St. John’s Draws Against Providence, 0-0

Saturday, October 7

Queens, N.Y. (Belson Stadium)

7 p.m.

St. John's University

6-3-3, 1-1-2

Providence

4-4-3, 1-1-2

Providence

St. John's (NY)

Photo by: BWILLSCHPHOTO

10/7/2023 9:57:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Goalkeeper Alec McLachlan turns away six shots on target in third clean sheet of the season

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's men's soccer team relied on a steady performance from goalkeeper Alec McLachlan and solid defense to preserve a 0-0 clean sheet against Providence at Belson Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Stockport, England native stared down 10 shots in total by the Friars, turning away all six tries on target. McLachlan has made 30 saves this season and moves to 5-3-2 on the year.

Macoumba Ba led all Johnnies with three shots on the evening while Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau and Colin Veltri put the Red Storm's lone two chances on frame.

The Red Storm matched Providence in total shots with 10 while outproducing the Friars in corner kicks, 6-4.

Providence (4-4-3, 1-1-2 BIG EAST) produced an early opportunity from just outside the box, but McLachlan made a diving stop to his left on Nathan Messer's shot in the fourth minute.

The Johnnies' keeper made an identical save to his left nearly 18 minutes later, turning away a shot from Pearse O'Brien deep in the 18-yard box at 20:15.

The Red Storm (6-3-3, 1-1-2 BIG EAST) turned on the jets six minutes later as Ba, Eric Danquah and Max McNulty unloaded shots over a 20-second span, giving St. John's three premier opportunities midway through the frame.

Fleuriau Chateau produced the Johnnies' top chance of the first half, reeling in a lead pass from McNulty before ripping a shot from inside the 18 toward Providence goalkeeper Lukas Burns, who narrowly punched away the striker's chance. Both squads entered the break in a scoreless tie despite the Red Storm outshooting the Friars, 5-4.

Following a quiet start to the second half that featured an early save by McLachlan on Rodrigo Vaza at 48:24, both teams were held out of the shot column until Providence registered four shots in 90 seconds. McLachlan reeled in the Friars' final shot of the exchange at 61:39.

Two minutes later, defender Justin Kopay intercepted a lead pass in the Red Storm's attacking third, creeping into the 18-yard box before his touch pass led Nigel Griffith into open space. The senior forward one-touched the pass to himself before seeing his point-blank chance blocked from just outside the six on a slide tackle from the Friars in the 64^th minute.

Griffith continued to attack Providence's back line, dancing through the top of the box in the 74^th minute before hitting a breaking Veltri down the right side. The sophomore midfielder rocketed a right-footed shot on target with Burns getting his hands on the shot again and keeping the score deadlocked at zero.

McLachlan returned the favor with a sprawling save in the 82^nd minute, denying Gevork Diarbian on a breakaway and eventually holding on for the clean sheet.

The Johnnies will hit the road for its next contest on Oct. 14, taking on Villanova at Higgins Soccer Complex in a 1 p.m. tilt.