Raiders start GNC second half with a sweep of the Hodags

MEDFORD VOLLEYBALL

It didn’t come quite as easily as it did in the first meeting, but the Medford Raiders got their second victory of the season over Rhinelander Tuesday, sweeping the Hodags on their home court.

The sweep started the second round of Great Northern Conference play for Medford. Conference competition continues tonight, Thursday, when leagueleading Tomahawk invades Raider Hall for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Hatchets are 7-0 in GNC duals and 21-7 overall.

Medford still holds third place in the conference at 5-2 and improved to 11-13 overall with Tuesday’s win.

Things were tight in the opening set with Rhinelander leading 19-18 before a Delaney Hraby tip kill sparked a 7-0 run that gave Medford a 25-19 win. The Hodags started to struggle with their serve receive and DeLana Radlinger took advantage with four straight aces. Hraby got another tip to help close it out.

The Hodags led game two 11-10 before the Raiders went on a 15-4 tear to take the set 25-15. The run was highlighted by a Toryn Rau tip kill, a kill by Hraby and a Radlinger ace.

A 17-10 lead in the third set dwindled to 18-17, forcing a timeout. Out of the break, Medford got an Allie Paulson kill, the Hodags hit into a couple of errors and the Raiders were on their way to a 25-20 win to clinch it.

Medford’s previous win over Rhinelander, which came Sept. 17 at Northland Pines, was by scores of 25-12, 25-10 and 25-8.

Tuesday’s win was Medford 23rd straight over Rhinelander dating back to 2013.

After tonight’s match with Tomahawk, Medford caps a busy homecoming week by traveling to the Eau Claire Memorial Invitational, which starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The host Old Abes, D.C. Everest, Marshfield, Onalaska and Eau Claire Regis are also scheduled to attend.

The Raiders go to Antigo for a GNC matchup on Tuesday.

Jeremy Mayo of the Northwoods River News contributed to this report.

Mustangs sweep

Monday in Menomonie, the Raiders weren’t able to get much of an offensive

rhythm established a solid Mustang defense and were swept 3-0 in non-conference play.

The Raiders kept two of the three games close but they were only able to get 18 of 87 total attacks down for kills and runs were limited, keeping serving opportunities down as well.

Menomonie took the first set 25-21 and then broke open game two to win handily 25-13. The Raiders battled in the third set but fell short 25-20.

Martha Miller led Medford with seven kills in 22 total attacks, Cami Rau had four, Hraby added three and Rachel Wesle chipped in with two. Wesle also had two solo block kills. Paulson and Megan Schaefer each had eight assists. Miller, Radlinger and Rylee Hraby each had an ace.

Defensively, Miller had eight digs, Radlinger had seven, Rylee Hraby added six and Paulson and Cami Rau had four apiece.

Medford’s Allie Paulson tries to spike the volleyball through the blocking wall put up by Gilman’s Claire Drier (3) and Tatum Weir (13) during the first game of the teams’ Silver Bracket match at Saturday’s Medford Invitational. Gilman’s Abby Chaplinski and Medford’s Martha Miller wait to see where the ball ends up going.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS