Hubs soccer team drops heartbreaker to DeKalb

Barbs score in final two minutes to beat Rochelle 2-1

Russell Hodges
Posted 9/25/17

It took only one through ball to doom the Hubs varsity soccer team on Tuesday when the Rochelle boys locked themselves in a tight conference crossover with the DeKalb Barbs.

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Hubs soccer team drops heartbreaker to DeKalb

Barbs score in final two minutes to beat Rochelle 2-1

Posted

ROCHELLE — It took only one through ball to doom the Hubs varsity soccer team on Tuesday when the Rochelle boys locked themselves in a tight conference crossover with the DeKalb Barbs.

Junior Josue Almaraz (3’) headed in a corner kick by junior Adolfo Flores to give the Hubs a 1-0 lead early in the game, and Rochelle held its advantage for nearly 60 minutes before the Barbs (59’) scored off a cross to tie the game 1-1. With the clock winding down, DeKalb sliced through the middle of the field on a through ball, and the Barbs beat Rochelle to the ball, scoring with 1:29 remaining in the game to seal their victory by a score of 2-1.

“DeKalb is a tough team,” head coach Brad Male said. “They played well the whole game. We just had a few breakdowns defensively and they were able to capitalize on them. We didn’t have as many opportunities on goal as we did in the first half and I think that was the key for them to get on us.”

Rochelle played Tuesday’s game without senior forward Komla Gati, who suffered a head injury against the Kaneland Knights on Sept. 14. The Hubs jumped on DeKalb early, but the Barbs controlled the ball for most of the game, outmuscling the Rochelle players in many 1-on-1 matchups.

“With our younger players and even our older players, we have to play team soccer,” Male said. “We can’t dribble against a team like DeKalb because they’re fast, and they were getting on top of us before we turned with the ball.”

The Hubs (8-5, 2-2 NIB-12 West) entered Tuesday’s game fresh off a 7-0 victory over Hinckley-Big Rock, but the Rochelle boys will need to bounce back from their loss to DeKalb when they travel to face the Ottawa Pirates on Thursday. Rochelle defeated Ottawa 5-0 earlier this season, but the Hubs won’t be taking anything lightly when the two conference foes square off.

“If we can play well like we did today, I think we’ll be a strong team for the rest of the season,” Male said. “I’m pleased with the way we’re playing. We need to communicate a little more throughout the game, but I think we can play with anybody.”