Men’s water polo’s championship chance sinks in narrow 8-7 semifinal loss to USC

PALO ALTO — Nicolas Saveljic attempted to draw his signature foul from the top on the right side, and then ripped it in desperation.

But as the ball skimmed a field blocker and skipped to the goalkeeper’s hands, the sophomore attacker sank nose-deep into the water as the buzzer sounded.

“The hard part is, you don’t know what type of defense they’re going to play,” said coach Adam Wright. “They stayed on the high side, so they were able to get a hand on the ball.”

No. 3 seed UCLA men’s water polo (23-5) fell to No. 2 seed USC (29-3) 8-7 in a game that saw five ties and a Trojan goal with five seconds remaining to decide the game. The Bruins failed to reach the NCAA championship game after defeating the Trojans for the title last season.

UCLA only cashed in on one of its three power play opportunities in the first quarter, but it gave the Bruins an early 1-0 lead.

Freshman attacker Ashworth Molthen set up senior attacker David Stiling on the left post to put UCLA up, but USC driver Hannes Daube answered in the front court to even it up at 1-1 going into the second period.

The Bruins and Trojans only had two opportunities to make personnel changes without burning any timeouts in the first quarter. Senior attacker Austin Rone – who logged one goal and one assist – said the stretches spent out of the pool took just as much concentration and focus.

“There were times where you were either in for a long period of time or sitting on the bench for a long period of time,” Rone said. “(It) can be equally as hard because your mind starts going, you’re getting cold. It was hard to stay present at times, but we’ve trained for that as well.”

Both teams scored three goals in the second period. UCLA led 3-1 and then 4-2, but the Trojans netted the last two goals of the quarter to knot the score at 4-4 going into the break. Rone, freshman attacker Jake Cavano and senior defender Warren Snyder all scored for the Bruins in the frame.

“When we were doing things the right way, we were in control of the game (when it was) 4-2,” Wright said. “That’s the sport. … We gave them some free goals, and you absolutely can’t give free goals at this point.”

In the third period, sophomore utility Felix Brozyna-Vilim was blocked on back-to-back attempts in 2-meters, allowing a USC counterattack that gave the Trojans their first lead of the game.

But UCLA was never able to regain the lead again.

The two teams went back-and-forth in the final frame. Cavano scored twice in the quarter to complete a hat trick, but the Trojans scored their eighth goal with five seconds left to take the lead for good.

Redshirt junior goalie Alex Wolf finished with 16 saves, tied for a career high, but it was not enough to hold off the Trojans.

The seven goals scored were tied for the Bruins’ lowest scoring output of the season. On the flip side, the Bruins held the Trojans to their second lowest scoring game of the year.

Stiling said the Bruins’ defense improved in the latter half of the season as the newcomers became more familiar with the Bruins’ play style.

“Our defensive groups are better when they’re more mature,” Stiling said. “They understand our system more. We do have a young team. We still had to get guys to learn the system early on in the season. As it got later on, (the) guys got more comfortable.”

Wright said that despite UCLA’s improvements throughout the season, the Bruins came up short.

“That was a pretty darn good game,” Wright said. “The bottom line is we had our opportunities and there were some that we wish we probably had back.”

Ensemble ties social, political issues from the past and present into performance

African rhythms, political protest and harmonizing voices all made their mark in Royce Hall on Friday evening.

The Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA welcomed Sweet Honey In The Rock, a female singing ensemble accompanied by light instrumentation, for the group’s 45th anniversary on Friday at Royce Hall. It performed for nearly 2 1/2 hours, combining traditional African chants with 20th-century gospel and more modern compositions. The ensemble was composed of six singers, a percussionist, a saxophonist and a bassist. The group transitioned from song to song, often breaking to speak with the audience about topics like civil rights, gun violence and climate change through speeches, dialogues and poetry.

“There were stories that tied the songs together,” said Britt Warner, an attendee of the performance. “I felt both grounded and pulled into the spiritual ether.”

Sweet Honey In The Rock is recognized not only as a musical group but also as a main player in the arena of social activism. Every song they performed had some form of political commentary woven into it, ranging from more current events such as gun violence and climate change to reflections on America’s racially divisive past.

The first half of the show focused on previous social justice movements such as the African-American civil rights movement. One of the songs bore a Ghanaian title that represented the notion of having to look back to the past in order to move forward to the future. While the women sang on stage, images of young black Americans protesting during the 20th century played on a screen behind them.

One particularly potent song repeated the word “echo,” indicating a resounding shared experience of trauma but also solidarity that can still be felt today. Simultaneously, modern paintings of African-Americans were shown in the background. The images depicted the African-American experiences of inequality, highlighting the struggles of the past through the pained expressions on their faces.

Sweet Honey In The Rock’s songs, in combination with the visuals and spoken words, are not meant to be viewed purely as entertainment, but rather as a device to relay notions of justice and equality. The performance presents social and political issues as well as spiritual beliefs in a way that feels very human, Warner said. Similarly, Madelyn Davis, a first-year theater student who attended the performance, discussed the dual nature of the performance, which provided both political rhetoric and impressive music.

“They were talking about such important issues in a way that was relatable to enormous audiences,” Davis said. “They’ve been doing this for such a long time and sharing their ideas and their voices with people for so long.”

To transition to the second half of the show, which was focused more on current issues, the ensemble performed a gospel-sounding tune concentrated on justice for all. While the lyrics discussed working toward an egalitarian ideal where all people are equal and important, the photos shown in the background juxtaposed past issues like civil rights with more current issues such as kneeling during the national anthem, as well as global concerns like the Israel-Palestine conflict.

One of the performances involved stripped-down instrumentation and simple harmonies as the names of those killed through gun violence and instances of mass violence were spoken. Incidents like those of Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Columbine and Virginia Tech were written on index cards and read aloud, each dropped into one of the singers’ scarves and placed on the floor.

“When she started naming the names of the people, that really grabbed me – especially when they said Emmett Till because I actually went to his funeral as a child,” said attendee Linda A. Smith.

One of the singers, Louise Robinson, then picked up her scarf and held it to her heart, proceeding across the stage as if she were in a funeral march. The light changed from a bright blue to a deep orange and only her outline could be seen, perhaps indicating the universal nature of gun violence, and how it touches nearly everyone.

The end of the performance saw a more personal moment, with each of the original members delivering a short speech before presenting a solo song. One of the group members, Carol Maillard, sang about dreams she had of her son playing the violin. Another member, Aisha Kahlil, delivered a passionate poem before using tribal rhythms and sounds in a colorful melody.

The finale was a grand event with bright colors lighting the background and the whole choir added their voices to the performance. Putting the traditional Psalm 23 prayer, which states “The Lord is my shepherd,” to music in a modern way, the performance ended on a positive and hopeful note.

“I laughed. I cried. I learned,” Davis said.

Student worker union holds protest over frustration with UCPath system

A student workers union protested payroll issues which have left some without pay since the start of the academic year.

Roughly 50 student workers from United Auto Workers Local 2865 gathered Friday to protest to show their frustration with UCPath. UCPath is a centralized payroll platform for University of California employees that launched at UCLA in September. UAW Local 2865 represents more than 18,000 academic student employees throughout the UC, including teaching assistants, tutors and readers.

Alli Carlisle, recording secretary of the UAW Local 2865, said she thinks UCPath has been disastrous for student workers.

“We have members of our union who are still experiencing pay issues,” said Carlisle, a graduate student in Spanish and Portuguese department.

Student workers said UCPath has delayed paychecks and incorrectly calculated wages since its implementation at UCLA.

And these issues have had real-world consequences said Laura Muñoz, a Spanish and Portuguese graduate student attending the protest.

“I’ve had to borrow money from my family, who doesn’t have any money in order to pay my rent, to pay my bills, to buy food, to buy my groceries, to travel home for Thanksgiving,” Muñoz said.

Muñoz added that she now owes over $1,500 to family and friends as a result of taking out loans because she has still not received her pay.

Zerina Mehmedovič and Ashley Shin, chemistry graduate students, said over $600 had been cut from their delayed paychecks as a result of being overtaxed by the UCPath system.

Shin added that she believes UCPath is a misguided attempt at centralization by the UC Office of the President.

Claire Doan, a UC spokesperson, said in an email statement 99 percent of UC employees have been paid accurately and on time with UCPath.

“We understand students’ concerns and frustrations,” she said. “We are sorry about the problems associated with any instances of delayed processing of salaries and benefits.”

Jamie Kennerk, the Undergraduate Students Association Council external vice president, said she thinks Doan’s claim that 99 percent of employees have not experienced pay issues is laughable.

Kennerk said she believes the ticket system the University is using to address issues does not actually resolve issues.

When an affected UC worker complains to their department about an irregularity in their pay, a “ticket” for an official response gets created in the UCPath system. The system then sends an email to the affected worker, to which they have no more than four days to respond. If there is no response within four days, the issue is automatically closed.

“There are all these cases that have been opened that are just closing without any active confirmation that (the issue) has actually been fixed,” Kennerk said.

The protesters marched into Murphy Hall and regrouped outside the Office of the Chancellor on the second floor to demand a meeting with Chancellor Gene Block.

The union leaders of UAW Local 2865, demanded to see Block to present him with an official letter of complaint and a symbolic bill for the financial and emotional stresses caused by the pay issues.

A representative informed the protestors that neither the chancellor nor the vice chancellor were present in the office.

Kailah McGee, a head steward of the union and an education graduate student, said she thinks this protest sent a message to administrators.

“I think it will show the chancellor, it will show the other student workers watching that we are upset and we are not going to stop making noise until we’re payed,” McGee said.

She said she was dismayed at how the UC administration has responded to complaints.

“Instead of saying ‘We’re so sorry about this’ and taking accountability … they’ve decided to cover their own butts and try to make it look like this UCPath rollout makes sense,” McGee said.

Doan said a team dedicated to troubleshooting technical glitches does exist and is looking for ways to alleviate the impact on students.

 

UCPD searching for man involved in attempted burglary on Gayley Avenue

University police are searching for a man involved in an attempted burglary Friday morning.

The man attempted to enter a UCLA student’s apartment on Gayley Avenue through her balcony while she was sleeping, according to a UCPD alert. The student reported to UCPD that the man fled after hearing yelling from outside the apartment.

UCPD did not provide a description of the man, but he was reportedly last seen wearing dark clothing.

UCPD advises students to report suspicious activity to the police and to lock all windows and doors.

The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information about this case can call UCPD at 310-825-1491.

 

Dining Services to reintroduce romaine lettuce winter quarter due to CDC’s recall

UCLA Dining Services will reintroduce products containing romaine lettuce next quarter to ensure student safety, in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent recall of certain romaine lettuce.

The CDC narrowed its warning on romaine lettuce Monday, advising consumers most lettuce is safe to eat except for the romaine lettuce harvested from California’s north and central coastlines.

Federal health investigators recalled all romaine lettuce Nov. 20 after E. coli hospitalized 16 consumers who ate contaminated lettuce.

In the wake of the Nov. 20 recall, Charles Wilcots, associate director of UCLA Dining Services Administration, said employees took precautions to make sure the outbreak did not spread to the campus community.

“To ensure the safety of the public … UCLA Dining Services pulled all products that contained romaine lettuce from being served,” Wilcots said.

He added that romaine lettuce products will be reintroduced to dining halls winter quarter. UCLA Dining will substitute romaine for a safe mix of baby spinach and mesclun in the interim.

Scott Gottlieb, Food and Drug Administration commissioner, said in a statement released Nov. 26 investigators traced the E. coli outbreak back to romaine lettuce harvested along California’s central coast late this past summer. Federal health officials deemed romaine lettuce harvested outside of these regions unrelated to the outbreak, and place no recommendation against eating it.

While the FDA urged retailers to label all romaine lettuce products by harvest date and harvest location, federal officials acknowledged it will take time for labels to appear in stores.

“If you do not know where your romaine lettuce was harvested, do not eat it and throw it away,” the CDC said in a statement released Monday.

Emily Davis, a second-year biology student and vegetarian, said she feels the most at ease when she knows the source her food came from.

“I usually try to shop from farmer’s markets where I know directly where my food is coming from,” Davis said.

She added that the frequency of California’s E. coli outbreaks in the past few months worries her.

Robert Kim-Farley, a part-time professor in the epidemiology and community health sciences departments at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, said other states are just as likely to have an outbreak as California.

“It could have happened anywhere,” Kim-Farley said. “Farms always have to be very careful … especially if they’re near cattle that can be excreting E. coli.”

Kim-Farley said new bacterial DNA fingerprinting technology helps public health laboratories pin down the source of the outbreaks far quicker than they could in the past, especially with unrelated strains of E. coli present.

He added that a key part of outbreak prevention is looking for points of potential contamination at all stages in the production line, not just at the harvesting stage.

“It’s a matter of looking at the chain from farm to fork,” Kim-Farley said. “That’s what public health is all about.”

The duration of the recall remains unclear. Kim-Farley said an “all-clear” notice will come from the CDC only when all potentially contaminated produce is removed from the public.

Shira Shafir, an adjunct associate professor in the epidemiology department at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, outlined a plan of action for students to stay safe while the recall is in effect.

“The best way to protect (student) health now is to avoid any romaine lettuce grown in the affected regions,” said Shafir. “If the romaine lettuce is not labeled with a harvest growing region or you do not know where it was grown, do not buy, serve, sell or eat it.”

Album review: The 1975’s new album explores personal struggles, offers comfort to listener

The 1975 is finally living in the present.

With its computer-driven influences, the band’s third studio album, “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships,” hit radio waves Friday. As its first release since 2016, the album features 15 diverse and head-turning songs that vary from auto-tuned dance anthems to stripped-back acoustic tracks that delve into lead singer and lyricist Matty Healy’s struggle with his own mortality. While the tone of the album twists as tracks progress, a sense of emotional confusion bonds them all together. Giving listeners a glimpse into his head, Healy’s lyrical genius ensures “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” secures a place as the most personal and revealing album in The 1975’s discography.

In the band’s classic style, the album opens with a self-titled track: “The 1975.” The song’s lyrics are its sole resemblance to the older tracks of the same name. This version’s minimalistic beat lends to vocal predominance, as opposed to the multilayered beats of the past. A distant-sounding piano starts the song off, but the gentle sound quickly reveals itself to be a facade. As robotic-sounding vocals emerge explosively, the tone is set for an album that strays far from the soft rock hits The 1975 has released before.

The second track, “Give Yourself a Try,” is led by a sharp guitar rhythm that emphasizes its chaotic nature. Healy takes listeners on a journey through his own life and reflects on his growth from past mistakes. The sole line in the chorus is instant in its encouragement, and begs the listener: “Give yourself a try.”

From there, the tracks quickly shift in sound. Though enjoyable, the beat-driven dance song, “TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME” and the almost instrumental “How to Draw / Petrichor” are easily overshadowed by the album’s fifth track, “Love It If We Made It.” The song is one of the most powerful on the album because Healy is uncompromising in his commentary on political issues and the pain that follows them. Quick to critique America’s current government, he sings, “We’re just left to decay / Modernity has failed us / And I’d love it if we made it.”

But as the album continues, Healy is at battle with himself, figuring out how to express his desires in a world full of irony. “Sincerity is Scary” reflects Healy’s continuing struggle of living in a postmodern world. Jazz-style horns and drums make up the background, and a full choir completes the song’s chorus as Healy continues his search for personal vulnerability in a world taught to mask it.

“The Man Who Married a Robot / Love Theme” throws listeners a curveball halfway through the album. The track is thematically reminiscent of Radiohead’s album, “OK Computer,” as it uses an automated voice to tell the story of a man who sees the internet as his “best friend.” A simplistic piano track lulls quietly in the background, while a narrative forms to comment on the overwhelming presence of technology in the modern world of relationships, as the title of the album promises to explore.

“I like America & America Likes Me” and parts of “How to Draw / Petrichor” robotically distort Healy’s voice beyond recognition, to the point where he sounds like he, himself, has been taken over by technology. While this could come off as being too strong a vocal effect, the band uses the distortion well, extending the theme of technology that runs throughout the LP.

The album’s final tracks step away from electronic themes and return to a stripped-back sound for Healy to dive back into dealing with his emotional trauma. “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You),” driven by electric guitar, is a sonic nod back to the band’s first album, reflecting older rhythms as Healy opens up about his own struggles with substance addiction.

In “Mine,” a slow jazz ballad, Healy uses his voice differently than in prior songs. He softly croons about his love interest, unmistakably happy and tonally separate from heavier tracks on the album. Finally, “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)” closes the work on a positive note one would not expect from the title. Healy showcases his vocal maturity as he holds notes higher than those in songs typical of The 1975. The dark subject matter of Healy’s own suicidal thoughts are flipped on their head, instead turning the song into an uplifting display of power to refuse his dark temptations.

As the record shifts easily through contrasting sounds, “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” follows a deeper narrative than is typical of The 1975. Despite combining morose references to the political climate, substance abuse and technology’s impact on humanity, the album still somehow finds a way to leave listeners feeling hopeful and inspired by letting them know they are not alone in feeling trapped in society.