St. John's University Athletics
St. John's to Host Providence on Friday
10/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
QUEENS, N.Y. -
The winners of three straight, the St. John's women's soccer team will host Providence in the Red Storm's regular season finale at Belson Stadium on Friday night. Prior to the match, the team will honor six Johnnies in their final regular season home game.
Friday's match will be streamed live on the BIG EAST Digital Network. Michael Watts will have the call with John Fanta on the sideline.
FREE KICKS
In its last outing, the Red Storm knocked off Villanova, 1-0, to clinch a spot in the BIG EAST Championship field for the fourth time in as many seasons and the fifth time in the last seven years. Anna Maria Baldursdottir scored the game-winning goal in the 67th minute, giving the Red Storm its third-straight win in conference play. Diana Poulin made eight saves en route to her 11th shutout of the season, which set a new single-season program record. For her efforts, the senior earned her second-straight BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week honor and was named an honorable mention selection to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week.
The Red Storm's defense has carried the team throughout the season. In front of the two-time defending BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year Poulin, the backline of Baldursdottir, Alexis Urbanski, Mikhaila Martinov and Jesse Schaefer has started every game for the Johnnies in 2016, holding opponents to just nine goals in 17 games, good enough for a BIG EAST leading GAA of 0.49. Sporting the nation's ninth-best team GAA, the Red Storm has shut out 65 percent of its opponents, which ranks eighth in Division I. Individually, Poulin ranks in the top 15 nationally in many major statistical categories, while also leading the conference in those areas. Poulin ranks third in the NCAA in shutouts (11), 11th in GAA (0.44) and ninth in save percentage (.881).
• Entering play on Friday, the Red Storm and Friars are separated by just two points in the BIG EAST standings. Providence has tallied 16 points in conference play, while the Johnnies have recorded 14. The winner of Friday's match guarantees themselves a home game in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Championship that will be played on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
SCOUTING PROVIDENCE
Providence enters Friday's match after a 1-0 win over Seton Hall in its last outing on Sunday. The Friars improved to 11-5-2 overall and 5-2-1 in BIG EAST action. In the BIG EAST standings, the Friars are currently fourth, just two points ahead of the fifth-place Red Storm.
Friday's match will feature two of the top three defenses in the BIG EAST. Behind St. John's league-leading 11 shutouts, the Friars have registered 10 clean sheets, good enough for second in the conference.
• Providence is led by Kathryn Hiller, who leads the team with eight goals and 17 points. Hiller's goal total ranks sixth in the BIG EAST, while her point total is good enough for 10th.
ST. JOHN'S VS. PROVIDENCE - THE SERIES
St. John's and Providence have met 28 times in the history of the two programs with the all-time series tied at 13-13-2.
Over the last five meetings, Providence is 3-2-0 dating back to 2011. During that time, the Friars are unbeaten at Belson Stadium, topping the Red Storm, 2-0, in 2012 and 1-0 in 2014. Last season, the Johnnies came away with a 1-0 victory at Providence thanks to a thrilling 89th-minute goal by Rachel Daly.
