Hannah Herrick was a big part of Oswego’s historic run last season to the sectional championship match, but in the role that she played, it didn’t really allow her to show off the entire arsenal.
Last year as a sophomore, Herrick moved to the middle due to the Panthers’ senior-dominated lineup. She didn’t get to play in the back row, either. Those areas were already covered.
Now, it’s the junior outside hitter’s show — and the Dayton recruit loves it.
“It’s definitely really exciting getting to play all the way around, play the back row and the front row too,” Herrick said, talking about the difference from a year ago. “I think that’s been working well.
“It’s a new year, a new us. We’re focusing on that.”
The 6-foot-2 Herrick led the way with 10 kills Wednesday night as host Oswego bounced back from three straight losses with a 26-24, 25-17 nonconference victory over West Aurora.
Sophomore outside/right-side hitter Sara Gilio added nine kills and five aces for Oswego (14-9).
West Aurora (15-8) made a valiant attempt to hang around in the second game behind two kills and two blocks from Janiyah Ricks and two kills apiece from Natalie Mitchell and Addison Taylor.
Herrick, who spent the summer attending college camps and juggling recruiting, sprained her ankle right before Oswego’s camp. It delayed her start to the season for coach Gary Mosley.
However, Herrick has made up for lost time.
“She didn’t really start practicing with us until the end of August,” Mosley said of Herrick. “She’s had to find her rhythm, find her role. But that whole time, a leader.
“She’s been a leader in the huddle, a leader in practice, pushing people the whole time. She’s just a voice that’s taken over. She’s got that intrinsic ability to just lead.”
Herrick picked up a lot of that from Ava Flanigan, Sidney Hamaker and Mia Jurkovic, the senior standouts from last season’s juggernaut that finished 32-5.
“Being surrounded by the intensity that group brought really carried over for her,” Mosley said. “She’s really sweet when you talk to her. Getting to see her teammates be aggressive to find the animal within was so important for her.
“Wonderful kid, role model, but when she needs to flip that switch, she has no problem doing it.”
It has served her well playing high-level club volleyball with Sports Performance. It also helped her in recruiting before committing to Dayton.
“Talking to the coaches at Dayton, they were so welcoming,” Herrick said. “I got to go down there and it just felt like home. You know they want you and that feels good.
“That’s somewhere that you’re going to want to be.”
Herrick produced five kills down the stretch Wednesday, turning an 11-9 lead into a 25-17 win.
West Aurora coach Alyssa Ferchen was happy her team was tested before the playoffs, though.
“We had kind of a slow last week and this week was all about building back up some of that energy,” Ferchen said. “I thought we came in pretty fired up.
“I’m excited about regionals this year because I think that we can go pretty far and these girls can have some accomplishments because they definitely deserve it.”
Herrick is looking forward to the postseason as well — as leader of a revamped Oswego.
“It’s a big change, and we’ve known that ever since summer camp,” Herrick said. “We accepted this team is brand new and we have to work with each other, get better and build connections.”
Knowing she would be able to spread her wings this season also has helped her.
“I think it’s super exciting,” Herrick said. “For me, I think it’s motivation to come out and be a leader on the court and use what I learned in the past.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.