After earning a 3-1 victory over Siena on Tuesday, the UConn men’s soccer team will return to Big East play Saturday, Sept. 26, when it travels to Queens, N.Y., to take on St. John’s at 7 p.m. The matchup will mark the Huskies’ first conference road game of the season after opening Big East play with a 2-1 loss to Seton Hall at home on Sept. 18. UConn will look to carry the momentum from its nonconference win into its second Big East matchup of the season as it faces the Red Storm on the road.
Offensively, the Huskies have been powered by multiple players, most notably senior forward Elijah Langford. Langford leads UConn with seven goals this season and has been especially dominant over the last two games, recording four goals. This includes the game-winning goal against Siena. Despite the loss, Langford also generated much of UConn’s offensive pressure in the first half against Seton Hall. Sophomore midfielder Preston Alessio has also been a standout for the Huskies, scoring in back-to-back games by converting penalty kicks against Seton Hall and Siena. With three goals this season, Alessio has been a consistent offensive presence, recording four shots in the matchup against Seton Hall.
In the goal, redshirt junior goalkeeper Kyle Durham has emerged as the backbone of the defense. Durham recorded five saves against Seton Hall and four against Siena. His performance against Seton Hall kept the Huskies in the game and allowed them to build momentum in the second half.
On the other side, St. John’s enters the matchup at 4-4 overall and 1-0 in Big East play, with several players standing out on both sides of the ball. Offensively, junior forward Luca Fargnoli and sophomore midfielder Andrew Porucznik have provided the offensive backbone for the Red Storm. Fargnoli leads St. John’s with three goals and scored the equalizer in the Red Storm’s 2-1 Big East-opening win against Villanova, recording five shots in the game. Porucznik recorded four shots against Villanova and two against UNC Wilmington. Against UNC Wilmington, Porucznik also earned a penalty kick opportunity that led to a St. John’s goal.
On the defensive end, St. John’s has been anchored by sophomore goalkeeper Nico Bezama. Bezama recorded three saves against Villanova, including a key save in the 79th minute to preserve St. John’s 2-1 lead. This win marked Bezama’s fourth of the season in goal.
The Huskies last matched up against the Red Storm, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, when UConn took a 1-0 win. The teams played a scoreless first half, but the Huskies increased the pressure in the second half. Despite being outshot, UConn’s defense was dominant in keeping St. John’s off the scoreboard. The Huskies took the lead with seven minutes remaining, capitalizing on a corner kick to secure the win. The matchup also featured Durham in goal, where he recorded his sixth clean sheet of that season.
With both teams looking to build on their recent performances, the Huskies will look to carry their momentum into Queens and earn their first Big East road win of the season. The matchup will kick off at 7 p.m. at Belson Stadium, and Husky fans can tune into the game on FloSports.