The NCAA News - News Features

I soccer win gives St. John's (New York) first NCAA title

This year's Division I Men's Soccer Championship was a Cinderella story that couldn't miss. With the field pared to four teams that had never before reached the semifinals, the glass slipper was certain to fit somebody.

In the end, it was St. John's (New York), that left the dance happy, after a 4-1 win over Florida International December 15 at Richmond for the Red Storm's first NCAA championship in school history.

Florida International had entered the final game as the team that figured to light up the scoreboard, but it was the Red Storm's Jimmy Buscemi, Stefani Miglioranzi, Ben Hickey and Jesse Van Saun who provided the fireworks, combining for two goals and six assists in the victory.

The three-goal margin was the widest in the championship game since San Francisco blanked Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in 1975. The four goals also were the most for one team since San Francisco's output in 1980.

St. John's scored first in a fast-paced first half when Hickey crossed to Buscemi, who passed to Van Saun for a score at the 26:54 mark. The Red Storm doubled its margin just over a minute later on a goal by Wojtek Krakowiak.

Florida International, which had outscored four tournament opponents, 13-1, found its offense midway through the second half when Ignace Moleka hit the back of the net in the 64th minute, but St. John's regained its two-goal advantage four minutes later on a six-yarder by Hickey.

"We knew we deserved better than what we produced in the last couple of years in the tournament," Red Storm coach Dave Masur said. "I'm really proud of our team and what we were able to do today."

The two teams had met in late October, with Florida International taking a 2-0 victory. But St. John's had the better of play when it mattered most.

"They came out and played with control and intensity," Panthers coach Karl Kremser said of St. John's. "Our boys did not play to the level that they were capable. We were just about to get a little sharper after we scored, but the third goal for them was the clincher."

St. John's (22-2-2) had been 0-4 in four previous tournament appearances, while Florida International (17-5-2) had not won in two tries. The four semifinalists, in fact, were 1-13 coming into this year's tournament.

St. John's earned its semifinal win over Creighton, which had not allowed a goal in its three previous tournament victories. Krakowiak scored midway through the first half, but Creighton's Ross Paule tied the match minutes later on an assist from Johnny Torres. The Red Storm clinched the win in the second period when Carlo Acquista and Buscemi fed Van Saun for the game-winning goal in the 64th minute of play.

Florida International raced to its semifinal victory over North Carolina-Charlotte with a three-goal barrage in the second half that was triggered by a spectacular bicycle-kick goal by Tyronne Marshall. The early second-half goal opened the floodgates for the Panthers, who added two more in a 4-0 triumph.

North Carolina-Charlotte finished its season at 19-5 while Creighton completed a 17-5-2 campaign.

The announced attendance at both the semifinals and final topped 20,000 for a second straight year. The 1997 and 1998 championships also will be held at Richmond.

SEMIFINALS

St. John's (N.Y.) -- 1 -- 1 -- 0

Creighton -- 1 -- 0 -- 1

First half: SJ -- Wojtek Krakowiak (Ben Hickey), 26:50; C -- Ross Paule (Johnny Torres), 31:51.

Second half: SJ -- Jesse Van Saun (Carlo Acquista, Jimmy Buscemi), 63:58.

Shots: St. John's (N.Y.) 13, Creighton 5. Goalkeeper saves: St. John's (N.Y.) (Dani Braga) 3, Creighton (Jon Epperson) 3. Corner kicks: St. John's (N.Y.) 5, Creighton 5. Fouls: St. John's (N.Y.) 7, Creighton 7. Attendance: 20,269.

N.C.-Charlotte -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Florida Int'l -- 1 -- 3 -- 4

First half: FI -- Alen Kozic (Mario Pino, Tyronne Marshall), 40:42.

Second half: FI -- Marshall (Russell Cain), 56:14; FI -- Ignace Moleka (Danny Vargas), 63:37; FI -- Jorge del Corral (unassisted), 83:12.

Shots: N.C.-Charlotte 8, Florida Int'l 13. Goalkeeper saves: N.C.-Charlotte (Jon Busch) 5, Florida Int'l (Sal Fontana) 5. Corner kicks: N.C.-Charlotte 7, Florida Int'l 6. Fouls: N.C.-Charlotte 5, Florida Int'l 29. Attendance: 20,269.

CHAMPIONSHIP

St. John's (N.Y.) -- 2 -- 2 -- 4

Florida Int'l -- 1 -- 0 -- 1

First half: SJ -- Jesse Van Saun (Ben Hickey, Jimmy Buscemi), 26:54; SJ -- Wojtek Krakowiak (Buscemi, Stefani Miglioranzi), 28:12.

Second half: FI -- Ignace Moleka (Alen Kozic), 63:10; SJ -- Hickey (Van Saun, Miglioranzi), 67:03; SJ -- Medufia Kulego (unassisted), 88:47.

Shots: St. John's (N.Y.) 11, Florida Int'l 9. Saves: St. John's (N.Y.) (Dani Braga) 3, Florida Int'l (Sal Fontana) 3. Corner kicks: St. John's (N.Y.) 3, Florida Int'l 2. Fouls: St. John's (N.Y.) 22, Florida Int'l 23. Attendance: 20,874.