Harry Cooksley connected for the game in the 78th minute. (Photo courtesy of St. John’s SID)

QUEENS, N.Y. – Closing out the exhibition portion of its schedule Saturday night at Belson Stadium, the Red Storm used a 78th-minute goal from Matt Forster to earn a 1-0 win over LIU Brooklyn.

It was the Red Storm’s second win of the preseason.

Harry Cooksley, who led the team and ranked fourth in the conference with six assists last season, assisted on the game-winner.

“LIU Brooklyn has really turned into one of the top teams in their conference,” St. John;s head coach Dr. Dave Masur said. “They went to the NCAA Tournament two years ago and they certainly were a physical side and a technical side and they played some good football tonight. They were a lot to handle and I thought they probably got the best of us in the first half and in the second half we did much better which was nice to see. We had a lot of guys contribute and come off the bench again and that has to continue.”

After a series of missed chances, the Red Storm finally broke through in the 78th minute, as Forster and Cooksley orchestrated a sequence for the lone goal of the match. Entering the attacking zone with possession, Forster played the ball out on the right side to Cooksley. He drew the attention of the defenders before sending it back into the box for Forster, who headed it home.

The Red Storm will kick off its fall season, traveling to Philadelphia to take on Drexel at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.