Rochelle seniors Ashley and Abby Kerns have been a driving force for the Lady Hubs varsity soccer team this season, and the two sisters have played side-by-side since they suited up for their local AYSO team as 4-year-olds.

While the high school team’s record (2-9-3) might not show much, both sisters said the season has gone much better than expected. The Lady Hubs have struggled in recent games, but the team began the season on high note, picking up wins over Mendota and LaSalle-Peru while drawing both Indian Creek and an Ottawa Lady Pirates squad that was undefeated prior to the match.

With several young players on the roster, the girls are focusing on having fun and setting a good example for their teammates.

“This year we have a lot of inexperienced players, so most of our starters are the only ones who’ve played a lot at the varsity level,” Abby said. “Two wins and a couple ties are pretty good considering the numbers we have right now and I definitely didn’t expect us to start out the way we did.”

For Ashley, who said she plans to study at Kishwaukee College after graduating high school in hopes of pursuing a teaching career, the competition is what brings her back to the soccer field. As for Abby, who will also studying at Kishwaukee for nursing, it’s more about the rewards.

“We all love food, so if we win a game we get pizza which is rewarding for us,” Abby said. “But we also have fun… We try to find the fun in the game rather than being down and acting like we’re not going to come back.”

“I think we’re all really good friends since we’re a small team,” Ashley added. “The more experienced players are always talking during games and telling our younger players what to do so they’re in the right spots.”

You probably haven’t watched a Lady Hubs soccer game without seeing either Ashley or Abby on the field. The two sisters hardly ever come off for substitutions, with Ashley roaming the middle of the field and Abby holding down the defensive zone. They might not play the same position like they have in the past, but the girls are always in sync with one another.

“We feel like we have an advantage against everybody else because we always know where we are,” Abby said. “If we’re both forwards or midfielders we’re always connected on the field, and if one of us is up and the other is back we just communicate more.”

“It’s always an advantage when you’re with someone and you know how she plays,” Ashley continued.

In practice, however, the girls are always challenging each other. Neither Ashley nor Abby would admit that one sister gets the better of the other, but both girls said their battles in drills have helped them get stronger throughout the years.

“I’m not afraid to make [Abby] mad and I’m not afraid to hurt her feelings or anything like that so we go hard against each other,” Ashley said.

“It’s also fun for both of us because we get the laughing part out of it, but we push each other to the limit usually where each of us gets mad about it,” Abby responded. “We’re bettering each other by being aggressive against each other.”

The Kerns sisters have combined for four assists this season, and Ashley is one of five Rochelle players to score at least one goal. Both girls have learned a lot about what it takes to play varsity soccer throughout their time at RTHS, and they’re looking to pass their knowledge down to the younger players.

“Just keep going and don’t quit,” Ashley said. “The conditioning sucks sometimes but it’ll work out in the end.”

“Take the conditioning seriously because most of the starters play the whole game without a sub,” Abby replied. “Conditioning is definitely important because we run a lot, so that was one of our key focuses at the beginning of the season.”