QUEENS, N.Y. – A dominant second half and a substitute led to a pair of St. John’s University goals en route to a 2-1 women’s victory over Loyola at Belson Stadium Friday night.
Samie Scaffidi and Mikhaila Martinov scored for the Red Storm, while redshirt freshman goal keeper Jordan Kamp made four saves to preserve the win.
Martinov broke a 1-1 tie in the 85th minute.
“Tonight’s game showed the depth we have where some of the players that have played a lot of minutes for us so far weren’t quite on their game,” head coach Ian Stone said. “Some other players were given the opportunity and stepped up and I think it shows the identity of the team. We didn’t play well for the first 15 or 20 minutes so when it goes like that, can we tap in to what we’re all about as a group and what our character is and come through and keep persevering, which I think we did.”
Loyola (2-5-0) scored in the 32nd minute to take a 1-0 lead over the Red Storm (4-1-1). Julianna Cabrera made her way through the midfield and sent a shot just inside the near post past a diving Kamp.
St. John’s redshirt freshman Zsani Kajan, who logged 28 minutes off the bench, got in behind the defense in the 34th minute and seemed to net the equalizer, but the flag went up as the play was called offside. In the 44th minute, Kajan sent a shot towards the net that trickled just wide before Scaffidi sent a header high.
In the 51st minute, the Johnnies evened the score. Following a free kick, Scaffidi gained possession, made a move around a defender from the left side of the box and sent a shot just inside the far post and under the bar past goalkeeper Sumer Rahe for the equalizer.
With time winding down in the second half, the Red Storm was awarded a free kick inside the midfield line. Allie Moar sent a ball into the box that was headed by Mariela Jacome towards the net. Martinov flicked in the loose ball for the go-ahead goal, her second career tally.
In the 87th minute, Loyola looked poised to even the score. The Greyhounds were awarded a free kick asCabrera ripped a shot on goal that Kamp dove for and punched away.
“Jordan was very composed because at that point, with all the pressure on you, you have to find a way to keep concentrating and to move your feet and make a big save and she did,” Stone said . “I also think she did a good job of organizing things and making sure we were better defensively in that second half.”
St. John’s returns to action, playing host to Lehigh at 7 p.m. at Belson Stadium Sunday at 7 p.m. The match can been seen live on ESPN3.
