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Governor seeks to cut liberal arts

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Florida Governor Rick Scott ( R ) upset anthropologists across the nation Oct. 10 with comments he made about the field on a radio talk show. The comments were made while he discussed his proposed plan to shift funding from liberal arts programs at Florida public universities to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.

Scott’s daughter, Jordan Kandah ’08, has a degree in anthropology from the College of William and Mary.

“If I’m going to take money from a citizen to put into education, then I’m going to take that money to create jobs,” Scott said on the show. “I want that money to go to degrees where people can get jobs in this state …. Is it a vital interest of the state to have more anthropologists? I don’t think so.”

Contrary to Scott’s logic, researchers at Georgetown University and Rutgers University showed that the problem isn’t enough science and engineering majors, but that there are not enough science and engineering majors taking jobs in those fields. The study shows that more than half of science and engineering graduates go into other fields upon graduation, such as sales, marketing and health care.

Scott’s comments incited anger among anthropologists.

“It’s very unfortunate that you would characterize our discipline in such a short-sighted way,” President of the American Anthropological Society Virginia Dominiguez said in an open letter to Scott.

A spokesman for Scott told “Tampa Bay Online” that he was not criticizing anthropologists but rather noting the increased demand for STEM degree holders. Still, some College faculty members were offended by the governor’s comments.

“There’s so much that anthropology does that is applied and practical … [Because] business people are going to places like China and India, it would be nice to have a greater understanding of the people and languages in those places,” professor Barbara King said. “[But] I don’t want us to lose sight of the fact that it’s … important to have a discipline that has intellectual value … that we understand who we are and our past.”

King stressed the holistic qualities of the degree.

“My goal is not to turn them all into students who leave with an anthropology degree … but rather to think about what it means to be human, what our pre-history tells us about what it means to be human,” she said, regarding her introductory bioanthropology class. “I think that educating students to have an awareness of those issues both practically and intellectually is what education is about, not only how you commodify a degree.”

Tracy Jenkins ’12, a double major in anthropology and history at the College, agreed.

“We can’t just reduce everyone to an economic statistic or a biological phenomenon,” he said. “In a very abstract way, we’re trying to understand how people work, and if we can understand how people work, then we can interact with each other better. Having a sense of our history, having a sense of what culture is and how it works and an appreciation for other cultures … helps us not to get lost morally.”

Jenkins was critical of Scott’s plan to give prospective salary information to college students.

“On the undergraduate level, what your major is has very little to do with what you actually do when you get a job,” Jenkins said.

Candidates discuss economy

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Candidates for the Virginia General Assembly sparred over national and local economic issues in a political forum at the Williamsburg Regional Library Tuesday.

The debate, sponsored by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance, hosted the local district’s incumbents, Sen. John Miller (D) and Del. Robin Abbott (D-93rd), and their respective challengers, Mickey Chohany (R) and Mike Watson (R).

A taxation taboo became a theme of the debate, as the hesitation to tax was echoed by the candidates across the major issues.

Chohany advocated for greater tourism funds to combat Williamsburg’s falling tourism rate, yet hesitated about raising taxing to accomplish the goal.

Watson called for greater government transparency and a move away from big government as ways to jumpstart the economy.

“When it comes to the economy, the number one thing Mike wants to do is focus on small business,” Watson’s Campaign Manager Annette James said. “It’s important to restore that confidence in small business so they can start the hiring processes again. The state of Virginia is going to be with them when it comes to taxes and things like that.”

Watson argued for offshore drilling and funding from Hampton Roads, which accumulates 23 percent of state revenue for transportation, as a way to fund roads.

“The number one goal is to create a strong contingency of delegates from this region who will go to Richmond and stand together, to get the tax money that comes from this area to come back to this area and get the infrastructure that is needed,” James said.

Gov. Bob McDonnell’s (R) plan to place tolls on Interstate 95 was supported by both Chohany and Miller. Miller even argued for tolls at the state border for all interstates.

Yet Miller later refuted the claim that he would tax every mile that people drive. Instead, Miller said, he asked for a study on all options for a tax based on mileage.

Watson disagreed, calling for more audits of state government departments.

With regard to the recently passed business tax on gross receipts and the machinery and tool tax, Abbott advocated altering, rather than repealing, the tax, while Watson called for a complete push back.

Candidates were also given the opportunity to counter the political advertising of their opponents.

Watson contested the accusation that his company, Control Automation Technologies Corporation, has a history of faulty tax payments, a claim that surfaced after Watson used an unflattering photo of Abbott for his campaign.

“Mike Watson spent 17 years dodging his responsibility to the middle class families who pay their share in taxes even in a tough economy,” Democratic Party of Virginia Executive Director David Mills said in an email.
“If we can’t trust Watson to pay his own taxes, we certainly can’t trust him to spend other people’s tax dollars wisely.”

Watson refuted the claim.

“If I hadn’t paid my taxes in 17 years, I wouldn’t be here,” Watson said, according to a press release.
Robin Abbott clarified that she is not against small business, but rather a consumer advocate.
Voters will cast their ballots for the election Nov. 8.

SA funds scholarship

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In a meeting Tuesday night, the Student Assembly voted against the Water Filter Act and moved forward to introduce the new freshman senators to SA policy.

The Water Filter Act, introduced by Senator John Woo ’14, would have allocated finances from the Student Activities Reserve for the purchase and installation of water filtration devices in units A, B, F, G, J and M.

Senator Grace Colby ’13 voiced concerns about the longevity and usefulness of the act, as the units are involved in the 2012 Fraternity Housing project. Additional concerns included the act’s possible conflict of interest.

“This seems to be very focused on those who live in the fraternities,” Senator Mike Wagner ’14 said.

Woo assured the senate that the independent units are currently forming a similar act.

Other senators spoke in favor of the act, saying it would directly serve the students.

“This is my second year living in the units, and the water is really disgusting. There are people who will benefit from this and are really excited,” Senator Tyler Johnson ’13 said.

“This is an entirely student-driven initiative,” Woo said. “This is what [the residents] want. We are serving those students’ interests.”

The senate ultimately voted 8-10 against the Water Filter Act.

Next, Colby introduced the Socioeconomic Fund Act, which opened a bank account for a yearly $2000 need-based scholarship awarded by the executive branch of the SA.

The senate voted 16-2 in favor of the act. The executive branch is in charge of raising funds for the scholarship.

Lastly, Senate Chair Noah Kim ’13 introduced the Show Your Homecoming Spirit Act. The act allocated $300.75 to make Homecoming buttons for the festivities this weekend. The senate approved the act by unanimous consent during the meeting.

Gov. Rick Scott’s comments present major problems for college students

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According to Florida Gov. Rick Scott, we don’t need any more anthropology majors.

Scott wants to shift state money away from programs in the humanities to programs in science, math and technology, where more jobs are being created. Incidentally, his daughter holds a degree in anthropology from the College of William and Mary.

Professors at liberal arts universities, including those at the College, have made statements describing the benefits of a liberal arts education and the students with humanities majors who have gone on to spectacular careers. I agree completely that majoring in the humanities teaches students to think critically and interpret the world in a way that other majors do not, but I believe also there is a more subtly alarming aspect of Scott’s remarks.

The problem is that Scott should not be the one to decide what college students do with their lives. American college students are not mindless, lifeless objects that can be crafted to fit some ideal formula in the same way that authorities organize resources or balance the budget. What is the point of living in a democracy where we are free to make our own choices if we don’t, well, make our own choices? I understand that the economy is down, and that these unemployment is up, and these are major problems that require action. However, as a country, we’ve endured far worse and have somehow managed to recover and continue to prosper without giving up our basic ideals.

What are those basic ideals? In essence: the ability to decide your own life, and the ability to pursue something you are truly interested in. That’s partly why liberal arts colleges exist. What if someone had told Scott, while in college, to forget about politics and to go into science? I certainly hope he wouldn’t be pleased — nobody who changes the world does so by following a certain path because success is statistically more likely.

Yes, the advice to follow your passion sounds cliche. The cynics will argue that it is easy to state such lofty ideals, but that in reality, you cannot follow your passion if you cannot find a job. In response to this, I do not argue that it will be easy to go into fields with lower employment demands. However, there will always be a place in the world, and in the United States, for those with a thorough understanding of art, logic and human nature. There will always be poets, journalists, psychologists, philosophers, historians — and I would be troubled if this wasn’t the case. Some professions are simply timeless, and college students who learn such skills are invaluable. I hope that none are tempted to surrender their visions and desires of the future because someone tells them that another path would be more practical.

Self-defense: stay informed, stay safe

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When word comes out that a student has been the victim of an alleged rape on campus, it’s scary, if nothing else. We tend to think we have at least a little in common with everyone who attends this school, so it’s very concerning to hear about the reported incident of sexual assault of an unnamed female by Jeffery Weaver ’13, who has been arrested and charged with one count of rape. We don’t know the circumstances behind the incident, but it is apparent that something terrible took place that night.

It’s important to note that it’s difficult to take away a lesson this case because we don’t know the details. Whether or not Weaver is guilty of rape will be for the courts to decide: until then he is innocent until proven guilty. There are only a few things we can infer: Weaver’s life will never be the same, and something between Weaver and his accuser went horribly wrong on that night. We can only hope the young woman’s life can be as normal as possible now and in the future.

Certainly the threat of sexual assault, on our campus and elsewhere, is all too real. We also know that the threat of sexual assault is all too real for young women. One in Four is named after the ratio of college-age women that report being the victim of rape or attempted rape since their fourteenth birthdays, a statistic that makes your jaw drop lower each time you say it aloud. The overwhelmingly majority of rapes are perpetrated by someone known to the victim, and it’s scary to think that some women have been violated by men they trust. It happens at the College of William and Mary, too: 37 sexual offenses in the past nine years, not including instances that have gone unreported.

We tend to think of Williamsburg as a safe place, and it really is. It’s something upon which we pride ourselves on as members of the College community. But every incident like this takes away some of the trust we place in our neighbors. We go to a psmall college in a small town, so community is that much more important. Every time a girl feels like she can’t walk alone at night or is worried to have a guy alone in her room, some of that trust erodes.

Being safe on campus is not something we should have to spend a whole lot of time thinking about. It’s almost as if those ubiquitous blue lights all across campus are there as a formality, and I can’t be the only one who thought campus police did little other than break up parties at the units. I forgot about the sexual assault presentation we all got at Orientation by the next day, but they do emphasize that the most important thing we can do for safety is simply to look out for each other. Most victims of violent crime will tell a friend long before they tell the police. Most reported on-campus sexual assaults happen in residence halls. You can’t count on someone else to manage a crisis in these situations. There may not be anyone else.

I’m not trying to tell anyone to barricade themselves in their room or carry Mace everywhere they go, and frankly, neither is Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler. I’m sure everyone would appreciate minimal changes that would make campus as safe as possible. The easiest way to do that is simply to take a second to prepare. Think about where you would go, what you would do, and who you would talk to if you found yourself in a dangerous situation. Take a quick look at the numerous resources available to students to guarantee safety and don’t hesitate to speak out if you feel uncomfortable. The report of one sexual assault on campus shouldn’t change your life, but when something that seems so abstract becomes very real, it’s worth thinking about.

Diverse Education

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We’ve all heard the argument before: Our education system needs to start focusing primarily on science, math, engineering and technology, and veer away from fluffy liberal arts education.

Needless to say, this theory is old and outdated, but not according to Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who railed against the merits of a liberal arts education on a radio show this week, claiming, “I want that money to go to degrees where people can get jobs in this state … Is it a vital interest of the state to have more anthropologists? I don’t think so.”

While Scott is certainly entitled to his own opinion, he has to look no further than his own family tree to find a member of the liberal arts community. Scott’s daughter, Jordan Kandah ’08, graduated from the College of William and Mary with a anthropology degree. Oops.

Yes, students with STEM degrees are some of the most sought after upon graduation and are often paid well. But the prospect of a slightly higher entry salary does not mean that earning a liberal arts degree is worthless. Sure, the ability to recite Shakespeare’s sonnets and discuss the merits of 18th century architecture is not always pertinent, but liberal arts educations often teach high level reasoning skills and the ability to communicate. We don’t find it necessary to defend the merits of a liberal arts education, but we certainly don’t feel that students should be admonished for purusing degrees in non-STEM related fields.

This isn’t to say STEM education isn’t needed. Both areas should be provided for within our education system. In fact, the College has been given a grant to implement STEM programs within the local middle school system. To be clear, we are not against math and science, and we do not favor the banishment of all practical sciences from campus. We want this partnership to continue, but we don’t want STEM subjects to be promoted above other subjects.

The recent surge toward STEM programs can be attributed to economic troubles easily. Many people, including Scott, believe technology and innovation are the new ways to be competitive in a globalized world. It’s true that, education in STEM areas can help advance our world standing, but so can education in the liberal arts. A STEM degree certainly does not guarantee success — a D-student with a degree in biochemistry will not always outperform an A-student with an English degree.

Throughout its long history, the College administration has always embraced all fields of education, and we hope this continues. It is unfortunate that the College’s respect for a liberal arts education is not reflected at the national level. Scott’s comments represent the all-too-common belief that the humanities are simply not worth studying. The fact is, without diversity through the liberal arts, education would not be as innovative or creative.

The liberal arts and STEM programs are both needed, and it is futile to choose one over the other. We don’t need to argue the merits of the liberal arts, and we won’t. We won’t allow for the liberal arts to be thrown aside and ignored.

Verbitsky film investigates big business

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Nick Verbitsky’s documentary “Confidence Game” was shown in the Brinkley Commons Atrium of the Business School on Thursday, followed by an informative question and answer panel. The panel discussed the film’s depiction of the pros and cons of big business in relation to the bankruptcy of large investment bank Bear Stearns and of the influence of companies deemed “too big to fail.”

“Confidence Game,” produced by Verbitsky’s company Blue Chip Films, made its debut earlier this year. The film reviewed the cause of Bear Stearns’s demise and showed the interconnected nature of U.S. financial institutions, which was responsible for the domino effect that ultimately lead to the world’s most harmful economic crisis since the Great Depression in 1929.

“People now regulating the banks are the ones who were involved in the first place. It is a disgrace to watch those things go on,” Verbitsky said during the panel. “People have no grasp of what the right thing to do is. They have no knowledge of how to solve this multi-layered problem.”

Verbitsky, along with three professors of the College—finance professor John Merrick, law professor Eric Kades and economics professor Till Schreiber—made up the question and answer panel that evening.

One attendee asked for clarification as to what “too big to fail” means and why companies are even allowed to grow as large as the Wall Street investment banks.

“There is no perfect answer. Bankruptcy and long-term capital problems are happening with more regularity,” Verbitsky said.

Bear Stearns was a major player on Wall Street, but was corrupt. While Bear Stearns earned copious amounts of money, it was a part of a very inefficient market dominated by a few monopolizing firms.

“The [financial] system is too interconnected to fail. There is no reason why we need five mega-firms. We should split them into 20 and spread the risk. Would the world end if that happened? Because there isn’t much efficiency gained by having these gigantic enterprises,” Merrick said.

During Bill Clinton’s presidency, the idea of owning a house came to be highly encouraged and homeowners were given tax incentives for home ownership. Because of this, large investment banks such as Bear Stearns became mortgage-lending machines and took on huge amounts of debt.

A pointed question was asked: Is “too big to fail” really a valid concern?

“Why do we have banks? People don’t want to take the time or effort to make sure money is safe and secure. Banks do all of that for you,” Schreiber said. “When a bank goes bankrupt, all of that information is lost, and it becomes a serious problem for the economy.”

For companies like Bear Stearns that are worth millions of dollars, it can become a very large problem. Large investment banks such as Bear Stearns were making corrupt deals in order to exchange and pocket more money. Not only was Bear Stearns using a hedge fund to offset its debt, but it also was able to sell risky mortgages to consumers because ratings agencies overstated their value.

“Security companies lost their ratings, which destroyed credit, and the market responded to that,” Verbitsky said. “Ratings agencies’s defense is that it was just an opinion. I think revision [of the system] is certainly in order.”

Large investment banks, including but not limited to Bear Stearns, communicated with smaller city banks after receiving the skewed ratings and sold mortgages in larger packages. Banks sold risky loans without even checking to see that their buyers had a steady income.

“Rating became an excuse, and bad business was legitimized. They were dodgy investments and were excuses to get into the deals without due diligence,” Merrick said.

When Bear Stearns was about to go bankrupt, JP Morgan Chase, another large investment bank, was persuaded by the government to lend Bear Stearns 30 million dollars in an attempt to save the company. JP Morgan Chase, however, shortened the typical loan repayment period from 28 days to just three, and Bear Stearns could not save itself. JP Morgan Chase bought the original shares for a meager two dollars per share.

Many wonder whether the company could have bought more time if media outlets and shows such as CNBC hadn’t scrutinized the actions and assets of Bear Stearns so closely.

“I’m not suggesting that CNBC’s speculations were made with malicious intent, but a lot of the reporters are not well schooled in finance. To allow people to sit there and have a coffee klatch is damaging,” Verbitsky said. “It’s important because there was nothing to substantiate their claims. A television program can inadvertently broadcast a four letter word and be fined millions, but a show like CNBC can speculate rumors, and it just baffles me.”

The alumni you never hear about

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Not all of the College of William and Mary’s great alumni walked our campus in colonial times. Not all of our great alumni live in the limelight. Some incredible College graduates have shaped our culture, much like the superheroes they personified — by working hard, under the radar.

Superman studied in Swem. Thor played frisbee on the Sunken Garden. The College has had National Parks Directors and the doctors of Sacred Heart walk along our brick paths. Here, we highlight just a few inspiring careers of graduates of the College.

It looks like Jon Stewart ’84 is not the College’s only ‘Jon’ to claim some fame.

Jonathan Jarvis ’75 is the Director of the National Park Service for the U.S. Department of the Interior. In the year following his graduation, Jarvis found himself a job as a seasonal interpreter in Washington, D.C. He slowly moved up through the ranks, beginning as a protection ranger, then a resource management specialist, a park biologist and, eventually, the Chief of Natural and Cultural Resources. He has worked at parks such as Prince William Forest Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Crater Lake National Park and North Cascades National Park.

In addition, Jarvis has acted as superintendent of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve and Mount Rainier National Park.

Perhaps his most notable accomplishment to date, prior to his 2009 promotion to his current position, was serving as regional director of the Pacific West Region. According to Doi.gov, “he oversaw 2,000 employees with a $350 million annual budget.” Maybe this Jon does not crack any political jokes, but the passion he puts into our national parks deserves attention as well.
__—Victoria Chaitoff__

Last month, students at the College grabbed their picnic blankets and friends and flocked to the Sunken Garden for AMP’s “Screen on the Green.” Munching on popcorn and sipping soda, they began the evening with the movie “Thor.” What they didn’t know was that they were in the presence of one of the College’s great legacies.

Ashley Edward Miller ’94 graduated from the College with a degree in English and government. After experimenting with careers as a middle-school teacher and a defense contractor, Miller found his real passion in screenwriting. With partner Zack Stentz, Miller wrote screenplays for the movie “Agent Cody Banks” and the series “Andromeda,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles” and “Fringe.” Toward the end of “Sarah Connor” and the beginning of “Fringe,” Marvel Studios offered the duo a dream job — a movie based on Miller’s childhood hero, “Thor.” While making Thor, Miller came full circle working with director Kenneth Brannagh, who had inspired him as a student at the College.

This year, Miller also wrote the screenplay for “X-Men: First Class,” which was released alongside “Thor,” and has worked on various projects for Paramount, Disney and Dreamworks.
__—Sarah Caspari__

Scott Glenn ’63: a bronco-riding ex-con, an FBI agent giving Jodi Foster her assignment to interview Hannibal Lecter and a Commander of the U.S.S. Dallas hunting down a Soviet submarine under the command of Sean Connery — these are just a few of the roles portrayed by this College graduate.

Glenn grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa. where he suffered from scarlet fever as a child and was bedridden for a number of years, during which he developed his passion for literature by reading Lord Byron and writing as much as possible.

Glenn continued this passion at the College by earning his B.A. in English. Glenn then joined the Marines for three years, after which he worked as a reporter for the Kenosha Evening News.

Glenn’s passion for writing eventually led him to attend acting classes in order to improve his dialogue. Within a year he was appearing in off-Broadway productions and in 1970 he starred in his first feature film “The Baby Maker.”

However, it was not until his role in “Urban Cowboy” in 1980 that he officially broke into the Hollywood scene.

Glenn went on to appear in films such as “The Silence of the Lambs,” “The Hunt for Red October” and even more recently “The Bourne Ultimatum.”
__—Anske Venter__

Yuri Lowenthal ’93 is better known in show business for his voice than his face. He is most famous for voicing Superman in the kids television show, “Legion of Superheroes,” Iceman in “Wolverine and the X-Men” and the titular role in the “Prince of Persia” video game series. Lowenthal graduated with a degree in East Asian studies and has spent several years of his life to working for the Japanese government before he began his acting career.

Additionally, Lowenthal has been very successful in taking on roles in anime shows such as “Naruto” and “Afro Samurai.” He has even appeared in several live action television shows such as “Gilmore Girls” and “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” His roles frequently involve the typical American accent, but he is known to use more regional dialects as required by the role.

Lowenthal is married to fellow actress Tara Platt, with whom he co-authored a book entitled “Voice-Over Voice Actor: What It’s Like Behind the Mike.” He is fluent in German, French and Japanese and grew up in many different areas of the United States as well as Europe and Africa thanks to his father’s occupation as a Foreign Service Officer. Lownethal claims his passion for acting became apparent by the end of his high school years.
__—Stephen D’Alessio__

For College alumnus Bill Lawrence ’90, attending and graduating from college meant more than simply earning a diploma: It was a chance to improve his writing techniques and explore his creative abilities. After graduating with a degree in English, Lawrence packed up his vehicle and headed off to California to pursue his passion for writing.

A mere three years after graduating, Lawrence began writing for several television shows including “Boy Meets World,” “The Nanny” and “Friends.” Then, in 1996, he co-created the popular ABC show “Spin City,” which ran for six years. While all of this constitutes an impressive list of accomplishments, Lawrence still had one more idea he had been itching to share with the world.

Inspired in part by his fascination with “The Simpsons,” Lawrence created the medical sitcom “Scrubs” in 2001. The show proved to be a hit with audiences and ran for nine seasons. Lawrence directed and even starred in several episodes.

Even with his success as a writer and producer, Lawrence never forgot about his experience at the College. In fact, Lawrence named the main character on “Scrubs,” John “JD” Dorian, after Dr. Jonathan Doris, one of his friends at the College. In further attempt to show his Tribe pride, Lawrence constructed a detailed background of JD and Turk, another doctor on the show, as best friends and former roommates from the College.

Lawrence’s accomplishments in the entertainment industry should be an inspiration to students attempting to turn their dreams into reality. Just remember, as Lawrence did, to keep the College in mind once that success is achieved.
__—Rebecca Marshall__

Football: College looking to slow down Tigers rushing attack

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One thing is clear from Towson’s first six games of 2011, these aren’t your grandfather’s Tigers.

The retooled Towson squad (3-0 CAA) is sitting atop the conference at 5-1, fueled by a power running attack that has racked up an average of 226.5 yards per game.

“They’ve got good players, they’ve got good backs,” head coach Jimmye Laycock said. “And they have more than one back, they can play three or four running backs.”

The Tigers’s only loss of the year came at the hands of Maryland, a FBS team. For a team that’s lost to the Tribe (4-3, 2-2 CAA) all seven times the two have met, and which finished the 2010 campaign with a 1-10 overall record — good for last in the conference — this season couldn’t be going better.

“They’ve developed some players,” Laycock said. “They’ve been consistent about the system that they’re running and they’ve been getting better at doing what they’re doing.”

On the other side is a College team looking to build on its dominant home win against New Hampshire, but at the same time simply trying to keep its playoff hopes alive. Currently seventh in the CAA, the College is staring at what could be a single-elimination scenario for the rest of the year.

“In this league and at our level, four losses essentially keeps you out of the playoffs,” senior safety Jake O’Connor said. “We kind of dug ourselves into a hole, but we have to win each game.”

The Tribe is coming off a 24-10 win over New Hampshire, in which senior running back Jonathan Grimes carried the offense and became the school’s all-time leading rusher with 169 yards on 28 carries. Grimes native also caught two key touchdown passes on short throws, racking up 126 receiving yards on three catches.

“We got better,” Laycock said. “We still had an interception, had a fumble. We can’t do those kinds of things but we ran the ball better.”

The College’s quarterback situation is still unclear. Sophomore Mike Graham has been out for two weeks due to an undisclosed illness. In his place was sophomore Brent Caprio, who went 7 of 11 for 167 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Whoever is taking the snaps for the Tribe will face a stingy Towson defense that has held opponents to just 20.2 points per game and an average of 209 yards through the air.

For O’Connor and the defense, though, the focus is on stopping the Tigers’s vaunted rushing attack.

“They’ve always had really fast guys, really athletic guys but they just didn’t get the wins for one reason or another,” O’Connor said. “But this year they’ve put it together. They’ve got a real strong power running game, so that’s something we’re going to have to focus on. One of our goals on defense is to hold teams to 3.2 yards or less per carry. We feel like if we can do that, we can win the game.”

Men’s soccer: Squandered opportunity

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No. 20 James Madison hung with William and Mary for 90 minutes, managed to score early in the second half, and held off a late rally by the College (8-6, 5-3 CAA) to garner a 1-0 victory and drop the Tribe to third place in the CAA Wednesday at Martin Family Stadium.

“In a lot of areas, I thought our performance was pretty good. We created plenty of chances to score and probably deserved a goal on the night,” head coach Chris Norris said. “Disappointed, obviously, with the way it came out … but James Madison, much like us, has a good record for a reason.”

Both teams started the game getting acclimated to the wet field conditions, which Norris said was a major factor in his team’s performance. Senior goalkeeper Colin Smolinsky was forced to make the only save in the early going, punching a header over the crossbar to safety. The Dukes had more opportunities early, earning six corner kicks in the first 30 minutes of the game.

The best chance of the game for the Tribe came in the 38th minute. Freshman midfielder Chris Albiston sent a cross into the box from the left side. Senior midfielder Nicolas Abrigo found the ball on the run and sent a perfectly-placed header into the bottom left corner of the goal. JMU goalkeeper Justin Epperson made a spectacular play, fully stretching out and getting one hand on the header to knock it away.

“At that point, I think we were starting to take over … if that goalie doesn’t make that save, it’s a different game,” Abrigo said. “It was one of the best saves I’ve seen in a while.”

Neither team had another real chance until the 60th minute, when the Dukes got what would prove to be the game-winning goal. A long ball was played into the box and dropped past the Tribe defenders. A shot from close range was blocked, but rebounded to JMU forward Boyd Reid, catching Smolinsky out of position. Reid’s shot was blocked on what appeared to be a handball, but play kept going and Reid collected the second rebound and poked the ball into the net for the goal.

“It was a very avoidable goal,” Norris said. “Hats off to them, they did a good job with the one chance they got in that particular occasion and stuck it away, but I felt like we deserved more from the game.”

At the 70-minute mark, the College sent another man forward and began to put serious pressure on the JMU defense, but the team was unable to put another serious threat on goal. Though the Tribe controlled much of the possession late in the game, the team finished with just three shots on goal.

“There have been nights where we have not been the better team and we’ve come out with the result” Norris said. “Tonight we were the better team, I thought, and didn’t get the result. Sometimes that’s just soccer; that’s what makes it exciting.”

The loss knocked the Tribe out of a tie for first place with JMU and Old Dominion. The Tribe is now three points out of first place with three conference games left on the season. The team plays on the road at Delaware and Wake Forest before returning to Williamsburg next Saturday against Hofstra.

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