St. John’s Powers Past DePaul, 4-1

Saturday, October 12

Queens, N.Y. (Belson Stadium)

7 p.m.

St. John's University

5-5-3, 3-1-0

DePaul

5-5-2, 1-2-1

DePaul

St. John's (NY)

10/12/2024 10:18:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Red Storm scored the most goals in a conference game since Oct. 23, 2021

QUEENS, N.Y. – A three-goal first half propelled the St. John's men's soccer team past DePaul, 4-1, at Belson Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Johnnies (5-5-3, 3-1-0 BIG EAST) produced a campaign-high 14 points and 25 shots as a team in the conference triumph. The four-goal outing also marked the most in a BIG EAST contest since stifling Marquette, 4-0, on Oct. 23, 2021. The squad's 10 attempts on target are also the second-most in a game this season.

The duo of Julian Jakopovic and Tyler Morck each produced a three-point showing for the Red Storm, logging a goal and an assist in the contest. Midfielders Eric Danquah and Miguel Diaz each provided a strike against the Blue Demons (5-5-2, 1-2-1 BIG EAST) in Saturday's victory.

Senior attacker Nigel Griffith recorded a stellar outing in his first start of the season, managing a pair of helpers and a shot on target in 53 minutes of work. Augustine Boadi also tallied an assist in his 37 minutes off the bench. Sophomore midfielder Camron Boumsong fired a career-high six shots in his full 90 minutes of work, including one on frame.

The Johnnies controlled the pace through the first 10 minutes. On their first corner of the game, Jakopovic sent a cross into the box and met the head of Boumsong, who knocked his attempt wide right in the seventh minute.

Three minutes later, the Red Storm broke through and took a 1-0 lead. Diaz cruised down the right side before Morck and Griffith played give-and-go from just outside the box. Morck found a wide-open Jakopovic and the German defender fired a bender into the back of the net to take a one-goal advantage.

Just 1:16 later, St. John's doubled its lead behind the trio of Morck, Jakopovic and Griffith again. After reeling in a long cross from Diaz, Jakopovic sent a pass into the box for Griffith, who one-touched a helper to Morck. The Bethpage, N.Y., product ripped a shot from 13 yards out into the top right corner to secure a 2-0 edge.

St. John's rattled off four more shots in prime position, starting with a lasered attempt from Boumsong over the frame in the 19^th minute. Godwin Partey registered a shot on target from 25 yards out just over a minute later before Thomas Lamaille and Martin Kozak recorded one opportunity each before the 30-minute mark.

The Red Storm tripled its lead at 29:40 off the foot of Danquah. In transition, Partey sent a stretch pass to Boadi streaking through the middle of the attacking zone. The Kumasi, Ghana native utilized a back-heel pass to Danquah, sending the senior midfielder behind DePaul's backline. Danquah one-touched the feed and fired his shot past the keeper at the right post for a 3-0 advantage.

The Blue Demons broke through just six minutes after, seeing the BIG EAST's goal leader, Noeh Hernandez, score in the 36^th minute and pulling DePaul within two, 3-1, before the intermission.

St. John's rattled off 16 shots in the opening stanza while outproducing the Blue Demons in corners, 3-0.

Out of the break, Jackson Gould became a force through the first 10 minutes. The Clifton Park, N.Y., native fired an attempt on frame just 90 seconds into the half, seeing his shot turned away by Santiago Davila. The sophomore attacker continued to aggravate the Blue Demons' defenders and found space before ripping another shot on target in the 55^th minute.

The Johnnies continued to fire away with attempts from Jakopovic, Griffith and a pair from Boumsong over the next 20 minutes.

Diaz put the game out of reach in the 78^th minute as the crafty senior chipped the ball through two defenders on the baseline and snuck a shot past the Blue Demons' Davila at the right pipe for a 4-1 edge.

St. John's finished the game outshooting DePaul, 25-7, while adding four corners in the second stanza for a total of seven.

The Red Storm will head up to Providence next Saturday with kick-off from Chapey Field scheduled for 12 p.m. The conference matchup will be streamed on BEDN.