MEDFORD VOLLEYBALL - Volleyball team earns GNC title share

MEDFORD VOLLEYBALL

The Medford Raiders began the Great Northern Conference portion of their volleyball schedule on Sept. 5 scrambling to come back from an 0-2 deficit to beat Antigo in a five-game thriller at Raider Hall.

They ended it in Antigo Tuesday as coowners of the 2024 championship after a 3-1 win over the Red Robins and a steady improvement over the last six weeks.

The title is the first for Medford’s volleyball program since 2016 and was earned with nine straight league wins since what could have been a deflating 30 sweep at Mosinee back on Sept. 17.

“Even after the loss to Mosinee, I think we still had that goal,” senior Shayla Radlinger said. “We still thought we could reach it.”

“We knew it was still something we could do,” senior Amelia Pernsteiner said.

“They deserve it,” Medford head coach Ashley Jochimsen-McCarron said. “They worked hard for this. To come from the beginning of the season to where they are now, it’s just a great accomplishment.”

While Saturday’s come-from-behind 3-2 win over Mosinee (see page 8) was the key victory in the championship push, it would’ve all went for naught had Medford not closed the deal Tuesday. With Mosinee already having its title share in hand with a bye on the last night of conference play, the Raiders had to win to tie the Indians at 11-1.

The Raiders came out flying, getting two quick kills from Toryn Rau, three kills from Kayla Baumgartner, a winner from Taylor Klingbeil, a Rau kill off a Pernsteiner assist and a Baumgartner ace while opening up an 11-4 first-set lead. Antigo never really threatened after that and Medford closed out a stress-free 25-17 opening win.

“I think that relaxed us a lot,” senior setter Megan Schaefer said.

“We knew we had to come in strong,” Rau said. “The fact that we were able to do that eased everyone a little bit.”

In fact, that win may have eased everyone up too much. In game two, the Raiders struggled with unforced errors and Antigo went on a mid-game run behind the serving of Lily Muraski to go up 17-12. Medford couldn’t recover in time and dropped the set 25-21.

Antigo took a quick 4-0 lead in the third set and still led 7-3 when Medford got a sideout and handed the ball to Aliyah Pilgrim, who dropped in back-to-back aces. Just like that, the Raiders found their rhythm again and steadily pulled away for a 25-18 win.

“I feel like our mindsets are really set toward the big goal in the end,” Baumgartner said. “I feel like tonight, we had that mindset that no matter what happened, we were going to come back and we fought them off.”

The Red Robins led early in game four, but Medford remained close and once it took the lead, the wave of momentum was obvious. Baumgartner got a couple of good swings and, arguably, the season’s unsung hero, Klingbeil got on an unstoppable roll as Medford’s lead reached six at 20-14.

“She’s grown so much from the beginning of the season, just in her confidence,” Radlinger said of Klingbeil, Medford’s sophomore middle.

“She’s taken in so much of the critiques from everybody, not just the coaches, and she’s built on that,” Rau said. “It’s amazing to see.”

“It’s good,” Klingbeil said of her increased role as the season progressed. “It’s way more fun when I can actually do stuff and play good.”

Tuesday, however, was another example of how varied Medford’s offense can be when it’s clicking. Baumgartner, Klingbeil, Rau and Radlinger remain the headliners, but players like Pernsteiner and Sophia Steinman found their moments as well. Steinman got the matchclinching block kill at 25-20 in game four. Baumgartner had 18 kills, Klingbeil had 10 and Rau had 11.

“It’s so important,” Schaefer said. “It’s so different when you just know that someone out there is just going to crush it.”

“It’s good when the passes are good and the setters can do their jobs and give us the ball and we can just keep swinging,” Klingbeil said. “It always works out.”

Libero Rylee Hraby had another big night with a team-high 15 digs.

“Rylee is doing a phenomenal job of reading and watching and just really absorbing what that hitter is doing and is there at that spot,” Jochimsen-McCarron said after Saturday’s GNC meet in Medford.

The Raiders were 95.8% in serving with just four errors in 95 attempts. Schaefer had 20 assists and Arndt had 19.

Now 24-11 overall to end the regular season, the Raiders were set to learn Wednesday night what their WIAA Division 2 post-season road is going to look like. Regional play is next week with matches on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, Oct. 26. Sites for any home matches Medford has will be announced as Raider Hall’s new bleachers are being installed late this week and into next week.

The Raiders feel like they’re a team hitting their stride at the right time. While they won’t be the top seed in their sectional half-bracket, they believe they’re dangerous.

“That first big goal is met,” Jochimsen-McCarron said. “We have that first goal. So now we have to continue to set these mini goals to continue to meet. If we play hard and we play well, the sky’s the limit. They’ve definitely earned it.”

“I feel like we’re hitting our peak right now and I feel like going into this, it’s like a whole new season,” Baumgartner said. “We just gotta stay high and keep our mindsets.”

“Ashley was telling us afterward this is one step toward the big goal,” Rau said. “We got this one down, now we move on.”

Medford’s Layla Petersen splashes through the backstroke leg of the 200-yard medley, an event she placed second in behind teammate Sydney Sperl Thursday. GINNA YOUNG/COURIER SENTINEL