QUEENS, N.Y. – A seventh-minute penalty kick proved to be the difference maker for Marist College  Saturday night at Belson Stadium, as the visitors held off the St. John’s University men push to prevail, 1-0, in front of 1,187 fans.

St. John’s fell to 1-2-0 while the Red Foxes improved to 2-1-0.

The Johnnies outshot Marist, 17-16, but only one of the Red Storm’s chances was on goal. Half of Marist’s 16 tries were on net, as goalkeeper Luka Gavran made a career-high six saves.

Senior captain Brandon Knapp, who scored the game-winner on Monday against UAlbany, appeared to net the equalizer in the 63rd minute, but his tally was nullified by an offside call. Atila Ashrafi carried the ball down the right side of the box before sending a cross in front toward Knapp, who was nestled between two Marist defenders. Knapp flicked the ball into the back of the net, but the assistant referee’s flag was raised.

Marist scored the lone goal of the evening in the seventh minute, as Huib Achterkamp buried a penalty kick after Lucas Bartlett was whistled for a foul in the box while attempting attempt to win a one-on-one battle in the air.

The Red Storm returns to action on Monday at 7 p.m. when it welcomes local Fordham University to Belson.

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.