After starting its season with four 1-0 losses in its first six matches, the St. John’s University men recorded a rousing 3-1 victory, defending Big East champion Georgetown University in the league opener for both teams in Queens, N.Y. on Friday night.

The game was nationally televised by FS1.

Nigel Griffith, Brandon Knapp and Antek Sienkiel scored for the Red Storm (2-4-1, 1-0-0), which won its Big East opener for the fifth consecutive time.

Griffith’s goal marked the first of his St. John’s career. Knapp’s scored was his second of the season while Sienkiel increased his team lead to five goals.

Aidan Borra recorded the Red Storm’s lone assist, his first point with the team.

Goalkeeper Zenden Hart made his second consecutive start, registering three saves. Jordan Bailon, Brandon Knapp, Markus Pusztahegyi and Sanoussi Sangary logged 90 minutes on the Johnnies’ backline.

The Red Storm wasted no time getting on the board, as Griffith found the back of the net in just the second minute. After a Georgetown defender played a ball back to goalkeeper Ethan Koehler, Griffith applied pressure to force an error, poking the ball away from Koehler and into the cage.

The Johnnies continued to apply pressure before striking again in the 23rd minute. Streaking up the middle of the pitch, Borra played a ball into the 18-yard box for Adrian Roseth, who gained a step on his defender before drawing a foul. Knapp then stepped to the spot and buried his second penalty of the campaign.

Georgetown answered two and a half minutes later to cut the St. John’s deficit in half after being awarded an indirect free kick near the penalty spot. With two Hoyas over the ball, Marlon Tabora touched it forward to Aidan Rocha, who slammed a shot under the bar and made it a 2-1 game.

The Hoyas were on the front foot for the remainder of the half, but the Red Storm defense held tight. Hart made stellar saves in the 36th and 37th minutes to keep Georgetown off the board.

Hart made his third save in the 75th minute on Joe Buck. Just about a minute later, the sophomore midfielder sent a potential game-tying shot just left of the far post.

The Johnnies put the game out of reach in the 83rd minute. Battling for the ball in midfield, Borra flicked it forward toward Sienkiel. The redshirt junior sent a right-footed strike from 35 yards into the upper-left-hand corner of the cage for what turned into the final score.

St. John’s will return to action as it welcomes Villanova University to Belson Stadium on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.

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.