St. John’s Falls to Rhode Island on Thursday

Thursday, August 22

Kingston, R.I. (URI Soccer Complex)

7 p.m.

St. John's University

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Rhode Island

1-0-0, 0-0-0

St. John's (NY)

Rhode Island

8/22/2024 9:29:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Macoumba Ba recorded a team-high three shots on target

KINGSTON, R.I. – The St. John's men's soccer team fell at Rhode Island, 2-0, on Thursday evening.

Senior Macoumba Ba led all Johnnies with three shots on target. Augustine Boadi, Julian Jakopovic, Otto Levin, Bjorn Nikolajewski and Dechlyn Hauge all made their Red Storm debut against the Rams.

The Red Storm (0-1) found itself with a pair of chances in the first 10 minutes. On a give-and-go feed from Ba in the fifth minute, Eric Danquah found open space just outside the 18-yard box and sailed the team's first shot just over the crossbar. Four minutes later, the Johnnies nearly capitalized on its first set piece deep in the Rams' zone, seeing Jakopovic boot a pass into the box and deflect on goal, but kept out by URI's Edu Rodriguez.

Rhode Island (1-0) bounced back over the next nine minutes, forcing St. John's goalkeeper Alec McLachlan to make a save on a bending shot from Brandon Bermingham and giving the Rams a corner. URI's Patrick Gryczewski launched the set-piece feed into the box, deflecting off Keegan Walker and falling to the feet of Joan Sanchis, who netted the redirection for a 1-0 lead.

Senior Miguel Diaz produced the Johnnies' best chance in the opening frame off a corner kick. After a sliding pass from Antonio Biggs off a redirection, the Brooklyn, N.Y., native stepped into a shot and sailed it just over the left side of the net in the 32^nd minute. Biggs nearly cashed in 11 minutes later on the team's third corner of the half, heading a Jakopovic offering over the crossbar to remain behind by one at the intermission.

St. John's came out flying in the second stanza with a quick chance through the middle of the box, but just out of reach for Boadi. Sophomore Brady Geho reeled in a high header and one-touched a dangerous opportunity on target, but saw it pushed away by a diving Rodriguez in the 48^th minute.

The Johnnies continued to apply pressure over the next 10 minutes, seeing chances from Ba and Nikolajewski turned aside by the Rams' goalkeeper.

URI nearly broke through again with a prime chance in the 70^th minute, but a slide tackle from Biggs on a leading feed into the six-yard box prevented the Rams from getting a shot on target. However, Rhode Island's Lucas Lykkegaard scored in the winding seconds of the contest to close out the 2-0 win.

The Johnnies ripped seven of its 12 total shots in the second half while finishing with six corners on Thursday evening. URI's Rodriguez finished with seven saves.

St. John's will return to Queens and make its home debut on Sunday when Stony Brook makes its way to Belson Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. slate. Sunday's match will be streamed on FloFC.