SOCCER ROUNDUP: Triad edges Alton in Metro Cup 1-0; CM falls to Freeburg
Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com Published 10:15 pm, Thursday, March 15, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sometimes, becoming good at something means a little disappointment along the way. Just ask the Alton High girls soccer team.

The Redbirds battled defending Class 2A state champion toe-to-toe Thursday night at Edwardsville, but a defensive miscue late in the first half ended up costing them in a 1-0 loss in pool play of the Metro Cup tournament’s Nike Division.

The Knights’s Molly Suess a junior midfielder, scored out of a scramble in front of the Alton goal in the 30th minute off a missed clearance by the Redbirds defense.

“We didn’t clear,” Alton coach Jeff Hayes said. “The ball bounces around a little but then goes directly to (Suess’s) feet. We had the same thing in (Monday’s) loss to Belleville West.”

Monday, West beat Alton 2-0. The Redbirds finish play in Pool VB at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Edwardsville, then will await a crossover game Saturday to be determined.

Despite the loss and an 0-2 record, Hayes said he’s far from unhappy with his team’s play thus far.

“I’m OK with this,” Hayes said. “I told the girls that it we had lost these two games at different points in the season, t wouldn’t seem as significant, but since it’s at the start of the season, sometimes you tend to over-emphasize them.

“I’m happy with the way we’ve played against West and triad. They’re going to be two of the best teams in the st. Louis area this season.”

The Redbirds and Knights each had five shots.

“The offense did a good job of connecting to feet,” he said. “We had larger chunks of possession and looked more confident.”