May 26, 2021 at 1:21 p.m.
RHS soccer bounces back from last-second loss, beats Medford
RHS soccer bounces back from last-second loss, beats Medford
The Hodags were outscored 2-0 in the second half Monday, including Courtney Meyer's game-winner in the 90th minute, as they fell at home to Marshfield 2-1.
Rhinelander responded on the road Tuesday, scoring five second half goals to rally past Medford 5-2 and secure third place through the first round of the Great Northern Conference schedule.
Rhinelander 5, Medford 2
The Hodags got goals from five different players on Tuesday and scored four unanswered over the final 24 minutes to earn the victory at Raider Field.
Ella Schiek scored the Hodags' first goal moments into the second half, and then assisted on both Kat Metropulos' tying goal and McKenna Brown's game-winner.
"The second half we changed the formation, a little more offensively strong, once I saw we could match up with all of their players," Hodag coach Nathan Bates said. "The girls came out and just put them away. The girls up top clicked and we had some good passing, some beautiful crosses."
Jasmine Wiitala converted from the penalty spot in the 29th minute following a Rhinelander handball foul within its own box as the Raiders, with the wind at their backs, took the lead into halftime.
"First half we started off a little bit slow," Bates said. "Medford had some speed up top and they were sending nothing but through ball, through ball, run, run, run. That's all they were doing."
Schiek canceled Wiitala's tally just 45 seconds into the second half, but Wiitala scored again in the 53rd minute to put the Raiders ahead.
Metropulos was there to finish a rebound off a Schiek shot in the 67th minute to tie it. Two minutes later, Schiek crossed to Brown for a finish that put the Hodags ahead.
"That point was a turning point. Our offense, they were clicking and working really well. Medford's defense could not handle us up top," Bates said.
Rhinelander added insurance in the 77th minute as Ava Lamers lobbed one in from outside the penalty area with her left foot. Gwyn Lowry tacked on one more in the 82nd minute, finishing a rebound of her own initial shot on goal.
Rhinelander outshot Medford 30-16 overall in the contest. Kahlie Arneson stopped nine shots in victory for the Hodags.
Marshfield 2, Rhinelander 1
The first indoor home game in RHS girls' soccer history had a sour ending on Monday as Meyer scored in the dying seconds to give Marshfield a 2-1 victory over the Hodags in a game that was played mostly in the Hodag Dome due to inclement weather.
Marshfield launched a counterattack in the 90th minute after Brown's one-hopper from 30 yards was picked up by keeper Clara Allar. Pressley Franklin sent a ball ahead for Meyer, who outflanked the Hodag defense on the right wing. Meyer sprinted in from the right side of the box and drilled the game-winner with 23 seconds remaining until full time.
"Just a little defensive error," Bates said. "The girls got a little concerned toward the end. They were looking at the clock and say that there was 22 seconds, so our defense pushed hard up front and they got caught on the end. It was a simple thing that happened. It is what it is."
The loss was Rhinelander's fourth in five contests. It marked the third time the Hodags were tied in the final five minutes of a match this season, and the second time they conceded the game-winning goal in that span. The Hodag back line was hindered as Audrey Schiek went out with a late injury and was caught flat-footed on the game winner.
"The defense is our defense right now and it's kind of late in the game to be changing things around," Bates said. "They're doing a good job. Toward the end of the game, I think they're getting a little bit tired in the end it looks like. We're trying to sub as much as we can, but it's tough right now. We have a lot of younger players and size plays a factor in this. Marshfield's a big team and if I start throwing some of my freshmen back there, it's more of a consideration of injury than anything else."
Ella Schiek now holds the unique distinction of being the first Hodag to score in the dome in two different varsity sports. She converted a penalty kick in the 28th minute and Rhinelander took a 1-0 lead into halftime. Schiek also had the Hodags' first points when the RHS girls' basketball team played D.C. Everest in the dome Dec. 22, 2020.
The Tigers tied Monday's game on a Kate Schilling shot from 30 yards away in the 52nd minute as the Tigers controlled the second half of play. Marshfield outshot Rhinelander 16-6 over the final 45 minutes, which Bates attributed to the Tigers' varsity roster of 26 players.
"They're a bigger team, they've got an older team and they were pushing hard toward the end," he said. "We were getting a little rundown there. Our girls gave in 100% in the first half and I believe we had the better of the first half. The second half, we started gassing out a little bit."
Overall, Marshfield outshot Rhinelander 28-17 in the match. Arneson made 13 saves in defeat for Rhinelander.
Monday's game started outside at Mike Webster Stadium, but was halted with about 20 minutes remaining in the first half when lightning was spotted south of the field. Following a roughly 15-minute delay, the teams reconvened inside the adjacent Hodag Dome and finished out the match.
"It was awesome that we were able to come inside tonight and complete the non-conference game that we have," Bates said.
GNC second round
The Hodags opened second round play last night on the road at Lakeland in a game that concluded after press time for today's edition.
Rhinelander will host conference-leading Ashland this Tuesday at Mike Webster Stadium before finishing the regular season against Northland Pines in Rhinelander next Thursday. The Eagles rallied from down 2-0 in the second half Tuesday at Mosinee to defeat the Indians on penalty kicks and secure the No. 4 seed in the conference.
Bates said he had confidence in his team going into the final round of conference play.
"Lakeland, they're going to be tough again, I know they are, but I believe in my girls and I think we can take Lakeland out on Thursday and I hope we do," he said. "Ashland's going to be Ashland. It's going to be a tough game as always. We know what they do now, but they have a well-polished team. We're just going to go out and do our best, all we can do. Going back to Pines, I'm going to predict a home again, our girls are pretty fired up. I hope everyone stays healthy and we can go out and take Pines out as well."
Both games next week are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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