Benet defensive specialist Sophia Hattas knows that playing in the back row means never being front and center.
The 5-foot-3 senior is fine with that. After all, it’s all she has ever known in her volleyball career.
“I’ve been training for pretty much since fifth grade, always defense,” Hattas said. “I usually just tell myself to be a difference, even if I am undersized and it is hard to stand out.
“I’m doing the most I can with my position, just reminding myself that I can be that difference.”
Hattas has been a difference-maker in her second varsity season for the Redwings (24-9). After riding the bench as a junior, she has been a rock defensively and has diced opposing defenses with her sharp serving.
“Sophia has really stepped up as a senior, and she’s really helped our team come to be who we are today,” Benet sophomore defensive specialist Rachel Weathers said. “Having her on the court is really fun.
“She’s just helped us so much with her energy and consistency. Her service runs help our team so much.”
Hattas’ latest service run came in the second set against Naperville Central on Saturday. She served five consecutive points, including three of her five aces, to extend a 17-12 lead to 22-12, and the Redwings prevailed 25-19, 25-18 in the seventh-place match of Glenbard East’s Autumnfest.
“We work on serving a lot, and I feel like she’s one of the kids that takes it seriously,” Benet coach Brad Baker said. “Her serve this year has gotten better.
“If you have some focused practice like she’s had and discipline, it’s a skill that you can get better at pretty quickly, and she has really good fundamentals with it.”
That seems to be true whenever Hattas plays. Against the Redhawks (24-8), Hattas entered for the first time with the score tied 5-5 in the first set and promptly served an ace to give the Redwings the lead for good. She did the same thing in her second turn, putting Benet up 17-13.
What’s the key to serving well?
“Honestly, it’s more mental,” Hattas said. “If you picture yourself missing, then you’re going to miss.
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“So just picture yourself visualizing making it and tell yourself you can do it, and then take a deep breath before you serve. I think that really calms me down and gets me mentally locked in.”
But the preparation starts before that. Like most defensive specialists, Hattas rarely starts, and she plays all of her three rotations in the back row.
“At some point in time, they’ve probably all done it,” Baker said. “That doesn’t make it easy.
“You’ve got to make sure you prepare before you get in. You can’t just snap in and see some good serves.”
Serving isn’t the only thing Hattas must do well. Serve receive is just as important.
“When you come in the game, a lot of times they want to serve the kid who just came off the bench, so you’ve got to know you’re getting the ball,” Baker said. “You’ve got to be prepared for that, and she’s doing a great job for us.”
The secret is simple.
“I just love to get extra reps in the gym whenever I can,” Hattas said. “I usually stay after practice a lot of times with a couple other teammates, and it’s really fun.”
Hattas’ work ethic has set a good example for younger players like Weathers.
“It’s really nice that we play the same position,” Weathers said. “She helps me so much. Whenever I make a mistake, I can always ask her what I did wrong. It’s nice to play together because she brings the energy.”
This will be the final season of volleyball for Hattas, who will not play in college. So the aspiring occupational therapist is going to expend every bit of energy trying to help the Redwings, who reached the Class 4A state championship match in each of the previous four seasons, make another long postseason run.
It’s the role Hattas envisioned while she waited and watched from the bench last season. It’s something she does every match, always ready when her name is called.
“(The wait) was worth it,” she said.
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.