Glenbard West volleyball swept Oswego 25-18, 25-16 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the Class 4A Glenbard West Sectional semifinal, advancing to the sectional championship for the first time since 2023.
Senior setter Cara Herbert, a Loyola Maryland commit, ran the offense with 19 assists, two blocks and two aces. She spread the ball to five hitters, according to Suburban Life. Senior middle blocker Farryn Burridge led the attack with seven kills on .500 hitting and three blocks.
Burridge delivered the match's final point. After recording a block to bring up match point, she put down the winning kill to seal the Hilltoppers' 32nd win of the season.
The Hilltoppers (32-6) never trailed. They opened the first set on a 6-0 run and later used a 4-0 spurt to build a 17-10 lead. Senior Adria Timpone closed the set with a kill.
The second set was tighter early, knotted at 6-6, before Glenbard West pulled away to an 11-7 lead at Oswego's first timeout and 15-8 at the second. A Caitlyn Antonacci ace pushed the lead to 21-14, and the Hilltoppers won four of the next six rallies to finish the sweep.
Seniors Ella Rowe and Timpone each added four kills. Emily Jurek and Maddy O'Connell contributed six digs apiece.
Oswego (24-10) entered the match with two of the state's top hitters in Hannah Herrick and Sara Gilio. Herrick posted a match-high nine kills on .412 hitting. Gilio, who had 30 kills across two regional matches, was held to four kills and six digs.
Glenbard West coach Dan Scott credited his team's defensive plan against the Panthers' firepower. "Those girls are unreal," Scott said of Herrick and Gilio, according to Suburban Life.
Herbert, a fourth-year starter, said the sectional title match feels different this time around. In 2023, her freshman year, the Hilltoppers fell to Benet in a sweep at the same stage.
Glenbard West faces Downers Grove North (28-9) in the sectional championship on Thursday, Nov. 5. Downers Grove North swept Benet Academy in the other semifinal on Tuesday night.
