Orangemen Soccer Set for No. 3 St. John's
10/18/2002 12:28:06 PM | Men's Soccer
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse men's soccer team will play its second consecutive game versus a ranked opponent when it hosts No. 3 St. John's on Saturday, October 19 at 7 p.m. in the SU Soccer Stadium. The Orangemen, unbeaten in their last three games, are 7-5-1 overall and 3-3 in the BIG EAST. St. John's is 10-1-2 overall and 6-1 in league play.
Syracuse has not played since defeating 14th-ranked Rutgers on October 12. The Orangemen's game with Boston College scheduled for October 16 was postponed because of bad weather and field conditions. That game will now be contested on October 23 at 4 p.m.
The Orangemen are trying to win back-to-back games versus top 25 opponents for the second time in three years. SU defeated No. 21 Adelphi and top-ranked Connecticut in consecutive outings during the 2000 season. The Orangemen have defeated at least one top 25 team in each of the last six seasons.
Sophomore forward Jarett Park (Tully, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) leads the team in scoring with 16 points on six goals and four assists. Park is tied for the team lead with senior Guido Cristofori (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) with three game-winning goals. Park tallied the deciding goal in Syracuse's 2-1 win versus Rutgers. Cristofori had an assist on the play. He has assisted or scored five of the Orangemen's seven game-winners this season.
St. John's is riding a 12-game unbeaten streak since losing its season opener, 2-1, at Boston College. Rich Bradley leads the team wih 11 points on three goals and five assists. The Red Storm defense, led by BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Chris Wingert, is allowing just 0.30 goals per game. Goalkeeper Bill Gudette has eight shutouts and a 0.31 goals against average in more than 1160 minutes of work.
St. John’s leads the all-time series, 12-7-3. The Red Storm has won the last five meetings and holds a 1-8-1 advantage in the last 10 meetings. Syracuse’s last win was October 12, 1996 (2-0 in Syracuse).
