Stonehill Fires Past UMass Dartmouth, 7-2

Kevin Aufiero registered a hat-trick in Stonehill's 7-2 victory over UMass Dartmouth (PHOTO BY Richard Orr).

Hat-tricks from Aufiero and DePoalo help the Skyhawks push past the Corsairs.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (January 29, 2013) - The Stonehill Skyhawks skated to a 7-2 victory over the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs in a non-conference matchup Tuesday night at the Memorial Ice Arena in New Bedford, Mass.

Forwards Kevin Aufiero (Canton, Mass.) and Thomas DePoalo (Mendham, N.J.) both recorded hat-tricks for the Skyhawks, who erupted for seven goals on the night. Senior captain Dana Borges (Taunton, Mass.) recorded his 15th goal of the year and added two assists on the evening. Bryan Rooney (Canton, Mass.), the reigning NE-10 Player of the Week, registered three assists for Stonehill and now has 11 points in his last three games. Five other players earned points for the Skyhawks including assists from J.J. Sabin (Milton, Mass) and Nate Soter (Danvers, Mass.).

Sophomore Chris Tasiopoulos (Norwell, Mass.) collected 38 saves for the Skyhawks while senior goaltender Ryan Williams (Milton, Ontario) made 13 saves for the Corsairs. Williams replaced junior Ben Vandervies (Hanna, Alberta), who recorded 14 saves before being pulled midway through the second period. Dartmouth outshot Stonehill 40-33 on the night.

Senior Phil Bronner (Wilbraham, Mass.) led the way for the Corsairs, scoring both goals for the team. Dave McDonald (Wakefield, Mass.) collected his eighth and ninth assists for Dartmouth. The Corsairs also got assists from Nate Dupere (Fall River, Mass.) and Nick Marquis (Londonderry, N.H.).

Stonehill jumped on the board 3:23 into the game when Aufiero collected his first goal on assists from Rooney and Brendan Greene (Weymouth, Mass.). Aufiero notched his second of the game 37 seconds into the second period to put the Skyhawks up 2-0.

J.J. Sabin dished out two assists in Tuesday night's victory (PHOTO BY Richard Orr).

Borges put Stonehill up 3-0 at 4:01 of the second period when he collected a pass from Rooney and slipped it by Vandervies. The Skyhawks went up 4-0 a minute and seven seconds later when DePoalo potted his first of the game on assists from Richard Harris (Grand Island, N.Y.) and Sabin.

Bronner put the Corsairs on the board at 8:36 of the second period when he beat Tasiopoulos from Dupere and McDonald. UMass Dartmouth added some momentum when Bronner clocked his second goal just 31 seconds later again from McDonald and Marquis.

DePoalo stopped any thoughts of a comeback when he scored his second goal of the game a minute later. He added his third goal in the final stanza on Rooney's third assist of the game. Aufiero also collected his hat-trick in the third on assists from Soter and Borges at 18:29.

Stonehill (10-11-0, 5-2-0 NE-10) returns home to the Foxboro Sports Center on Saturday to take on Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference action. Next up for UMass Dartmouth (7-7-4, 6-3-3 MASCAC) is a date with Worcester State on Thursday, January 31 at Memorial Ice Arena at 7:30.

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