QUEENS, N.Y. – Sophomore forward Nicole Gordon scored her first career goal in the 80th minute to boost the St. John’s University women to a 3-3 draw with Columbia University at Belson Stadium Friday night.
Gordon, an Amityville, N.Y. native, scored the equalizer off a header.
Zsani Kajan, who led the nation in scoring entering the match, recorded her third-straight multi-goal performance and the ninth of her Red Storm career. With two scores, Kajan has found the back of the net seven times in three games this season, increasing her career total to 35 goals. The 5-7 forward is three goals shy of moving into third on the Red Storm’s all-time list.
Gordon also picked up an assist on Kajan’s second goal. Frederique St.-Jean, the sophomore defender from Quebec, Canada, registered her first assist of the season on Gordon’s goal.
Ally Clark, Nata Ramirez and Madi Pilla provided the goals for Columbia. Clark and Ramirez also registered assists.
Columbia had the first scoring chance in the sixth minute, as Clark scored off a pass from Ramirez to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
The Lions’ lead was shortlived as Kajan converted on a penalty kick four minutes later. The Red Storm’s leading scoring drew a foul inside the box. Kajan drilled her shot into the bottom left side to knot the score at 1-1.
The Lions retook the lead, 2-1, in the 57th minute. Ramirez capitalized on a pass from Clark.
Less than two minutes later, Kajan tallied her second goal and her seventh of the season. The sequence began as Gordon sent a long pass to Kajan, waiting just outside the box. The 2021 Big East preseason offensive player of the year quickly corralled the ball before rocketing a left-footed strike over the head of the goalkeeper to knot the score at 2-2.
Pilla converted on a penalty kick in the 69th minute to give the Lions a 3-2 edge.
The Red Storm earned its equalizer in the 80th minute, as St.-Jean played a deep ball into the box for Gordon. The Amityville, N.Y., native then headed it home to tie the game.
The Red Storm returns to action on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m., as the Johnnies welcome Lehigh University.
