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EAST STROUDSBURG – Junior forwards Monica Wood and Amy Strauser scored first-half goals and freshman forward Mallory Johnson had a goal and two assists, leading No. 14-ranked East Stroudsburg University to a 6-1 win over Mercyhurst in PSAC women's soccer on Saturday afternoon at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

Six players scored goals and 10 recorded a point for ESU (1-0-1), the four-time defending PSAC champion, which opened its season with a 1-1 (2OT) tie vs. No. 8 West Chester on Thursday with Wood scoring the game-tying goal in the 59th minute.

Sophomore midfielder Haley Skove, junior midfielder Danielle Cary, Johnson and junior midfielder Nicole Abbott scored in the second half for the Warriors.

Amata Valentini scored Mercyhurst's goal in the 56th minute after ESU led 3-0. The Lakers (0-2), picked 10th in the 17-team PSAC preseason poll, fell 1-0 to Seton Hill in its opener on Thursday.

Wood's 22nd-minute goal was assisted by junior forward Jules Sicker, and Strauser connected in the 40th minute on an assist from Johnson.

Skove, an All-Region selection as a freshman who scored ESU's goal in a 1-0 win vs. West Chester in the PSAC championship game, scored on an assist from senior forward Alex Pickett in the 49th minute after the Warriors took a 2-0 lead into locker room.

Pickett moved into a tie for seventh on ESU's career points list (59) on 23 goals and 13 assists. She assisted on Wood's goal vs. West Chester in the opener. A two-time All-Region selection, Pickett led the Atlantic Region in goals (14) and points (33) as a sophomore in 2016.

Cary scored on a corner kick by junior midfielder Jessica Woodbyrne in the 64th minute to make it 4-1.

The final two goals were scored just over two minutes apart, by Johnson – assisted by senior back Danielle Curran – in the 76th minute, and Abbott – on a corner kick by Johnson – in the 78th minute.

Sophomore goalkeeper Megan Young made two saves for ESU, which held advantages of 18-8 in shots and 9-0 in corner kicks.

Vilde Wold had seven saves for Mercyhurst.

ESU travels to Goldey-Beacom for one of its two non-conference games this season on Wednesday at 3 p.m., before a trip to Seton Hill for a PSAC game next Saturday.


GAME NOTES

Warriors nationally-ranked under Berkowitz:
* both ESU teams, under Coach Berkowitz, were nationally-ranked entering Saturday for the first time in 10 years
* won by aggregate 10-1 scoreline, including #25 MSOC's 4-0 win at Felician
* previous time with both teams ranked - November 14, 2008:
  #23 WSOC W 4-0 vs. WV Wesleyan (at West Chester) in NCAA Tournament (1st NCAA win in program history)
  #14 MSOC L 1-0 (OT) vs. Slippery Rock (at Millersville) in NCAA Tournament

ESU career points
1. 178 – Terri Meierhofer (1994-97)
2. 137 – Justina Woolf (1997-98, 00-01)
3. 113 – Jenn Russo (1993-96)
4. 101 – Karen Hansen (1993-96)
5. 82 – Lynda Hicks (2003-04, 07-08)
6. 70 – Shea Neal  (2013-16)
t-7. 59 – Alex Pickett (2015-   )
t-7. 59 – Sammi Jo Hughes (2012-15)
9. 58 – Lindsay Foder (2007-10)
10. 54 – Megan Bundens (1994-96)