MEDFORD VOLLEYBALL - Raiders chop down Lumberjacks in four sets
MEDFORD VOLLEYBALL
The Medford Raiders started fast, then wobbled for a bit, but finished strong in a 3-1 volleyball at Wausau East Tuesday night.
Facing the last-place team in the Wisconsin Valley Conference, the Raiders came off their week-long break flying with a dominant first game, winning it 25-11. They broke away from a 5-5 tie, going on an 11-1 run that included a couple of service aces from Rylee Hraby and kills from Toryn Rau.
But then Medford suddenly started to struggle in game two with some uncharacteristic unforced errors. The Lumberjacks seized the momentum and made some plays of their own and led by as much as nine at 22-13. Medford made a late run behind a couple of Sophia Steinman kills but couldn’t come all the way back and fell 25-20.
East jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start game three, but then the Raiders started to regain their balance and focus. A Rau kill gave them the serve back, trailing 10-8, and then behind Hraby’s serving, they took charge, scoring the next 12 points to go up 20-10. Medford finished off the 2515 win with a Kayla Baumgartner kill and an ace from Aliyah Pilgrim.
With the momentum regained, Medford flew out to a 17-6 lead in game four and was never threatened. The Raiders closed it out at 25-11 behind a serving run from Pilgrim that included two aces and kills from Steinman and Baumgartner.
Baumgartner had 13 kills, Rau had 12 and Shayla Radlinger had eight. Findley Arndt had 20 assists and Megan Schaefer had 15 as well as three kills and eight digs. Baumgartner had three block kills and five block assists. Radlinger had 13 block assists.
Rylee Hraby had 34 digs, Laney Hraby had 14 and Arndt added 11.
Now 16-8 overall, Medford is back on the road tonight, Thursday, at Rhinelander for a Great Northern Conference battle with the Hodags.
The Raiders will be tested Saturday when they attend the Eau Claire Memorial Invitational. After that, the focus returns to the Great Northern Conference where the 5-1 Raiders remain a game behind 7-0 Mosinee in the loss column.
Medford hosts Tomahawk Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Raider Hall’s final match before it’s out with the old bleachers and in with the new ones. Medford then hosts the second GNC Saturday meet of the season Oct. 12 at Medford Area Middle School. The Raiders will play Lakeland, Mosinee and Northland Pines that day.
