St. John’s Draws with Butler, 1-1

Thursday, September 30

Queens, N.Y. (Belson Stadium)

7 p.m.

St. John's University

6-2-2, 2-0-1

Butler University

9-1-1, 2-0-1

Butler

St. John's (NY)

9/30/2021 10:06:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

Kajan picks up her 11th goal of the season and the 39th of her career

The St. John's women's soccer team earned one point in the conference standings, playing Butler to a 1-1 draw to remain unbeaten in BIG EAST play on Thursday evening at Belson Stadium.

Zsani Kajan recorded her 11th goal of the season, finding the back of the net in the 15th minute off a long pass from junior Isabelle Aviza. Sophomore forward Nicole Gordon also picked up an assist on Kajan's score to tie Jessica Garziano for a team-high five on the year.

Kajan's 11 goals on the campaign tie a career high for the Budapest, Hungary, native who tallied 11 goals in 2018 and again in 2019. With her tally against the Bulldogs, Kajan bumped her career total to 39 goals and is just one shy of tying Adriana Viola for second on the Red Storm's all-time scoring list.

Reigning BIG EAST goalkeeper of the week Naya Lipkens stopped six shots between the pipes for St. John's (6-2-2, 2-0-1 BIG EAST).

The Red Storm needed just one shot attempt to get on the board, as Kajan struck in the 15th minute on the team's first chance of the game. The sequence began as Gordon sent a pass to Aviza who corralled the ball before finding a streaking Kajan at the top of the box. The 5-foot-7 forward beat out her defender and sent a towering shot into an open net, putting the Johnnies ahead, 1-0.

In need of an equalizer, Butler (9-1-1, 2-0-1 BIG EAST) tried to press the issue in the Red Storm's defensive zone, but the Johnnies stood tall. With seven minutes remaining in the half, the Bulldogs nearly broke through but Katherine Turner made a diving block to keep St. John's on top, 1-0 at the intermission.

Butler tied it in the 62nd minute, as Katie Soderstrom headed one past Lipkens to knot the score at one apiece.

Following the goal, St. John's continued to battle offensively, but the Red Storm could not find the back of the net again. In the two overtime periods, the Johnnies had one more chance, as Ava Collins' shot was stopped by the Bulldogs' keeper and the match ended in a draw.

The Johnnies return to action on Oct. 7, as the squad travels to Cincinnati for a 7 p.m. meeting with Xavier.