Sports Wrap Up by Steve McManus

Men’s Soccer

Recently the men’s soccer team raped the University of Moncton 4-0 ina game that rewrote the book on dominance. The game was played on a windy, rainy, sloppy day which only seamed to help the panthers in their trouncing. Pat O’Connell picked up his third goal of the season with a brilliant cross off a free kick from the right foot of Jon Vos. Unfortunately for Udem, the bleeding didn’t stop there. Just six minutes later Martein Hakkers also took a Vos free kick to the back of the Moncton goal. The panthers took a strong lead into the half but came out in the sec- ond half as though they were desperate to score. An onslaught of fifteen shots proved too much for the Moncton Keeper as he allowed Ryan Anstey to pocket his fifth and sixth goals of the season, both of which were set up by the intense offensive play of Adam Foster. Throughout the game Moncton showed their frustration with the unstoppable offence of the pan- thers and were assessed three yellow cards to UPEI’s one. Can you really blame the poor bastards, they were out shot 15-1, out chanced 18-3, and the corner kicks were 15-0 in favour of our panthers. Luckily for the Moncton players they got a week to rest before they get their asses kicked again this Friday as the men travel to Moncton and look to take the lead in the AUS Conference from St. Mary’s who have played one game than the panthers and sit three points up.

In Fredericton, the boys pulled out a nail biter and were lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw. In the first half UNB opened the scoring as the AUS scoring leader Jonathan Crossland snuck one past UPEI keeper, MacCormack. The panthers battled hard all game but weren’t reward- ed until the 86th minute as four strikers were too much for the UNB defence and Ryan Anstey was able to grab another huge goal as he punched in a beautiful header from Mark Beer.

Upcoming Games

Opponent Date Time at UDM Fri, Oct 17th 3:00 vs MUN Sun, Oct 19th 3:00 at DAL Sun, Oct 26th 3:00

Women’s Soccer Krista McInnis displayed the best individ- ual performance of the season last week as she grabbed player of the game honours as .:page [14] October 13, 2003:.

she recorded her first three goals in as many years against UNB. The hat trick gave UPEI the win 3-2. All of the goals came relatively easily to the third year midfielder. Her first goal came in the 38th minute as she knocked in a deflection off the post from a headed corner kick and tied the game for the panthers. Then only three minutes later it was another deflect- ed shot by Janelle Blanchard that McInnis picked up about 15 yards out and buried it into an open net. In the second half it was more of the same when in the 69th minute

- when Krista took a gorgeous cross from

Katie McInnis (no relation). UNB made it close late but the defence of the panthers persisted and did not give the Reds enough room to come back. UPEI out shot their opponents 11-7 but were out chanced by the Reds 8-5.

The lady panthers found out last weekend why soccer is a ninety minute game as they took 88 of those minutes to finally get the equalizer against Moncton on a rainy, windy, crappy day. The panthers looked as though they captured and domesticated by the Moncton girls but showed everyone in the league that they too can battle back in the final minutes and that they will never roll over for any- one.

As time ticked away Allison Frizzel stepped to the fore front as she laid a nice cross to Katie McInnis who made no mistake in beating the rather masculine Moncton keeper.

The girls have a couple of very important games coming up and it is do or die time as they hope to squeak into the playoffs. The panthers take on two of the top four teams in their remaining games and need desperately to pull our a few wins to secure their trip to N.S. for the AUS playoffs. MUN, ACA, and DAL, await the panthers in the weekends to come and the women panthers are asking for your support to make it out to their last game of the season this Sunday against the basement dwelling girls of MUN.

Upcoming Games

Opponent Date Time vs MUN Sun, Oct 19th 1:00 at ACA Sat, Oct 25th 1:00 at DAL Sun, Oct 26th 1:00

Women’s Field Hockey

It was the leagues best offence, SMU, against the leagues best defence, UPEI, as the panthers tried their luck against the defending AUS Champions from Halifax. Saint Mary’s scored an impressive 21 goals in their four games vs. UNB. While our panther girls, namely Ambyr Gallant, failed to render a single goal against in their four games against the Reds. -

As the two teams clashed last Friday for division supremacy, it was UPEI who took the game convincingly 4- 1. Gallant, as usual, played a fine game in goal for the panthers and picked up player of the game honours.

Again on Saturday it was much of the same defensive mind set that worked for UPEI as the girls allowed only one goal again. However, SMU saw some- thing in the Friday game and adjusted to it as they shut down the panther offence ' completely taking the game 1-0.

As it stands now, the girls are in a tie with SMU for top seed in the divi- sion and have two games remaining against their new Atlantic Conference rivals. Due to goals for and against it looks as though the girls need to grab both games from Huskies or out score them by a margin of more than 10.

Upcoming Games

Opponent Date at SMU Sat, Oct 18th vs SMU Sun, Oct 19th

Time 6:00 ‘12:00

Womens Rugby

The panther rugby women made it four wins in a row to start off the season last week as they defeated NSAC in their biggest thumping of the reason 102-0. Now, I am not a mathematician but I do know that for a rugby team to score 102 points, it is unheard of. The girls rolled over their opponents by running for uncontested try after uncontested try. “All we had to do was push them and they would fall right over,” said team bruiser, Shelly MacNeill. Try scorers for the pan- thers were Michelle Young and Krista Myers with three each, Lauren Sinclair with two, Emily Deighan, Amanda Hood, Amanda Carmody, Madelin Cheverie, Ashley MacDonald, Katie McCarvill, Amanda Savage, Cheryl Steeves, Lara Deighan and Allison MacDonald, all with one each.

The girls are looking to send a message to the rest of the league this year,

and I think by the looks of the scoreboard, NSAC got the picture loud and clear. Normally the girls would have more class than to run up the score on their weak opposition like this but Dalhousie, who the panthers have yet to demolish, have also been running up their games and the girls don’t want to leave their league championship down to plus/minus.

The girls will tangle with the Tigers this weekend in Halifax as they face their biggest competition of the year to date. Let’s hope the panthers finish off the sea- son strong by putting on a rugby clinic for the Tigers on their home turf.

Rugby

The UPEI women’s rugby team could be considered the most dominant team this University has ever seen. Rugby isn’t a sport like hockey where shutouts come every now and then, it is a rare feat when a team is able to shut down their opposition and direct the play of the game as well as our panthers have done so far this season. In four games this year the female panthers have accumulated an astonishing 251 points for and allowed 0 points against! Among many, the girls have been led this year by the explosive play of Michelle Young, Krista Myers, and Laura Sinclair. All season long the girls have enjoyed brisk jogs into the opposing teams’ goal and seem to have no trouble running through whatever opposi- tion they face. The defence of the panthers is another remarkable thing to observe, the girls have a sixth sense of where the other team plans to run and they know exactly how capitalize on opportunities missed. Neither their athletic ability nor intensity on the field can be matched by any team in the league this year. They are in a class far above the “club” they are playing in this year and deserve to represent our school and our Island at the CIAU’s in years to come.

The panthers rugby team has extended a challenge to the five time defending AUS Champions for St. Francis Xavier University and the challenge has been accepted by the X-women. This Tuesday at 4:00 the panthers will be able to see how they stack up against one of the best women rugby teams in the coun- try. The game will take place at Charlottetown Rural high School at four o’clock, so don’t miss your opportunity to see the best rugby that will hit the Island this year. :