Catching up with the St. John's women's soccer team

Off the heels of a two-game losing streak, including a 4-0 loss to No. 2 Florida State earlier this week, the St. John's women's soccer team is taking to the road, looking to get back on track.

The Red Storm head east with a pair of games on New England soil, taking on former Big East foe UConn on Friday night before trekking to New Hampshire for a non-league matchup against Dartmouth on Sunday afternoon.

But before the Storm look to rebound on the field, let's take a second to review just how St. John's has fared throughout the early part of the season, finding success, disappointment and the continued strength of All-American Rachel Daly's foot.

St. John's has looked good at home with a 2-1 record at Belson Stadium, while returning sophomore goalie Diana Poulin has continued her success from last season, with 14 total saves in net and a singular save percentage of .609.

Daly, as expected, has been the cornerstone of the Storm's offense so far this fall, currently ranking third in the Big East with five goals in six games. Collectively though, St. John's could zero in a little more on offense. As a group, the Red Storm is shooting just .118, going 9-for-76 in shot attempts.

Perhaps the biggest issue for the Storm over the opening few games of the season has been their all-or-nothing mentality on the field and their inability to hold on in close games.

Of the three games St. John's has lost this season, two of them were one-goal losses, while the other, of course, was a lopsided matchup to Florida State, the favorite to win the ACC this year, this past Monday.

That makes the next two games, as well as the Storm's final non-league game against Stony Brook on September 18, crucial before St. John's opens its Big East campaign later this month.

Friday's game against Connecticut will mark the first time the two teams have faced off against each other since the Huskies left the Big East. Connecticut, which is paced offensively by sophomore Rachel Hill, has been working a two-goalie system so far this season and it will be interesting to see how Daly and the Storm's front line cope with the dual looks.

Meanwhile, Sunday's matchup against Dartmouth marks just the third time the teams have met on the field, with each game ending in a tie. The Big Green have played just three games this season, posting two losses, making this game a chance for St. John's to take advantage of an opponent's growing pains early in the year, while working on smoothing out a few of their own on-field creases.

The Red Storm officially open their Big East schedule against Xavier on September 25, meaning these next three games are crucial for St. John's to find its collective footing as a team.