QUEENS, N.Y. – Junior goalkeeper Alex Ashton made a career-high eight saves as the Hofstra University men played St. John’s University to a scoreless draw at Belson Stadium Tuesday night.
The game was a tale of two halves as the Pride (1-2-1) held an 8-1 advantage in shots in the first half before St. John’s (1-2-1) put up 17 shots in the second half.
But Hofstra weathered the Red Storm, turning away all of the Johnnies’ chances, including clearing out a mad scramble in the six-yard box late in regulation.
Senior Danny Elliott and sophomore Luke Brown each had chances in the second half that sailed just high. St. John’s keeper Andrew Withers made five saves in the contest.
Ashton kept the game scoreless in the first extraime, sliding out to stop a breakaway chance with under two minutes to play in the frame.
“We didn’t have a good first half,” St. John’s head coach Dr. Dave Masur said. “We needed to have more energy, had to read things better, but we hung in. I thought Withers kept us in a little bit, making a couple saves and organizing our back line.
“And then we had a good halftime with good communication and the guys were ready to play another half and were excited about it and I think we came out and made a good statement. Our depth paid off and guys really contributed, which I thought was great.”
With a four-game season-opening road trip under its belt, the Pride opens its home schedule Saturday night with a 7 p.m. match against local rival Stony Brook University at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
