Ava Flanigan sets career assists record, Oswego tops Minooka in matchup of SPC unbeatens

OSWEGO – Oswego volleyball coach Gary Mosley has heard the raves about his hitters since last year, and he loves them.

But, he insists, don’t sleep on his setter.

Ava Flanigan doesn’t say much, but the Oswego senior’s commitment in the gym speaks volumes – and has helped take the program to new heights.

[ Photos: Oswego vs. Minooka volleyball ]

“She is a quiet assassin, that’s who Ava is,” Mosley said. “The progress she made from last year to this year is unbelievable. The commitment she has put in our gym has been tremendous and it’s paying off. I can’t speak more highly of her.”

That commitment continued to pay off Thursday.

Flanigan broke Haley Zeck’s Oswego career assists record in the first set, the 1,444th of her varsity career. Oswego took a big step toward the program’s first-ever conference title with a 25-21, 25-15 win over visiting Minooka in a match between two of the three teams previously unbeaten in the Southwest Prairie Conference.

“It’s amazing, amazing to be a part of this program,” said Flanigan, who had 22 assists in Thursday’s win. “It’s important for everyone on this team. All the hard work we have put in, all the records, it’s amazing to be a part of.”

Long Beach State recruit Sidney Hamaker had 14 kills, including match point, Western Michigan commit Mia Jurkovic six kills and eight digs, Kelsey Foster five kills and Alexis Terrazas nine digs for Oswego (16-1, 5-0), which hosts defending conference champion Joliet West in the season-ending match Oct. 24.

Kendall Kozak had seven kills and nine assists and Ella Carlson six kills for Minooka (13-10, 4-1).

The Indians played to six ties during the first half of the first set, knotting it for the last time at 12 on an ace by Maddie Dostall. But Hamaker followed with back-to-back kills, and at 15-14 Foster came soaring in for a crosscourt kill to start a 7-2 run that allowed Oswego to gain separation.

“Probably the best team we’ve played. It is the best hitting team we’ve played all year, by far,” Minooka coach Carrie Prosek said. “Hitting wise, they can go anywhere all around, even back row. I think that was intimidating for my young team with three sophomores.”

It can indeed be intimidating with 6-foot pin hitters like Hamaker and Jurkovic throwing down, but Foster shouldn’t be overlooked.

The springy 5-foot-8 right-side smashed a kill down the line for set point in the first – of course, off a Flanigan feed.

“You talk about Ava being quiet, Kelsey is the opposite. She keeps our level high, keeps us going, plays non-stop, face in the ground crushing it every day with effort,” Mosley said. “You can see her game progressing. Other teams have to honor her. You have to honor that side of the net. That makes us so versatile across the board.”

It was no secret to Foster that Flanigan was closing in on a program milestone, which she reminded her fellow senior of earlier Thursday.

“Actually, at school today I was like, ‘Ava set me.’ I wanted to be the one to get the kill,” Foster said. “I’m just so proud of her, especially because she was on JV her freshman year she did these assists in three years. She’s worked so hard to set up Sidney and Mia and me. All our success starts with her. She is the core of our team.”

Mosley, too, knows it.

“I can’t speak more highly of Ava and her work. She comes in every day and it’s like Groundhog Day,” he said. “She’s going to grind every day and she ain’t going to say a word about it.”

Minooka led just twice in the second set, on the first two points, yet was within 14-9 after a Carlson kill. But a Jurkovic kill started a 5-0 run that all but put things away.

Prosek chalked it up as a learning experience for her group that returned just one player from last year and plays three sophomores.

“I think our serve receive fell through. They gave us opportunities with missed serves [five in the first set], but we couldn’t execute. The second set, we got timid,” Prosek said. “I’m proud of them, how young we are, a whole new lineup besides one. It’s brand new. We have played good hitters before but not like that. As much tape as we watch, it’s different when you see it live. They’re the team to beat right now in conference. I wish we could play them at the end of the season.”