ROCHELLE — If their first two meets of the 2020 season are any indication, the Lady Hub netters will be very competitive. After a tight match against Harlem on Monday, the first meet of a back-to-back, Rochelle battled Rockford Lutheran for nearly three hours Tuesday.

Both teams split the first four varsity points, with the match coming down to the No. 1 singles duel between Rochelle senior Anna Guevara and Rockford Lutheran’s Melanie Horn. Despite a tough first set, Guevara fought back and nearly claimed the second set, tying the set 5-5 before Horn took the last two games to win the match 6-2, 7-5 and give the Crusaders a 3-2 win. The Lady Hubs (0-2) will host the Belvidere Bucs for a nonconference match Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

“I’m very proud of the hard work our girls have been putting in,” head coach Lizzie Cartwright said. “They’re playing great tennis and I hope they can achieve more results during the season.”

The Lady Hubs struck first when junior Megan Thompson earned her first varsity win with the Rochelle program, defeating Rockford Lutheran’s Camryn Berrios 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. Rochelle took a 2-0 lead over the Crusaders after junior Josie Lundquist and senior Melanie Gonzalez teamed up to top Ava Fischer and Jourdan Brewer 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3 doubles.

“Megan does a great job of hustling after the ball and going after everything, which is really important in singles,” Cartwright said. “She’s been quick on the court… Melanie communicates really well and keeps both her and her partner’s spirits up, which I think helped today.”

Rockford Lutheran put itself on the board with Adalia Young and Olivia Stram’s 6-2, 6-4 win over Rochelle juniors MeLisa Young and Jordin Dickey at No. 1 doubles. The Crusaders then tied the match 2-2 when Abigail Lauer and Katelyn de Guzman closed out a 6-3, 6-2 victory against Lady Hub senior Sawyer McGee and junior Emma Hicks at No. 2 doubles.