ALTON – Senior defender for the Edwardsville High School girls soccer team Macie Hockett has some friends on Alton’s team. That’s why when she and the Tigers handed the Redbirds a 3-2 loss Tuesday night (May 10) it was a little bit more important.
“It was exciting.,” Hockett said. “I’m happy both teams got to play. It was a good game.”
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It certainly was an exciting game as Edwardsville pushed Alton to their limit on a near 90-degree evening.
Alton led 1-0 from a goal from junior forward Emily Baker just 45 seconds into the game. It just so happens that Baker and Hockett are really close friends. They are actually going to be playing collegiate soccer together as they’re both committed to Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO).
The Tigers tied the game up in the 34th minute, but Hockett came up with the highlight of the game, a SportsCenter Top 10 worthy goal.
In the 52nd minute, Edwardsville was awarded a free-kick from at least 40-yards out. No one in their right mind would try and put that one on net, but Hockett sure did. Her rocket of a shot flew past Alton’s keeper and Emily’s sister Peyton Baker as there wasn’t much she could do to stop it.
Hockett said she planned on shooting it all along and joked around with the Baker sisters after the game.
“Well my teammate Peyton Federmann told me to shoot it and then Emily Baker, who I’m really good friends with, said, ‘thirty bucks if you hit it and I just said okay and then it went in.”
Alton head coach Gwen Sabo even gave credit to Hockett for the freekick.
After a loss earlier on in the season to the Redbirds, Hockett was glad to win this one against some of her friends.
“At home, they beat us 2-0, so we came here and said we have to beat them at least, and luckily, we did.”
It’s a possibility that Hockett will meet up with the Baker’s again in the Regional Finals on May 20th. Alton would have to beat Collinsville and Edwardsville would need to get past Quincy in their opening regional matchups.
“I would like to see them again. Hopefully, we see them again,” Hockett said.
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