Boal nets 100th, Warriors sweep

By Tom Balog / Wayne State Beat Writer

The Wayne State Warriors (12-3-1, 4-0-0 CHA) fought thorugh deficits in both games at Niagara over the weekend and were rewarded by closing the year with an important CHA sweep of the Purple Eagles.

Melissa Boal scored a pair of historic goals as the Warriors posted a 5-3 win on Friday night.

The Green and Gold trailed 2-0 in the first period before Boal buried a power-play marker at 19:21 to put WSU on the board.

With the goal, Boal became just the fifth player since women's hockey became a recognized NCAA Division I sport in 2000-01 to reach 100 career goals.

Veronique Laramee-Paquette tied up the score with her sixth of the season at 3:24 of the second period.

Frances McPhail notched the hat trick and put Niagara back on top, 3-2, with her second power-play goal less than a minute later.

The Warriors knotted the score back up as Laramee-Paquette smacked in her second of the night with the man advantage at 16:59.

Boal registered her 101st and that turned out to be the game-winner at 17:55 of the second.

Sam Poyton stepped up to the history-making doorstep and put icing on the cake with an empty-net goal at 19:40 of the third period. It was Poyton’s 99th career goal in a Wayne State sweater.

Lindsey Park stopped 23 shots in net for WSU for the victory.

Jenni Bauer started in net for the Purps and turned away 19 of 23 shots in two periods. Jill Zelonis mopped up in the third and was perfect in blocking 18 attempts.

Wayne State came from behind again as they tripped up the Eagles, 4-2, in the series finale at the Dwyer Arena.

Boal scored her third of the weekend on the power play at 15:56 of the first period.

Sandwiched around Boal’s goal was a Leah Whittaker goal at 1:27 and another McPhail goal, this time shorthanded at 18:18 to give NU a 2-1 lead.

After a scoreless second period, the Warriors exploded with three lamp lighters in the third period.

Lindsay DiPietro started the barrage with a shortie at 6:09.

Amanda Hungle (pictured) added the game-winner with a redirect on the power-play at 9:34. The goal marked the fifth straight game that Wayne State has had at least two power-play tallies.

Then DiPietro closed out the night with an empty netter with 31-seconds left on the clock.

Delayne Brian stopped 24 of 26 shots for her eighth win of the season.

Jill Zelonis was peppered with 29 shots in the NU net.

The victory gave the Warriors their ninth win in their last ten games and eighth "W" in a row against the Purple Eagles. Wayne State is now 15-16-0 all-time against Niagara.

Wayne State is now off for the holiday break until Jan. 2-3 when they’ll battle St. Cloud State and North Dakota at the Easton/St. Cloud State Showcase.