St. John's University Athletics
Thursday, November 4
Cincinnati, Ohio (Corcoran Field)
5 p.m.
St. John's University
at
No. 11 Xavier University
St. John’s Heads to No.11 Xavier for BIG EAST Semifinal
11/3/2021 2:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Johnnies and Musketeers will showdown at 5 p.m. on Thursday
On the heels of a 2-1 win over Providence on Sunday in the quarterfinal round of the BIG EAST Championship, the fourth-seeded St. John's women's soccer team heads to Cincinnati to battle with top-seeded Xavier on Thursday night. The two teams are slated to kick off at 5 p.m. from Corcoran Field.
The match between the Johnnies and the Musketeers is the first of two semifinals on Thursday, with Georgetown and Butler set to play at 7:30 p.m., also at Corcoran Field. Both matches will be live streamed on the BIG EAST Digital Network on FloSports.
The winners of Thursday's matches will advance to Sunday's Championship, set to be played at 1:30 p.m. at Corcoran Field. The Championship will be aired of FS1.
The Red Storm has earned a spot in the conference semifinals for the first time since the 2016 season thanks to the extra-time heroics from junior forward Isabelle Aviza. The Medway, Mass., native delivered the game-winning goal just 24 seconds into overtime for her fourth of the season and the sixth of her Red Storm career.
Frederique St.-Jean converted on the Johnnies' first goal of the match for her second tally of the campaign. Sophomore forward Nicole Gordon picked up her eighth assist of the year on St.-Jean's goal. With eight assists this season, Gordon is tied with Jessica Garziano for the most on the team, good enough to sit third overall in the BIG EAST.
On Monday, a trio of Johnnies were recognized by the conference office for their stellar efforts this year. After leading the BIG EAST in scoring over the 2021 regular season, Zsani Kajan was named the league's top offensive player. Kajan also garnered the accolade in 2019, as she is just the second Johnnie in program history to receive the award on two different occasions. Kajan joins the Red Storm's all-time leading scorer Rachel Daly, who was recognized in 2013 and 2015. Additionally, Kajan earned a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team for the third time in her Red Storm career. Garziano and rookie Athina Sofroniou were also praised by the league's coaches, finding a place on the All-BIG EAST Second Team and the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
Xavier enters the conference semifinal after a week and a half off from action after being named the BIG EAST Regular Season Champions. The Musketeers are boasting a 16-1-1 record and went 9-1-0 in conference action. Offensively, the Musketeers are led by Chloe Netzel, who earned a spot on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. Netzel has found the back of the net a team-high six times this season for Xavier.
In addition to Netzel, the Musketeers saw five other players earn All-BIG EAST honors, as well as three major award winners. Senior Olivia Jenkins was named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and Ella Rogers earned the league's Freshman of the Year honors. Additionally, head coach Nate Lie and his staff earned BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year recognition.
St. John's and Xavier will meet for the ninth time in program history and the second time this season. In the two programs regular-season matchup, the Musketeers used a second-half goal to defeat the Johnnies, 1-0. The Red Storm is 6-2 all-time against the Musketeers with a 3-1 mark at Corcoran Field. Thursday's contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams in the BIG EAST Championship.
The match between the Johnnies and the Musketeers is the first of two semifinals on Thursday, with Georgetown and Butler set to play at 7:30 p.m., also at Corcoran Field. Both matches will be live streamed on the BIG EAST Digital Network on FloSports.
The winners of Thursday's matches will advance to Sunday's Championship, set to be played at 1:30 p.m. at Corcoran Field. The Championship will be aired of FS1.
The Red Storm has earned a spot in the conference semifinals for the first time since the 2016 season thanks to the extra-time heroics from junior forward Isabelle Aviza. The Medway, Mass., native delivered the game-winning goal just 24 seconds into overtime for her fourth of the season and the sixth of her Red Storm career.
Frederique St.-Jean converted on the Johnnies' first goal of the match for her second tally of the campaign. Sophomore forward Nicole Gordon picked up her eighth assist of the year on St.-Jean's goal. With eight assists this season, Gordon is tied with Jessica Garziano for the most on the team, good enough to sit third overall in the BIG EAST.
On Monday, a trio of Johnnies were recognized by the conference office for their stellar efforts this year. After leading the BIG EAST in scoring over the 2021 regular season, Zsani Kajan was named the league's top offensive player. Kajan also garnered the accolade in 2019, as she is just the second Johnnie in program history to receive the award on two different occasions. Kajan joins the Red Storm's all-time leading scorer Rachel Daly, who was recognized in 2013 and 2015. Additionally, Kajan earned a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team for the third time in her Red Storm career. Garziano and rookie Athina Sofroniou were also praised by the league's coaches, finding a place on the All-BIG EAST Second Team and the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
Xavier enters the conference semifinal after a week and a half off from action after being named the BIG EAST Regular Season Champions. The Musketeers are boasting a 16-1-1 record and went 9-1-0 in conference action. Offensively, the Musketeers are led by Chloe Netzel, who earned a spot on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. Netzel has found the back of the net a team-high six times this season for Xavier.
In addition to Netzel, the Musketeers saw five other players earn All-BIG EAST honors, as well as three major award winners. Senior Olivia Jenkins was named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and Ella Rogers earned the league's Freshman of the Year honors. Additionally, head coach Nate Lie and his staff earned BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year recognition.
St. John's and Xavier will meet for the ninth time in program history and the second time this season. In the two programs regular-season matchup, the Musketeers used a second-half goal to defeat the Johnnies, 1-0. The Red Storm is 6-2 all-time against the Musketeers with a 3-1 mark at Corcoran Field. Thursday's contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams in the BIG EAST Championship.
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
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