SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – In a defensive masterclass that epitomized the competitive balance of Big East women’s soccer, St. John’s (2-4-4, 0-1-2) and Seton Hall (3-3-5, 0-2-1) battled to a 0-0 draw at Owen T. Carroll Field on Saturday afternoon, extending a rivalry that has produced thrilling encounters for over three decades.
Bower Sets Career High in Goalkeeping Clinic
The match belonged to the goalkeepers, with both netminders delivering exceptional performances before 267 fans. St. John’s senior captain Kayla Bower stole the show with a career-high seven saves, surpassing her previous personal best set against Providence on September 24 and at Monmouth on September 7. The Lincoln Park, N.J., native’s heroics preserved the clean sheet and earned the Red Storm a valuable road point.
“I think the difference today was she had to make big saves,” said St. John’s head coach Ian Stone about Bower’s performance. “In the past, it’s been her organization and communication that’s been great. Today, she had to make big saves for us, and I think maybe Kayla’s kind of rubbed off on them in terms of how hard she’s working to stop the ball going in the back of the net.”
Seton Hall’s Katherine Kleinsmith matched Bower’s intensity with five crucial saves, including spectacular stops on shots from Madison Mariani, Jaylen Vallecillo, and Daniela Monzon.
Seton Hall head coach Josh praised his freshman goalkeeper’s composure: “I thought Kate was confident. I didn’t think she had to make any great saves. I never felt really threatened, but she was confident coming off the line, and she was clean. She’s a young freshman, and she’s going out there and performing.”
Red Storm’s Clinical Finishing
St. John’s demonstrated impressive accuracy in their attacking play, putting five of their seven shots on target. Madison Mariani and Julia Lombardo paced the Red Storm attack with two shots each, while Vallecillo, Telma Steindórsdóttir, and Daniela Monzon added one strike each.
Notably, sophomore winger Mariani has been remarkably consistent this season, putting 13 of her 14 shots on target (92.8%) through 10 matches – a testament to her clinical finishing ability.
St. John’s midfielder Freshman Julia Lombardo spins out of trouble and starts a counterattack against Seton Hall. Credit: Bad Dawg Sports/J.J. Pavlick St. John’s Senior Midfielder Emily Riggins gathers the ball and settles it for the counter. Credit: Bad Dawg Sports/J.J. Pavlick St. John’s Freshman Julia Lombardo settles things down in the midfield for the Johnnies as they push forward against the Pirates backline. Credit: Bad Dawg Sports/J.J. Pavlick St. John’s Goalkeeper Kayla Bower making a save in the first half against Seton Hall. Credit: Bad Dawg Sports/J.J. Pavlick
Tactical Chess Match Unfolds
The contest evolved into a strategic battle, with both coaches making numerous substitutions to gain tactical advantages. Seton Hall utilized 12 different players, while St. John’s rotated through 13, demonstrating the depth both programs have developed.
“I thought we worked really hard and we competed,” reflected Seton Hall’s head coach. “I did think that we probably had some better quality chances than them, but they’re a very well-coached team and they have a lot of good players. We had some moments in that second half to break through and just were missing a little bit of luck or a little bit of quality.”
The Pirates controlled possession early, outshooting the Red Storm 14-7 overall, but St. John’s created better quality chances through set pieces, earning five corner kicks compared to Seton Hall’s one in the first half alone.
Riggins Anchors Red Storm Defense
St. John’s midfielder Emily Riggins emerged as a defensive stalwart, making numerous crucial blocks and interceptions that frustrated Seton Hall’s attacking efforts throughout the match.
“She’s the heart and soul of our team,” Stone said of his captain. “They got some dangerous attacking players, but she really helped that back four to organize themselves and nullify some really good threats. Emily’s a great leader, a great captain, and the heart and soul of our team.”
Riggins described her mindset entering the contest: “I just wanted to stay calm and composed on the ball, but still bring my aggression and energy on the defensive side. When one big play is made, it trickles down the line and can start that for the rest of my team.”
The senior midfielder also praised her goalkeeper’s performance: “Kayla’s one of my best friends, even off the field. I have absolutely full faith and full trust in her. I look back and I’m like ‘oh my god’ and then there she is diving across the net and she saves us so many times. It’s something that’s so rare to come by in college soccer when you have a goalkeeper that’s so good.”
Red Storm News:
- St. John’s Battles Back for Crucial 1-1 Draw Against Providence in Big East Conference Opener
- Red Storm Defense Stuns Boston College in Scoreless Draw
- Nikolajewski’s Debut Goal Lifts St. John’s to 1-0 Victory Over FDU
- Late Comeback Earns FDU Dramatic 2-2 Draw Against St. John’s
Second Half Heroics
Bower’s most spectacular saves came in the second half, beginning with a crucial double-save sequence early in the stanza. The senior captain sprawled out to parry away a strike on frame, then quickly regained her footing to smother the rebound attempt and keep the score level.
The 69th minute provided perhaps the match’s most dramatic moment when Seton Hall threatened with a dangerous cross in front of the goalmouth. The ball bounced off multiple players’ heads and remained loose just four feet from the net, but Bower was first to react, clearing away the danger and preserving the shutout.
Seton Hall dominated the second half statistically, outshooting St. John’s 8-2 and creating several dangerous opportunities. Angelillo led the Pirates’ attack with four shots, while McCormick and Kitzinger each contributed two attempts.
Physical Encounter Reflects Rivalry’s Intensity
The match’s physical nature reflected the intensity of this long-standing rivalry, with 12 total fouls called and St. John’s Reese Dunaway receiving a yellow card in the 72nd minute. The aggressive play epitomized the competitive spirit that has defined this matchup since their first encounter in 1994.
Historical Context and Recent Form
This scoreless draw marked the second consecutive tie between these Big East rivals, following last year’s 2-2 deadlock in Queens. The result extends St. John’s historical dominance in the series, which now stands at 22-7-3 in favor of the Red Storm since their first meeting on October 26, 1994.
For St. John’s, the draw represents their fourth tie in their last five matches, dating back to September 11, demonstrating their resilience and ability to earn points in tightly contested games. The Red Storm have now recorded back-to-back draws in Big East conference play this week.
Notably, this was only the third tie in the 32-game series history, with the previous draws coming in 1995 (0-0) and 2024 (2-2). Seton Hall’s last victory in the series came in 2023 with a narrow 1-0 win at home.
Looking Ahead
The draw leaves both teams searching for their first Big East Conference victory of the season. St. John’s moves to 0-1-2 in conference play, while Seton Hall sits at 0-2-1. With the Big East race heating up, both programs will need to find ways to convert scoring opportunities as they continue their conference campaigns.
For St. John’s, the result represents significant growth in the program’s expectations. “We’re almost disappointed with the point, which, if you asked me that like a month ago, I would have snapped that point up against Seton Hall,” Stone reflected. “It gives a little bit of a mark of how far we’ve come and how much we’re improving that we’re disappointed we don’t come away with a win.”
The Red Storm will return to action Wednesday night when they travel to Milwaukee to face Marquette at 8 p.m., looking to build on this solid defensive performance and earn their first conference victory of the season.
Seton Hall will take confidence from their improved performance and ability to create quality chances against a well-organized opponent, knowing that breakthrough moments will come with continued effort and execution.
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