St. John's University Athletics
Saturday, September 26
Villanova, Pa. (Higgins Soccer Complex)
4 p.m.
St. John's University
at
Villanova
Photo by: Vincent Dusovic
St. John’s to Open BIG EAST Play at Villanova
9/25/2026 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Red Storm face the Wildcats for the 35th time on Saturday afternoon
QUEENS, N.Y. – After a seven-day break, the St. John's women's soccer team will travel to Villanova to begin conference play on Saturday afternoon.
Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. at Higgins Soccer Complex in Villanova, Pa. Fans can tune into the contest on ESPN+.
St. John's (3-4-1) battled Penn in a tightly contested matchup, ultimately falling to the Quakers, 1-0, at Belson Stadium. The Red Storm held an 11-10 edge in shots and an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks, generating all eight corners in a strong opening half. The Johnnies nearly broke through before halftime when Leana Ruiz found the back of the net, but the goal was called back for offside. After Penn took the lead in the 56th minute, St. John's responded with four shots in just over three minutes, highlighted by Carly Schuler's attempt off the post, but could not find the equalizer.
Through eight matches, St. John's has featured a balanced attack, with seven different players accounting for the team's seven goals. Nora Basile leads the Red Storm with three points and a team-high 16 shots, while Schuler, in her debut season, has emerged as another consistent threat with 12 attempts in just six appearances. The Johnnies have outshot their opponents, 78-71, and hold a 37-33 advantage in corner kicks, with five of their seven goals coming after halftime.
Defensively, Kayla Bower has recorded three shutouts and a 0.89 goals-against average, while Julianna Bivona has played all 720 minutes through the first eight contests.
Bower has totaled 27 saves and three clean sheets through eight appearances this season. Her three shutouts rank third in the BIG EAST and 57th nationally, making her one of the league's top goalkeepers in the category. Bower has also posted a .794 save percentage, which ranks sixth in the conference. Through 38 career appearances, the Lincoln Park, N.J., native has accumulated 148 saves and seven solo shutouts while logging more than 2,800 minutes in goal for the Johnnies.
St. John's and Villanova will meet for the 35th time, with the Wildcats holding a narrow 15-14-5 advantage in the all-time series. The Red Storm has found success in Queens, posting a 10-6-2 home record against Villanova, while going 4-8-3 on the road. The Johnnies are 10-2-2 over the last 14 meetings dating back to 2014. In the most recent matchup, Villanova edged St. John's, 1-0, at Belson Stadium on Oct. 11, 2025.
Villanova entered the 2026 campaign picked to finish fifth in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll. The Wildcats returned nine starters from last season's squad, highlighted by BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Avrie Nelsen, two All-BIG EAST Second Team selections and a pair of Third Team honorees. Among the returners is Hannah Dickinson, who tabbed BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year after garnering an All-BIG EAST Second Team recognition a season ago.
The Wildcats enter Saturday's contest unbeaten on the season, carrying a 5-0-3 overall record. Villanova went 1-0-1 last week, earning a 2-1 victory over Delaware before playing Princeton to a 1-1 draw.
Following Saturday's contest, the Red Storm will host UConn on Sept. 30 for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. at Higgins Soccer Complex in Villanova, Pa. Fans can tune into the contest on ESPN+.
St. John's (3-4-1) battled Penn in a tightly contested matchup, ultimately falling to the Quakers, 1-0, at Belson Stadium. The Red Storm held an 11-10 edge in shots and an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks, generating all eight corners in a strong opening half. The Johnnies nearly broke through before halftime when Leana Ruiz found the back of the net, but the goal was called back for offside. After Penn took the lead in the 56th minute, St. John's responded with four shots in just over three minutes, highlighted by Carly Schuler's attempt off the post, but could not find the equalizer.
Through eight matches, St. John's has featured a balanced attack, with seven different players accounting for the team's seven goals. Nora Basile leads the Red Storm with three points and a team-high 16 shots, while Schuler, in her debut season, has emerged as another consistent threat with 12 attempts in just six appearances. The Johnnies have outshot their opponents, 78-71, and hold a 37-33 advantage in corner kicks, with five of their seven goals coming after halftime.
Defensively, Kayla Bower has recorded three shutouts and a 0.89 goals-against average, while Julianna Bivona has played all 720 minutes through the first eight contests.
Bower has totaled 27 saves and three clean sheets through eight appearances this season. Her three shutouts rank third in the BIG EAST and 57th nationally, making her one of the league's top goalkeepers in the category. Bower has also posted a .794 save percentage, which ranks sixth in the conference. Through 38 career appearances, the Lincoln Park, N.J., native has accumulated 148 saves and seven solo shutouts while logging more than 2,800 minutes in goal for the Johnnies.
St. John's and Villanova will meet for the 35th time, with the Wildcats holding a narrow 15-14-5 advantage in the all-time series. The Red Storm has found success in Queens, posting a 10-6-2 home record against Villanova, while going 4-8-3 on the road. The Johnnies are 10-2-2 over the last 14 meetings dating back to 2014. In the most recent matchup, Villanova edged St. John's, 1-0, at Belson Stadium on Oct. 11, 2025.
Villanova entered the 2026 campaign picked to finish fifth in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll. The Wildcats returned nine starters from last season's squad, highlighted by BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Avrie Nelsen, two All-BIG EAST Second Team selections and a pair of Third Team honorees. Among the returners is Hannah Dickinson, who tabbed BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year after garnering an All-BIG EAST Second Team recognition a season ago.
The Wildcats enter Saturday's contest unbeaten on the season, carrying a 5-0-3 overall record. Villanova went 1-0-1 last week, earning a 2-1 victory over Delaware before playing Princeton to a 1-1 draw.
Following Saturday's contest, the Red Storm will host UConn on Sept. 30 for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
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