St. John’s Bounces Xavier, 1-0

Sunday, October 21

Cincinnati, Ohio (XU Soccer Complex)

1:00 PM

St. John's University

9-7-1, 5-2-1BE

Xavier

10-7-1, 4-3-1BE

St. John's

Xavier

10/21/2018 4:17:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Christina Bellero scores the game-winning goal in the 41st minute

By: Victoria Lanza

Christina Bellero recorded the St. John's women's soccer team's lone goal en route to a 1-0 road victory over Xavier on Sunday afternoon, helping the Johnnies to their fourth-straight win, as the team remains undefeated in their last five contests.

With the win, and a Butler loss to Georgetown the Red Storm (9-7-1, 5-2-1 BIG EAST) is now tied for second with the Bulldogs in conference standings and have lock up a BIG EAST Tournament berth. In addition, the Johnnies will host either the first or semifinal round depending on team's overall finish.

Bellero registered the Red Storm's game winner in the 41st minute off a pass from Samie Scaffidi. The tally marked Bellero's sixth of the year and third this week. Scaffidi's helper bumped her team-leading assist total to seven over the course of the 2018 campaign.

Meredith Reinhardt put forth another stellar effort between the pipes for St. John's, making a career-high nine saves on afternoon four her fourth clean sheet of the 2018 season.

Xavier outshot the Johnnies, 19-3, including a lopsided 9-2 advantage in shots on goal. However the Musketeers were unable to break through the Red Storm's potent back line to record the equalizer.

Xavier controlled possession in the early going of the opening period, registering eight of the game's first nine shots. However the Johnnies needed just two shot attempts to capitalize with a goal in the 41st minute and take a 1-0 lead. The sequence began when Scaffidi made a breakaway before playing a long pass into the box from 10 yards out for Bellero. The senior from Melville, N.Y., flicked the ball, finishing in the left corner of the cage and putting the Johnnies on the board with a 1-0 lead.

The Red Storm had an opportunity to make it a two-goal game in the 72nd minute, when Scaffidi sent a pass to Lucy Whipp. The Ormskirk, England, native dribbled around her defender before planting a shot toward the right post but Toni Bizzaro came up with the stop to keep the score, 1-0.

St. John's has just one regular season match remaining, as the squad welcomes DePaul to Belson Stadium on Thursday evening for a 7 p.m. tilt.