August 23, 2017 at 3:55 p.m.
Tennis: RHS fends off Medford 6-1
Tennis: RHS fends off Medford 6-1
The Hodags cruised in singles and went on to a 6-1 victory over Medford at the RHS tennis courts. While it's a win, in a conference fight that's quickly shaping up to be a two-horse race between the Hodags and Antigo, the result was a net loss for the Hodags as Antigo swept Medford 7-0 a day earlier.
"We're going to have to make up some way," RHS girls' tennis coach Bob Heideman said of the two extra conference points Antigo earned for its sweep over the Raiders. "Hopefully when we play Antigo, we can do that ... We'd like to keep abreast is what the story is."
The Hodags were fortunate to give up only two points as Medford, as it has done in its previous meetings against Rhinelander, altered its lineup to stack its best players together in doubles. As a result the Hodags cruised in singles, dropping a total of 10 games between the four matches. Doubles was a much more difficult affair as the Raiders chalked up their only win in the second flight. The team of Mandi Baker and Mariah Leader - who have played No. 1 doubles most of the season - started fast and went on to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Alexis Pyrchalla and Madi Losch. Heideman said Medford's style of doubles gave his team trouble.
"What Medford does is as soon as the ball goes over our head and our baseline person is hitting, (one Medford) person is going nose on the net right in the middle," he said. "Typically, you go cross-court. With a person at the strap in the middle, you can't go cross-court. It puts too much pressure on the angle you have to hit. What Medford got was a lot of net shots and I thought that was the difference. If you counted up the winners that we hit and they hit, I thought they hit a lot more."
Karlee Batchelder and Lauryn Strick, who have played No. 1 and 2 singles early on this year, moved to No. 1 doubles against the Hodags and played a marathon match with Livi Roberts and Haley Seefeldt. The Hodag tandem took the first set in a tiebreaker, dropped the second 3-6 and found itself level in the third set after Medford broke serve to go 3-3. The Hodags had a number of chances for break point in the seventh game before finally running off a string of winners by Seefeldt to take the game. Rhinelander held serve in the eight game and went on to take the third set 6-3.
"I thought it was important at No. 1 (doubles), when they got down 3-0 and then down 4-1 (in the second set) that they get at least some games that they didn't feel they were bulldozed," Heideman said. "They got it to 6-3, which I think carried over a little into the third set."
After cruising 6-0 in the first set at No. 3 doubles, Rhinelander's Savannah Chartier and Jackie Wells had a more difficult time in the second against Hailey Kollmansberger and Grace Geiger. The score was 5-5 when a brief rain shower halted play for roughly 20 minutes. Rhinelander quickly won its service game following the delay, but lost the next one to force a tiebreaker, which it took 7-4.
"I thought the girls were playing not to lose instead of to win, a little tentative," Heideman said. "It was Savannah who hit just a couple great shots and it seemed to turn the tide."
Oestreich held off a first-set challenge from Elaine Schumacher at No. 2 singles before finding a groove as she took a 7-5, 6-1 victory. Belinda Weddle downed Megan Payne 6-0, 6-0 in the first flight, Emma Roberts was a 6-1, 6-1 winner over Kailee Mann in the third flight and Kenedy Van Zile beat Amber Gerum 6-1, 6-1 at No. 4.
The Hodags took a 12-point lead on Antigo with the win early in the conference race, however Rhinelander has played one more conference match than Antigo at this point in the season. The two conference contenders will meet Aug. 31 in Rhinelander and again Sept. 5 in Antigo.
Rhinelander will face Phillips Thursday at the RHS tennis courts.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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