The girls soccer team played their first conference game in almost two years and are having to deal with their coach, Richard Kotula resigning on Friday. Interim coach is Nathan Bates.

The team faced a much-improved Mosinee team that had defeated Wausau East on Monday. The Hodags scored first with just under five minutes gone from the first half on an Ella Schiek penalty kick. Mosinee had been called for a hand ball inside the box earning the Hodags the kick. Later in the first half  Ella Schiek scored on a MaKenna Brown assist.

The Hodags later thought they had scored on a rebound that initially the officials said was good. After some discussion the goal was taken off the scoreboard and a foul called on Ella Schiek. That was all the scoring the Hodags would do in regulation despite controlling the ball for much of the game.

Mosinee would score two in the second half sending the results to a shootout to decide the game. Each team would send five players to kick against the opposing team goalie alternating kickers. Keeper Kahlie Arneson was in net first and was able to stop the Mosinee attempt.  Mosinee had three missed attempts and Rhinelander had two leading up the Ava Lamers kick. If she missed, another set of kickers goes; make it and the Hodags win. Lamers’s kick went to the right side of the net out of the reach of the Mosinee goalie and the Hodags won 3-2.

Next for the Hodags is a game in Eagle River on Thursday followed by a game Saturday in Merrill at Noon.

Bob Mainhardt photos.