Wayne State sweeps Cornell

The Wayne State Warriors beat visiting Cornell twice this weekend to improve their record to 3-5. WSU won 4-3 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday for their first sweep of the season in their home-opening weekend.

Sophomore Melissa Boal continued to be a critical scoring factor for the Warriors and freshman Chelsea Burnett (pictured) also established her offensive presence with a pair of power-play goals.

Friday's game started slow for the Warriors as the Big Red established a 2-0 lead by the middle of the second period. Boal cut that lead to one with a power-play goal in the last two minutes of the second period. Tina Vanderhoeven and Danielle Wilson assisted. Early in the third, Boal and Vanderhoeven teamed up again for the tying power-play goal. Lindsay DiPietro also picked up an assist.

Although Cornell pulled ahead again, it was Burnett who capitalized on another Warrior power play and evened the score. Katrina Protopapas and Laura Monk were credited with assists. With 20 seconds remaining, Tegan Schroeder and Brandi Frakie were able to set up Sam Poyton for the game-winning goal. Poyton, whose scoring last season was nothing short of legendary, beat the Cornell netminder glove side for the victory.

Tiffany Thompson was in goal for the Warriors - just her second start of the season - and finished with 15 saves.

The power play was once again pivotal for the Warriors in Saturday's contest. Facing a 1-0 deficit, Wayne State came into the second period with the man-advantage. Just 33 seconds in, Boal and Wilson set up DiPietro for her first goal of the season. Five minutes later, Burnett stuffed in Poyton's rebound for her second power-play goal of the weekend.

In the second period, Cornell got a shot past Thompson to tie things up, but it was junior Ashley King's even-strength goal at 11:38 that would stand as the game-winner for the Warriors. King scored her first goal of the season off Frakie's rebound.

Thompson held off the Big Red for the duration of the third period to maintain the Warriors' lead. She finished with 21 saves for her second consecutive win.

Wayne State remains at home this weekend to host Minnesota State.