The fourth-seeded St. John’s women’s soccer team hosted fifth seeded Butler as the Big East Quarterfinals came to Belson Stadium. The Bulldogs (11-6-2, 4-5 Big East) got the better of the Red Storm (10-4-3, 4-3-2 Big East) 2-1 (OT) at the Butler Bowl in Indianapolis on Oct. 6th.
The Johnnies’ Rachel Daly had another two-goal night (22), Miranda Haraughty scored the game-winning goal to give the Red Storm a 3-2 victory over the Butler Bulldogs. With the win St. John’s will travel to Marquette for the Big East semifinals on Friday at 8 p.m.
In the first half the Red Storm offense couldn’t find any momentum. Coach Ian Stone made a change in the alignment of the offense by moving Daly to the left side of the field. As a result, the Red Storm offense looked like a totally different team in the second half scoring three goals.
“We were going to go to three forwards to start the half to try and put some pressure on them,” Stone said. “Putting Amy in the middle and Rachel on the left ended up working well for us as Rachel had to fantastic finishes.”
Emily Cubbage floated the ball into the box to Daly who was uncontested as she struck the back of the net, bringing the match to a 1-1 draw.
Lara Kristin Pedersen was able to control the ball through midfield and assist Daly crossing through the box for her second goal on the night to make give the Johnnies a 2-1 lead.
Freshman Miranda Haraughty had her best overall game of the season. In the second half Haraughty was attempting to cross the ball into the box to try and find Daly, but the ball had some great rotation on it and it screamed past Butler’s goalie Julie Burton for the goal.
“Of course your always trying to score, it was a shot,” Haraughty said. “But Rachel is an amazing finisher. I knew if I missed or the shot deflected Rachel was going to be there.”
St. John’s was challenged throughout but was able to come away victorious and will next play at Marquette on Friday, Nov. 8th. Butler wouldn’t go down without giving St. John’s a battle as Sophia Maccagnone split two Red Storm
defenders to score late in the game, putting Butler within one, 3-2. But that would be all on the night for Butler, as St. John’s will be heading to the Big East Semifinals versus Marquette.
