The St. John’s Men’s Soccer team saw their 2018 season end with a 1-0 loss to Providence in the Big East Quarterfinal.
The Johnnies had an up and down year this year, finishing with a record of seven wins, eight losses, and three draws. While the Johnnies didn’t have the year, they wanted you can see that there is something here that they can build around. Mainly, around their young star Skage Simonsen who captured three awards, the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year award, the first Johnnie to achieve the award in more than 20 years, ALL-BIG EAST second team, and unanimously selected to the BIG EAST ALL-FRESHMAN team
Simonsen gives the Johnnies a strong presence in their midfield for the next three years after such a strong rookie campaign. Simonsen was tied for the team lead in goals with six, along with four assists and 16 points.
Another Freshman received recognition for his play in 2018, Tani Oluwaseyi along with Simonsen was selected to the BIG EAST ALL-FRESHMAN team. Oluwaseyi demonstrated his potential not only to players and coaches on his own team but, to players and coaches across the BIG EAST. Tallying four goals, two assists, and ten points on the season Oluwaseyi was one of the Johnnies best players and will only get better with more experience.
The Johnnies overall did not stand out as a complete squad over the course of the 2018 season. For the Johnnies their biggest issue was their inability to score goals, averaging only one goal a game is not good enough with some of the powerhouses in the conference such as Creighton, Georgetown and Providence all who finished top three in the BIG EAST STANDINGS.
Red Storm’s defense and goalkeeping were able to keep them in games this season with the opponent averaging only 1.17 goals per game against the johnnies.
The biggest issue for the Johnnies in the 2018 campaign was their lack of experience. This is a young squad who had four seniors and 18 freshmen, hardly what you would call a team with much experience with one another.
With a year under their belts together and the Red Storm’s top three-point getters Forster, Simonsen, and Oluwaseyi set to return for the 2019 campaign the Red Storm have an opportunity to improve their trouble on the offensive end of the pitch. However, they are going to need to find more comparable pieces to help on the offensive end of the pitch.
Head Coach David Masur will have an intriguing offseason ahead with two of the best freshmen in the BIG EAST going into their sophomore season the Red Storm have the building blocks on the offense. Masur will definitely look to improve the offense of the Red Storm knowing full well that his defense and goalkeeping for all intents and purposes will be returning. Simonsen and Forester are midfielders while Oluwaseyi is a forward, the Johnnies will need to add an impact player to their forward core if they want to improve for next season.
Looking back on this finished 2018 campaign Red Storm fans and the player for sure have to be disappointed at the result of their regular season and their play in the BIG EAST Tournament. However, like almost all of the major sports teams in New York except the Yankees, the Red Storm seemed to be developing their young players and thinking beyond this past season. The Pieces for the Red Storm are there to build around, now the question is. Can they improve next season to take the Red Storm to the promise land?
