbein360.com thursday, nov. 12, 2009 | vol. 91, issue 9

&Dear Editor,

I am writing in regard to your Weekly Humorscopes ‘Go Greek Edition.’ I was appalled to find this Greek-based article poking fun at each chapter. I think it is absolutely horrible that an Otterbein organization would make fun of another. While some of the humorscopes were witty, most were rude and not even true. I also found it inappropri-ate that this article ran during Go Greek Week. The Otter-bein Greek community is try-ing to educate freshmen and other potential new members about Greek Life. By writing these humor-scopes, freshmen might get the wrong idea and develop prejudices against Greek life. Even if people are thinking these things, there is no need to write them. We should let students make their own decision about every organization instead of putting ideas into their head. I found this entire article completely inappropriate at a time when Otterbein College is attempting to unite under a new president and switching to semesters. As a college we should be supporting each other, not writing rumors or gossip.

Sincerely,Leah Shamblinjunior, public relations & speech communication major

Letter to the Editor

Jessica Miller Editor-in-Chief

Fallon Forbush News Editor

Rae Reed Assistant News Editor

Andrew Henderson Opinion Editor

Peter Behr Arts & Entertainment Editor

Aaron Angel Sports Editor

assistant editorsEmmy Beach Mike Cirelli Sarah Douglas Lindsey Hobbs Elizabeth Livingston Evan Tackett Breanna Watzka Nick Wood

contributing staffGina Bericchia Hannah DeMiltaJohnson Denen Kristy Farren Elizabeth Luther Dom PorrettaLaina Thompson Jason Wagner

Austin Walsh

contact(614) 823-1159

[email protected] & Cardinal

Otterbein CollegeWesterville, OH 43081

advertising For advertising information,

contact Jeana Harrington at (614) 823-1159 or e-mail at

[email protected].

policies The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty and administration of Otterbein College. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not of the newspaper staff. Positions in unsigned editorials represent a consensus of the editorial staff. The first copy of the Tan & Cardinal is free to the public. Each additional copy is $0.50, and pay-ment can be made at the office at 33 Collegeview, Westerville, OH 43081. Offenders will be prosecuted.

The T&C staff would love to hear from you. Write a Letter to the Editor and tell us what you’re thinking. Letters to the editor are letters responding to a writer or an article published in the Tan & Cardinal.

Please keep your letter to 300 words or less. It is at the discretion of the Tan & Car-dinal staff as to whether or not the letter will be published. Letters attacking an individual will not be accepted.

Letters must include the author’s first and last name, signature, phone number, address and affiliation to Otterbein College. Letters must be submitted by the Monday before the issue is published.

Patricia BegazoCopy Editor

Randi HonkonenCopy Editor

Greg BeersPhotography Editor

Sophia Garcia Assistant Photography Editor

Britany Byers Web Editor

Jeana Harrington Business Manager

COVER PHOTO BY SOPHIA GARCIA

t&c editorial staff&

BIKE OR HIKE: Otterbein pedals its way to an eco-friendly campus, now including a bike-sharing program.

When you write a paper like you are sending a text, then there’s a problem. When there

is a noticeable de-crease in interper-sonal communica-tion skills among

our youth, there is a problem. However, we have acquired

such a depen-dency upon our

mobile devices that it seems doubtful that our habits will improve in the years to come. Have you ever gone some-where and forgotten your cell phone? What kind of feeling did it give you? If you’re like me or most of the people that I know, it’s not a good one. It’s a feeling of “What if I miss something important?” or “But I don’t want so-and-so to think that I’m ignoring their texts.” We depend on our cell phones for a lot of our commu-nication throughout the day. The cell phone has really become an amazing device. Many of them now come equipped with access to e-mail and nearly any applica-tion imaginable. But has our beloved piece of technology become an obstacle to standard communication, and has it impacted our ability to communicate effectively during more formal occasions?

I think it has, and I know I’m not alone. Assistant professor Melissa Lusher of the depart-ment of theatre and dance said, “Today’s generation is the most technologically savvy of any generation we’ve ever seen, but perhaps because of this, they have less interpersonal commu-nication skills.” In a class with assistant professor Leesa Kern of the so-ciology department last year, she reminded us to write papers in the way they are supposed to be written. She said that the previ-ous quarter she had two students

that sent in assignments with no punctuation or capitalization of letters. I’m totally shocked by this. As we get older, the age that children receive their first cell phone is getting lower. Child-Wise, a market research firm out of the UK, found in 2005 that one in four children under the age of eight years old had a mobile phone. Furthermore, 89 percent of 11-12 year olds had a mobile phone. So around the age that children are learning how to spell larger words, they are also

learning how to abbreviate those words in text messages. I propose an increased curric-ulum on proper use of language for academic and business pur-poses in childhood education. With technology increasing at such a rapid rate, we cannot ex-pect the source of the problem to go away. Educating children on how to properly communi-cate is absolutely necessary. As we start our own families in the near future, we need to stress the importance of face-to-face interaction. Sure, texting and e-mails are convenient, but they don’t achieve the bond that can be reached through interact-ing in person. Everything from human relationships to inter-national diplomacy can best be achieved through live communi-cation. Let us all be competent communicators and prevent the upcoming generations from becoming products of technol-ogy instead of participants in human relationships. We can’t stop the technology, and we can’t stop ourselves from using it, but we can certainly educate and inform so that the relation-ships we cherish aren’t lost in a text message…lol.

Txt me when U can talkAbbreviated language is fine for texting, but now it has become common in other areas

JASONWAGNER

JASON WAGNER IS A SENIOR SPEECH COMMUNICATION MAJOR AND IS A STAFF WRITER FOR THE t&c.

LOLBERRY: Modern cell phones allow us to do more than communicate. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GREG BEERS AND SOPHIA GARCIA

t&c

The sustainability committee will offer green transportation for students. As part of Otterbein’s ef-forts toward a more sustainable campus, the school will soon be providing bicycles for the use of students and faculty through the Otterbike Sharing Program. According to Mary Kerr, member of the sustainability committee, people who wish to borrow an Otterbike must fill out a waiver at the Courtright Memorial Library and pay a one-time yearly fee of $10. From then on, renters only need to show their Cardinal Cards to check out a bike. Stu-dents will be able to rent for a period of three days. According to Kerr, the Otterbikes will all be donated from the Westerville Bike Shop located on Main Street. “Anyone can donate to the fund, and they can donate used bikes if they want to,” Kerr said. “The owner of the shop will look it over and see what needs to be done as far as maintenance. The owner there has been just so generous.”

Kerr, who tends to travel and commute on bike, predicts that the program will “definitely expand” if students choose to utilize it. “With the trail system in Westerville, it is just as easy to ride up to Giant Eagle and buy your groceries. You can really get around better on trails. I do it all the time,” Kerr said. “I think that this program will really en-courage students and help show more awareness of sustainability on campus.” According to Heidi Ballard, co-chair of the Standing Com-mittee on Environmental Sus-tainability, the Otterbike Sharing Program is the new addition to Otterbein’s sustainability focus. This week, the sustainability committee had students and faculty take a survey to help support and plan collegewide sustainability initiatives. The survey results will be presented by the environmental sociology students on Wednes-day, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m. in the Philomathean Room, in Towers Hall. “We’ve created an audit that helps determine what areas to

strengthen,” Ballard said. “Then we make up a priority list of what needs to happen.” Ballard also said that the survey will determine where Otterbein is, and the committee will be able to look at a number of indica-tors of sustainability and inform students where they need to place emphasis on campus. According to Ballard, Otter-bein took steps toward sustain-ability in 2008 by joining the American Association for Sus-tainability in Higher Education, which created a commitment for the college to continue the sustainability process. Ballard would like sustainability to be more incorporated on campus. One way is through courses of-fered at Otterbein. “This (sustainability) is im-perative for higher education,” Ballard said. “Higher education is where future leaders are made. Plugging sustainability into curriculum would increase the number of programs and aware-ness within our school.” This past March, the Otter-bein Board of Trustees voted to adopt a Policy of Sustainability for the college.

Since then, “we were nomi-nated for an Emerald Award, which is sponsored by SWACO (Solid Waste Authority of Ohio),” Kerr said. “They award an organization who has really worked hard toward recycling and reducing waste. Although we weren’t selected, it was our first nomination, and so that was very exciting.” According to Kerr, Otterbein was nominated for programs such as the college’s paper track-ing program, PaperCut, as well as the trayless cafeteria. Otter-bein also completed the Science

Building, which has two new greenhouses attached to it for research and teaching. “I think all the efforts that the college is going through to become more sustainable are great,” junior psychology major Travis Ell said. “Before com-ing to college, sustainability was something that I never cared or even thought about, but within the last few years all of the new initiatives that the college has put in place have really helped me to see how important being sustainable is.” t&c

news

thursday, nov. 12, 2009 | vol. 91, issue 9 www.otterbein360.com | t&c | page 3

We at the Tan & Cardinal send our condolences to the friends and family of student Zachary Gilbert, who died unexpectedly Friday, Nov. 6. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Capital Area Humane Society.

Correction: Last week’s “Humorscopes Go Greek Edition” were inaccurately attributed to Nick Wood. The correct byline should have read by “various Otterbein students.”

For other exclusive stories and photos, visit us on the Web at www.otterbein360.com.

Editor’s Note&

&1. 11/6 During a walk-through of Garst Hall, an officer smelled burning marijuana. At 2:15 a.m., two students were charged through the Westerville Mayor’s Court with possession of drug paraphernalia. One was also charged with drug abuse for hav-ing 2.45 g of marijuana.

2. 11/6 Attempted iden-tity fraud was reported at 11:52 a.m. at the Business Office. An unknown suspect(s) attempted to change direct deposit informa-tion of an Otterbein employee.

3. 11/7 Harassment and assault were reported between a student and a non-student at Clements Hall at 4 a.m.

4. 11/7 A student reported a missing or stolen purse at Eta Phi Mu fraternity house at 10:30 p.m.

5. 11/8 Anti-gay vandalism was reported at 12:30 a.m. at 25 W. Home St.

6. 11/8 At 12:30 a.m., a student was charged through the Westerville Mayor’s Court for underage consumption, disor-derly conduct and obstructing official business at the Eta Phi Mu fraternity house.

7. 11/10 A criminal trespass warning was issued to a non-Otterbein-affiliated male subject at the Campus Center. t&c

OC SECURITY REPORTAccording to the WPD and the Otterbein Security Log, the following

has been reported from Nov. 6 through Nov. 10.

INFORMATION COMPILED BY RAE REED

CAMPUS MAP

COURTESY OF OTTERBEIN COLLEGE

2

1

4

3

5

6

7

Local bike shop donates ‘green’ rides The new Otterbike Share Program will allow campus to rent bikes to further Otterbein’s sustainability efforts

BY KRISTY FARRENStaff Writer

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arts & entertainmentDates that don’t break the bank

&What’s your flavor?

The current state of the economy seems to be a worry on everyone’s mind now. It has affected just about everything: what we eat, where we go, what kind of car we drive, how much we spend on electronics and clothes, and what we do for dates. People are hard up for cash, especially with the holidays right around the corner, and sometimes it can affect their relation-ships. Here are 10 cheap date ideas to keep the romance alive, or maybe even create new ones. 1. Invite a few other mutual friend couples and have a game night. Once you and your date are deep in competition of Mad Gab or Dirty Minds, your mind will change. Just ask every couple in atten-dance to bring a favorite game and some munchies. 2. For a nice romantic evening, go star gazing. All you need is a blanket, and if you wish, a bottle of wine. (Sparkling grape juice for those underage.) The beautiful sight will make for a romantic atmosphere and an enchanting date. 3. Head to the nearest mall, and go window shopping. Going to the mall doesn’t necessarily mean you have to buy anything. With the holidays right around

the corner, what’s nicer than a leisurely stroll through a cheery-decorated mall? This also provides a great opportunity to develop some Christmas present ideas for your sweetie if you find yourself stumped. 4. Have a movie night using movies you own. Everyone has their favorite movies, and everyone has that list of great movies they haven’t seen yet. Take this opportunity to share your movie collections with each other by watching shared favorites or a movie you adore that your date hasn’t seen yet. 5. Spend the afternoon at the local flea market or an antique store. You’ll have fun sorting though the piles of junk to find some interesting treasure. A date like this is great for a couple who have just started dating. All the random items you can find are sure to spark some stories and get the conversation ball rolling. 6. Play video games together. Com-pete against each other and watch the competitive sparks and the trash talk fly. Just try not to get too mad. Or, you can see how well you both work together and play a co-op mode, which many adven-ture-based games offer. 7. Work out together. Everyone can benefit from a little exercise, and having someone right there motivating you can

make all the difference. Go on a long walk, play some sports or hit the gym. Either way, you’ll have fun together and feel better afterward. 8. Go roller or ice skating. What’s better than holding hands, talking and skating around the rink? It can especially be fun if one of you has never gone be-fore. Teaching your date how to skate can provide some fun and a lot of laughs. 9. Spend a cold winter day at Barnes and Noble. You’ll have a great time as you browse books together, pointing out your favorites and those that you hope to read. After a stroll around the book store, each grab a book and head for some chairs by the window. Relaxing together and read-ing will feel nice with the cold weather looming outside. If the store has a coffee shop inside, consider taking your books in to read while you enjoy a cup of joe. 10. Weather permitting, bundle up and go play in the snow together. Everyone needs to feel like a kid every now and then. Snowball fights, sledding and mak-ing snow angels are just some of the fun activities you can do. In the evening, bundle up and take a nice walk through the town or a nearby neighborhood. The snow and holiday decorations will make for a romantic trip. When all is done, head inside for a cup of hot cocoa.

“I went to a Renaissance play and dinner in Tennessee. People were fighting on the tables; it was really neat.”

“A guy took me to a restaurant in the Short North and made his own dessert menu. The last line said ‘Be my girlfriend,’ priceless.’”

— Kristian Parks sophomore allied health physical therapy

— Emily Schertel sophomore psychology

“I decided to surprise my girl-friend. I made lunch for us, and we went to a park and watched the sunset from Mt. Pleasant.”— Jonathan Quallsjuniorart

WHAT IS THE MOST ORIGINAL DATE YOU’VE BEEN ON?

Say What?&

“I took a girl whitewater kayak-ing, and we went to dinner.”

—Ryan Robertssophomoreathletic trainingPHOTOS AND INFORMATION

COMPILED BY SOPHIA GARCIA

Name: Garey Berry

Grade: senior

Major: computer science

Hometown: Euclid, Ohio

What’s your flavor?: Pop Rocks

Pet peeve: dishonesty

Interesting fact: my mom just got back from her 5th tour in Iraq

Favorite sport: track

Best concert you’ve been to: Jay-Z

Favorite candy: Gummy Bears

Ten date ideas that are both romantic and spontaneous while also being economical BY LAINA THOMPSON

Staff Writer

t&c

PHOTO AND INFORMATION COMPILED BY SHANNON SNODGRASS

arts & entertainment

www.otterbein360.com | t&c |page 5thursday, nov. 12, 2009 | vol. 91, issue 9

14”Large One Topping Pizza $6.95

Otterbein Student Special

Must present student ID.Limit 4 per person.

NOW HIRING INSIDE & DRIVERS

10 E. Main St. Uptown Westerville614-895-1212

Open until 1 a.m.Friday and Saturday.

Open for lunch10:30 a.m.

Monday - Friday.

What’s on WOBN?Emmy Becomes Eclectic

Garage Talk Radio

Sexx & Y

Double D’s

Manic Mondays

Thursday6 p.m.

7 p.m.

10 p.m.

11 p.m.

“The sexiest show on radio”

“All the best in everything Indie”

“The perkiest show on radio”

Monday8 p.m.

“Gossip and music for your mundane Monday”

What’s on WOBN?

When the weather drops to nearly freezing this winter, you’re going to need a good beer to keep you warm. This year’s seasonal efforts by craft brew-ers and major beer companies offer something for every beer enthusiast. The best of the seasonal beers is brewed here in Ohio. The Great Lakes Brewing Com-pany’s Christmas Ale contains a tasty blend of cinnamon and ginger. Its sweet smell of honey and spice is rich in every drop.

It’s perfect with any meal, but I’d suggest drinking it on Christ-mas Day with your holiday feast. Another fantastic winter beer is made by the Columbus Brewing Company. Their Winter Warmer is blended to warm up those dreary winter nights. The Winter Warmer uses a special malt to give it a roasted taste, and the beer is blended with caramel to mask the burnt aftertaste usually associated with malts. For festivity, the ale is given hints of cinnamon and ginger as well. In the end, the Winter

Warmer is brewed to perfection. It won’t be for everyone, though. The high alcohol content or the roasted malt may turn some people away, but I’d give it a chance if you’re looking for a warming drink on a cold night. Major beer companies make winter beers too. Sam Adams makes a wide variety of winter beers: Cranberry Lambic, Holi-day Porter, Winter Lager and Old Fezziwig Ale. While all are great in their own ways, the best is the Old Fezziwig Ale. This beer is unique because it’s practically a dessert. Old

Fezziwig hits your tongue with tastes of chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, toffee and orange. While this may sound like an odd combination in a beer, it actually tastes amazing. The assortment of flavors makes the ale special. It’s both warm-ing and sweet. However, Old Fezziwig is a strong beer. It has a high volume of alcohol, and the roasted malt flavor is noticeable. For a casual beer drinker, it may be too much. The winter season is a perfect time to experiment with beer brands, flavors and styles.

Columbus is home to great local eateries, and it is worth going out of your way for a unique experience. One restaurant worth going off the beaten path for is Banana Bean Café. The appeal to the restaurant is that it’s likely you’ve never been anywhere like it. Their menu is a mixture of tastes from the Florida Keys, Cuba, Jamaica and the Caribbean (what they call “Floribbean Cuisine”). Like their food, the décor has a bit of an identity crisis, but it works. The white tablecloth dining room has a semi-formal feel, while the bar side of the restaurant is more casual. A lion fountain, bright, tropical wall colors and decorations from the islands make the café feel far from Columbus. Their soup of the day was a delicious sweet corn and lobster bisque. We also liked their mini hamburgers (they also offer mini crab burgers). We recommend the fish burrito, which comes with grilled orange cilantro shrimp or beer batter cod with avocado mash, mango-habañero ketchup, Mexican crema, shaved lettuce, red onion, scallions and manchego cheese, all wrapped in a fire-grilled tortilla. The menu is moderately priced and worth the cash if you appreciate spicy seafood. Service was friendly, but not fast, adding to the laid-back vacation feel of the restaurant. Banana Bean Café is located at 340 Greenlawn Ave. in Columbus. Their hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Delightful beer for frightful, cold weather& Tablein the

CornerCafé goes ‘Bananas’

BY JOHNSON DENENStaff Writer

BY GINA BERICCHIA AND HANNAH DEMILTA

Columnists

Winter is the time for trying beers that are sure to turn your nose red for the holidays

t&c

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recess

page 6 | t&c | www.otterbein360.com thursday, nov. 12, 2009 | vol. 91, issue 9

Can you name this caricature?

A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. “But why?” they asked as they moved off. “Because,” he said, “I can’t stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.”

Joke of the week

joke used from thevoiceofreason.com

Ans

wer

: Hill

ary

Clin

ton

Best New RA

Dana McDermottResident Assistant

Clements Hall

Best Returning RA

Drea BlaineAssistant Hall Director

25 W. Home St.

Most Improved RA

Mychael IhnatResident Assistant

Davis Complex

Best Program of the

Hanby Hall“Step Into Africa”

AIDS/HIV Education Program

Best Staff of the Quarter

The Triad StaffAllison DeVelvis,

Hall DirectorSammie Bickerdt, Scott HallTony DeGenaro, Garst Hall

Brent Ford, Engle HallDustin Gadd, Engle Hall

Chelsea Mathias, Scott HallLa’Rez Wilson, Garst Hall

Quarter

Residence Life Award WinnersResidence Life would like to announce the winners of this quarter’s Resident Assistant Advisory Board Awards. Winners were nominated by their fellow staff members. Nominations were voted on by Residence Life professional staff members. Awards were given out at the End of the Quarter Celebration.

If you are interested in becoming a resident assistant next year, contact Jeff Akers at [email protected] for information.

sports

www.otterbein360.com | t&c |page 7thursday, nov. 12, 2009 | vol. 91, issue 9

Coupon is good through Wednesday, Nov. 18

The Otterbean Café Hours of service:

Monday-Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

discount10%

One wrap, chips and a bottled water or pop

This past weekend, Otterbein volleyball ended their best season yet. It was the first time in Otterbein’s history that the volleyball team made it to the semifinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) volleyball tournament. Otterbein was seeded fourth as they made their 13th appearance in the OAC tournament.

Otterbein played their first game of the tournament against their rival, Capital. The game took place at Otterbein’s Rike Center on Nov. 3. It was one of the largest crowds of the season for the Cardinals with almost 800 attendees. Otterbein fans participated in a red-out, led by members of the cross country team who painted themselves red. It was a close win for Otterbein after five games resulted in 25-10, 25-18, 23-25,

19-25 and 15-10. The match took nearly two hours to complete.Freshman Michelle Gernert and sophomore Alicia Chafins were the team’s leaders in kills, with 12 each. Freshman Lydia Wynkoop achieved five aces for Otterbein. Chafins also completed 20 digs to guide the team toward an Otterbein victory. Otterbein advanced to play in the semifinals against Heidelberg Nov. 6. The match was away in Tiffin, Ohio. Junior Rayna Coleman led Otterbein in kills with 14, and sophomore Lindsey Russell led in digs with 21.

The match ended in a win for Heidelberg, leaving Otterbein with a record of 24-9 for the year. There were several team leaders who led Otterbein to a winning season. Ally Nagle accomplished 375 kills for her freshman year. Russell completed 780 digs, and Chafins had 44 aces for the season. Seniors Marinda Roderick and Leah Yoder were a success in their last season with Otterbein. Roderick finished leading the team with 612 sets. Yoder led Otterbein with 94 blocks on the year.

While the track teams are starting to begin their voluntary offseason workouts, the men’s and women’s cross country teams still have at least one more race on their schedules before the seasons end. Saturday, the teams will travel to Rose-Hulman for the Great Lakes Regional where the Cardinals aim to bounce back after less-than-stellar races at the conference meet. “It was pretty disappointing,” head coach John Lintz said. “Going in, I thought the women had a chance to take second, and I thought the men could

have done a whole lot better.” What might not look bad on paper, fourth place finishes for both teams, did not sit well with the runners. To ensure that the teams would be focused for the upcoming meet, the runners chose not to look in the past. “We left that race at Wilmington,” senior Mike Jacoby said. “When we got back, we were ready to go for Regionals.” Jacoby added that no one has even mentioned the conference meet this past week. In a sport largely driven by mental toughness, Lintz wanted to make sure the results from the OACs didn’t carry over. “If you dwell on a race, it’s going to hinder your training and ultimately the races,” he said.

“You don’t want to dwell on the good or the bad.” “This is a different race,” Jacoby said. “This is the one we’ve been training to peak at; we’ve had good workouts all year to prepare for this race.” Jacoby is one of three seniors to be running for the men’s team. “It’s a given they’re all going to be running for the seniors,” Lintz said. “The three seniors on the men’s side have done everything we’ve asked for. They have worked their tails off. On the women’s side, this could be the last race for Nikki Reese who, when you look at what she has done here, will go down as one of Otterbein’s best runners.” Lintz thinks both Reese and junior Andie Pautsch can

advance to Nationals if they run how they are capable of, but the mindsets are about erasing doubts people may have about the Cardinals. “We want to show the schools that we can run a lot better than we ran at the OAC,” Reese said. “We want to show them what Otterbein cross country is all about.” Both teams would like to finish in the top five in the region to have a chance to move on to NCAA Nationals, which would take place at Baldwin-Wallace next Saturday. With that being said, the Cardinals are not looking ahead. “As a team we have one more shot to come together,” Reese said. “We want to finish this season with a bang.”

Cross Country looks to send runners to Nationals After a mediocre finish in the OACs, Otterbein looks to send runners to nationals for first time since 2007

Tourney exit doesn’t deter campaignFinishing with the best record in school history, volleyball looks forward to 2010 season

BY AUSTIN WALSHStaff Writer

BY ELIZABETH LUTHERStaff Writer

t&c

t&c

TOP OF THE CLASS: Ally Nagle’s .392 hit percentage earned her OAC Freshman of the Year honors.

FINAL LEG: Andie Pautsch placed 6th at the OAC Championships Oct. 31.

PHOTO BY GREG BEERS

PHOTO BY GREG BEERS

sports

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Despite nationally-ranked contests with Ohio Northern, Capital and Mount Union, Otterbein’s game with John Carroll Saturday will undoubtedly be the biggest for the Cardinals. That sentence above may sound like a broken record, but Otterbein (7-2, 6-2 Ohio Athletic Conference) is now in a must-win scenario to make the playoffs. The Cards lost their chance at the league’s automatic-bid when they lost 58-7 to host and top-ranked Mount Union (9-0, 8-0) last weekend in what served as the league championship

game. The Purple Raiders have now won 18 straight league crowns. The Cards must battle it out with other teams who failed to clinch a league championship for one of the 32 tournament spots. Fellow OAC member Ohio Northern is back in the hunt after beating Capital, who is still making a case for a bid since all three losses have been to nationally-ranked opponents. A loss to the visiting Blue Streaks (3-6, 3-5) Saturday would almost certainly mean the Cardinals would not make a return trip to postseason football, after making it to the playoffs for the first time in school history last season. “For us to have a chance to

get into the playoffs, we have to beat John Carroll,” head coach Joe Loth said. “It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it gives us a chance to get into the playoffs.” A win would mean a second-place tie between the Cardinals and Ohio Northern, who also has two losses in the conference, assuming the Polar Bears win Saturday. Against Mount Union, quarterback Austin Schlosser returned to action despite being injured in the loss to Marietta two weeks ago. He did not start, but came in on the second series. The Cardinals squandered several scoring opportunities against Mount Union, including two interceptions within the

Purple Raider 10-yard line and a fumble on a kick return that would have taken them into Purple Raider territory. Schlosser and the Cardinals were intercepted three times and lost three fumbles. The quarterback completed 14 of 26 passes with one touchdown. “It’s just disappointing,” Loth said. “They really beat us up front. And it’s harder to compete when you’re losing the battle up front.” The Purple Raiders scored on their first six possessions, taking a 41-0 halftime lead. “The biggest thing is we just have to refocus,” Loth said. “If you lose a game like this to Mount Union, you just have to refocus. Don’t let Mount Union beat

you twice…Don’t let that game affect your game against John Carroll. We’re really going to analyze it, then move on and get ready for John Carroll.” Saturday is set to be Senior Day at Memorial Stadium. Despite being hit hard by the injury bug, four of the five players injured against Marietta played against Mount. Loth said, “Senior Day is a special day for the football program in that it’s a little nostalgic, it’s a little bit sad at times, because people reminisce about what they got from playing football at Otterbein and what it means to them…the goal of Senior Day is always to have your seniors go out on a winning note.”

FINAL STRETCH: The Cardinals will pay homage to 22 seniors on the football team along with seniors who participate in band, cheerleading and dance team Saturday.

Plagued by injuries and two straight losses, Otterbein still has a chance to make the playoffs with a winBY DOM PORRETTA

Staff Writer

t&c

PHOTO BY GREG BEERS

Cardinals’ playoff hopes ride on Senior Day game