HUNTINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥“ Coaches and players have uttered this plea many times.
When you have a chance to put a team away, do so or else. Marshall got in that position Saturday night against St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s at Hoops Family Field/Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex.
A first-half goal by Alexander Stjernegaard gave the Thundering Herd a 1-0 lead over the Red Storm as Marshall attempted to close out its homestand 4-0.
Instead, the No. 6 Herd couldnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t get another goal and St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s got the equalizer in the 66th minute. Herd goalkeeper Dan Rose had to make several late saves to preserve the tie against the Big East member as the 2,027 fans on hand filed out disappointed at the turn of events.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe played very well the first half,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Marshall coach Chris Grassie said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe still havenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t put 90 minutes together. Hopefully we can do that at South Carolina.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Marshall (4-1-1) is off until Friday, when it takes on the Gamecocks in the Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams. Start time in Columbia, South Carolina, is 7 p.m. The Gamecocks (3-0-2) have a home match Sunday against East Tennessee State.
Marshall took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute when Stjernegaard blasted a shot from just outside the 18-yard box past Red Storm keeper Alec McLachlan.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe can definitely strike it,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Grassie said of StjernegaardÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s goal, his first of the season to go along with four assists. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe caught it really well. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s difficult to defend.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
From that point to the half, the Herd couldnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t extend its lead.
In the second half, St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s started to pressure the Herd and got even in the 66th minute on a goal by Tyler Morck off a set piece. It was the redshirt freshmanÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s first goal. Thomas Lamaille and Julian Jakopovic got the assists.
St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s kept the heat on and Rose had to come up with two late stops.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe have about 60 minutes of the run of play,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Grassie said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œGot to take advantage of that. We let them hang around, hang around. We were lacking a little bit of quality at the end. They made that final pass and we let them off the hook.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s (2-2-3) is picked to finish third in the Big EastÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s East Division. The Herd is favored to repeat as Sun Belt Conference champion.
Grassie said St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s did change some things up, but it more was a matter of what the Herd failed to do at key times.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey were really transitioning hard,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Grassie said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t think we contained the ball well enough. We didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t counter press well enough in the second half. We let our foot off the gas a little bit. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s frustrating.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s last draw before Saturday came in 2022 at Georgia State, 1-1. The Red Storm picked up its fourth straight tie against a ranked opponent and second on the road in eight days.
St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s got off 11 shots and six went on goal. The Herd had just three on goal, thanks to the play of the Red StormÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s back line.
Marshall had its first shot from outside the box blocked in the 17th minute. Then Stjernegaard delivered.
Rose had to come up big for the Herd just before the half when Julian Jakopovic beat MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s wall and got off a bouncing shot that Rose handled.
On the St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s goal, Muguel Diaz settled a pass from Macoumba Ba on the right side. After cutting back the senior midfielder swung the ball to the opposite side for Jakopovic, who took a touch and laid a cross into the 18-yard box. The feed bound LamailleÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s head and he tapped a pass to a cutting Morck, who sent a shot past Rose.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe ball came out on that play (goal) and we dropped our line too deep not to win a header. YouÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve got to win the header,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Grassie said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey beat us on all the races and they got the goal. They put some pressure on the second half and we didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t quite solve it.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe first half seemed to be our best half of the season. The final third, we were lacking that killer instinct. At the end, the (St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s) defense came at us. We didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t retain the ball and when we lost it, we didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t press hard enough to win it back. We had them on the ropes. YouÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve got to finish teams when you get a situation like that.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
SaturdayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s match was the first meeting between the two teams. St. JohnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s coach David Masur, whoÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s led the Red Storm for 34 years, remains at 399 career wins. When he gets No. 400, heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll become the seventh coach in NCAA history to reach that plateau. The Red StormÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s next match is Friday at Xavier.
