think that helped a lot,” ….

think that helped a lot,” Baumgartner said.

Medford trailed 9-2 out of the gate in game two and fought all the way back within one on several occasions but just never got over the hump and then ran out of gas in a 25-19 loss.

Pushing through the ups and downs of a long match is something the Raiders said they’ve definitely learned to do better as the season has progressed.

“Always stay positive on yourself and never get down or bring your team down,” Baumgartner said.

The Raiders trailed by four early in game three, but turned it around in a stretch where Radlinger got a kill, Hraby served an ace, Cami Rau got a kill for a 12-11 lead and Toryn Rau blocked Ava Jaje for a two-point edge. Cami Rau, Baumgartner, Radlinger and Wesle had kills as the lead bounced back and forth. Cami Rau’s kill finally put Medford ahead for good at 22-21. Baumgartner’s kill ended the set at 25-23 to cap one of the match’s key stretches.

“Cam really kept us alive,” Jochimsen-McCarron said. “She did a nice job. She had some nice big plays. We let the ball drop in goofy times, but we made the big plays when we needed to. I feel like our blocking tonight was 100 times better than it was when we were up there. Toryn struggled a little hitting but she really came through with her blocks and serves tonight.”

Baumgartner’s 15 attack kills led the Raiders, while Cami Rau had 12 and Radlinger had nine. Toryn Rau led with five solo blocks, Baumgartner and Radlinger had three each.

Arndt had 18 assists and Megan Schaefer had 17. Pilgrim had five of Medford’s 14 service aces with Hraby adding three. Hraby had 28 digs, Arndt had 13, Baumgartner had 12 and Schaefer added eight.

“From the beginning of the season, I think we’ve come a long way,” Baumgartner said. “Our communication has become so much better because we’ve become so strong as a team.”

In another win for the night, basket raffles, a miracle minute and a matching donation from Century 21 Dairyland Realty led to $1,395 being raised for Taylor County Moving For a Cure.

Hatchets 3, Raiders 1

The third meeting of the month between Medford and Tomahawk went the Hatchets’ way Thursday in a four-set match played at the Tomahawk Fieldhouse.

The teams split their GNC matches in a pair of fourset matches 12 days apart.

“We played hard, it just wasn’t falling for us,” Jochimsen- McCarron said. “Their outsides were hitting the ball hard and our defense was working hard digging those balls.”

Baumgartner had 11 kills, eight solo blocks and 13 digs in the match, while Cami Rau had 10 kills and two solo blocks. Radlinger added six kills and two solo blocks. Toryn Rau had four kills and five solo blocks.

Schaefer had 11 assists and three of Medford’s eight service aces. Arndt had six assists and 12 digs. Hraby and Pilgrim had 19 digs each.

“Rylee had an awesome night and was reading the ball well,” Jochimsen-McCarron said. “Megan and Rachel Wesle brought high energy when they were out there and Rachel was getting some key blocks during crucial times. Megan was setting a nice ball which allowed our hitters to get those kills.”

Tomahawk separated from the Raiders in game one with a 6-1 run that made it 15-9. Medford made a late run to get within 24-21 before the Hatchets got game point.

Medford took a 10-7 lead in game two, capped by a Schaefer ace, and stretched the lead to 12-8 on a Baumgartner ace. Tomahawk scored the next four, Medford took a couple of two-point leads, but the Hatchets caught the Raiders again at 15-15 and took the lead for good and won it 25-20.

The Raiders got the lead early in game two and kept the Hatchets two or three points behind. A Pilgrim ace opened up an 18-13 advantage, but the Hatchets got on a run and threatened to complete the sweep by taking a 21-19 advantage. Baumgartner got a kill off an Arndt assist to stop the run, then Cami Rau caught fire from the left side. She powered an attack through a double block and added a kill to the middle of Tomahawk’s defense for a 23-22 lead. The Hatchets tied it, then Medford won the set 25-23 on a crossing kill by Rau and a winner deflected off a blocker.

The momentum carried briefly into game four with Medford taking a quick 5-1 lead. The Hatchets tied it at 6-6, took the lead at 13-12 after the teams traded several points and then opened up a 19-15 lead. Medford got it tied back up at 21-21, but a miscue and a Hatchet block put Tomahawk up by two. Rau got a kill to make it 2322 but the Hatchets got the next two points to clinch it 25-22.