McCluer North Goalie Shuts Out Hazelwood Central

senior knows that her days as a goalkeeper are numbered.

But Lockette plans on making the most of the situation.

Lockette, who will attend St. Louis University on a softball scholarship, is closing out her soccer career in style. The 6-foot-2-inch jumping-jack made 11 saves, including a pair of highlight-reel efforts, to lead the Stars to a 3-0 win over rival on Wednesday afternoon in a Suburban North Conference contest at Central.

North improves to 4-7 overall and 2-2 in league play. Central falls to 4-11 and 1-2.

Lockette, an all-league first baseman, turned in the strongest performance of her career in posting her second shutout of the season.

"It was a game that you could tell she wanted to have," said North veteran coach Ray Stahl. "She made some great saves."

North senior midfielder Miranda Graham scored two goals and Lisa Welch added an insurance tally for the Stars.

But the afternoon belonged to Lockette, who made three impressive saves early in the second half while the Stars were nursing a 1-0 lead.

"Felt pretty good out there," Lockette said. "I just wanted to make sure they didn't score."

Graham, who will play soccer at the University of Evansville, was impressed with the performance of her teammate.

"This was one of her better games," said Graham, who has four goals on the season. "A great job."

Lockette is a standout softball player by trade. She led the conference in average (.630), home runs (seven) and RBI (49) last fall.

On a lark, she decided to go out for the soccer team as a freshman. She moved into the varsity starting spot her junior year and has been a fixture ever since. She said she plays soccer because it helps sharpen her softball skills

"Being a goalie and playing first base, they are kind of the same," she noted. "Stop the ball, make a play."

Lockette made a diving save of a rocket from Central forward Jamie Morales early in the second half to allow the Stars to keep the lead. Lockette stretched out her lanky body as far as it would go before deflecting the shot just wide.

A little more than two minutes later, she robbed Central's Shannon Curran from close range. Lockette completed the clean sheet with two more huge stops in the final 14 minutes.

"She made some great saves," Central coach Pat Rocco said. "We kind of put the pressure on them in the second half. We had our chances, that's for sure."

Graham provided all the necessary offense by scoring off a free kick from 21 yards out in the 27th minute. She blasted a shot that deflected off a member of the Central defensive wall and into the net.

"My shots usually go over the net," Graham joked.

Graham converted on a breakaway in the 60th minute to push the lead to 2-0. She picked up a free ball in the middle of the field and sailed in uncontested on goalie Zasmine Johnson. Welch put the game away five minutes later. She scored off a pair of nifty passes from Whitney Hopkins and Jessica Meierotto.

The victory helps ease the pain of what has been a disappointing season for the Stars so far.

Even though the two teams entered the contest with sub-.500 records, the 80-minute affair featured plenty of intensity.

"It's been an up-and-down season," Stahl said. "That makes it even better to win a game like this one."