Islanders added to UPEI Women's Hockey roster
UPEI Women's Hockey continues to add to its roster and the latest additions are Islanders Samantha (Sam) Sweet and Melanie Matthews. Both women played with the Western Wind in the provincial midget AA female hockey league this past season and for Team PEI at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax.
Sam Sweet started her love of hockey after her very first ice session at Dave Cameron's ‘Sun'n'Ice Hockey Camp' in O'Leary, and joined the O'Leary Minor Hockey Association at the age of six.
Her Western Wind team captured the provincial midget AA championship in 2009-10 and Sweet was named MVP of the tournament as well as serving as assistant captain. She also was assistant captain of the 2009 PEI under-17 hockey team which captured the bronze medal at the Atlantic Challenge Cup.
In 2010, Sweet's hard work and dedication paid off when she was selected to attend the 2011 Canada Games as part of Team PEI. Named assistant captain, Sweet helped the team earn a seventh-place finish, the best ever in PEI female hockey history.
Sweet captained her 2010-11 club team which finished second in the provincial championship, but earned the right to represent PEI in the Atlantic Championship in Montague.
Coach Bruce Donaldson is very pleased that Sweet is suiting up for Panther hockey. He said, 'Sam was a key player for Team PEI's Canada Winter Games program this past year and was her club team's top scorer, leading them to the provincial championship game last month. Sam brings great work ethic to her game, always wants to compete, and has a great finishing touch around the net.'
Meanwhile, Melanie Matthews started playing hockey at the age of eight. She played peewee AAA boys hockey followed by five years of midget AA girls hockey. She has progressed through the PEI ‘Program of Excellence' since the age of 12 leading her to also make the 2011 Canada Winter Games team.
A defensive player, she always plays an aggressive game of hockey. Coach Donaldson explained, 'Melanie brings an aggressive style of play to the blue line, loves to mix it up, and competes at a high level at all times. She will add quickness on the back end, has a strong outlet pass, and plays with an edge.'
Matthews said, 'I am looking forward to entering my first year at UPEI in the Science program and continuing on with my hockey career as a Panther. It will be a challenge to manage hockey and a full course load, but playing with a university team has been my goal all along. Go Panthers Go!'
Donaldson added, 'It is always great to see top players stay on the Island to continue their hockey careers and, at the same time, gain a quality education at UPEI.'
