MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA — West Virginia defeated St. John's 4-3 in overtime on Thursday, surviving a furious second-half comeback by the visiting Red Storm before 905 spectators. The Mountaineers controlled much of the match but needed Marcus Caldeira's golden goal in the 93rd minute to secure the victory in a back-and-forth NCAA Division I contest that showcased both teams' resilience.
West Virginia established early dominance, building a 2-0 lead through the first 52 minutes of play. The Mountaineers' attacking pressure forced St. John's into a defensive posture, and their composure in possession created scoring opportunities throughout the opening half and into the second period. However, the Red Storm refused to surrender, mounting a dramatic offensive surge that transformed the match's complexion.
Bjorn Nikolajewski opened the scoring for West Virginia in the 46th minute, giving the hosts an immediate advantage after halftime. The Mountaineers extended their lead when an unmarked player converted in the 52nd minute, seemingly putting the match out of reach. St. John's appeared vulnerable, but the visitors' attacking players began finding space and creating chances as West Virginia's defense showed signs of fatigue.
Gabe Smyth pulled St. John's within one goal at the 51st minute, assisted by Andrew Porucznik and Ank Nibogora, signaling the Red Storm's intent to fight back. Guilherme Gomes equalized in the 80th minute with help from Julian Jakopovic and Godwin Partey, forcing the match into overtime after 90 minutes of regulation play ended 3-3. The dramatic turnaround demonstrated St. John's offensive capability and West Virginia's vulnerability in transition.
Marcus Caldeira proved decisive in the extra period, scoring twice to secure the victory. His first goal came in the 79th minute, assisted by Isaac Scheer and Pablo Pozos, giving West Virginia a 3-2 advantage. Nicolas Scargle added another in the 87th minute with Ethan Dekel Daks providing the assist, extending the lead to 4-3 before Caldeira's match-winning strike in overtime.
West Virginia's shot advantage proved telling, recording seven shots on goal compared to St. John's five attempts. The Mountaineers also earned five corner kicks to the Red Storm's four, controlling possession through much of the contest. St. John's compensated with disciplined defending early but accumulated three yellow cards, including cautions to Andrew Porucznik and Kaief Tomlinson, reflecting the physical nature of the competition.
The Mountaineers' goalkeeper made two crucial saves, while St. John's keeper recorded three stops despite the offensive onslaught in the final stages. West Virginia's defensive adjustments at halftime, which included four substitutions, ultimately provided the fresh legs needed to withstand St. John's second-half pressure and capitalize on counterattacking opportunities.
The victory improved West Virginia to 13-4-3 overall following a challenging stretch that included recent tournament competition. St. John's, now 9-6-4, showed character in nearly completing an improbable comeback but fell short in the overtime period. WV now plays High Point in the next round.