The Epic Battle: SJU and Providence’s Dramatic Draw at Belson

The Red Storm of St. John’s are heading into their afternoon showdown against long-time rival Providence with a lot of momentum. They are currently on a two-game winning streak and will be looking to extend their run in the Big East Conference. After a tough start to the season, losing their first three matches to Georgetown, UConn, and Seton Hall, the team bounced back with a big win over Villanova, defeating them 2-0 at Belson. They followed that up with an impressive road victory against Creighton, winning 3-2 with a late game-winning goal from Scoma.

With their recent success, St. John’s will be aiming to make it three straight wins in the highly competitive Big East Conference. Despite their slow start, the team was considered a preseason favorite to finish third in the conference. This makes their current winning streak even more significant as they look to climb up the standings and establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the Big East.

The Red Storm got off to a fantastic start against their rivals from Providence. Just 6 minutes into the match, Nicole Gordon capitalized on a great ball into the box from veteran player and leader Jessica Garziano. Gordon’s teammate was able to connect with the ball using her head, resulting in a set-piece goal that gave St. John’s the early lead they were looking for.

Throughout the first half, St. John’s continued to create numerous chances but unfortunately couldn’t find the back of the net again before halftime. Despite this, their early goal provided them with a solid foundation and a positive start to the match. As the second half begins, it will be crucial for St. John’s to maintain their intensity and focus. While they were able to secure the lead in the first half, it’s important for them to be aware that Providence started to gain control and momentum in the final minutes before halftime.

“I think we came out really well. And I thought probably we had good opportunity, good opportunities to be able to go up more in the first half. We didn’t capitalize on those chances. And then I think it’s kind of one of the ones where you’re going to have to manage the game a little bit better, like the wind was really strong and we didn’t get tight enough on the ball when they scored their first goal. And then the second goal I think we need to be more intelligent with our decision making as far as that one’s concerned and we want to play but that’s a bad kind of square path to give away to a very dangerous forward but as a half went on, we began to kind of change things up a little bit, pushing more players into more advanced positions, play with a little bit more urgency to go forward. And I think we talked in the past about a couple of games where we didn’t have the belief that we’re going to score, and I think that’s changing now obviously a late winner at Creighton.”

Ian Stone Head Coach St. John’s

To ensure their success, the Red Storm will need to stay organized defensively and continue to create scoring opportunities. They should aim to regain control of the match and build on their early lead. It will be important for the team to communicate effectively and maintain their energy throughout the remainder of the game.

Unfortunately for the Red Storm, Providence came out strong in the second half and quickly equalized the match at 1-1 just 14 minutes into the final half. The goal came as a result of a costly turnover just 35 yards from St. John’s goal, with Gillian Kenney finding the back of the net from 25 yards out.

With the match now tied, the intensity of the game increased significantly, and Providence pushed for a go-ahead goal with great determination. In the 63rd minute, Meg Hughes took the ball inside the 18-yard box and unleashed a powerful shot that found the inside of the first post from the left side of the goal, giving Providence a 2-1 lead.

However, SJU showed resilience and fought back. In the 89th minute of the match, Frederique St. Jean scored the tying goal, assisted by the career leader Jessica Graziano. This was Graziano’s second assist of the match, both of which came from set-piece corner kicks. Graziano has been a standout player this season, and her performances may attract interest from professional teams during the offseason.

The result may not have been what St. John’s desired, as they were hoping for all three points to move up in the standings. With the draw, they now find themselves in 7th place, tied with Marquette (6th). This is not the start they had envisioned for the season, especially considering the aspirations of making it to the NCAA Tournament and competing for the conference title.

However, there is still a chance for St. John’s to achieve their goals. With just four matches remaining in the regular season, they will need to perform exceptionally well and secure victories in all of their remaining games. This will be crucial for them to qualify for the Big East Tournament, where they will need to win in order to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

While the road ahead may be challenging, St. John’s still has an opportunity to turn their season around and make a strong push for postseason success. It will require a determined and dominant performance in their remaining matches, but it is not an impossible task.

Photo Credit: St. Johns Womens Soccer/St Johns University