Nov. 2, 2007

Box Score

QUEENS, N.Y. - After playing 110 scoreless minutes, St. John's and Rutgers needed a penalty kick shootout to decide that Rutgers would advance to face Notre Dame in the next round of the BIG EAST Tournament. The Scarlet Knights won the right to advance after winning the shootout, 4-2. St. John's is now 11-5-3 and Rutgers is 9-8-3 as both teams are still credited with a tie for the game.

Rutgers would test Red Storm keeper Jaime Beran twice in the first half, but the BIG EAST GK of the Week made both saves. In the 41st , St. John's had its first shot on goal, but Erin Guthrie was able to stop a hard shot by Erin Bohn.

In the second half, both teams had a few great chances but neither could capitalize. After a Beran save, the Red Storm brought the ball up the field. Kelly McConnell went into the corner and made a great move to create some space. McConnell then sent a cross into the box, but a Raelynne Lee shot went off the crossbar. In the 64th minute Caycie Gusman had a breakaway for Rutgers and dribbled into the box. As a swarm of Red Storm players caught up, however, Gusman was forced to shoot and Beran made the save. Rutgers had another great chance in the 76th minute, but again Beran made a beautiful save on a curving shot from 12-yards out. St. John's would get the final good scoring chance of regulation in the 82nd minute, but a shot by Amanda Pasciolla was denied by Guthrie.

The Red Storm outshot Rutgers 3-1 in the two overtimes, but could not beat Guthrie with the two shots that were on goal. Still scoreless, tournament play dictated that a penalty kick shootout would decide the game. Beran, though, earned a shutout with five saves.

The Red Storm sent Bohn up first and the senior sent a soft shot towards the right post. The shot beat Guthrie, but gently deflected off the post and traveled all the way across the goal before bouncing off the left post and keeping St. John's off the board. After a converted PK by Rutgers, Kristine Cunningham was up next for St. John's. Cunningham sent a shot towards the right side, but right at Guthrie. Another conversion by Rutgers made it 2-0 after two rounds. Krystle Jalalian was up next for the Red Storm. Jalalian fired a hard shot that forced Guthrie to dive. Guthrie deflected the shot, but it bounced over her head and into the net. Rutgers converted again to push the lead to 3-1 and it was up to Lee to keep the Red Storm alive. Lee quickly pushed a shot into the upper right and past Guthrie, but a conversion by Rutgers ended the shootout, 4-2.