Hannah Fleming wasn’t a frontline star in her first two varsity seasons for Libertyville.

That time was coming, however.

“We had hitters like Keira (Kasten) last season who was so amazing that you know she is going to get set a lot,” Fleming said. “This season I’m getting more opportunities.”

Fleming, a 6-foot senior outside hitter, is taking advantage of those opportunities to lead the Wildcats (12-5, 2-0) in hitting as they pursue their fourth straight North Suburban Conference title.

“Hannah did her job the last few years in being a complementary player to some very good hitters,” Libertyville coach Greg Loika said. “She did not have to be the No. 1, but this season that distinction has been thrust upon her, and she’s handling it very well.

“Last season she had a hitting percentage at about .150 to .160. This season she’s up well over .200 (.242), which is very good for an outside hitter.”

In fact, Fleming has piled up 130 kills, about twice as many as senior outside hitter Stella Meyer, who ranks second on the team.

“Hannah isn’t that tall, but she is such a smart player,” Loika said. “She was a flat hitter last season, but this year she’s moving the ball around and making good decisions with her attempts.

“She’s also playing some good defense when she’s in the back row. She’s passing well.”

Fleming agreed that she’s making better decisions with the ball.

“Other teams know I’m going to get set a lot, too, so I have to be smart and keep my hits varied so I’m tougher to defend,” she said.

As for her defense in the back row, Fleming credits her early years in club volleyball.

“Since I started playing club in seventh grade, I was always a defensive specialist,” she said. “Those years made me feel comfortable playing defense, so now I can get the job done playing all around for this team if needed.”

Defense is important to Fleming, but she knows she must be the Wildcats’ go-to player on offense. So does all-conference senior setter Jaimie Marquardt, an Iowa commit who makes sure Fleming sees her share of hittable balls.

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“Having Jaimie as our setter makes things so much easier for our hitters,” Fleming said. “She’s so good that it makes the game fun.”

Winning also makes volleyball fun for Fleming and the Wildcats, so she would love to finish her three-year varsity career with another NSC title and a long run in the postseason.

Libertyville and Stevenson (17-4, 1-1) appear to be on a collision course for a first-place showdown in the Wildcats’ season finale on Oct. 18.

“We lost to Stevenson in our invitational a few weeks ago, so we really want to get another chance at them at our place to end the season,” Fleming said. “We always seem to have great matches.”

Fleming said she wants to continue playing volleyball beyond this season but intends to attend a large college for academic reasons.

“I’m not that tall to play at that high of a level in college, so I will try to play for a school club team,” she said. “I don’t want to quit playing because I love volleyball, so I will be doing it somewhere.”

Darren Day is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.