Score: St. John's 6, UAlbany 1
 
Location: Belson Stadium in Queens, N.Y.
 
Records: UAlbany (0-1) | St. John's (1-0)
 
Short Story: UAlbany women's soccer opens the Leigh Howard era with a 6-1 loss at St. John's to kick off their abbreviated 2021 spring season.
 
Key Stats
 

• St. John's narrowly outshot UAlbany in the first half 6-5
• Four of the Red Storm's first-half shots were on target
• Olivia Piraino scored a goal in her first game as a Great Dane
• Six St. John's players scored their six goals
• UAlbany committed just nine fouls, compared to St. John's 20
• Each team drew three corner kicks

 
Coach Howard: "Obviously this was not the result we were hoping for, but our staff is very thankful to have gotten the chance to finally get out and play.  This game, and this opponent, taught us a lot about where we are and some of the ways in which we need to grow.  It was great to see a couple of our first-year players make an impact and we are looking forward to seeing how they grow together as a group as time goes on."
 
How it Happened
 

• St. John's found the back of the net in the 19th minute, when Ava Collins set up Jessica Garziano.
• St. John's added a second goal in the first half, in the 37th minute, with Collins and Alex Madden setting up Maia Cabrera.
• A goal in the 41st put the Red Storm up three, when Nicole Gordon found Brooke Boyd off a deflection.
• UAlbany attempted five shots in the first half, two by Christina Cernuto and one each by Marisa Tava, Olivia Piraino, and Ava Hannah.
• Piraino, a freshman from Niskayuna, N.Y., scored in her UAlbany debut, successfully converting a setup from Cernuto to cut the lead to 3-1 in the 64th minute.  It was UAlbany's first-ever goal against St. John's.
• St. John's scored again in the 66th to go back up three, and took a 5-1 lead in the 76th.  The Red Storm added a final goal in the 86th minute, from Collins.

 
Next: UAlbany opens their home schedule Wednesday, hosting UMass at Casey Stadium.  Kickoff is set for 12:00 pm.