We had little to no communication in the first half, but we started talking more in the second half and we were able to get the job done.”

Francisco Diaz

ROCHELLE — Communication led to a second-half turnaround for the Rochelle Hub varsity soccer team during its Interstate 8 Conference match against Ottawa on Wednesday evening.

After a scoreless first half which saw both teams battling for possession, Rochelle broke through with three second-half goals to beat the Pirates 3-1 and extend its conference win streak to three matches. The Hubs (8-7-2, 3-2 Interstate 8) took control of the second half with their offense, executing better passes and creating open space to attack the Ottawa defense.

“Our offense is definitely a strength and we’re getting better on defense,” said senior Francisco Diaz, who had one assist in the win on Wednesday. “We started the season a little iffy, but we’re starting to toughen up and we’re staying ready. We had little to no communication in the first half, but we started talking more in the second half and we were able to get the job done.”

While both teams were unable to score in the first half, each side had quality chances to find the net. Ottawa drew iron on a trio of shots on goal in the opening half, while Rochelle managed to move the ball into the Ottawa penalty area. The Hubs maintained consistent pressure on the Pirates entering the second half, where Rochelle took a 1-0 lead after a long pass from Diaz down the far sideline found senior Alberto Casillas, who sent a right-footed shot into the goal.

The Hubs continued to attack and scored their second goal four minutes later, when junior Antonio Ruiz took a pass from junior midfielder Heilly Zepeda into the Ottawa box before finishing to give Rochelle a 2-0 advantage. Trailing by two after conceding goals in the 48th and 52nd minutes, Ottawa made the score 2-1 during the 56th minute, when the Pirates capitalized after the Hub defense was unable to clear away a free kick that soared into the Rochelle box.

While Ottawa brought itself back within one, Rochelle’s conditioning ultimately won out, as the Pirates had multiple players leave the match over the final minutes due to injuries or cramps. The Hubs scored a much-needed insurance goal in the 79th minute, when Zepeda won the ball on an Ottawa turnover and blasted a right-footed shot into the upper half of the Pirates’ net. Rochelle will be back in action on Saturday, when the Hubs face Belvidere on the road.

“We wanted to play this match how we played the other teams we’ve beaten,” sophomore Alexis Nava said. “It feels good to win at home. We were consistent on defense and we kept them contained. We want to win the conference, but we know we have to keep our communication up and we have to have a good mindset. We’re getting better and we’re communicating more.”