Martin Kozak Provides Equalizer in St. John’s 1-1 Draw at RV Providence

Saturday, October 19

Providence, R.I. (Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium)

12 p.m.

St. John's University

5-5-4, 3-1-1

RV Providence

7-4-3, 2-1-2

St. John's (NY)

Providence

Martin Kozak Provides Equalizer in St. John’s 1-1 Draw at RV Providence

10/19/2024 2:46:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Saturday’s draw marks third-straight tie between Red Storm and Friars

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Forward Martin Kozak utilized a 58^th-minute equalizer to force a 1-1 draw between the St. John's men's soccer team and Providence on Saturday afternoon at Chapey Field.

The Chilean striker recorded his third goal of the season with his strike. Kozak also produced a game-high four shots, putting a pair on target in 61 minutes off the bench.

Midfielder Augustine Boadi also provided a helper in his 54 minutes in reserve, marking his second assist of the year.

Alec McLachlan provided crucial plays in net for the Red Storm on Saturday, making four saves on the afternoon. With his four stops, the Johnnies' goalkeeper matched his season-best mark for the fourth time this season.

With the tie, the Red Storm (5-5-4, 3-1-1 BIG EAST) and Providence (7-4-3, 2-1-2 BIG EAST) battled to a draw for the third-straight match. St. John's earned its 10^th point in the conference standings, ranking second in the Division and two points ahead of the Friars after Saturday's match.

The Johnnies came out of the gate with an early opportunity from Camron Boumsong. The Paris, France native bent an attempt on target from 16 yards out, only to see Providence's keeper Lukas Burns push the shot wide in the fourth minute.

McLachlan kept the game scoreless five minutes later with a sprawling stop in the ninth minute. The Johnnies' goalkeeper came well off his line and met Bruno Rosa at the top of the 18-yard box for a one-on-one battle. McLachlan stopped the attempt with his left foot and allowed the Red Storm to clear.

Both teams exchanged possessions before Danquah produced a heavy shot in the 19^th minute. Boumsong forced a turnover before crossing up the Friars' defender and fed his fellow midfielder just outside the box. Danquah took one touch and ripped an opportunity just past wide of the left post.

McLachlan came up with another massive save at a crucial point of the first half. A cross from the outside found the feet of Aidan Davock inside the six-yard box. McLachlan laid out and stuffed the prime opportunity before Boumsong cleared away the rebound in the 32^nd minute.

Kozak nearly gave the Red Storm the lead in the 33^rd minute after a stray header dropped at his cleats, only to fire a low shot on target and see it blocked by Burns on the goal line. The two teams each registered one more shot attempt before taking a 0-0 tie into the intermission.

Out of the break, St. John's Brady Geho surged with speed down the left side and produced a quality chance that was blocked inside the 18 in the 49^th minute.

However, Providence countered at exactly 57 minutes as Davock headed home a feed from Bernardo Prego to take a 1-0 lead.

Just 40 seconds later, the Red Storm's Kozak provided the equalizer. Godwin Partey sent a long throw-in down the right side to Boadi. The speedy attacker blew past the Friars' back line before crossing a pass from deep in the box to Kozak. The sophomore settled the ball and roofed the attempt from a sharp angle, beating the keeper at the post on a shot from the end line to knot the game at one.

Shortly after, Boadi dangled and found space just outside the box and laced a cross into the box over the Friars' defender to Tyler Morck, who headed the feed just past the left post in the 62^nd minute.

Neither team produced a shot until McLachlan came up with a pair of saves in the final third of the half. The Stockport, England native reeled in a headed attempt from Davock in the 78^th minute before halting a scorched shot from Israel Dos Santos Neto just over a minute later.

McLachlan and the Red Storm defense remained steady over the final 10 minutes of the contest. St. John's prevented Providence from taking a shot down the stretch to earn a point in the 1-1 draw.

The Red Storm will head down to Seton Hall for a midweek BIG EAST contest. Kick-off from Owen T. Carroll Field is scheduled for 7 p.m. The conference matchup will be streamed on BEDN.