April 27, 2023 at 8:10 a.m.
Hodag soccer keeps rolling, blanks Pines
Hodag soccer keeps rolling, blanks Pines
The win was Rhinelander's fifth in a row heading into a pivotal Great Northern Conference matchup Thursday night at Lakeland. That game concluded after press time for today's edition.
Rhinelander (5-2-0, 3-0-0 GNC) dominated possession and play against the Eagles (1-2-0, 1-2-0 GNC) on Tuesday and scored from long range a number of times against a defensive-minded Northland Pines side.
"We had the better end of the game the whole game, but their defensive line back there is stout and they made us work for the four goals we got," Hodag coach Nathan Bates said. "They weren't gimmes, not at all. They made us earn every goal tonight."
The Hodags applied pressure from the onset and were on the board by the third minute. The opening salvo resulted in three consecutive corner kick chances. Pines' keeper Isabella Chuckel stopped a Sophie Miljevich volley on the first attempt, Pines knocked the second attempt out of bounds and Lamers was tripped making a run up the right end line on the third attempt, resulting in a penalty kick that Lamers buried inside the right post.
"Even right before that Soph had a beautiful volley off that corner kick that the goalkeeper just was there to get," Bates said of the opening tally. "Following up with that, a little physical play on Pines' end cost them a PK that started off the momentum for our team."
Lamers scored twice more in the second half, running her total to 15 goals on the season through seven games. She won a 50-50 ball just inside the half line in the 64th minute, weaved through defenders and found an opening at the top of the Northland Pines box, where she fired and tucked the ball inside the right post. She scored once more in the 71st minute, gathering the ball off a Northland Pines deflection at the top of the attacking third. She dribbled to the top left corner of the 18-yard box before firing a left-footed shot over Chuckel and just underneath the crossbar.
"Ava had some energy left in her and she was able to create a couple opportunities for herself, which was really nice to see," Bates said.
Miljevich, a sophomore, scored her eighth goal of the season in the 32nd minute, helping Rhinelander to a 2-0 halftime advantage. She fired from 20 yards and the ball grazed the bottom of the crossbar as it found the back of the net.
"That was a beautiful shot. Soph had a great shot. She had a couple of other opportunities this evening that just didn't fall, but that one was a beautiful shot," Bates said.
Shots from around and beyond the 18-yard box were a common theme for Rhinelander on Tuesday as Pines committed extra numbers to slow down a Hodag attack that had scored 25 goals in its previous three contests.
"We knew that going into the game," Bates said. "I told the girls tonight before the game, 'Hey, make sure we're shooting from outside the 18.' They stack the box and it's hard to get through. The girls listened and they did do that."
The Hodags outshot Northland Pines 23-4 in the contest and had a 9-2 edge in shots on goal. Mya Krouze didn't record a save until the 64th minute as she posted her third shutout of the year for Rhinelander.
The game marked the last of a five-game homestand for the Hodags. Thursday night's game at Lakeland kicked off an eight-game road trip for the team, that continues Tuesday night at Mosinee.
Rhinelander will not play at home again until the rematch with Lakeland May 19.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
WEATHER SPONSORED BY
E-Editions
Latest News
E-Editions
Events
August
To Submit an Event Sign in first
Today's Events
No calendar events have been scheduled for today.
Comments:
You must login to comment.