Sofroniou’s Dazzling Equalizer Salvages Draw at Towson, 1-1

Thursday, August 22

Towson, Md. (Tiger Field)

6 p.m.

St. John's University

1-0-1, 0-0-0

Towson

1-1-1, 0-0-0

St. John's (NY)

Towson

Sofroniou’s Dazzling Equalizer Salvages Draw at Towson, 1-1

8/22/2024 8:55:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Sofroniou sends home game-tying free kick in the 80th minute

TOWSON, Md.– With just over 10 minutes to play, Athina Sofroniou launched a rocket free kick from 20 yards out into the top corner of the net to equalize on the road at Towson on Thursday night, 1-1.

Towson (1-1-1) broke the stalemate in the 73^rd minute before the reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week knotted the scoreline for St. John's (1-0-1) just seven minutes later at Tiger Field.

The Red Storm dominated the Tigers in the shot count, 16-6. For the second-straight game, the Johnnies logged 10 shots on target. The squad is averaging 17.5 shot attempts per game through the first two contests.

Sofroniou's goal marked the fourth of the defender's career and first since Oct. 5, 2023, when she added a tally during a dramatic win at Creighton, 3-2.

Freshman Madison Mariani impressed off the bench recording a game-high five shots with four on frame.  Lauryn Tran, Jailene DeJesus and Juliana Dane each registered a pair of shots during the draw in Maryland.

Goalkeeper Malene Nielsen recorded three saves during Thursday night's contest.

Dane took the first look at net for the Red Storm in the ninth minute. The sophomore midfielder gained possession on the doorstep of the Tigers' goalmouth but the shot attempt was halted.

Towson recorded just three shots with two on target during the opening 45 minutes. Nielsen halted the Tigers most glaring chance smothering a shot from Kale'a Perry in the 13^th minute.

After parrying away a Tigers' opportunity, the Johnnies countered and created their most threating chance of the opening half. Tran received a bouncing pass from Jordyn Levy on the right side of the 18-yard box and steered one on frame that rang off the crossbar in the 20^th minute.

In the 37^th minute, Dane slipped a pass to Stephanie Cornelius past the Tigers' defense to put the sophomore in on goal but her first career shot attempt was off the mark.

The two sides went into the break scoreless as the Johnnies led in the shot category. The Red Storm are averaging 11.5 shot attempts in the opening half through the first two games.

The latter half started slow offensively, the first shot came 23 minutes in as DeJesus sprinted past the backline and had a straight-on look at net but Towson goaltender Riley Melendez got a finger on it and pushed it away for a corner kick in the 68^th minute, she finished the night with nine stops.

Towson generated its first shot of the half in the 73^rd minute and converted as Perry launched one from 20 yards out that rang off the post and bounced into the back of the net, 1-0.

Immediately after the Tigers took the lead, Tran made a cut towards the middle of the 18-yard box and delivered a solid strike towards the far post. Melendez sprawled to it and knocked away the attempt.

Molly McGlame was taken down right outside the box setting up a dangerous free kick position for the Red Storm. Sofroniou stepped up and delivered a rocket over the outstretched arm of a leaping Melendez to tie the score, 1-1, with 10:41 to play.

The Tigers looked for a quick response as Perry leaked out into a breakaway before Freya Meadows-Tuson intervened with a pivotal tackle to dismiss the danger.

Mariani had the best look at a game-winner in the 88^th minute putting one on frame but Melendez gathered it as the two sides battled to a draw for the second-straight meeting.

St. John's will continue two-match road swing on Wednesday when it travels to Yale for a 7 p.m. tilt at Reese Stadium. The Red Storm and Bulldogs battled to a 2-2 draw in last year's meeting.