September 12, 2022 at 7:57 a.m.
RHS soccer shut out at Lakeland
RHS soccer shut out at Lakeland
The Hodags played off the back foot much of the night and two breakaway chances ultimately proved to be the difference in a 2-0 loss to defending GNC champion Lakeland at IncredibleBank Field.
After a 3-0-0 start in non-conference play, the Hodags are a half-point behind at the break even mark in the conference after dropping a penalty kick shootout at Medford and needing a late three-goal barrage to get past Northland Pines 5-2.
Hodag head coach Nathan Bates did not mince words after Thursday's setback.
"I think we played our worst game I've seen these kids play in a very long time," he said.
The root of the problem, Bates said, was the physical nature of the match between the two Oneida County rivals. Rhinelander was whistled for 14 fouls in the match. Lakeland, which was not called for an infraction until early in the second half, finished with five fouls.
"The game got way out of control, in my opinion," Bates said. "The center judge allowed it to turn into a very, very physical match that, in my mind, ruined the game. The kids weren't playing soccer any more. We didn't play our game."
Lakeland had two instances in the first half where they got even with or behind the Hodag defense, which ultimately proved to be the difference in the match. Reigning conference offensive player of the year Yaroslav Myshchyshyn split the Hodag defense on a send from the Lakeland back line by Chandler Savel and converted a breakaway chance in the 13th minute.
Initially, Rhinelander contended Myshchyshyn was offsides on the play. Though inadmissible to review a call on the field, video replay confirmed that Myshchyshyn was in a legal position when Savel sent the through ball, with Rhinelander's last defender roughly two yards closer to the goal.
"The first breakaway was a beautiful run by Yaroslav. It was very well-read," Bates said.
Lakeland's second goal came from a free kick that was set up when Dominic Gironella became entangled with a pair of Rhinelander defenders roughly 30 yards from goal on a ball up the middle. Rhinelander keeper Cooper Radke made a diving save on Myshchyshyn's free kick to the left post, but the defense did not recover in time. Brent Olson secured the rebound and tapped it to Savel for a 38th-minute goal.
"(Radke) made the stop and they rebounded it. There was nothing he could have done," Bates said.
Though statistics for the game were almost identical - Lakeland outshot Rhinelander 17-16 and had a 9-7 edge in shots on goal - the T-Birds had the more threatening chances.
Rhinelander's best chance came shortly after Lakeland's opening tally. Andrew Henrichs rung the crossbar with a look from 40 yards in the 15th minute. Matthew King tried to redirect the rebound with his chest, but Lakeland keeper Carter Quade was in position to make a routine save.
Rhinelander's best opportunities in the second half came from free kicks early in the half. Kyle Wiese missed just wide right from 40 yards in the 43rd minute. Shane Petrick misfired well over the crossbar in the 48th minute following a Lakeland handball foul roughly 25 yards from goal.
That was the story for the Hodag offense much of the night. Virtually all of Rhinelander's attacks on Thursday came from shots outside the penalty area.
"We were not working our give-and-go game and our passing game," Bates said. "We were taking stupid shots, in my mind, from outside too far that were pointless. We didn't play our game tonight.
"We got into playing a game I don't like and it cost us the game. Up until that point, we were doing well. It wasn't a lopsided game by no means, percentages (of possession) but we allowed that to happen and that's on the kids. We're here to coach them but we can only coach them so far. They all have their own personalities and they're going to play the game they want to play. They chose to play that way."
Radke made seven saves in the loss for Rhinelander.
The Hodags return to action tonight at home against a Mosinee team that gave conference-leading Medford a game in a 1-0 loss on Thursday. Already four points adrift of Medford in the league standings, tonight's match is entering must-win territory for Rhinelander to keep its GNC title hopes alive.
"We're going to continue to try to do what we do and hopefully the boys show up to play," Bates said. "That's basically it. They have all the tools and they have the skill and they're a great team. They can do what they want. If they want to put their minds to it and go out and win, they're gonna. Tonight wasn't their night and, hopefully, Tuesday is."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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