September 27, 2019 at 3:44 p.m.
Hodag soccer plays GNC-leading Northland Pines to scoreless draw
Hodag soccer plays GNC-leading Northland Pines to scoreless draw
Ninety minutes of soccer yielded nothing as Rhinelander played to a scoreless draw against Northland Pines at Mike Webster Stadium.
It was the third draw in six conference games for the Hodags (1-7-3, 1-2-3 Great Northern), but the game felt almost like a victory for Rhinelander, which lost 2-0 to the defending GNC champs in Eagle River earlier this month.
"Hopefully the second half of the conference season gets more improved," coach Nathan Bates said. "Coming out tonight with a nil-nil, it's not a win, but (against) the top team in the conference, between the first time that we played them until now, it's a vast improvement. I'm hoping to see some better results the second time around."
Northland Pines (6-1-2, 3-0-2 Great Northern) outshot Rhinelander 19-9 in the match, but the Hodags limited the number of quality scoring chances for the Eagles. That was part by design for Rhinelander, which shifted players around in its formation to present a starting 11 geared toward improving a defense that had come in allowing 2.5 goals per game.
"We kind of stacked up our defense with more of our senior players," Bates said after Rhinelander posted its first shutout of the season. "Doing that, they were able to bring the ball up and own the middle part of the field and distribute up top. Again, lacking on finishing this evening but, otherwise, we did very well with defense and we were able to own the middle of the field all night. If you can own the middle part of the field, a lot of times you'll come out on top."
Pines had a few chances to break the deadlock, the best perhaps coming in the 83rd minute as Trevor Romatowski put reigning conference offensive player of the year Liam Oas on a through ball up the middle of the Rhinelander defense. Rhinelander goalkeeper Gavin Ostermann sprinted toward the top of the 18-yard box and smothered the ball just before Oas could get off a clean look at goal on a breakaway.
"It doesn't shock me. The kid's an animal," Bates said of Ostermann, who collected seven saves in the draw. "Without him back there, with that one, we might have been in trouble tonight."
The Hodags amassed six shots on goal, but only two in the second half - both of which came from Daniel Ritchie. Ritchie won a free ball roughly 25 yards from goal and took a quick shot in the 50th minute, but his shot toward the left goalpost was snatched by Pines keeper Colby Kruse. Ritchie put forth a left-footed shot from the top right corner of the box in the 84th minute that was partially deflected before Kruse grabbed it.
Otherwise, the best look for the Hodags in the second half came in the 74th minute when outside defender Joseph Heck rainbowed a shot toward goal from in excess of 40 yards, but the shot barely sailed over the crossbar.
Rhinelander has dealt with personnel issues due to injuries and other issues, but Bates said the team had its full arsenal of players assembled for the first time all season, which helped in Thursday's draw.
"We have plenty of subs now," he said. "The kids aren't getting as gassed as they were earlier in the season. They played well tonight. They played their hearts out. They had times as always. Pines is tough as always.
"The boys have improved dramatically since day 1. It's been showing. Every single game has been a hard-fought battle and nobody's walking over us."
The game was Rhinelander's only of the week. A contest against Marshfield on Tuesday was canceled due to the threat of severe weather, which did push into the area about the time Tuesday's game would have ended.
It is unclear if that game will be rescheduled but Rhinelander did pick up a new non-conference contest Monday against Three Lakes/Phelps. The game will be a 7 p.m. kickoff at Mike Webster Stadium.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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