FEBRUARY
      14,
      2007
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Panthers
     
    
   
   
    
     
      For
      the
      five
      UPEI
      Panthers
      squads
      currently
     
     
      in
      action,
      the
      most
      important
      part
      of
      the
      season
     
     
      has
      arrived
      —
      the
      stretch
      drive.
      Here’s
      a
      look
      at
     
     
      how
      they're
      doing.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Josh
      Lewis
     
     
      Sports
      Editor
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      MEN’S
      HOCKEY:
      7-14-2,
      16
      pts,
      7”
     
     
      in
      AUS
     
    

    
     
      The
      Panthers
      have
      seen
      some
      improve-
     
     
      ment
      in
      Dylan
      Taylor’s
      second
      season
     
     
      as
      head
      coach,
      but
      remain
      wildly
      incon-
     
     
      sistent.
      The
      green
      and
      white
      has
      shown
     
     
      an
      affinity
      for
      nationally
      ranked
      teams,
     
     
      beating
      the
      likes
      of
      Moncton,
      St.
      Mary’s
     
     
      and
      St.
      Thomas,
      but
      continue
      to
      lose
     
     
      to
      bottom-feeders
      such
      as
      Dalhousie.
     
     
      The
      team
      has
      the
      talent
      to
      be
      successful,
     
     
      but
      has
      trouble
      keeping
      it
      together
      on
      a
     
     
      nightly
      basis.
     
    

    
     
      Special
      teams
      have
      been
      a
      huge
      prob-
     
     
      lem
      for
      the
      Panthers,
      with
      the
      power
     
     
      play
      (running
      at
      an
      anemic
      11.6%)
      often
     
     
      not
      able
      to
      penetrate
      inside
      the
      perim-
     
     
      eter
      and
      the
      penalty
      kill
      operating
      at
      a
     
     
      very
      average
      82.9%
      going
      into
      Saturday’s
     
     
      game
      at
      St.
      Mary’s.
     
    

    
     
      Paul
      Drew
      has
      been
      a
      bright
      spot
      for
     
     
      the
      Panthers
      as
      usual,
      posting
      a
      3.55
     
     
      goals-against
      average
      despite
      facing
      over
     
     
      31
      shots
      per
      game.
      Drew
      recently
      re-
     
     
      turned
      to
      the
      Island
      after
      winning
      a
      gold
     
     
      medal
      with
      Team
      Canada
      at
      the
      Winter
     
     
      Universiade
      2007
      in
      Torino,
      Italy.
      He
     
     
      played
      in
      every
      game.
     
    

    
     
      Ryan
      Kitchen
      leads
      the
      Panthers
      in
     
     
      scoring
      with
      four
      goals
      and
      24
      points
      in
     
     
      23
      games.
      Cory
      Vitarelli
      is
      second
      with
     
     
      nine
      goals
      and
      19
      points,
      and
      Stephen
     
     
      Cooke
      sits
      third
      with
      two
      goals
      and
      13
     
     
      points.
      Erik
      Lundmark
      leads
      Panther
     
     
      defensemen
      with
      six
      goals
      and
      11
      points.
     
    

    
     
      With
      five
      games
      left
      in
      the
      season,
      in-
     
     
      cluding
      Saturday’s
      game,
      the
      Panthers
      sit
     
     
      four
      points
      back
      of
      Acadia
      for
      the
      sixth
     
     
      and
      final
      playoff
      spot.
      Four
      of
      those
     
     
      games
      are
      against
      the
      top
      three
      teams
      in
     
     
      the
      AUS,
      and
      the
      other
      is
      against
      Acadia.
     
     
      Realistically,
      UPEI
      will
      have
      to
      win
      at
     
     
      least
      four
      of
      those
      games,
      including
      the
     
     
      Acadia
      game,
      to
      have
      a
      shot
      at
      the
      play-
     
     
      offs.
      The
      Axemen
      play
      relatively
      weak
     
     
      opponents
      and
      have
      the
      edge
      in
      wins,
      so
     
     
      the
      Panthers
      will
      need
      a
      miracle
      to
      get
      in.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      WOMEN’S
      HOCKEY:
      2-11-1,
      5
      pts,
     
     
      8"
      in
      AUS
     
    

    
     
      It
      only
      gets
      worse
      for
      the
      women’s
     
     
      Panthers,
      who,
      with
      seven
      games
      left
      in
     
     
      the
      season
      going
      into
      weekend
      action,
      sit
     
     
      five
      points
      back
      of
      a
      playoff
      spot.
      For
     
     
      Bruce
      Donaldson’s
      squad,
      it’s
      been
      simi-
     
     
      lar
      to
      last
      year,
      when
      the
      team
      finished
     
     
      4-15-0
      and
      missed
      the
      playoffs.
     
    

    
     
      The
      stats
      tell
      a
      bleak
      story
      for
      UPEI.
     
     
      The
      Panthers
      have
      been
      outshot
      40-15
     
     
      on
      average
      and
      outscored
      5.3-1.6.
      Their
     
     
      special
      teams
      have
      made
      the
      men
      look
     
    
   
   
    
     
      SPORTS
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
     
         
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
      like
      the
      Anaheim
      Ducks,
      with
      an
      abys-
     
     
      mal
      9.1%
      success
      rate
      on
      the
      PP
      and
      an
     
     
      unheard-of
      73.7%
      rate
      on
      the
      PK.
      And
     
     
      the
      second
      period
      has
      been
      Armaged-
     
     
      don
      for
      the
      Panthers,
      where
      they’ve
      been
     
     
      outscored
      24-4.
     
    

    
     
      Genna
      Phelan
      leads
      the
      team
      in
      scor-
     
     
      ing
      with
      six
      goals
      and
      10
      points.
      Jennifer
     
     
      Sullivan
      and
      Tessa
      Roche
      both
      have
     
     
      seven
      points,
      the
      latter
      in
      just
      six
      games
     
     
      after
      coming
      over
      from
      the
      women’s
     
     
      soccer
      Panthers.
      Four
      of
      those
      points
     
     
      came
      in
      a
      5-2
      win
      over
      UNB
      Dec.
      2.
     
     
      Between
      Roche,
      Ashley
      Caulier,
      who
      has
     
     
      five
      points,
      and
      Josie
      Gallant,
      the
      soccer
     
     
      additions
      have
      definitely
      bolstered
      the
     
     
      squad.
      Elizabeth
      Legay
      and
      Diana
      Benell
     
     
      have
      split
      time
      in
      goal,
      both
      playing
     
     
      in
      nine
      games.
      Legay
      leads
      with
      a
      4.71
     
     
      GAA
      and
      .878
      save
      percentage.
     
    

    
     
      The
      playoffs
      are
      a
      pipe
      dream
      at
      this
     
     
      point,
      but
      if
      the
      Panthers
      can
      win
      three
     
     
      of
      their
      remaining
      seven
      games,
      they'll
     
     
      eclipse
      their
      win
      total
      from
      last
      season.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      MEN’S
      BASKETBALL:
      4-8,
      16
      pts,
     
     
      5*
      in
      AUS
     
    

    
     
      It
      has
      been
      a
      learning
      year
      for
      first-
     
     
      year
      coach
      Matt
      Davies.
      The
      Panthers,
     
     
      who
      went
      10-10
      last
      season,
      have
      taken
     
     
      a
      small
      step
      backward.
      Luckily
      for
      them,
     
     
      all
      four
      of
      their
      wins
      have
      been
      four-
     
     
      pointers,
      putting
      them
      in
      a
      comfortable
     
     
      playoff
      position
      with
      eight
      games
      to
     
     
      play.
      The
      top
      six
      teams
      make
      the
      AUS
     
     
      playoffs
      and
      seventh-place
      Memorial
      has
     
     
      eight
      points,
      eight
      back
      of
      the
      Panthers.
     
     
      However,
      the
      Seahawks
      have
      a
      fairly
     
     
      weak
      schedule
      the
      rest
      of
      the
      way
      and
      it
     
     
      could
      come
      down
      to
      two
      games
      between
     
     
      UPEI
      and
      Memorial,
      on
      the
      Rock,
      on
     
     
      the
      final
      weekend
      of
      the
      season.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Panthers
      have
      been
      strong
      statisti-
     
     
      cally
      this
      season.
      While
      being
      outshot
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ,
      74-71.5,
      rebounding
      and
      steals
      have
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Update:
      Down
      The
      Stretch
     
    
   
   
    
     
      sca
     
    
   
   
    
     
      been
      particular
      strong
      points.
      UPEI
      has
     
     
      averaged
      34.1
      rebounds
      and
      7.2
      steals
     
     
      per
      game,
      as
      opposed
      to
      opponents’
      30.6
     
     
      and
      6.5,
      respectively.
      The
      Panthers
      have
     
     
      shot
      just
      under
      45%
      from
      the
      field
      and
     
     
      made
      40%
      of
      their
      three-pointers.
     
    

    
     
      Doug
      McKinney
      leads
      the
      Panthers
     
     
      with
      16.3
      PPG,
      followed
      by
      Sherone
      Ed-
     
     
      wards
      at
      14.7
      and
      Brent
      McLaren
      at
      10.6.
     
     
      McLaren,
      recruited
      last
      summer
      from
     
     
      Capilano
      College
      in
      B.C.,
      has
      proved
      to
     
     
      be
      a
      big
      pick-up
      by
      Davies,
      leading
      the
     
     
      Panthers
      with
      4.1
      assists,
      1.6
      steals.
      He
     
     
      is
      also
      51%
      on
      three-pointers.
      Edwards
     
     
      leads
      the
      team
      with
      9.0
      RPG
      and
      is
     
     
      46.4%
      on
      field
      goals.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      WOMEN’S
      BASKETBALL:
      2-10,
      4
     
     
      pts,
      8"
      in
      AUS
     
    

    
     
      The
      Panthers
      have
      struggled
      under
     
     
      interim
      coach
      Dave
      MacNeill.
      Some
      ad-
     
     
      versity
      was
      expected
      with
      the
      impromptu
     
     
      resignation
      of
      Reagh
      Vidito
      two
      weeks
     
     
      before
      the
      season,
      but
      it’s
      doubtful
      that
     
     
      many
      saw
      this
      coming.
      With
      eight
      games
     
     
      left
      in
      the
      season,
      the
      green
      and
      white
     
     
      ate
      ten
      points
      out
      of
      a
      playoff
      spot
      and
     
     
      eight
      behind
      seventh-place
      Acadia.
      To
     
     
      have
      any
      hope
      whatsoever
      of
      squeaking
     
     
      in,
      they
      must
      win
      the
      three
      four-point
     
     
      games
      left
      on
      their
      schedule,
      as
      well
     
     
      as
      their
      two
      games
      remaining
      against
     
     
      Acadia
      —
      the
      team
      they’ve
      gotten
      both
     
     
      wins
      against.
      If
      they
      fail
      to
      perform
      in
     
     
      those
      games,
      they
      can
      kiss
      the
      playoffs
     
     
      goodbye.
      -
     
    

    
     
      The
      Panthers
      have
      been
      outscored
      by
     
     
      a
      whopping
      14-point
      margin
      this
      season
     
     
      (72-58).
      They
      have
      shot
      just
      36%
      from
     
     
      the
      field
      and
      26.9%
      on
      threes,
      They
      have
     
     
      averaged
      33.7
      RPG
      to
      opponents’
      38.0,
     
     
      7.7
      steals
      to
      opponents’
      9.6,
      and
      10.4
     
     
      assists
      to
      opponents’
      15.9.
      They
      have,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      however,
      out-blocked
      their
      opposition
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      *
      10
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      3-2,
      on
      average.
     
    

    
     
      Melissa~Anne
      Campbell
      leads
      the
     
     
      Panthers
      with
      16.5
      PPG,
      followed
      by
     
     
      Sharise
      Richatds
      (who
      recently
      received
     
     
      the
      $2,500
      Carr,
      Stevenson
      &
      MacKay
     
     
      basketball
      scholarship)
      at
      10.4.
      Rookie
     
     
      Susanne
      Canvin
      leads
      the
      team
      with
      7.7
     
     
      RPG
      and
      has
      a
      wide
      edge
      over
      Lora
     
     
      Morton
      in
      blocks,
      with
      2.4
      per
      game.
     
     
      Jenna
      Kaye
      leads
      in
      the
      assists
      and
      steals
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      departments,
      with
      3.7
      and
      1.8,
      respec-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      tively.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      WOMEN’S
      VOLLEYBALL:
      7-12,
     
     
      14
      pts,
      5°
      in
      AUS
     
    

    
     
      With
      two
      matches
      left
      in
      the
      season
     
     
      heading
      into
      Sunday’s
      game
      against
     
     
      UNB,
      the
      women’s
      volleyball
      Panthers
     
     
      are
      in
      the
      thick
      of
      an
      intense
      three-way
     
     
      race
      for
      the
      final
      two
      playoff
      spots.
      Me-
     
     
      morial
      and
      Cape
      Breton
      are
      tied
      for
      sixth
     
     
      with
      12
      points,
      but
      both
      have
      a
      game
      in
     
     
      hand
      on
      the
      Panthers
      going
      into
      the
      final
     
     
      weekend
      of
      the
      season.
      UPEI
      must
      win
     
     
      its
      final
      match
      against
      last-place
      Dalhou-
     
     
      sie
      and
      hope
      that
      either
      the
      Seahawks
     
     
      ot
      Capers
      lose
      one
      of
      their
      two
      games.
     
     
      That’s
      a
      good
      bet,
      considering
      Memo-
     
     
      rial
      plays
      first-place
      UNB
      twice
      and
      the
     
     
      Capers
      play
      Acadia
      and
      Moncton,
      who
     
     
      sit
      in
      third
      and
      fourth
      place
      respectively.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Panthers
      are
      getting
      noticeably
     
     
      beaten
      on
      kills,
      assists,
      and
      digs
      per
     
     
      game,
      and
      are
      virtually
      even
      with
      their
     
     
      opponents
      in
      terms
      of
      aces.
      They
      have
     
     
      won
      27
      games
      and
      lost
      44.
     
    

    
     
      Erin
      Kinsman
      leads
      the
      Panthers
      with
     
     
      3.3
      points
      per
      game,
      followed
      by
      Kayla
     
     
      Walsh
      at
      2.6.
      Kinsman
      also
      has
      2.3
      kills
     
     
      and
      0.4
      blocks,
      which
      are
      tops
      on
      the
     
     
      team.
      Lindsay
      Fisher
      is
      the
      team’s
      assist
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      leader
      with
      8.7,
      and
      Lindsay
      Rodgerson
     
    
   
   
    
     
      leads
      with
      four
      digs.