April 12, 2023 at 10:52 a.m.
Lamers scores twice, Hodags notch first win
Lamers scores twice, Hodags notch first win
Lamers scored on an end-to-end effort in the 67th minute, which proved to be the difference in the Hodags' 2-1 victory over Washburn in a non-conference contest at Mike Webster Stadium.
Lamers also scored for Rhinelander in the 17th minute of the match, canceling out a strike by Amelia Croteau for the Castle Guards just moments prior. The senior has scored all three of Rhinelander's goals so far this season.
The winner came on an individual effort as Lamers won a 50-50 ball near the top of her own 18-yard box, carried it all the way into the attacking third and then launched a shot from the top of the Washburn 18 to the upper left corner of the goal, past keeper Ede Krueger.
"Ava had a great run down the field, fast transition," Hodag coach Nathan Bates said. "She carried down and put one in the back of the net, which was great. She had a lot of nice shots tonight.
"We had a lot of pressure on them, a lot of shots on them. The girls had a lot of good things. There are still things to work on going forward but, all and all, we got out with a win tonight."
Rhinelander dodged a number of bullets over the final 10 minutes to earn the win. Free kick attempts by Washburn's Sieanna Sandor and Maddie Ludwig in the 72nd minute were both off frame. Lamers then got taken down on a hard challenge by Sandor at the edge of the defensive third. With no foul, Washburn sprung a counterattack that resulted in a Cassie Claremboux shot from 15 yards out sent straight to Rhinelander keeper Mya Krouze for a save.
Krouze made seven saves for Rhinelander in the win, including one on a shot from the right side of the box by Ella Opperman in the 75th minute. Krouze nearly misplayed a high cross into the box by Sandor in the 78th minute, but recovered to collect the ball after the first hop went over her head. Sandor took a corner kick to start the final minute that snuck past Krouze, but the Castle Guards did not have a player stationed on the back post for the redirection and the ball hooked harmlessly out of bounds.
"I'd say for the most part we owned the game until the last 10 minutes," Bates said. "It seemed like we got tired. They had a lot of looks and I don't know why or what. The girls got gassed, got tired, something happened. I don't know what it really is yet, but it looks like we got tired. Our midfield got tired and our defense got tired."
After a slow start for both sides, the action picked up near the quarter-hour mark. Lamers had a free kick ring off the crossbar in the 13th minute. Washburn got on the board a short time later as Croteau dispossessed Rhinelander defensive midfielder Aubrey Younker, walked through the left side of the box and chipped a shot past Krouze to put the Castle Guards ahead 1-0.
"We had a couple of mistakes, one really, and I'm not sure how it happened for their goal," Bates said. "It's like they walked it in. I don't know why or what happened, but it happened."
The Hodags quickly responded, keeping the pressure on after a Leah Weigel chance sailed wide right in the 16th minute. Washburn took the ball away from Morgan Van Zile at the left edge of the box but the loose ball came out to Lamers at the top of the 18 and Lamers fired inside the left post to tie the game exactly 17 minutes in.
From there, the Hodags had the vast majority of the threatening chances, but nothing to show for their efforts until Lamers' winner in the 67th. Rhinelander held a 28-13 edge in total shots and a 15-8 advantage in shots on goal.
"We had a lot of good opportunities tonight, but a lot of shots on frame. I can't complain, it's the first win of the season and we start conference play Thursday," Bates said.
The Hodags held on late despite once again playing with a jumbled defensive line. Junior captain Emma Chiamulera was back in the lineup after missing last Thursday's loss at Wisconsin Rapids, but Helena Wisner was a scratch from the contest and senior Annalyse Schoppe went down in the third minute with a lower left leg injury and did not return to the game.
"We were down two of our starting defenders tonight and it got tested," Bates said. "Anna got hurt early on and Helena was out for the whole game. We put Willa (Bureta) in there as a freshman and she, all and all, did a great job."
The contest was the first of the season for Washburn, a Division 4 school that finished second to Ashland in the Heart O'North Conference last year as was a No. 1 seed in the WIAA tournament before getting upset by Northland Pines in the sectional semifinals.
Tuesday's game was originally scheduled to be played in the Hodag Dome, but was moved outside on a last-minute audible. Thanks to a high temperature approaching 70 degrees, the remainder of the snow melted off the artificial playing surface at Mike Webster Stadium less than three hours before kickoff.
Rhinelander (1-2-0, 0-0-0) opened Great Northern Conference play against Medford Thursday in a game that concluded after press time for today's edition. The Hodags travel to Antigo next Tuesday.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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