St. John’s Draws No. 4 Akron, 1-1

Saturday, September 23

Queens, N.Y. (Belson Stadium)

7 p.m.

St. John's University

4-3-2, 0-1-1

No. 4 Akron

5-0-4, 0-0-2

Akron

St. John's (NY)

9/23/2023 11:01:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Red Storm staves off 16 second-half shots from Akron with nine players on the field

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's men's soccer team nearly defied the blustery weather conditions to pull off an upset against No. 4 Akron, picking up a 1-1 draw with multiple men down at Belson Stadium on Friday evening.

Striker Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau booted home his team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 28^th minute on assists from Ank Nibogora and Macoumba Ba. Nigobora earned his first career point with the Red Storm while Ba picked up his third helper and ninth point of the year.

Goalkeeper Alec McLachlan battled in the box, seeing the Zips rip 16 of its 18 total shots in the second half while matching a season-high five saves on Friday.

St. John's (4-3-2, 0-1-1 BIG EAST) remains undefeated at Belson, holding a 3-0-1 mark in Queens this season.

Ba broke through two defenders and put a strike just past the far post for the team's first chance of the game in the fourth minute. After a Thomas Lamaille shot sailed high, both teams were held off the scoresheet, offensively, with neither registering a shot on goal for 23 minutes.

The Johnnies found themselves playing with a man down from the 26^th minute on, but that did not stop the Red Storm as the squad cashed in with a 28^th-minute strike.

Lamaille kept the ball inbounds on the near sideline before ripping a pass to a streaking Ba just above the 18-yard box. The Louisville transfer tapped a pass ahead for Nibogora inside the 18 before feeding Fleuriau Chateau in close. The Canadian attacker spun around the Akron defender and rocketed a point-blank shot past the Zips' keeper for his sixth of the season, giving the Johnnies a 1-0 edge.

Playing with just 10 men, Akron (5-0-4, 0-0-2 BIG EAST) turned on the jets and began to pressure the Red Storm. McLachlan remained steady over the final 15 minutes of the half, making a key save on a header in close from Zips' forward Alejandro Varela in the 33^rd minute.

St. John's staved off late threats from the No. 4 team in the nation, blocking away several crosses inside the 18-yard box, including a pair in the final minute of the frame. The Johnnies also held the Zips to just two shots in the opening period.

The Red Storm felt immediate pressure from Akron to start the second half. Less than two minutes into the frame, McLachlan and the Johnnies faced an onslaught with three shots in less than 10 seconds.

The Stockport, England native left his line for the first save on a redirected pass, followed by a goal-line stop from Justin Kopay on the second shot. The senior defender proceeded to make a game-saving stop with his hand on the third chance that unfortunately resulted in a straight red card and an Akron penalty kick, but the Zips' Jason Shokalook shanked his attempt high in the 48^th minute to keep the Red Storm ahead by one.

Five minutes later, the Johnnies faced another slew of Akron chances, blocking a pair of shots at the top of the box and clearing both attempts over the span of 25 seconds in the 53^rd minute.

The Red Storm goalkeeper continued to keep the No. 4 team off the board with crucial saves in the 60^th and 66^th minutes before a header deep in the six-yard box at the 78^th minute forced McLachlan to make a diving stop to his left, preventing the Zips for tying the game.

The visitors eventually found the back of the net in the 82^nd minute on a backheel goal from Rui Reis to knot the game at one.

The Johnnies held off the Zips down the stretch, deflecting a pair of shots and making several clear attempts over the final eight minutes to log a 1-1 draw.

St. John's will return to action on Tuesday when the team hits the road to face Marquette in a 7 p.m. tilt.