St. John’s Wins Thriller Against Harvard, 4-3, Garziano Breaks Assist Record

Sunday, September 17

Queens, N.Y. (Belson Stadium)

1 p.m.

St. John's University

5-1-2, 0-0-0

Harvard

5-2-1, 0-0-0

Harvard

St. John's (NY)

St. John’s Wins Thriller Against Harvard, 4-3, Garziano Breaks Assist Record

9/17/2023 5:09:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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Garziano breaks school record for assists with the 28th of her career

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's women's soccer team came out victorious in an absolute thriller against Harvard on Sunday afternoon, 4-3.

The Red Storm scored an incredible three goals in just 4:55 to regain the lead during the closing stages of the first half to take the lead. Lauryn Tran buried the game-winner in the 62nd minute on a record-shattering assist from Jessica Garziano.

Garziano recorded a season-high two goals to go-along with her historic assist. The Melville, N.Y., native recorded five points the most by a Red Storm player this season and now has logged 16 (5 goals and 6 assists) on the year.

With the crucial game-winning assist, Garziano became the all-time program leader in assists surpassing Jamie Clark, who tallied 27 from 1997-2000. The graduate student now sits alone as the St. John's women's soccer top distributor with 28.

Tran tallied a career-high two goals and had her first-ever game-winner in Sunday's crucial non-conference victory.

Nicole Gordon matched a career-high with two assists, her most since Oct. 24, 2021. Jailene DeJesus and Angelina Scoma also tallied helpers at Belson Stadium.

Defensively, goaltender Maria O' Sullivan registered four saves on the afternoon. Tran and Katherine Turner recorded massive defensive stops at the goal line.

The four goals were the most St. John's (5-1-2) has scored since Sept. 2, 2021, when it defeated Lehigh, 4-0.

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Harvard (5-2-1) maintained possession in the early going as neither team created any threatening chances in the opening 20 minutes.

The visitors began to turn up the heat as a shot off a corner kick from the Crimson's Ava Lung nearly went over the goal line but was headed away by Tran in the 26th minute.

The Crimson struck first just moments later as Olof Kristinsdottir fired a strike into the bottom corner of the twine on an assist from Taylor Fasnacht.

Harvard continued to press in its attacking third and Kristindottir converted once again blowing one into the Johnnies net to put her side up, 2-0, in the 33rd minute.

St. John's then roared back as Scoma played a through ball to Gordon, who fired one on frame. The senior's strike was stopped by Anna Karpenko and fell to the feet of Tran, who sent it past the outstretched leg of a Crimson defender and into the middle of the net.

The Red Storm wasted no time as just 1:10 later, Gordon popped a pass over the Harvard backline and onto the feet of a streaking Garziano, who rocketed the volley to tally the equalizer.

With just 53 seconds remaining in the half, a Crimson handball sent Garziano to the penalty spot. The Long Island product converted her second penalty of the year to complete a resounding comeback in just 4:55 that the Red Storm took to the locker room, 3-2.

Just 50 seconds into the second half, St. John's turned the ball over and Harvard's Gabby DePico capitalized on an open net to bring the game level once again, 3-3.

In the 62nd minute, St. John's looked to regain its lead as DeJesus played a ball across to Garziano, who found Tran inside the 18-yard box for the game-winning strike.

The Crimson wouldn't go down without a fight and continued to generate opportunities. The visitors most promising chance for an equalizer came off a corner kick in the 79th minute. August Hunter put one on frame, but it was knocked away by the feet of Turner on the goal line, to hold the lead.

St. John's held strong in the final 10 minutes to preserve its first-ever win as a program over Harvard.

Sunday marked the final non-conference contest for the Johnnies as they finish out-of-league play with a 5-1-2 record. On Thursday, BIG EAST play will commence when the Red Storm host No. 10 Georgetown for the final leg of a four-game homestand.