ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, December 16, 1996              TAG: 9612170020
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: B-5  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press

ST. JOHN'S WINS MEN'S SOCCER TITLE

St. John's won its first national championship in any sport, beating Florida International 4-1 Sunday in the NCAA men's soccer final in Richmond.

The Red Storm (22-2-2) received goals 78 seconds apart in the first half from Jesse Van Saun and Wojtek Krakowiak. Ben Hickey and Medufia Kulego also scored for St. John's, which had been 0-4 in the NCAA tournament before this year.

With former St. John's basketball coach Lou Carnesecca among those in the crowd of 20,874, St. John's scored the most goals in the NCAA final since San Francisco beat Indiana 4-3 in overtime in 1980.

It was the most lopsided victory since San Francisco defeated Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 4-0 in 1975.

Florida International (17-5-2) had outscored four tournament opponents 13-0.

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

LENGTH: Short :   28 lines