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UOIT Ridgebacks Media Release
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
UOIT Ridgebacks Women’s Hockey Season Preview – Home Opener Friday Night!!!
Oshawa, Ont. - The UOIT Ridgebacks women’s hockey team is ready to hit the ice on Friday night for their 2008-09 home opener at the Campus Ice Centre. The Ridgebacks will take on the Brock University Badgers at the Dog Pound starting at 7:30 p.m.
2008-09 Season Outlook
The 2008-09 edition of the UOIT Ridgebacks women’s hockey team will feature ten returning players along with the addition of 14 key recruits.
Leading the cast of returning veterans is captain Megan Friel (Pickering, Ont.). Friel was impressive on the blueline last season logging a lot of minutes for the Ridgebacks while containing the league’s top forwards. She will be joined by the 2007-08 UOIT Athlete of the Year Kathleen Edwards (Whitby, Ont.) who played on both the power play and penalty killing units last year.
Rikki Palmateer (Cobourg, Ont.), the Ridgebacks new assistant captain, will look to build off her success from last season as she scored seven goals and added seven assist to lead the team in scoring. Also returning to the line-up will be forwards Jackie McArthur (Oshawa, Ont.), Melissa Bell (Cobourg, Ont.) and Melissa Findlay (Oshawa, Ont.) who should have a large impact on the scoresheet. Vanessa Johnstone (Niagara Falls, Ont.) and Breanne Hadley (Belleville, Ont.) have been added to the Ridgebacks lineup, with both players standing out with their respective junior teams who have a natural ability to find the back of the net.
Head coach Gary Pitcher is excited about his team’s potential heading into the home opener on Friday night. “Last year was a great learning experience for everyone involved with the women’s hockey program at UOIT. This year our team will feature several key recruits along with several returning veterans who are all ready to compete for a playoff position. I cannot wait for our team to hit the ice on Friday night.”
One of the biggest needs heading into the off-season was to build up the defence. Pitcher and the rest of the coaching staff believes they have addressed that need with the addition of Jordan Whately (Cobourg, Ont.), Kara Carter (Whitby, Ont.) and Meggie McNabb (Parry Sound, Ont.) on the blueline.
Joining veteran Carleigh Taggart in net will be Emma Thompson (Hastings, Ont.). The young netminder has looked impressive early in the season and is looking to give Taggart competition for the starter’s role.
With a good showing during the preseason and their opening two games on the road, the Ridgebacks are confident that they will be able to compete for a playoff position heading into only their second season in the OUA. The Ridgebacks home opener will take place on Friday, October 10 vs. Brock University at the Campus Ice Centre. Face off is at 7:30 p.m. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive a free schedule magnet courtesy of Lovell Drugs.
2008-09 ROSTER
# - Name – Position – Hometown
20 - Carleigh Taggart (G) Bowmanville, Ont.
33 - Emma Thompson (G) Hastings, Ont.
2 - Vanessa Johnstone (F) Niagara Falls, Ont.
3 - Melissa Findlay (F) Oshawa, Ont.
4 - Sarah Matthews (F) Whitby, Ont.
5 - Emily Bremer (F) Barrie, Ont.
6 - Nicole Pigeon (F) Scarborough, Ont.
7 - Breanne Hadley (F) Belleville, Ont.
8 - Jackie McArthur (D) Oshawa, Ont.
9 - Katie Grant (F) Oshawa, Ont.
10 - Kirstie Smithurst (F) Oshawa, Ont.
11 - Jessica Cockburn (F) Markham, Ont.
14 - Chrissy Tereshyn (F) Scarborough, Ont.
15 - Tamara Barlow (F) Oshawa, Ont.
16 - Megan Friel (D) Pickering, Ont.
17 - Kara Carter (D) Whitby, Ont.
21 - Jennifer Campitelli (F) Scarborough, Ont.
23 - Kathleen Edwards (D) Whitby, Ont.
24 - Rikki Palmateer (F) Cobourg, Ont.
26 - Melissa Bell (F) Cobourg, Ont.
27 - Amy Johnson (F) Ajax, Ont.
28 - Jordan Whately (D) Cobourg, Ont.
29 - Shantel Brown (D) Gravenhurst, Ont.
56 - Meggie McNabb (D) Parry Sound, Ont.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott Dennis
Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator
Durham College and UOIT Athletics
905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)
905.721.3117 (F)
scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca
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