ROCHELLE — Lady Hub senior Hope Palmer has quickly emerged as one of the Rochelle girls bowling team’s top players this season, and Palmer enjoyed another quality series on Tuesday when the Lady Hubs hosted DeKalb at Rochelle’s T-Byrd Lanes.

With seniors Katie Dummer (524 series) and Carlie Elder (516 series) shouldering most of the load against the Barbs, Palmer rose up with a solid series of her own, beginning the match with 156 before throwing 188 and 149 in a close 2,585-2,567 loss to DeKalb. The Lady Hubs won the second and third games, but lost the first game by enough pins to fall behind the Barbs by 18 for the series total.

“Hope came in and, if I recall, she was throwing a house ball,” head coach Joey Johanning said. “She picked up a T-Zone and now she’s throwing one of her dad’s balls. She averaged 160 at the Jefferson tournament and she shot 493 tonight. She’s putting in a lot of practice, and even after the meet against Dixon on Monday, she was still practicing.”

DeKalb defeated Rochelle 918-859 in the first game behind 234 from Reagan Harold and 202 from Kaylee MacFarland. Dummer’s 183 and Elder’s 181 headlined Rochelle’s effort in the first game. The Lady Hubs topped the Barbs 921-905 in the second game with Dummer throwing 192 and Elder throwing 186 in addition to Palmer’s 188.

“I’m definitely excited about the direction we’re heading in,” Johanning said. “The girls are improving and the scores have been there. Spares are a thing that come with repetition, but I can’t be more excited about the results we’ve had so far.”

Rochelle edged DeKalb 787-762 in the third game, with four Lady Hubs rolling 149 including Dummer, Elder, Palmer and junior Autumn Headon, who finished with a 447 series on Tuesday and a high game of 153. The Lady Hubs fall to 1-2 on the season with the loss.

“We just need to continue improving on our spare shooting,” Johanning said. “This meet was close and it really came down to a missed spare here and there.”