Defense improving, now Raiders hope goals will come

MEDFORD GIRLS SOCCER

A lengthy scoring drought continued for Medford’s soccer team Tuesday, but that doesn’t indicate how well the team played in a 4-0 loss at Rhinelander.

In the rematch of a 9-0 blowout playing in snowy windstorm on April 14, the Raiders did a much better job of holding the potent Hodags’ attack in check. Goalie Sophia Brunner was still busy, collecting 24 saves on 31 shots the Hodags took. But only two shots in each half connected as Rhinelander remained unbeaten in conference play at 6-0 and won its 11th straight game to improve to 11-2.

“Our defensive line played a really tough game,” head coach Tanya Tessmann said. “They were going against a good team but all of our girls on that line, Megan Schaefer, Kelsey Jascor, Caitlin Doyle, Talyn Peterson, Maddie Eckert did a great job. We had our mids playing back a bit and they did a good job of containing. They had to pass it back a lot because we were containing them so well. I think they were even getting frustrated at times because they had to pass it back so much.”

While the Raiders didn’t have nearly as many scoring chances, they did put all four of their first-half shots on goal, which has been a recent emphasis. In the 62nd minute of the second half, on a direct kick opportunity Gabby Brunner took a pass from Sierra Tessmann and just missed on a strong shot to the goal.

“That’s a big accomplishment,” Tessmann said. “We’ve been working hard at, first, just getting more shots and then secondly getting them on target.”

Along with the defense, Tessmann credited senior Emma Eckert for her play in the middle and on the offensive end.

“She’s only in her second year of playing soccer, but you can see she’s improving,” Tessmann said. “Her endurance is better, her touches are better. She’s always going for the ball.”

Sophie Miljevich got Rhinelander’s first goal in the 27th minute, getting a one-on-one with Brunner, who made an aggressive move to come out of the net and challenge Miljevich, who got the shot off just before the two nearly collided.

“It was the right play,” Tessmann said. “You want to get out there and make her shoot sooner rather than later. Sophia’s not afraid to go out there and challenge them. She’s aggressive.”

Rhinelander’s leading scorer Ava Lamers hit the upper left corner in the 36th minute to put Rhinelander up 2-0.

Leah Weigel lobbed the third goal in about 15 minutes into the second half and Lamers got the ball past the diving Brunner and into the lower left corner with just under 20 minutes left.

Medford (2-4, 2-10-1) is back at home tonight, Thursday, to face Mosinee in GNC play at 7 p.m. The game has been designated as Youth Night. The Raiders get another tough one Tuesday, hosting GNC contender Lakeland at 7 p.m. They go to Antigo for a 5 p.m. kickoff on May 19.

West 3, Medford 0

On another very windy day Monday, the Raiders stuck right with Wisconsin Valley Conference opponent Wausau West until the host Warriors struck for goals in the 68th and 71st minutes to take a 3-0 win.

The Warriors had a decided edge in shots and chances, but the Raiders picked up their offensive game in the second half and had opportunities to tie the game, which stood at 1-0 since a West goal 3:45 in.

“I thought we were dominating more in the second half,” Tessmann said. “We had more possession time and just played really strong. The score really doesn’t indicate how the game was.”

Wausau West dictated play early, getting the early goal on a rebound opportunity. Goalie Sophia Brunner made the initial save on the play and Kelsey Jascor had another non-goalie save before the Warriors banged home the third shot.

West got off 15 first-half shots, with 10 of them being on goal, but the score remained 1-0 through the half. Gabby Brunner had Medford’s lone scoring chance of the half.

Tessmann said the Raiders showed the second half would be different immediately. Just two minutes in Sierra Tessmann got off a shot that West’s goalie just deflected over the crossbar. Kayla Szydel put a hard shot on goal not long after that. Schaefer and Gabby Brunner also got shots off.

West again had 15 shots, but only four actually were on goal in the half. Both goals, coach Tessmann said, came on breakdowns where West was able to sneak a pass through the defense to a lone attacker, who got one-on-one chances with Medford’s goalie.

“It was an aggressive game and quite a few fouls,” Tessmann said. “We played strong right with them. The girls didn’t let themselves get pushed around. Kelsey Jascor continues to always be consistent on defense. She always stays positive out there. It’s good to have her leading us out there.”

Falcons 3, Raiders 0

Playing a rare late-afternoon home game Friday, Medford couldn’t recover from a tough first half and dropped a 3-0 non-conference game to Amherst/Iola-Scandinavia, a team that has just one loss so far this spring.

Saige Peterson scored two of the Falcons’ goals, all of which came in the first half when they outshot the Raiders 16-1 and had nine corner kicks. Despite the obvious edge in offensive pressure, Tanya Tessmann said the three goals the Falcons got in the first 40 minutes were inches away from being none.

The first one by Peterson, came about 3:30 into the game on a high shot.

“At first I didn’t think there was any way Sophia was going to get to it,” Tessmann said. “But she got her fingertips on it, but it still got into the top corner of the goal.”

About four minutes later, Alexa Shulfer stuck a low shot inside the post.

Peterson made it 3-0 at the 21:30 mark with another high shot that Brunner tried to tip over the crossbar. Again, she got her fingers on it, but the ball still found its way under the bar and into the goal.

While those shots found their target, Medford’s lone shot, which came from Gabby Brunner, hit the post and bounced out.

In the second half, the shots were much more even as the Falcons were the ones dealing with the late-day sun in the last 40 minutes. Medford got off six shots from six different players, while the visitors put four of their eight shots on goal, all of which Sophia Brunner saved. The Falcons had four corner kicks in the half. Brunner finished with nine saves overall.

“It was definitely a better second half for us,” Tessmann said. “ We just couldn’t get one in. They were a really tall team, especially up front, and fast. I thought Talyn Peterson did a great job for us. She’s one of the smallest players we have but she was not afraid to challenge them and never gave up. She was just as fast and was able to recover quickly against them.”

NikkiPoetzltriestocutoffRhinelander’s Ava Lamers during Tuesday’s loss.BOB MAINHARDT/NORTHWOODS RIVER NEWS