St. John's Takes Down UConn

Second Half Goals Propel Red Storm

September 27, 2008

QUEENS, N.Y. - Two second-half goals lifted No. 4 St. John's over No. 5 UConn, 3-1, in BIG EAST men’s soccer action at Belson Stadium Friday night.

Australian Greg King scored his first goal of the season in the fourth minute to start things off for the Huskies as he beat St. John's goalkeeper Neal Kitson. The goal was the first scored on Kitson in 745:26 minutes played.

From 20 yards out King connected on a pass from junior Mike Pezza and senior O'Brian White. With the assist, Pezza's assist tally on the season improves to a team-high four.

In the 24th minute, St. John's tied the game at one with a goal from 28 yards out. Nelson Becerra's free kick bounced off the wall landing in front of Ben Clack who was able to pick up the rebound and beat UConn goalkeeper Josh Ford inside the near post for the 1-1 tie.

In the 36th minute, White drilled a shot towards the goal from the top of the 18-yard box but a leaping save by Kitson kept the score knotted at one.

Ale' Ivo put the Red Storm ahead with a 2-1 lead when he hit the far post on a low cross from Walter Hines, just out of the reach of Ford. Four minutes later, St. John's connected on their third goal of the game when Sverre Wegge Gundhus knocked in a rebound from an Ivo shot on goal to extend the lead to 3-1.

The Huskies continued to put pressure on the Red Storm, using its second corner of the half to test the St. John's defense as White's leaping header was saved by Kitson.

Ford made some key saves in the game as well, including another save on an Ivo shot in the 67th minute. Casio fired another ball at the goal but a diving Kitson halted the UConn freshman's shot, for his sixth save of the game, just before a shot by Toni Stahl missed just wide of the near post.

The loss is the first for the Huskies, dropping them to 4-1-3 on the year (2-1-0BIG EAST). St. John's improves to 7-0-1 overall and 2-0-1 in conference play.