Sept. 26, 2002
Jamaica, N.Y. – The 10th-ranked Notre Dame men’s soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss on Thursday evening as the Irish dropped a 1-0 decision to second-ranked St. John’s on the road. Jean Camere’s goal from 18 yards out with 1:48 to play lifted the Red Storm to their sixth win of the season. The two teams battled strong winds and a driving rainstorm throughout the 90 minutes of the contest.
With the loss, the Irish fall to 4-2-2 overall and 2-1-0 in the BIG EAST, while St. John’s improves to 6-1-1 and 3-1-0 in league play.
The loss marked a continuation of frustration for the Irish against the Red Storm on the road. Heading into the contest, Notre Dame was 0-4 playing against St. John’s on their home field and had been outscored 13-1 in those four previous contests.
Camere scored his first goal of the season on a ball that bounced off an Irish defender following Simone Salinno’s corner kick.
Notre Dame, which was outshot 11-8 in the contest by St. John’s had two scoring chances late in the game. The first came when sophomore Luke Boughen (San Capistrano, Calif.) took a low shot from the top of the box that went just wide with 8:45 remaining and then Erich Braun (Frankfurt, Germany) followed with a shot from 12 yards out with 7:49 remaining that went wide as well.
Chris Sawyer (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) made two saves in goal, while Bill Gaudette stopped three shots for the Red Storm. St. John’s had several chances in the first half, the best coming when Salinno dished a ball off to sophomore Andre Schmid. Schmid’s point-blank shot from about 10 yards out was saved by Sawyer with 2:36 remaining in the half. With 14:41 remaining in the half, Braun found space and took a shot from 25 yards out that bounced off Gaudette (and was cleared by Alberto Duenas.
Notre Dame returns to action on Sun., Sept., 29 when they face 19th-ranked Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J.
SCORING: SJU: Jean Camere (Simone Salinno), 88:12
GAME STATISTICS: Shots: Notre Dame 8, St. John’s 11; Saves: Notre Dame 2 (Chris Sawyer – 2), St. John’s 3 (Bill Gaudette – 3); Fouls: Notre Dame 9, St. John’s 10; Corner Kicks: Notre Dame 1, St. John’s 4