ROCHELLE — Fourteen freshmen are competing for the Rochelle Lady Hub soccer team this season, which opened with the team’s first official practice this past Monday. With a large group of newcomers in the mix, head coach Brad Male will look to his returning starters for leadership.

Rochelle will shoot to improve on its 3-20 overall record and 0-10 record in the Interstate 8 from last season. The Lady Hubs, who will kick off their 2025 season with a home match against the Harlem Huskies on Thursday, March 20, are reloading on the front line after losing a pair of key goal scorers, Kara Martinez and Sydney Thorne, from last season. Rochelle will also have a big void to fill in the net, as the Lady Hubs are replacing four-year starting goalkeeper Dani Ward.

“We’re going to be a pretty young squad,” Male said. “We have 14 freshmen on our squad and it’s always good to have that many players coming into the program, but we don’t have as many seniors coming back. It’ll be a transition period for some of our girls, but I think we’ll be OK.”

While the Lady Hubs are welcoming in several new players, Rochelle will have key starters back in the fold for the 2025 campaign. Senior defender Betty Flores returns after earning Interstate 8 All-Conference honors last season, while senior midfielder Makayla Lara has received honors from the Interstate 8 over all three years of her varsity career. Senior midfielder Emma Kennay is another returning player who will take on a significant role for the Lady Hubs this season.

“I’m looking for Emma, Makayla and Betty to lead our team and get our new girls acclimated to our style of play,” Male said. “Betty has been pretty integral to our defensive line and she leads us back there… Makayla’s integral in the midfield and we really build our midfield around her. Emma will play a big role in there as well and we have some new forwards we’re looking at.”

Junior Abby Bozinovich and sophomore Cali Zies are two more returning defenders for the Lady Hubs, who will open their Interstate 8 schedule with a home match against Sycamore on April 7. Rochelle will play a total of 10 conference matches, which will be divided into home-and-home sets with Sycamore, Kaneland, Morris, LaSalle-Peru and Ottawa. Rochelle finished last in the Interstate 8 in 2024.

“We’re working with some new players in goal, one of which hasn’t played soccer before,” Male said. “Finding a goalkeeper who can fill the role Dani left will be the first priority for us. I think our defensive line will be good and I think we should be comfortable in the midfield this season.”

Among the nonconference opponents on the team’s schedule are Harlem, Stillman Valley, Mendota, Sterling, Streator, Genoa-Kingston, Indian Creek, DeKalb, Rockford Lutheran, Dixon and Rockford Auburn. Rochelle will play a tournament at Genoa-Kingston on Saturday, April 12.

“We’re always looking to build our team chemistry and continuity,” Male said. “Makayla, Emma and Betty will have a big influence on building that continuity. We haven’t had a lot of time outside yet, but we all want to know what we’re doing on the field and what our strengths are.”