Lowell sweeps, gets back on track

October 30, 2025 by Jake Messer with comment off

(Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics) “Senior Jack Collins gets ready for a faceoff against Mercyhurst.”

Jason Cooke

Connector Editor

Just like that, the UMass Lowell men’s hockey team is back on track.

Albeit it was against a non-conference opponent in Mercyhurst, UML swept its series on the road to bounce back from a 0-2 weekend against Western Michigan, the defending national champions.

The River Hawks did so in thrilling fashion, winning Saturday night’s contest by a 4-3 margin after potting three unanswered goals in the third period to overcome a 3-1 deficit.

Mirko Buttazzoni and Dillan Bentley, two returning stalwarts to UML this season, both added two goals in the come-from-behind victory. Buttazzoni posted 3-14-17 last year as a freshman and is already off to a strong start to his sophomore campaign.

The late rally came after the River Hawks won Friday night’s contest by a 4-0 margin. The two-game set marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs as UML makes the trek back to the Mill City with a 3-3 record.

“I felt good about our effort tonight,” said head coach Norm Bazin. “It didn’t go according to script, but this group dug deep and got the job done. In many ways, we played better than the first night but the group we faced played with some desperation. We had to overcome some bad bounces, and it will serve as a confidence builder for the season ahead.”

Samuel Richard set the tone between the pipes on Friday, turning in a 30-save shutout to backbone the UMass Lowell win.

The River Hawks potted two goals in the first frame and never looked back, cruising to the 4-0 win. Jay Ahearn, TJ Schweighardt, Lee Parks and Connor Eddy all lit the lamp for UML.

Here are three takeaways from UMass Lowell’s weekend:

Unlocked scoring touch

UML mustered just six goals through its first four games of the season en route to its 1-3 start. After putting up four tallies in a 4-0 win over Merrimack in the home opener, UMass Lowell suffered a 4-1 setback to the Warriors before being outscored by an 8-1 margin in the two-game sweep at the hands of Western Michigan.

But after a pair of four-goal outbursts last weekend at Mercyhurst, perhaps UML can take its goal-scoring touch back into Hockey East play for a two-game series with Providence.

And the River Hawks tapped into a wide array of contributors. A total of six different skaters found twine in the two wins.

Power play finding groove

Even better news for UMass Lowell? Its power play went an impressive 4-for-7 last weekend after starting the season 2-for-16.

Special teams keyed the River Hawk win on Saturday, as Lowell enjoyed a 3-for-4 success rate on the man advantage to mount a successful comeback against Mercyhurst. All three set-ups varied.

On Buttazzoni’s goal, the River Hawks went high to low — as Chris Delaney sent a puck from the top of the point to an uncovered Buttazzoni for a one-timer along the goal line. Then, Bentley capitalized on a simple yet effective passing play to cut the Mercyhurst lead to 3-2. After winning a battle in the corner, Wakely collected the puck at the point before drawing a defender toward him and dishing it to the left flank to Bentley.

The final power play tally came as a result of a faceoff, as the River Hawks won the draw before zipping the puck across the blue line for another Bentley one-timer. Get the defense moving. Win puck battles. Get shots on net. All simple yet important qualities of a power play unit finding its form.

Wakely fitting in

With a roster smothered in newcomers — 15 to be exact — UMass Lowell will certainly need to acclimate its new talent to be a competitive squad this season in Hockey East.

Wakely, a freshman, has settled in quite nicely. The Port Hope, Ontario, native currently leads the River Hawks in points and assists (0-6-6) and has proven his playmaking capabilities. He tallied three helpers last weekend. The center has also been effective at the dot, going 11-of-15 in the faceoff circle in the two games.

A night for Lowell to remember

October 30, 2025 by Jake Messer with comment off

(Photo courtesy of TNA Wrestling) “Boston Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster makes an appearance at Bound for Glory.”

Jake Messer

Connector Editor

On Oct. 12, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling came to Lowell to hold their flagship pay per view, Bound for Glory, an accumulation of that year’s wrestling stories within the company. The show, which ran over four at Tsogas, delivered, both critically and financially.

The event, which was held at the Tsongas Center, drew an audience of 7,794 people, TNA’s North American attendance record, surpassing the former record of 7,623, set back in July at Slammiversary in New York. In addition, the massive audience also was a new attendance record for any sporting event ever held at the Tsongas Center.

“I am so proud of TNA Wrestling – the wrestlers, staff, crew, fans and everyone else. We wanted to break the attendance record. Well, we did that with, truly, a record-breaking night in company history,” said TNA Wrestling President Carlos Silva. “The matches were amazing and the electricity inside the Tsongas Center was incredible.”

The show kicked off with the TNA International Championship on the line as Steve Maclin took on Frankie Kazarian in a serviceable match. The action was tempered and fractured, but ramped up nicely towards the finish that saw Maclin pick up the victory and his second reign with the International Championship.

After that opener came Gia Miller versus Tessa Blanchard, and it was certainly the worst match on the card. The match itself was short, but was also very cliche and confusing. Cliche managers that were more memorable then the two grappling in the right, coupled with a confusing finish that saw Blanchard hit Miller with a roll of coins behind the referees back, to secure the win. This match left the fans confused and waiting for the next one to start.

Next up was the Call Your Shot Battle Royale, where 20 people entered the ring in hopes of being the last person standing, as the winner would earn the right to call their shot against any champion, at any time they so desired.

Both men and women competed against each other in this match, and it only added to the entertainment. TNA has always been a great place for women to wrestle, even in times where it wasn’t for the rest of the industry.

After a cavalcade of fun moments and returns, another match ended in a screwy finish. Nic Nemth and Frankie Kazarian were named both winners, as both men pinned each other. Whether or not it was the right decision, at least this allows for more storyline opportunities in the months to come.

Next up, Kelenai Jordan was able to retain her TNA Knockouts World Championship against Indi Hartwell in a good match. The action was fast and hard hitting, and built up to a decisive conclusion, something that isn’t a guarantee on this show thus far. This match showcased that the revolutionary Knockouts Division in TNA is still doing well over 20 years later.

Next up was the hardcore war match between The System and Order 4, in an astonishingly vicious match, easily the most brutal match on the entire card.

Kendo sticks, baseball bats, baseball bats covered in barbed wire, cheesegrater, thumb tacks and blood galore, the fans in the stands felt the hatred on display. The hatred was personified in a truly memorable moment when Agent Zero grabbed Alisha Edwards and threw her back first in a massive pile of tacks, truly brutal as fans were treated to a close up of her back, which was riddled with holes.

The finish, which saw Mustafa Ali pour more tacks on the out-of-it Edwards, he then climbed up to the top rope and attempted to hit the 450 splash on her. Thankfully, Edwards was able to move, thus leaving Ali front flipping into the tacks, leading to the end and the victory for The System, a great match that had fans engaged throughout.

After that battle, fans were treated to the match of the night, as Leon Slater put his TNA X Division Championship on the line against Je’Von Evans. The two men, who are both 21, stole the show, with their epic match that saw the two go back and forth. With a beating heart at its core, this match was alive and brought the Lowell faithful to their feet on multiple occasions.

With these two putting on a match of the year candidate, it seemed the house was about to be torn down, until suddenly, a time limit draw was announced. After many boo’s and expletive chants rained down, five more minutes were added, which was great until two minutes later, a faction named the Dark State, who ran in to beat up the two men, meaning no one won and Slater retained the belt.

A truly mind boggling decision. If TNA wanted to have a winner, why did they end it in a draw, something that was not made clear to the fans in the arena or at home, then restarted, then have a run in by a team that is irrelevant to the two wrestlers. Truly something that is way more complicated than it needs to be, and ruins what is otherwise a match of the night.

After that frustrating conclusion, it was time for the people’s main event, as it was time for the Hardy Boyz to take on Team 3D for “One Final Match.” With both the TNA and NXT Tag Team Championships on the line.

The teams, which have been wrestling for the better part of two decades, put on a show that the fans ate up in its entirety, even though the rules were not made clear. The match started with Team 3D putting Matt Hardy through a table, which didn’t eliminate him or end the match in a tables match, very weird but it was clear the fans didn’t mind.

More tables were broken and more moves were hit, until the moment of the night happened, When Jeff Hardy climbed to the top of a 20 foot ladder, and hit his signature swanton dive off the ladder onto Devon Dudley, even though Hardy’s head was mere inches from hitting the ladder he jumped off of.

After the conclusion, the teams, standing face to face, stared at each other. Then, Team 3D took their boots off and handed them to the Hardy’s, retiring right then and their. This moment, which was packed with emotion and joy, brought the crowd to their feet and gave the two teams a much deserved standing ovation, not just for the match, but for what they have done throughout their storied careers in the industry.

“It was something that was epic, because it truly was the end of an era,” Matt Hardy said. “It was the last time we would do this with these guys, that you know, that the match has been taken off the table because, because they’re done.”

After that, it was finally time for the main event, which saw Mike Santana defeat Swerve Strickland for the TNA World Championship. The match itself was good, but the crowd was definitely burnt out from the match before, leaving the match without a certain energy that big wrestling matches tend to have.

Even with that being said, the emotion was still there for Santana, who celebrated his first world title win with his daughter in the ring. A moment, which was years in the making, nearly brought tears to Santana’s eyes, knowing he fulfilled his promise to his daughter and to himself, a truly great ending to the pay per view.

On a rainy night in Lowell, the fans came out in record numbers for the company and TNA certainly delivered on their promises of entertainment, mostly. If the company was able to avoid so many shaky finishes to great matches, then this show would have been better received by the hardcore fans.

Even with this clear drawback, many walked away happy with the show and the performance of the wrestlers that night, and the fans showed that appreciation in droves as Matt Hardy was busy until the wee hours Monday morning.

“I can’t tell you how many real-life testimonials I heard being there, signing autographs till 4 a.m. ‘Thank you for giving me my childhood one last time,’” Matt Hardy recalled.

The Red Sox offseason nears and they have a chance to redeem themselves

October 30, 2025 by Jake Messer with comment off

(Photo courtesy of Charles Krupa) “Manager Alex Cora (left) speaks to the media, while CBO Craig Breslow (middle) and CEO Sam Kennedy (right) listen on.”

Jake Messer

Connector Editor

The Red Sox season may have come to a disappointing end, with errors and poor play abound. However, it is not the end of the world that they lost to the dreaded New York Yankees. In fact, this is just the beginning for the Red Sox as they are looking to rise into the ranks of the top tier contenders next season.

This core of players the Red Sox have brought together is special, as players like infielder Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony and pitcher Garrett Crochet are or will be franchise leaders for the team and some of the best players in the entire sport of baseball. However, these players won’t be able to do it on their own, the front office will need to make the right moves in order to build upon this season.

The Red Sox front office, headed by Craig Breslow, the Chief Baseball Office of the team, has a proverbial list of things that need to be checked off in order for the team to have a very successful offseason.

With the utmost priority, the Red Sox will look to re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman, as he is going to opt out of his three year, $120 million contract as soon as free agency starts in the winter.

This will be crucial for the team, as his decision will greatly impact what else the team will be able to do moving forward with the rest of the offseason. Bregman, who is looking for more money, batted .273, while hitting 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 114 games last season. These are good numbers, but it begs the question, is Bregman on the decline, or is he really worth more than $40 million a year?

If the Red Sox, who are unlikely to fork over that kind of money, do indeed let Bregman walk, it will leave the door open for outfielder Jarren Duran to be re-signed, who has been riding short term deals for the past few seasons at this point. The number is very variable based on the report, but one thing is for sure, the Red Sox must sign Duran, not necessarily for the player, but for the leader he has become in the clubhouse.

Since Rafael Devers was traded back in June, Duran has risen up to become the de-facto leader of the team. The team’s celebration last year came from Duran, he is an outspoken voice and it shows with the teams turnaround. The Red Sox got better after Devers was traded and Duran deserves credit for contributing towards the success, even declining a trade involving Duran around the deadline that would have sent him to San Diego.

“I’m trying to find the leader for this organization,” Manager Alex Cora said last year. “He’s going to help us not only this year, but he’s going to help everyone in the future. He loves it and he understands it… Having a guy, when those top prospects make it here, they have someone to look up to.”

Indeed they did, as each callup of Mayer and Anthony made the team better and essentially saved the team’s season from mediocrity. It is proven that Duran is essential to this team, but it is up to Breslow to find a number for a leader that hit .256, while knocking 16 home runs and 84 RBI’s in 157 games.

In a much broader sense, there are two crucial positions the Red Sox need to add talent to in order to be a contender. They need to get a first baseman.

Ever since Triston Casas ruptured his patella tendon back in May, the team has been in desperation mode to find someone who can play first, and play it well. Throughout the season, they never really found a good replacement, and now they will target Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber to be the team’s first baseman.

The team, who has been cheap in recent years, will have to fork over a lump sum to win the bidding war for either of these players, but this will only happen if they do not get Bregman back in a Red Sox uniform. The number might be too much, but this is a chance for the franchise to right some of their wrongs and return to their former winning ways and it seems they are going to make an effort too.

“But right now, we’ll kind of zoom out a little bit and take stock of where we are,” Breslow said. “We’ll be open to all possible pathways to improving the team [this winter].”

River Hawks on the verge of ending a playoff drought

October 30, 2025 by Jake Messer with comment off

(Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics) “Junior Ethan Agyare-Danso (left) dribbles the ball, building up the offensive attack against UMBC.”

Tristin Henson

Connector Editor

The River Hawks Men’s soccer team has been doing very well this season, and they are currently 7-4-2, only needing one more win to get them to the playoffs. If they get that win on the 25th of October, this will be the first time UMass Lowell will reach the conference tournament since 2019, as well as becoming the second America East team to secure a playoff spot this season. The team has had a very successful season thus far, with their seven wins this season also being the most they’ve had since 2019, and their seven conference points marking the most they’ve had since 2021, when they finished with nine points.

Since the start of the conference matches, the River Hawks have faced off against Bryant, where they suffered a heavy loss (0-3), the first of its kind this season. But, despite having such a rough start, the River Hawks were able to turn the tide around and win against Binghamton during their next game. However, this game was hard-fought and well-earned, as they were tied in wins and losses against each other previously. The whole game was a back-and-forth across the field, until a goal was scored at the 80:35 minute mark by junior Ethan Agyare-Danso, with assists from junior Ethan Young and graduate Shunnosuke Nakajima. When asked about the game, Head Coach Kyle Zenoni stated: “It was a battle…It’s a conference game, every conference game is a battle, as we know.”

The tie against Vermont, which was the River Hawks’ next game, was just as brutal, a constant back and forth where the end result was a tie, no teams scoring on each other (0-0). Keeping up the narrow wins, against NJIT, a goal was scored at minute 83:07 by sophomore Matteo Costa, with an assist from senior Oliver Holmstrom. The home game on the 25th is sure to be just as grueling for the River Hawks against UMBC, with a match history that looks like it could go either way, and is slightly in UMBC’s favor (4-6-1). However, last season the River Hawks tied with UMBC, and the year before that, they had won.

What makes the River Hawk team more likely to win this time around?

Well, numerous factors, but one of the key ones is the new gen. Five of the newest River Hawks have made ten appearances this season, four having accumulated at least 600 minutes on the field, two earning eight starts, and in total, the newest gen has made seven of the team’s 13 goals.

The coaches themselves have also played an important role in training up these new players. Coach Zenoni mentioned this during the match against Binghamton: “I mean, they’re really well coached…I’m really proud of the guys, they’re doing well and they keep grinding, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.” Before this year’s season, Coach Zenoni had also led the River Hawks to their previous most successful season in 2024 (6-5-5 overall, 1-4-2 at conference). For this season, Coach Zenoni has heavily emphasized the importance of good defensive play to get to the playoffs, which leads to the next reason why the River Hawks have done so well this season: the goalies.

The two goalies for the River Hawks have been incredible this season. Graduate Jorge Ortega has a 0.706 save percentage, and he has earned the start in the team’s last three games, posting three clean sheets in conference play. Meanwhile, freshman Alvaro Medrano has a .787 save percentage and 5.29 saves per game, which is ninth in the nation and first in the America East.

Overall, the River Hawks have a strong shot at winning against UMBC and getting to the playoffs this year, thanks to Coach Zenoni’s decisions on the team’s new players and good defensive strategy largely due to the goalie duo team.

DC Comics Nightwing highlights societal issues

October 28, 2025 by Jesse Nguyen with comment off

(Photo courtesy of Jesse Nguyen/Made with Canva) From left to right, Manny Mua, Nightwing 105 by Dan Mora, Rayyan Mirza

Jesse Nguyen
Connector Editor

Nightwing is one of the most popular DC superheroes, but often for superficial reasons, I would say. For those who don’t know, Nightwing, aka Richard John “Dick” Grayson is a charismatic and skilled superhero who was once Batman’s first sidekick, Robin. As a kid, he was a circus acrobat and part of “The Flying Graysons.” After his parents’ murder, he was adopted by Bruce Wayne, and eventually graduated from his Robin position as Nightwing, a name he adopted from a story Superman once told him.

Nightwing, for a long time, has been reduced to his physical appearance. Many comic book artists pay special attention to his physique, more so than other superheroes, and a large part of Nightwings identity created online is about his… defined rear. And canonically, he’s very handsome, and apparently the sexiest vigilante according to the Gotham Times.

Inevitability, he was going to be a popular Halloween costume this year, since thirst trap content is what drives engagement. Twitter/X account @DiscussingFilm announced he was number 12 in popularity. And so of course, social media platforms started filling with cosplayers showing off their Nightwing costumes, whether it be DIY, bought or both.

And here comes the issue. Tiktok user @Rayyanmirza00 uploaded a video of his Nightwing costume, and he’s lipsynching to an audio of Nightwing talking with a remix of “Coming Down” and “Hotline Bling” playing in the background. The top comment on his post is “Wingstop.” Other similar comments are on his video, such as nightmare, midnight wings, night with extra wings, night ate the wings, you get the point.

It’s a pattern I’ve noticed in almost every comment section of Nightwing cosplayers, and to me speaks to how toxic our perception of men and men’s beauty is.

The comments on Mirza’s video are all obviously poking fun at his weight, which Mirza actually handled gracefully, posting a followup video of him eating Wingstop in costume, but it’s saddening how these cosplayers are discouraged to dress up as their favorite heroes if their bodies don’t match. Comic book heroes already have highly unrealistic proportions; normal humans are typically 7-and-a-half heads tall, while comic book heroes are typically drawn with 8-and-a-half or even 9. Not to mention the already exaggerated muscles, wide shoulders and thin waists they have.

What’s more, is most people bashing Mirza are men, with a large majority of women in his comment section finding him attractive. I think this speaks deeper to how men value masculinity and musculature and don’t understand that’s simply not the ideal for some people. There’s also a failure to understand that Nightwing himself is more than just his body. Nightwing canonically has been a victim of sexual assault, so reducing him to his appearance feels even more tacky, and further perpetuates the harmful narrative that men can’t be victims of sexual assault, or if they are it’s treated as a joke.

Another Nightwing cosplay that recently got media attention, is the makeup artist Manny Mua cosplaying him, posting a picture of himself on Twitter/X. Many users on Twitter/X were shocked seeing it, as Manny presents extremely masculine in his Nightwing costume, when he’s usually feminine and flamboyant in his mannerisms and usually wears full face makeup. It is important to note that the character Nightwing is a heterosexual and cisgender man.

And the problem that arose with this cosplay is the discourse of “preference.” A lot gay men on Twitter/X admitted that they only found Mua attractive as Nightwing because, gay men are attracted to men, why would they be attracted to femininity? While I guess this logic makes sense, this creates a problem where masculine presenting men are given preferential treatment and are viewed as more desirable and respectable, because they’re most like their heterosexual counterparts, and it also reduces femininity and masculinity as conditions only accessible to their respective genders.

It’s one thing to have a preference for masculine men, it’s another to put down anyone that isn’t that. In the gay community, masculinity is often uplifted and praised, and anything feminine is put down. Some gay men have internalized homophobia, leading to judgment of other LGBTQ+ individuals and creating terms like “Masc 4 Masc,” but I also believe gay men have some degree of misogyny. It sounds like a stretch, but I do believe this since gay men can struggle with their place within the patriarchy, since they are still men. This can lead to an unconscious upholding of patriarchal systems that oppress women even while gay men themselves experience other forms of discrimination. I see this unconscious upholding in the way some gay men talk to women, often with sassy remarks, the way some gay men police female behaviors and appearances, especially in the context of popstars and celebrities, or even how they can treat women as props for emotional labor while devaluing them in other contexts.

Nightwing is a symbol of hope, leadership, and kindness. This Halloween, however, people have used him as a device to further their biases about people’s bodies and how it’s best to distance yourself from any perceived femininity to prove your own masculinity. It’s quite sad to be honest, but please, just dress up as you want. Halloween is a time for fun.

“Intermezzo” explores love and grief

October 28, 2025 by UML Connector with comment off

(Image courtesy of Faber. “Intermezzo is an in-depth character study and examines non-traditional relationships.”)

Rick Dalton
Connector Staff

Sally Rooney’s 2024 novel “Intermezzo” is her latest literary drama. Rooney excels at writing troubled characters that struggle with complex relationships. This story follows Peter and Ivan Koubek, brothers that recently buried their father. The two men are wildly different, apart from their grief and unconventional romantic entanglements. Peter and Ivan go on separate, occasionally intersecting journeys as they navigate relationships with their father, their romantic partners, and each other.

“Intermezzo” begins with Peter, a 32-year-old lawyer, two weeks after his father’s funeral. He reflects how Ivan, 22, looked at the funeral, highlighting his braces and shabby suit. Peter visits Naomi, a 23-year-old college student that is squatting in an apartment with friends. They are in a noncommitted relationship, but Peter frequently helps Naomi monetarily. With Peter out of touch since his dad died, Naomi casually reveals how she sold some scandalous photos of herself when she needed cash. Naomi has yet to meet Ivan, but she asks how he is handling it. Peter is unaware, as they haven’t seen each other since the funeral and rarely talk. Peter cruelly describes his brother as “a complete oddball… kind of autistic.”

When Naomi asks about the funeral, Peter admits that his ex-girlfriend Sylvia was there. Naomi is annoyed that she was not invited, let alone notified, but Peter points out their unclear relationship status. After some playful banter and a romantic encounter, he leaves to visit Sylvia, a 32-year-old literature professor. They dated for years and were very serious, but a tragic accident left Sylvia with chronic pain and made her unable to have a physical relationship. She broke up with him, but they remained best friends. Peter is still in love with Sylvia and often sleeps at her place. Peter’s love life is certainly complex.

Peter’s saga involves him bouncing between both women, basically having half a relationship with each of them. Peter’s perspective is shared through a stream of consciousness as his mental health deteriorates. Early in the novel, “Thought rises calmly to the surface of his mind: I wish I was dead. Same as everyone sometimes surely. Idea occurs, that is.” Peter frequently numbs himself with drugs and alcohol, struggling with grief as he endures Naomi’s chaotic lifestyle and pines for Sylvia. In contrast, as Peter spirals, Ivan grows.

Ivan’s story begins in the small town of Leitrim. Ivan is a recent college graduate and a chess prodigy, although his rating has been falling since his dad became ill several years earlier. He is traveling for an exhibition against Leitrim’s chess club, where he wins ten matches simultaneously. At the event, Ivan meets Margaret, the 36-year-old director of Leitrim’s community center. She is hosting the event, in addition to driving Ivan while he is in town. Ivan impresses Margaret at the exhibition. She thinks, “Funny. She liked him actually, the young man with the braces… Slightly awkward of course: those high-IQ people usually are.” Margaret meets Ivan for a celebratory drink with the chess club after the event, where they enjoy some friendly conversation. Margaret drives Ivan to his rental house afterwards, and Ivan uncharacteristically invites Margaret in. Margaret uncharacteristically accepts.

Ivan and Margaret get to know each other. They reveal their ages, and Ivan mentions his father died a few weeks earlier. Margaret can sympathize, having also lost her father a couple years earlier. She also reveals that she is married but separated from her husband. They are clearly very attracted to each other, and Ivan asks Margaret to kiss. Her mind races, thinking about the age difference, how unprofessional it is and that she is legally married. However, she lets Ivan seduce her, reasoning, “doesn’t it feel good to simply be in the arms of this person?” Thus begins an unexpected affair.

Ivan’s chapters provide both his and Margaret’s perspective. Ivan reads very differently from his brother. His interior monologue is highly logical, like life is a game of chess. He freely talks about his emotions with Margaret, and he is in a much better place mentally than Peter. Despite the age difference, Ivan sees no reason he cannot be happy with Margaret, content to live in the moment and see where things go. Margaret very much enjoys Ivan’s company, but frequently worries about what her friends, her mother, and especially her estranged husband would think of her new relationship. While they keep things quiet, Ivan and Margaret’s open communication provides a stark contrast to Peter’s internal struggle and bizarre love triangle.

Peter and Ivan only share a few scenes together. They feel like their father would have wanted them to try to be closer, but years of baggage and their age difference get in the way. Peter has a hard time seeing Ivan as a mature and thoughtful young man, rather than the angry and misogynistic youth he once was. Ivan is resentful when Peter reacts negatively to Margaret’s age, especially after he learns about Naomi. The brothers have a lot to work out and seeing how differently they respond to life’s challenges is fascinating.

“Intermezzo” is an expertly crafted novel. It is an in-depth character study, an examination of non-traditional relationships and the pitfalls that come from poor communication. It is highly recommended for fans of contemporary drama.

Grade: A-

2025 annual UMass Lowell drag show preview

October 28, 2025 by Jesse Nguyen with comment off

(Photo courtesy of uml.edu) A group of drag queens at a former annual drag show.

Jenkins Zziwa
Connector Contributor

On Thursday Oct. 30 starting at 7pm, the UMass Lowell OMA LGBTQ Resources Center
will be hosting its annual drag show at University crossing on the 2nd floor in room 260–the Jacquelin and Edward Moloney Hall Ballroom. Admission is free for all and if students are a member of the LGBTQ+ OMA cohort, they’ll be able to receive priority seating. Students with extra time are encouraged to check it out.

With spooky season well underway and Halloween right around the corner, the UMass Lowell campus has come alive with decor, midterms, but also spooktacular events taking place all over campus. One particular event of highlight is
the annual drag show hosted by a student drag performer which is sure to elate and entertain the audience with not one, not two, but four renown professional drag performers set to take center stage on the night. For those unfamiliar, taking to the runway will be Thee Enigma Punk, Gnat, Shakaren, and Gigi Glam, all returning performers on UMass Lowell shores bar Gnat, the drag king who is described as rather comedic in their performances, they of whom will be a new star this year to the UMass Lowell stage.

The drag show has been planned and worked on for weeks in advance with a concerted effort at hand from the hosts, one of the OMA peer leaders and co-hosts of the show for the third year running–Phoenix Lewis, had this to say, “ I’ve been working with the queens for a little over a month…getting their sounds, their bio information, and everything ready.” Something to look forward to by general conscientious will be the outfits, the music (of which students can dance and sing along to), air guitar (which may not be guranteed), and the After Glo event at LGBTQ Resources Center in room 380. Also noteworthy is the arts and crafts club, here at UMass Lowell, is
penciled in as a contributor to the show as they’ll be assisting with decorations for the show.

As the show is taking place on hallow’s eve, appropriately, it’ll be themed with a spooky and haunting scene that’s sure to give host to a ghastly show, and it’s important to note that costumes are encouraged! For those new to drag, this is an event to go to and have fun, it’s a performance arts medium that’s epitomized by self expression and an opportunity to bring people together in a venture into queer expression and pantomime fun. But at its core, this show serves as a platform and an avenue for the queer students from all walks and orientations to have a space on campus, similarly to the LGBTQ+ Resources Center that can truly unabashedly and welcomingly be queer. One of the hosts, Logan Biedermann, had this to say about the upcoming show, “It’s an event that’s meant to bring people together–inform them that there is queer spaces on campus for them…that UMASS Lowell is a home for LGBTQ people.” Furthermore, “I think Halloween is [a] really notoriously queer holiday in some scenes…and on halloween night we get to be authentic.”

Election Day Guide

October 28, 2025 by UML Connector with comment off

(Photo courtesy of iStock) “Person voting in an election”

Amy Lam

Connector Contributor

November 4, 2025, is Election Day. Remember the date. Numerous college students agree that voting matters, but are left in the dark on how to register. They believe in the importance of voicing concerns on issues they deeply care about. Don’t worry, The Connector got students back with an easy voter guide!

It is easy to register and check registration status through your state’s website. In general, there are three questions to verify eligible voters: Are you a citizen of the United States of America, are you at least 16 years old, and do you have an ID issued by your state’s Registry of Motor Vehicles?

If all the questions are answered with yes, you will provide your first name, last name, date of birth, and an ID number. Acceptable forms of ID include driver’s license, learner’s permit, and state ID. After this form is completed, another form appears asking for an address of current residency and to choose a party affiliation, political designation, or no party. Once completed, your city or town hall looks over your application to confirm the information.

To check registration status, go through your state’s website and select “Check your registration status”. That sends another link to a quick 30 second form to fill out. It simply requires a first name, last name, date of birth, and ZIP code. If successfully registered, voting status, party, ward number, precinct number, voting location, city or town clerk, and elected state officials are shown. Voting status is either inactive or active.

Ward numbers and precinct numbers representing areas within a neighborhood assigned to a specific voting location. Voting locations are designated places where voters go to cast their ballots. When arriving at a voting location, remember to bring ID and know the ward and precinct numbers. City or town clerks are useful for providing information. The list of state officials presented is for direct contact and getting to know about their work.

As mentioned before, individuals are either inactive or active voters. How do you change from an inactive to an active voter? Simply follow the steps for registration. Within a few days, the status will change.

Can’t make it on Election Day? Have no worries, an alternative method is to vote by mail. Individuals with disabilities can participate in voting too.

This option accommodates disabilities. There are two options to apply for mail-in ballot, online and physical copy. For the online application, enter the required fields to verify registration status. On the next steps, complete the ballot information and click “Submit Mail-In Ballot Application”. For the paper application for mail-in ballots, fill in information for full name, address, date of birth, and sign a signature at the bottom. When completed, send it to your city or town hall.

Still want to cast a vote from overseas, away from the town, incarcerated, in the hospital, or on active duty? An absentee ballot is the best choice. To find the form for an absentee ballot scroll further down from the “Vote by Mail” page. Fill out voter information, ballot information, and sign the document. The document can be filled out by a relative for special circumstances. Send it out to your city or town hall and the task is done.

Voting doesn’t need to be complicated. With the information provided, the process of registering to vote is straightforward. The guide is meant to help all students on how to vote as well as build conversation with family members in the process by considering languages and accessibility. Using the newfound knowledge, start registering as a voter today for your state election.