The UCSB Women's Rugby team start their 2012 season off with a shutout of the UCSD Tritons with a 17 - 0 win. Coming back from a heartbreaking 0 - 6 record last season, Barbara aims to build momentum forward with a new squad.

The first try was made by rookie Anisa Khamvongsa, the speedy Outside-center on the field. Aside from easily having a career in cartoon voice-overs with her identifiable high-pitched voice, Khamvongsa serves as an example of the rookie talent the 2012 squad brings this season.

Seniors Lawren Wylie and Celina Ayala racked up the points with their trys. Wylie's try resembled the "ideal" rugby offense; a beautiful passing of the hands from the Backs set-up Barbara's FullBack to a beautiful quick-step try (of course thanks the the aid of the solid forward pack). Ayala, the team's Hooker, battled her way to the chalk line of delayed gratification. This was Ayala's first try during a season game.

Captains Kelsy Siegel, Scrum-half, and Kristine Sommers, 8-man, lead the team with preparation for the big game. Aside from leading torturous plank workouts and holding their teammates accountable to morning conditioning, the senior leadership has developed a culture of higher expectations and a “no excuses” mentality.

Contributing to the Gauchos win, first year Ema Arenchild, Fly-half, boosted the score with her conversions and red zone kicks. Unfortunately starters Arenchild and junior Christina Kearney were forced to visit the hospital with serious injuries. Kearny, Inside-center, was escorted off the field after a three-person tackle during the second half, which resulted in a broken foot. Arenchild broke her collarbone during a defensive collision. And to add some icing to the cake, second-year started Laura Avila brushed off her fourth concussion during the game. Despite the setbacks, the three fighters still attend practices and plan to attend Barbara’s next game in Los Angeles.

Even though the loses of two extraordinary talent put the Gauchos in a difficult position, hopes remain high as the Gauchos face long-time rivals UCLA.  Alumni and friends are urged to support UCSB as they face the Bruins Saturday, February 4^th at 2 pm.

By Ben Chodos

The UCSB club men’s rugby team beat Oregon State University and Stanford University this weekend at Harder Stadium to win their regional Sweet 16 Tournament and advance to the Final Four.

UCSB opened their postseason against the Beavers Saturday night.  After a competitive first half, the Gauchos blew the game open in the second half and cruised to a 41-24 victory.

Sunday night’s game against Stanford proved to be more of a challenge for top seeded UCSB.  The Cardinals jumped to a 17-0 lead, which they held well into the second half.  The Gauchos were not ready for their dream season to end, and responded by scoring the first of four tries in seven minutes.  UCSB was relentless on both offense and defense until the final whistle which marked a 33-17 victory and a trip to the final four.

“No one was ready to go home,” junior prop Stephan Salimi said about the Gaucho’s remarkable comeback.  “We were all playing for each other, and no one quit.  Our team has a lot of heart.”

The Gauchos (#3) will play Bowling Green, the top seed in the country, in the Division I national semifinals at Stanford University on May 13.

This past weekend the Isla Vista Juggling Festival celebrated its 35^th year, commemorating the memory of the late Patty Laney.

Laney was a UCSB student, when in January 1977, she was tragically raped and murdered.  Laney was both a skilled juggler and a strong advocate in the fight against violence towards women.  After her death, her friends quickly gathered to hold a festival in her honor and it has been an annual event ever since.

Every year, people from all over the country travel to Isla Vista to watch and participate in the juggling action.  The festival also offers several workshops teaching curious spectators of all skill levels how to juggle, ride a unicycle and crack a bullwhip.

Although new, younger jugglers flock to Rob Gym to showcase their skills and learn a few new tricks, veterans come each year to keep the festival’s original intent intact.

“Every year there are fewer people who remember Patty,” said Mark Collier, magician and longtime participant in the festival.  “But we still try to keep her memory alive.”

“Patty was really involved in stopping violence against women,” Chief Organizer Matthew Thornley said .  “That’s why every dollar that we raise at our public show goes to the [Santa Barbara] Rape Crisis Center.  It’s not much, but we try our best to raise awareness on the issue.”

This year’s juggling festival took place April 22^nd-24^th in Rob Gym, with seasoned jugglers displaying their talents while spectators either watched or learned the basics of juggling.  Workshops were also held on the grassy lawns surrounding Rob Gym, offering lessons in juggling machetes (blunt ones, of course) and torches. Other attractions included whip-cracking expert Andrew Conway and a man who specialized in hula-hoops on multiple appendages at once.

The festival is one of the largest juggling gatherings in the country, with people coming from as far as Oklahoma.  Even a few notable names in the juggling world make an appearance, including Conway, the leading authority on cracking a bullwhip.  He was the first to write a book on the topic, and recently released The New Bullwhip Book, now available on Amazon.com.

The highlight of the festival was a public show Saturday evening in Isla Vista Theater.  Only a few professionals performed in the show, including one individual who performed in Vegas, but everyone was encouraged to participate.

“We let pros, amateurs, and kids participate,” Thornley said. “Anyone who wants to get on stage and show their stuff is encouraged to do so.”

The festival is held annually on Easter weekend in Rob Gym.

By Allie Browne

This past weekend, UCSB club cycling competed in the Conference Championships in Hollister and Morgan Hill, with two cyclists qualifying for nationals next week.

The Gauchos have a small A-team, meaning each rider had to qualify individually: third year mathematics major Eric Hartsuyker and fourth year political science major Dan Katz accumulated the required amount of points in races during the past ten weeks.  In the 67-mile race at Hollister, Hartsuyker crossed the finish line with the lead group, but Katz crashed out at mile 27 and was taken to the emergency room to remove rocks from his arm and to be stitched up.  In the hour-long crit race at Morgan Hill, Hartsuyker was exhausted from the previous day’s race, while Katz won the sprint when four riders were up the road, taking fifth place.

Nationals will be held May 6^th-8^th in Madison, Wisconsin.

By Patrick Grochmal 

It’s that time of year again, when beautiful Isla Vista residents take to their front lawns in bikinis and stroll shirtless in the streets; it’s Spring Quarter, people.  And while you may be nursing a bit of a belly from all those nights out and all the days in the library, fear not: help is here.  Whether you’re a seasoned gym rat, or just seeing a treadmill for the first time, here are some general tips get the results you want without wasting time and energy.

DO:  Lift weights

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you read that right.  For those of you who think weightlifting is only for frat boys who like to stare at themselves, think again.  Weightlifting has many benefits, even for those of us who aren’t looking to bulk up.  Lifting weights speeds up your metabolism; a study at the University of Southern Maine found that lifting burns just as many calories, if not more, than jogging.  And here’s the important point: ladies, don’t be discouraged if your efforts aren’t reflected on the scale, since lifting burns fat, but preserves your muscle.  You’ll see the results in the mirror, which is what really counts, right?  Just make sure you go with someone who is experienced and can teach you how to use the various machines and weights.

DO:  Try new things

Rather than wait half an hour for the treadmill at the MAC every day, why not try out a new machine?  The Rec Cen is a massive facility with many options for those looking for some good cardio, some of which are much more efficient than simply jogging.  For example, swimming in the pool is an excellent workout, and when the sun is out, you can get a nice tan as well.  Another great option is jumping rope, which can burn several times as many calories as jogging.  If plan to stick with the treadmill, try doing interval training.  Start by jogging for a few minutes to warm up, and then do a full sprint for 1-2 minutes before going back to a jog.  Repeating this for about 30 minutes will maximize your cardio and burn calories more efficiently than simply jogging.

DON’T:  Ignore your diet

Another mistake people make is thinking that it’s ok to get that late night Freebirds’ quesorito since you worked out that day.  This way of thinking is self-defeating: you can’t outwork a poor diet.  Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that working out lets you eat whatever you want.  On the contrary, sticking to a workout plan will help you stick to a diet, since both serve as reminders to stay on track.

DON’T:  Give up!

The worst thing you can do is doubt yourself.  A workout isn’t like a spray tan: it’s not meant to be magical.  You have to work at it, and it may be a few weeks before you see any results.  Also, don’t set unreasonable goals; comparing yourself to the guy bench-pressing 300 pounds when you can barely do 150 is not only impossible in the short term, but you will only get discouraged faster.  At the same time, if you feel stuck in a rut, or that your workout isn’t getting you anywhere, feel free to ask for help; one of the trainers at the Rec Cen will be more than happy to help you, and there are plenty of online resources to help you develop an efficient workout.

UCSB’s men’s lacrosse will end regular season play in the OC against Chapman University this Saturday night at 7 PM.  The Gauchos and the Panthers are both unbeaten in Southwestern Lacrosse Conference North Division play and are tied for first place.

The game is designated as senior day, and the handful of fourth years on the team are excited to be honored in against the team that has become their main rival.

Senior midfielder Ethan Mantel, a Film and Media Studies major, described the mindset of the team going into a Chapman game.

“UCSB and Champan have consistently been the most competitive teams in our league,” Mantel said.  “I think that has been the real root of our rivalry.  There always seems to be a mutual understanding that each team is going to have to play their hardest to win.”

The game also has significant postseason implications, as Mantel explains.

“A win against Chapman would mean a lot for our division playoffs, and would mean a great deal for us as a contender to be picked for the national tournament.”

Chapman (4) and UCSB (13) are both among the top ranked teams in the country.  The winner of Saturday night’s game will clinch the top seed in the SLC Tournament.  But the game will also serve as an indication for how far the Gauchos have progressed this season.

“It would be an enormous boost for our morale,” Mantel said.  “And an amazing final game for our season to lead us into the playoffs.”

UCSB club women’s lacrosse has added another item to their impressive résumé this season by finishing third in the Western Women’s Lacrosse League Championship Tournament.  The Gauchos opened tournament play with a convincing 21-14 win against Berkley.  The Gauchos then suffered a heartbreaking 13-12 loss to Santa Clara in the semifinals.  They responded the next day with 15-11 victory over Cal Poly in the third place game.  With the weekend’s impressive performance, the team has earned an at-large bid into the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates National Championship on the weekend of May 4^th in Scottsdale, Arizona.