It is one of the first times a P.E.I. soccer team has participated in a major international competition, and the team is bringing home a silver medal.

The team performed extremely well leading up to the gold medal match at the International Island Games in Rhodes, not allowing a goal in three games, but fell in the final to the Finnish archipelago of Aland 3-0.

The team worked hard to get ready, not only for tough competition from the Europeans, but also challenging weather. P.E.I. rarely gets the temperatures, in the 30s, that the women faced in Rhodes. They played against men's teams to gear up for tougher competition, and worked out in heavy clothing in an effort to prepare for the weather.

The games got their start on the Isle of Man in 1985, and are held every two years. P.E.I. was one of 25 member islands, most of which are from Europe, so team members were expecting to face some stiff competition.

Despite heading across the ocean to a culture where soccer is closer to religion than sport, the UPEI women were used to playing at a high level, and winning.

"I think it'll be unreal to see how much time they put into it too, because they have nice weather all year round and they get to be out in the field," team member Ashley Caulier told CBC News going into the tourney.

"Half of them, there would be 10 of them, that were on the [Atlantic University Sport] championship team three years ago," said coach Clarence Frizzell.

"Ten of them were on the silver medal team two years ago in Calgary, so they're a very experienced group."

A big challenge was the difficulty of preparing for the other teams.

"Normally you … know exactly what you're up against," commented Frizzell before the event.

"You've seen the teams, you know their level, but this time we have no idea. It's European competition, there's FIFA teams, so I'm sure the caliber will be very good."

Frizzell said the team is always looking for new tests, to raise itself to the next level.