By Dylan Butler
A year after defeating two nationally ranked teams to open the season, the St. John’s men’s soccer team has done it again. The Red Storm defeated No. 4-ranked Indiana, 2-1 in Bloomington, Ind. Friday night and then shut out Butler University, 3-0, Saturday in the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic at Indiana University.
St. John’s (2-0) climbed the ladder in the national rankings, improving from No. 11 to No. 3 in the National Soccer Coaches Athletic Association poll.
Leading the charge for the Red Storm was senior midfielder Shalrie Joseph, who had a key assist in the upset win over the Hoosiers and added two goals and an assist in the win over Butler.
“Shalrie played well and had a few big goals and a great assist in the victory over Indiana,” said St. John’s head coach Dave Masur. “He’s coming off [a torn ACL in his left knee] and he needed to get a few matches in because he hasn’t played in a while. He looked good but needs to get a little sharper and that will come the more he plays.”
Joseph’s lead pass found newcomer Tim O’Neil, who beat Indiana keeper Colin Rogers in the 31st minute to give the Red Storm a 1-0 lead. Just 1:24 later, senior midfielder Jeff Matteo put St. John’s up 2-0 on a 35-yard blast off a free kick into the upper left corner of the net.
The Red Storm outshot Indiana 7-2 in the opening 45 minutes.
“Anytime you can beat a good team, especially a perennial power like Indiana on the road is a great victory,” Masur said.
The Hoosiers cut the Red Storm’s lead in half as Michael Block found the back of the net on a 20-yard free kick, but junior keeper Guy Hertz closed the door as the transfer from Mercer Community College earned his first Red Storm win.
A day later Hertz recorded his first shutout in a St. John’s uniform as the Red Storm defeated Butler (0-2), 3-0. After allowing just one goal in 180 minutes of play, Hertz was named Big East Goalkeeper of the Week.
Joseph scored his first goal of the 2001 season in the 23rd minute on a feed from freshman midfielder Chris Corcoran. The Brooklyn native added his second goal of the night in the 51st minute on an assist from freshman midfielder Bernard Ouassa and assisted on Simone Salinno’s goal in the 61st minute.
The Red Storm open its Big East campaign Saturday at Providence and return home Wednesday, Sept. 12 to take on local foe Columbia at DaSilva Memorial Field.
SJU Volleyball wins UB Morgan Classic Invitational
Led by junior Sarah McCray, the St. John’s volleyball team went 3-0, defeating Canisius College, Buffalo and Stony Brook to clinch the UB Morgan Classic Invitational Saturday at Alumni Arena in Buffalo.
McCray, who had 18 kills and six service aces in a 25-30, 30-28, 30-20, 30-22 over Stony Brook, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Robyn Kurasaki and Mischara Saunders were named to the all-tournament team.
In the win over Stony Brook, Saunders had 16 kills and two solo blocks. Senior co-captain Kristy Mercein had 11 kills and a team-high 16 digs while sophomore Kurasaki assisted on 50 of the Red Storm’s 53 kills and chipped in 10 digs.
St. John’s swept Canisius (30-20, 30-27, 30-26) and Buffalo (30-22, 30-19, 30-25) earlier in the tournament.
After playing at Long Island University in Brooklyn Tuesday and Hofstra University Wednesday, the Red Storm (3-0) return to action Friday when they host the SJU Classic, featuring Vermont, Princeton and Farleigh Dickinson Friday and Saturday at Alumni Hall.
SJU Women’s Soccer Split Weekend Set
After falling to West Virginia, 5-1, in their home opener Friday night at DaSilva Memorial Field, the St. John’s women’s soccer returned with a 5-0 victory over Long Island University Sunday.
Erin Zambelli opened the scoring in the 16th minute, netting her second goal of the year. Six minutes later, Flushing resident Marissa Stork scored her first goal of the year and Lisa Kaczmarski capped the first half scoring with an unassisted tally in the 22nd minute.
Freshman Dominica Reina netted her first collegiate goal off a Kaczmarski cross in the 75th minute and junior Jen Taylor also scored her first collegiate goal in the 82nd minute off a pass from Zambelli.
Keepers Tina Fogg and Evie Ksenopoulos shared the shutout as the Red Storm outshot the Blackbirds, 12-3.
St. John’s returns to action Friday against Western Michigan at the Binghamton Invitational.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
