The Fairfield University women's soccer team dropped its season opener, 1-0, to host St. John's University on Friday night at Belson Stadium in Queens, N.Y.  The Stags fall to 0-1, while the Red Storm improved to 1-0.

"We were a little apprehensive in the first half," said fourth-year head coach Jim O'Brien, "but once we got that out of the way, and unfortunately giving up a goal, we recovered very well. We put in a much better performance in the second half and pressured a good quality team from the Big East."

The Stags started three freshmen in the game, and would start the second half with eight rookies on the field.  One of those starters, Kelly Boudreau made six saves in her first collegiate action.

Senior captain Robyn Decker started her 60^th career game, while her sister Alyssa Decker, a freshman, made her first start.  It marks the first time in program history that the Stags have had sisters start in the same game.

The teams played scorelessly for almost the entire first half, until the Red Storm tallied the lone goal of the game at 36:46.  C.J. Ludemann fed the ball from the far side to Amanda Santos, who touched the ball home.

The Stags were out shot 13-4 in the contest, and the Red Storm recorded five corner kicks to the Stags one.  Fairfield committed 12 fouls, as compared to eight for St. John's.

Fairfield will play its next game in a week, when it travels to the Puma Rider Invitational hosted by Colgate University.  The Stags will take on the host Friday at 7:30 p.m., and will play Temple at noon on Sunday.