St. John’s Blanks UConn, 1-0

Saturday, March 20

Storrs, Conn. (Morrone Stadium)

2 p.m.

St. John's University

5-4-0, 3-4-0

Connecticut

1-3-1, 0-3-1

Team	1	2	Final F
St. John's	1	0	1
UConn	0	0	0

3/20/2021 4:56:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Red Storm completes regular-season sweep of the Huskies

By: Andrew O'Connell

The St. John's men's soccer team snapped a two-game skid and picked up three crucial points in the BIG EAST standings with a 1-0 win over Connecticut on Saturday afternoon at Morrone Stadium.

Einar Lye recorded the game's lone goal for the Red Storm (5-4-0, 3-4-0 BIG EAST), converting on a penalty kick in the 33^rd minute of action. The play that drew the penalty also resulted in a red card for UConn's Josh Morgan, as the Huskies (1-3-1, 0-3-1 BIG EAST) played the final 57 minutes with only 10 men.

Luka Gavran and Jan Hoffelner combined for their fourth shutout of the campaign, as the goalkeeping tandem recorded three saves apiece for the Red Storm.

Shots were 11-9 in favor of St. John's on the afternoon, but the Huskies enjoyed a 6-4 edge in shots on goal. The Johnnies earned seven corners to the Huskies' three.

Before the Red Storm's first-half penalty kick, it looked as if the Huskies might take an early lead thanks to an attempt from the penalty spot. In the 21^st minute, Moussa Wade tried to beat Gavran to his left, but the keeper guessed correctly and smothered the shot to keep UConn off the board.

Gavran made another stop in the 30^th minute before the Red Storm converted on its penalty kick opportunity in the 33^rd. UConn keeper Jahmali Waite guessed correctly, but Lye's try snuck under his outstretched hand and into the back of the net.

Playing with 10 men and a one-goal deficit, UConn still managed to apply pressure in the attacking third.

Okem Chime recorded the first shot of the latter stanza in the 51^st minute, but Hoffelner came up with the save. St. John's nearly broke through in the five minutes following that Hoffelner stop, earning three corners and firing off the three shots, the last of which saw Waite turned aside a try from Matt Forster.

Hoffelner then logged saves in the 66^th and 78^th minutes to preserve the clean sheet for St. John's.

With just over five minutes remaining, the Red Storm managed to hold off one last UConn push, clearing the zone twice following a pair of corner kicks.

Josiah Crawford nearly gave the Red Storm a two-goal cushion in the 87^th minute, but his shot rang off the post.

St. John's returns to action next weekend, traveling to Villanova for a 3:30 p.m. showdown with the Wildcats.