Offense heats it up early in win

MEDFORD GIRLS SOCCER

On a miserable evening to be outside, the Medford Raiders made the most of it Thursday, earning their second lopsided win of the season over the Antigo Red Robins.

The 9-0 whitewash at Raider Field finally snapped Medford’s eight-game winless streak and rebuilt some confidence heading into tonight’s regular-season finale at Mosinee and the WIAA Division 3 tournament, which is set to start June 10.

“We had a good strong game,” said senior Jasmine Wiitala, who scored four goals in the win. “We played well as a team. We play better when we’re more positive toward each other. I saw the other team was kinda tearing each other down and that was affecting them negatively. When we keep a positive attitude, we play a pretty good game. So tonight was good.”

Much like Medford’s 10-0 season-opening win in Antigo May 4, the Raiders built a huge first-half lead. Unlike the first time, they were unable to hit the 10-goal mercy rule. But that was a positive in a way as it gave head coach Tanya Tessmann more time to get more players into the game and mix up their positions.

“I’m proud of the girls and how they played,” Tessmann said. “They don’t give up when they’re out here, whether they’re ahead or behind. We keep playing. It was nice to switch some people around and give them a chance to play different positions. We gave some of the JV players some time.”

A cold rain at the start tried to change to snow at times in the first half and the occasional breeze out of the northeast didn’t make things any more comfortable. But the win will make the game and its conditions more memorable, Wiitala said.

“It’s tough,” she said. “It’s hard to get on the field and start playing. Once you get in the game, you’re good. But getting out here is tough in this weather. It is hard. I did not want to get out of my car.”

Medford had an early goal by Gabby Brunner waved off with an offsides call, but Olivia Felix put one in moments later off a Wiitala corner kick at 10:07 and that got the first-half scoring barrage rolling.

At 17:14, offensive pressure resulted in Lydia Pernsteiner burying a center shot from about 15 yards. That was the start of the junior’s first career hat trick.

Wiitala got her first one at 19:37 on a 30-yard shot that went right through the hands of Antigo’s goal keeper. At 26:20, Pernsteiner struck again, weaving her way through a couple of Antigo defenders and beating the goalie one-on-one.

Wiitala’s long crossing shot tucked inside the far post at 29:34 and Ellee Grunwald hit the top left corner at 38:10. The Raiders ended the half with Wiitala’s corner kick somehow finding its way into the net with 15 seconds left, making it 7-0.

“I think it bounced right between the post and a girl and hit her right in the back and went in,” Wiitala said.

“Whether it was the wind or the rain, the ball had so many goofy bounces,” Tessmann said.

Wiitala got her fourth and final goal at 56:09, hitting a shot from a tough angle on the right side of the offensive formation. Her corner kick at 65:34 bounced around and by a couple of players before Pernsteiner slammed it in to close the game’s scoring.

Brunner, Kayla Szydel and Nikki Poetzl were just some of the Raiders who fired off shots in the second half.

‘We had 10 people take shots. That’s pretty good,” Tessmann said. “We had almost 40 shots and a bunch of corner kicks.”

Sophia Brunner, who touched the ball only once in Antigo, had a little more action in this one, including a sliding save late when she came well out of the goalie box to make a play.

Now 2-4-1 in the GNC and 3-9-1 overall, the Raiders will today face a Mosinee team it tied 2-2 on May 18. The Indians won the ensuing shootout.

Seeding will soon be announced for the eight-team, WIAA half-sectional bracket that includes highly-ranked Ashland, a strong Lakeland team as well as Waupaca, New London, Mosinee, Antigo and Amherst/Iola-Scandinavia, who beat Medford 2-1 on May 10.

Spike Alexander pitched 5.2 innings and got the win. He was touched for seven hits and five earned runs. He struck out four and walked two. Guden got the last four outs, striking out two and walking one.

“Spike didn’t have his best stuff,” coach Hraby said. “These were the first earned runs he has given up in conference all year. He battled through it though. Chubs was great in relief. First time he has had to do that, and it didn’t faze him a bit.”

Eli Miland was two for two for Mosinee. Dudei went five innings and took the loss. He allowed nine hits and six runs, four of which were earned. He struck out three and walked three.

The Raiders are scheduled to close out the regular season with a 10:30 a.m. non-conference doubleheader at Abbotsford- Colby Monday. The WIAA Division 2 post-season starts June 10, though Medford is likely to draw a first-round regional bye. If that’s the case, the Raiders will host a regional semifinal on June 15.