Boulis Nets Three as Skyhawks Take Season Opener, 4-3

East Stroudsburg, Pa. - Senior Aly Boulis (Lincoln, R.I.) scored three goals, including the eventual gamewinner with less than six minutes to play, as the sixth-ranked Skyhawks opened their 2007 season in style, posting a 4-3 win over host No. 7 East Stroudsburg on Whitenight Field.

After the Warriors took a 2-1 lead late in the first half, Boulis scored back-to-back goals spanning the first and second halves to give Stonehill (1-0) a 3-2 lead 10 minutes into the second stanza.

ESU (0-1) knotted the game at 3-3 when freshman Monica Gombita scored an unassisted tally with 8:51 remaining. Boulis responded minutes later with the decisive score off an assist from junior Kerri Sullivan (Goffstown, N.H.).

Stonehill fell behind early after Jackie Domzalski found the back of the cage for the Warriors 6:03 into the contest. A little more than ten minutes later, sophomore Claire Hourihan (East Amherst, N.Y.) notched the first Skyhawk goal of the season.

ESU snatched the lead back when Rachel Hasselhan scored off a feed from Dominique Scott, but Boulis took charge, scoring three goals over the final 36 minutes of the game.

The Skyhawks had 11 penalty corners compared to eight for East Stroudsburg, but the Warriors held a 16-14 edge in shots.

The game featured two of the nation's best playmakers in Stonehill's Jackie Ladino (North Dartmouth, Mass.) who had 10 assists as a freshman, and ESU's Sarah Cordora, who led the nation in assists a year ago with 14. Both notched helpers in this contest, Ladino on Boulis' first goal and Cordora on Domzalski's tally.

Senior Dani Ryder (Gloucester, Mass.) made fives saves in between the pipes for Stonehill, while Warrior stopper Carolyn Kissling made eight saves for ESU.

The Skywaks return to action on Sunday when they travel to face Philadelphia University. Game time is set for noon.