Raiders win 3 matches in opener; go 2-1 in three-set matches

MEDFORD VOLLEYBALL

A trio of three-set matches highlighted opening day for Medford’s volleyball team at Tuesday’s Three Lakes Invitational.

The Raiders went 3-2 for the day with losses to Marawood North contenders Athens and Prentice. The Raiders beat the host Blue Jays as well as South Shore and Gresham.

Following her debut as Medford’s new head coach Ashley Jochimsen-McCarron said the 2-1 loss to Athens stood out. The Raiders lost game one 25-19, came back to win game two 25-20 before falling in game three 15-9.

“We played our best volleyball against Athens,” she said. “We were talking and we were moving. The girls were excited. It was a great game all the way around. Athens played a great game, and I thought that we also played a great game.”

Rachel Wesle had five kills against Athens, Shayla Radlinger and Toryn Rau had four apiece and freshman Taylor Klingbeil, filling in for the injured Kayla Baumgartner added three. Klingbeil had three solo blocks.

Megan Schaefer had six assists and Finley Arndt added five. Schaefer and Aliyah Pilgrim had two aces apiece. Rylee Hraby was the leader in digs with seven.

“Shayla was really hard all day long,” Jochimsen-McCarron said. “She was on the outside just cranking on the ball. Rachel Wesle also had some great hits. Our passers in the back row did a nice job digging balls, and that was good as well. They were able to get them up to a setter and they got their sets up so we could make some nice offensive plays.”

Medford’s three-set match with Gresham went right down to the end with Medford rallying to win 15-25, 25-20, 15-12.

Eight different players recorded at least one kill in that match, led by Wesle’s five. Emily-Grace Rudolph had a team-high three digs and Toryn Rau and Klingbeil each had three solo blocks. To- ryn Rau had four aces and Pilgrim had two. Schaefer had seven assists.

Three Lakes forced a third game in its match with Medford but the Raiders took the deciding game 15-4. The Raiders won the first set 25-20, while Three Lakes tied the match in set two 27-25.

Cami Rau, Radlinger and Toryn Rau had four kills each. Klingbeil had two solo blocks and three block assists. Pilgrim served up four aces and Toryn Rau had three. Schaefer led Medford with nine assists.

Medford easily swept South Shore 25-11, 25-19. The team had 10 aces in the match, led by three apiece from Toryn Rau and Schaefer. Schaefer had eight assists and Arndt had four. Klingbeil had six kills, Radlinger had five and Cami Rau added four.

The loss to Prentice was a 25-13, 25-16 sweep. Hraby had five digs and Radlinger had two aces in the loss.

Medford heads to UW-Stout Friday for the two-day Menomonie Sprawl. In pool play Friday, the Raiders will face Rice Lake, Cameron, Wausau West and Cadott.

Great Northern Conference play begins Aug. 31 with a 7 p.m. home match against Lakeland.