HODAG HIGHLIGHTS: Rhinelander soccer falls to Lakeland 2-0, drops two games back in conference race

A bid for a share of first place came up short Tuesday, May 12 as the Rhinelander High School girls soccer team fell to Lakeland 2-0 on the road, with the loss compounded by an injury to one of the team’s top players.
The Eagles controlled much of the match, scoring once in each half to hand the Hodags the shutout defeat. Lakeland held the edge on the stat sheet as well, outshooting Rhinelander 17-13, with nine of those attempts finding the frame. Hodag goalkeeper Rylee Mickevicius was kept busy between the posts, turning away seven shots to keep the game closer than it might have been.
The Hodags’ night took a difficult turn in the first half when Vivian Lamers, last year’s conference player of the year, left the game with a leg injury and did not return. Her status going forward was not immediately available.
With the loss, Rhinelander fell two games behind Lakeland in the conference standings, eliminating any chance of a first-place tie for the time being. The Hodags will need to string wins together down the stretch to have any hope of catching the Eagles before the conference season concludes. Rhinelander will return to action Tuesday, May 19, when the Hodags travel to Antigo.