DEKALB — Junior Alyssa Schwanert needed every one of the team-leading 489 pins she knocked over during the Rochelle Lady Hub bowling match against Kaneland on Tuesday.

Looking to end a five-match losing streak to open the season, Rochelle split its first two games with the Knights but led in the series by only eight pins. Despite 169 from Kaneland’s Corrine Gatewood in the third game, Schwanert stepped up for the Lady Hubs, rolling a series-best 177 and propelling Rochelle over the Knights 585-564 in the final game. The margin of victory was enough to give the Lady Hubs their first team victory of the season by a score of 1,755-1,726.

“It felt so good to win and it really boosts our confidence,” Schwanert said. “I was staying confident and I wasn’t getting in my own head. I was keeping my arm behind the ball and not bringing my arm over the top of the ball. Our work in practice is starting to pay off.”

Kaneland edged Rochelle 627-624 in the first game behind 189 from Ella Edwards and 157 from Sia Workman. All four Lady Hub bowlers topped 130 in the opening game, with Schwanert shooting 150 and freshman Faith Adams adding 148. Schwanert’s 162 and senior Kiya Porter’s 125 were enough to lift Rochelle over Kaneland 546-535 in the second game.

“We bowl a lot better when we’re confident in each other and cheering each other on,” Schwanert said. “We need to keep our confidence up and we need to keep working hard in practice. We’ve made a lot of improvements in practice since the start of the season.”

Porter fired 132 in the third game to finish with a 394 series, while Adams totaled 114 for a 371 series and junior Carly Summers chipped in 105 for a 323 series. Workman and Gatewood recorded Kaneland’s two high series scores of 420 and 417, respectively. The Lady Hubs (1-5) will continue Interstate 8 Conference play with a road match at Sycamore on Tuesday, March 2.