September 8, 2017 at 2:05 p.m.
Brooming the birds
Inspired Hodags pull surprising 3-0 sweep over Antigo
Brooming the birds
The Hodags just may have found it Thursday night in their home gym.
Rhinelander got some timely put aways, took advantage of a number of Antigo miscues and upended the Red Robins in a three-game sweep at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Set scores were 25-19, 25-18, 25-22.
Coming off a lackluster three-game loss two nights earlier at Wausau East, Hodag coach Kathy Wawrzynowicz said the team worked hard on hustle and quickness Wednesday at practice and the results clearly showed Thursday night.
"I don't think anybody was happy with the way we played (at Wausau East). We worked yesterday and we just came out and played tonight, which I was happy to see," she said. "I thought our hustle tonight (was key). We hustled more than Antigo and that's a big reason why we won.
Rhinelander took control in the first set with a 6-0 run on Hope Wissbroecker's serve to take a 12-7 lead and did not trail the rest of the game. Antigo got to within three on a fake-set kill by Brianna Stanke, but the Hodags responded with a 6-0 run after that to take a 23-17 lead and went on to the win.
Rhinelander jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second set, forcing Antigo to burn an early timeout, and the Robins trailed the entire way.
The Hodags led most of the way in the third set, building a 24-16 lead at one point before Antigo made things interesting. The Robins eventually pulled to within 24-22 before senior Cami Buchmann tipped through a block attempt for match point.
"Our passing fell apart a little bit there, but all we needed was that sideout," Wawrzynowicz said regarding Antigo's late rally. "I knew we could get it. Cami tipped through the block. She came through. I told them in that timeout that a sideout is all we needed and they came through."
Wissbroecker again led Rhinelander with 12 kills, but the Hodags got some needed production from their other front row players during the match. Molly Wagler had five kills and two blocks, including a kill that put Rhinelander on game point in the second set. Freshman Hannah Worachek chipped in two kills, including the winner in the first set.
"Molly, that's probably the best match she's played all year," Wawrzynowicz noted. "Maybe this is just the spark we need to get going. It's going to be tough for us, because we are a little vertically challenged at the net at times. I thought Hope did well. I knew they were going to double and triple her. That was no secret. I thought she did well with what they did.
"Everybody that I put in there came through at some point."
Another change for Rhinelander involved the formation, as the Hodags went to a 6-2 look with a pair of setting options, opposed to a 5-1 with one primary setter that the team has used much of the season. As a result, Makayla Kuester led the team in assists with 13 while Ally Seefeldt had seven. The move allowed Seefeldt to have a greater impact in the front row, where she chipped in three kills.
"I think that helped a little bit," Wawrzynowicz said of the change. "I put Ally up in the front row to start out with and I thought she gave us some really valuable minutes up there."
Defensively, Stephanie Kuester had 17 kills, Wissbroecker had 16 and Seefeldt chipped in 11. The team was 64 of 73 serving on the night. Makayla Kuester led the way at the service line, going 16 of 17 with an ace.
"Our serving was pretty darn good tonight," Wawrzynowicz said. "I know we missed a couple, but they served to the spots I told them to serve to. That was pretty spot on."
Wawrzynowicz said playing at home in front of a boisterous student body helped the team's cause. "It was loud. The girls appreciated it. I know they did," she said.
Next up for Rhinelander is a trip to Shawano today for an invitational.
"We just have to go out and keep getting better," Wawrzynowicz said, adding she expects strong competition from Shawano and Wausau West. "I don't expect us to go out and win the tournament, but if we just keep getting better and keep playing tough (we'll be OK)."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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