Summer is turning into fall, classes are back in session, and the NCAA soccer season is well underway. But the story at St. John's has so far been a lopsided one, as the women's team has surged out to a strong start, while the men are still looking for their first victory of the year.
Women's team
The St. John's women's soccer team has tallied six victories in their first seven games, including impressive wins on the road against Syracuse and Boston College. So far as expected, English-born senior forward Rachel Daly has led the team with three goals through their first seven games.
Daly, who led the nation in goals her sophomore year, was named Big East Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year last month, and is already off to a solid start in 2015. On the defensive side, goalkeeper Diana Poulin has been stellar in the net so far for the Red Storm, allowing only three goals through the first seven games. Poulin has already made 17 saves on the season, and the Johnnies have already posted five shutouts, including four straight to start the year.
After a 1-0 win last night against Campbell, the Red Storm will play two more games before they begin conference play on September 27. They have received some national recognition as well, standing at number 23 in the most recent Soccer America rankings.
Men's team
Things on the men's side have not gone nearly as according to plan, however. The Red Storm have dropped their first four games of the regular season, and have been shutout in three of them. The Johnnies began the season with the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic in Indiana, losing both games that they played against Indiana and Maryland.
Things did not get anymore cheery when the Red Storm returned home last weekend when they were defeated by two straight local rivals in Princeton and Hofstra, dropping them to their current mark of 0-4. Youth and inexperience have been the main themes of this season so far, the first game of the year against Indiana saw 11 players make their collegiate debuts, and head coach Dave Masur started four freshman in each of the two games last weekend.
The winless Johnnies will square off with 19th-ranked Denver tonight, and will play three more games before conference play begins on September 26.