Skage Simonsen scored the lone goal in the 44th minute. (Photo courtesy of St. John’s SID)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With three crucial points in the Big East standings on the line against the second-place team, the St. John’s University men stunned No. 24 Georgetown, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon.

Skage Simonsen scored the lone goal, recording his sixth of the season.

The Red Storm (7-6-3, 3-2-3), which entered the day ranked fifth in the conference standings, has not yet secured a conference tournament spot, but could do so before the end of the weekend depending on results in the other four league matches. The Johnnies’ victory was their third over a ranked opponent in as many seasons and their second-consecutive regular season triumph over a nationally ranked Hoyas squad.

Simonsen, a freshman from Bergen, Norway, is tied with Matt Forster for the team lead in goals and has scored more times than any St. John’s freshman since Ryan Soroka registered nine goals in 2006. Four of Simonsen’s six goals have come against Big East opponents.

Sanoussi Sangary picked up his first collegiate point on Simonsen’s goal.

Goalkeeper Lenny Wilson recorded his fourth shutout, making seven stops. Five of the senior’s saves came in the second half, as the Aberdeen, Scotland native held off a Georgetown attack that came into the game leading the Big East in all but one offensive category.

The Johnnies finally broke through in the 44th minute. A failed clearance by a Georgetown defender sent the ball to the top left corner of the box to an open Sangary, who fired the first shot of his collegiate career toward the top center of the net. Giannis Nikopolidis came up with a great stop, but the rebound made its way to the head of Simonsen, who sent it home.

St. John’s has one match remaining in the regular season, as it will host Providence College Wednesday at 7 p.m. The match will mark the final regular-season contest at Belson Stadium for five St. John’s seniors, who will be honored in a pregame ceremony.

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.