QUEENS, N.Y. — Hope Van Tuyle delivered when it mattered most, scoring a dramatic equalizer in the 74th minute to lift the St. John’s women’s soccer team to a 1-1 draw against Butler on Wednesday night at Cox Family Field at Belson Stadium.
The sophomore forward’s first goal of the season snapped a four-game losing streak and earned the Red Storm (2-8-5, 0-5-3 BIG EAST) a crucial point in conference play before 237 fans on a brisk fall evening in Queens.
Van Tuyle Answers Butler’s Strike
Butler (5-4-6, 2-3-3 BIG EAST) appeared poised to hand St. John’s its fifth consecutive defeat when Daphne Murray finished off a cross from Alyssa Carlson and Leila Lister in the 71st minute, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage.
But the Red Storm responded with urgency.
Just under three minutes later, freshman Leana Ruiz sent a perfectly placed in-swinging cross from the left wing into the goalmouth. Van Tuyle charged in and hammered a volley into the top center of the net to level the score at 1-1.
“I saw Leana out wide, and she’s been just a super technical player for us on the wing. I knew she was going to beat that defender and get that cross in. I just expected the ball to come to me and was ready when it did to finish it and hit the back of the net.” — Hope Van Tuyle
The goal marked Van Tuyle’s second career tally and first since a 2-1 victory at Penn on September 15, 2024. The Leesburg, Va., native led the Red Storm with two shots on the night.
Ruiz’s assist was the first of her collegiate career, capping an impressive performance that saw the freshman create dangerous opportunities throughout the contest.
Bower Makes History in Goal
Senior captain Kayla Bower continued her stellar season between the posts, registering six saves to etch her name into the St. John’s record books.
The Lincoln Park, N.J., native now has 89 saves on the season, moving into the top-10 all-time in single-season saves and surpassing Naya Lipkens, who logged 86 stops during the 2021 NCAA Tournament run.
Bower has now recorded six or more saves in eight consecutive matches, providing a steady presence for a Red Storm defense that has faced relentless pressure throughout the season.
“Kayla was phenomenal, just organizing things. There’s lots of interchanging going on, and it’s a weird formation where a team will go wherever she wants.” — Head Coach Ian Stone
Defensive Resilience Against Talented Attack
St. John’s faced a formidable challenge in Butler’s dynamic attack, led by Talia Sommer, one of the BIG EAST’s most dangerous players.
The Bulldogs outshot the Red Storm 19-5 and held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks, but St. John’s defended with discipline and determination.
Bower made several crucial saves, including an impressive sprawling stop on a Sommer strike in the second half. Freshman Leah Anand, playing out of position at left back after returning from injury, came up with a critical blocked shot late in the match as Butler pressed for a winner.
“It’s kind of a testament to what we’re doing in training every day, but it’s also that we’ve got some really talented players. When we needed that depth, we got it tonight, and again, that’s a really good offense that we’ve kind of held to one goal.” — Head Coach Ian Stone
Abby Fitzmaurice anchored the back line at center back, playing a full 90 minutes despite limited recent action. Emily Riggins, Reese Dunaway, and Julia Lombardo also contributed to a defensive effort that limited Butler’s high-powered attack.
First Half: Scoreless Battle
The opening 45 minutes featured end-to-end action, with Butler controlling possession and creating the better chances.
The Bulldogs registered 10 first-half shots, but Bower was equal to the task, making two saves to keep the match scoreless.
St. John’s best opportunity came in the 26th minute when Ruiz launched a strike from nearly 30 yards out, forcing Butler goalkeeper Addison Ash to punch the ball over the crossbar.
The teams went to the locker room deadlocked at 0-0, setting the stage for a tense second half.
Second Half: Drama and Determination
Butler continued to press in the second half, with Sommer testing Bower early. The Bulldogs’ persistence paid off in the 71st minute when Murray capitalized on excellent service from Carlson and Lister.
But St. John’s showed the character that has defined their season, refusing to fold despite the adversity.
“It would have been so easy for them to say, ‘OK, we’re going to lose five in a row.’ But that’s not the way this group is, and it’s been a pleasure to work with them. That’s huge to go a goal down with like 20 minutes left and then come back within five minutes and score a goal like that.” — Head Coach Ian Stone
Van Tuyle’s equalizer ignited the home crowd and energized the Red Storm, who defended resolutely in the final 16 minutes to preserve the draw.
Looking Ahead: Senior Night
St. John’s will honor its senior class on Saturday night when it hosts DePaul at 7 p.m. in the regular-season home finale. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Red Storm will look to build on Wednesday’s momentum and send seniors Bower, Riggins, Molly McGlame, and Daniela Monzon out on a high note at Belson Stadium.
“Everyone has a lot of love and respect for them, and I think that played into it, that it wasn’t going to go down that way in kind of their penultimate game at Belson.” — Head Coach Ian Stone
Match Summary
Final Score: Butler 1, St. John’s 1
Date: October 22, 2025
Attendance: 237
Venue: Cox Family Field at Belson Stadium, Queens, N.Y.
Scoring Summary
- 70:25 — Butler: Daphne Murray (Alyssa Carlson, Leila Lister)
- 73:12 — St. John’s: Hope Van Tuyle (Leana Ruiz)
Key Stats
- Shots: Butler 19, St. John’s 5
- Shots on Goal: Butler 7, St. John’s 2
- Corner Kicks: Butler 5, St. John’s 2
- Saves: Butler 1 (Addison Ash), St. John’s 6 (Kayla Bower)
- Fouls: Butler 3, St. John’s 7
St. John’s Starters
- GK: Kayla Bower
- DEF: Julia Lombardo, Reese Dunaway, Emily Riggins, Abby Fitzmaurice
- MID: Leana Ruiz, Daniela Monzon, Samantha Goldberg
- FWD: Hope Van Tuyle, Molly McGlame, Lea Larouche
Match Summary
Final Score: Butler 1, St. John’s 1
Date: October 22, 2025
Attendance: 237
Venue: Cox Family Field at Belson Stadium, Queens, N.Y.
Scoring Summary
- 70:25 — Butler: Daphne Murray (Alyssa Carlson, Leila Lister)
- 73:12 — St. John’s: Hope Van Tuyle (Leana Ruiz)
Key Stats
- Shots: Butler 19, St. John’s 5
- Shots on Goal: Butler 7, St. John’s 2
- Corner Kicks: Butler 5, St. John’s 2
- Saves: Butler 1 (Addison Ash), St. John’s 6 (Kayla Bower)
- Fouls: Butler 3, St. John’s 7
St. John’s Starters
- GK: Kayla Bower
- DEF: Julia Lombardo, Reese Dunaway, Emily Riggins, Abby Fitzmaurice
- MID: Leana Ruiz, Daniela Monzon, Samantha Goldberg
- FWD: Hope Van Tuyle, Molly McGlame, Lea Larouche
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