St. John’s Falls to Villanova, 1-0, in Overtime

Saturday, March 6

Queens, N.Y. (Belson Stadium)

5 p.m.

St. John's University

3-2-0, 1-2-0

Villanova

1-4-0, 1-2-0

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Villanova	0	0	1	1
St. John's	0	0	0	0

3/6/2021 7:49:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Josh Belluz scores in the 95th minute

By: Andrew O'Connell

Villanova's Josh Belluz broke a scoreless tie with a 95^th minute golden goal, as St. John's fell to the Wildcats, 1-0, on Saturday evening at Belson Stadium.

The Red Storm, which lost at Belson Stadium for the first time this season, fell to 3-2-0 overall, 1-2-0 in BIG EAST play. The Wildcats picked up their first win of the season, improving to 1-4-0, 1-2-0 in conference.

The Johnnies were without several key contributors for the third straight game due to COVID-19 contact tracing protocols. The Red Storm also played without the services of leading scorer and reigning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Tani Oluwaseyi and senior defender Rafael Bustamante due to injury.

Shots were even, 7-7, entering the extra period before Villanova scored on its lone chance of overtime. The Red Storm placed only one shot on goal.

St. John's wasted no time asserting itself in the attacking third, recording two quality scoring chances in the opening five minutes of the game. The first came off an Einar Lye corner kick in the first minute, as Brandon Knapp redirected the ball on goal but was thwarted by Villanova keeper Carson Williams. Three minutes later, Tommy Scalici had an open look in front but his chip narrowly missed its intended target.

The Red Storm registered another quality chance in the 15^th minute, as Anthony Herbert rang a header off the cross bar.

That Herbert try in the 15^th minute would be the Red Storm's last of the half. Villanova recorded just one shot in the opening stanza, a 42^nd minute chance from Dominic Cyriacks that was blocked in the box by Sanoussi Sangary.

With the wind at its back in the second half, Villanova began to pick up the pace, dominating possession of the opening 15 minutes of the period. The Wildcats registered five shots and three corner kicks during that time.

With 30 minutes remaining in regulation, the Red Storm began to counter. Over the next 10 minutes, the Red Storm logged four corner kicks and three shots, one of which was a Johan Aquilon header that missed putting the Johnnies ahead by mere inches.

Scoreless after 90 minutes, the game headed into overtime. Less than five minutes later, Villanova's Josh Belluz scored on the first shot attempt of the extra period.

St. John's will return to action on Wednesday, traveling to Providence for a 3 p.m. contest at Anderson Stadium.