St. John’s Battles UConn to 3-3 Draw in Shootout to Open BIG EAST Play

Sunday, September 22

Queens, N.Y. (Belson Stadium)

1 p.m.

St. John's University

5-1-3, 0-0-1

UConn

6-1-2, 0-0-1

UConn

St. John's (NY)

Jordyn Levy scored her team-best fifth goal

Photo by: Vincent Dusovic

St. John’s Battles UConn to 3-3 Draw in Shootout to Open BIG EAST Play

9/22/2024 4:55:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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Levy, Sylvestre and Basile all recorded goals at Belson Stadium

QUEENS, N.Y.– The St. John's women's soccer team battled UConn to a 3-3 draw in a high-scoring affair at Belson Stadium on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

The two sides opened BIG EAST play with a shootout at Belson Stadium as each team tallied three goals marking the Red Storm's highest scoring BIG EAST contest since it felt at Marquette, 4-3, on oct. 14, 2021.

St. John's snapped a six-game winning streak for UConn as it had won every game since Aug. 22.

Jordyn Levy, Nora Basile and Janelle Sylvestre recorded goals for the Red Storm over just 8:28 to build up a 3-0 first half lead. Levy scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season already surpassing her tallies from last season (4).

Basile, Jailene DeJesus, Madison Mariani and Emily Riggins all tallied assists in Sunday's shootout.

Over its last three contests the Red Storm have logged 30 points (nine goals, 12 assists).

Malene Nielsen made five saves during the second half in 45 minutes of action.

Neither side threatened offensively in the first 20 minutes before Levy got the scoring started as DeJesus played a pass down the line that was controlled by Basile. After untangling with a UConn defender the freshman played the ball across the top of the box. Levy possessed it winded her way around the UConn goalkeeper, who was off her line and tucked it home in the 23^rd minute.

Off a corner kick, Mariani delivered a high-arching cross towards the middle of the six-yard box. Basile rose up and headed a shot into the twine to double the lead, 2-0.

Just 1:55 later, the Johnnies struck once again as Riggins played a bouncing cross into the box. Sylvestre nudged a header past the goaltender and into the corner of the net for her first-ever goal to gain a 3-0 advantage.

The Huskies waited little time to respond as less than a minute later a handball sent them to the penalty spot. All-American Chioma Okafor buried one from the spot to quickly cut into the Red Storm lead, 3-1.

In the 40^th minute, Lucy Cappadona sent home a header off a corner kick from Sophie McCarthy to go into the locker room trailing by just one goal, 3-2.

As the latter half began, the Huskies continued to pressure and found the equalizer once again scoring off a corner as Naia Ocio scored off a header as Joyce Ryder tallied the assist to make it 3-3 with 40 minutes to go.

In the 58^th minute, Okafor looked to take the lead with a rocket strike from 20 yards out but Nielsen made a diving stop to keep the scoreline level, 3-3.

The Huskies continued to control possession throughout most of the second half and had its final chance and completing the comeback in the 90^th minute with just 0:54 remaining. UConn's Maddie Fried ripped a strike as Nielsen made a miraculous save to tap the ball over the crossbar.

St. John's welcomed back alumni from across the program's 37-year history. Three-time BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and 2023 St. John's Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Diana Poulin was honored before the game.

The Johnnies will be back in action on Thursday night when they travel to Providence for a 6 p.m. contest at Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium.