Veronica Snelling has had varied vantage points to the end of Benet’s seasons.
As a freshman, the senior right-side hitter watched from the bench as the Redwings placed second in Class 4A. The next year, her first as a starter, she was the leading hitter for the 4A state championship team.
Last season, Snelling played on a sprained foot in Benet’s supersectional loss to St. Francis.
Perspective?
She has it in spades.
“I know how great it feels and how much it can hurt,” said Snelling, who recently committed to Missouri State. “That’s something I take as a reminder.”
Snelling barely practiced late last season because of back and foot injuries, but now reports a clean bill of health. That’s good news for Benet, because she’s in the minority.
Benet was already tasked with replacing one of its top graduated hitters from last year’s 37-3 team, with Tiffany Clark now at Michigan. But the injury bug bit the Redwings hard in the preseason.
Outside hitters Gretchen Rudel and Claire Byrne have been limited participants in practice. Another outside, Lilly Johnson, has a broken finger, and one middle tore her ACL this summer.
On top of that, Minnesota-bound setter Sara Nielsen is practicing with a sprained thumb.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Benet coach Brad Baker said. “We’re making up a new lineup every day. We’re going to have to ride Veronica’s hitting a ton.”
Snelling seems suited for that responsibility.
Volleyball, specifically hitting, is in Snelling’s DNA. Her mom, Ellen, prepped at Sandburg and then played at Northern Illinois.
“She was a big inspiration,” Veronica said. “She always told me, ‘You don’t have to play, but if you do, play it like you love it.’ It was always because I loved it.”
In fifth grade, Snelling first paired up with Nielsen. It was a match made in heaven.
“I’m so blessed to be able to play alongside my best friend,” Snelling said. “We’ve went through all the stages of high school together. Our relationship has definitely grown stronger.”
Crazy thing is, Snelling was no sure thing to be a hitter in high school. She was a setter and a hitter before coming to Benet. The 5-foot-10 left-hander eventually found a natural fit on the right side.
“Ideally we would like to keep her there,” Baker said. “But right now she’s hitting the ball from all over the place.”
Snelling got a dose of experience playing outside this summer in club. It has paid big dividends.
Substituted out in the back row the last two years, Snelling has made big strides with her serve receive and will play six rotations this fall.
“She’s always been a really good hitter, but now she’s one of our best at serve receive and one of our best defenders,” Baker said. “She’s really worked to turn herself into a complete player.”
And Benet’s go-to hitter.
With elite talents like Rachael Fara (Northwestern) and Clark having graduated and playing in the Big Ten, Snelling knows it’s her time to lead.
The student who intends to study fashion design and merchandising in college is intent on ending her high school career in fine fashion.
“We’re motivated by that supersectional loss,” Snelling said. “We know what it feels like to lose a match like that and we’re all on the same page so it doesn’t happen again.”
Joshua Welge is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.
