Oswego senior Riley Borrowman knew it was “time to make the donuts,” so to speak.

That catchphrase from a TV commercial, so popular and successful for a bakery chain that it aired from 1982 to 1997, became synonymous with “time to go to work.”

And it’s exactly what Borrowman, a 6-foot middle/right-side hitter, did Thursday night.

“That was her club coach on the other bench, which gave her extra incentive,” Oswego coach Gary Mosley said, referring to his counterpart in Plainfield North’s Matt Slechta.

“I’m not sure, but there might have been some Dunkin’ Donuts on the line for this one.”

If so, Borrowman might have guaranteed Slechta will be buying for a future Sports Performance practice down the road as she delivered the clinching point on a tip kill in a key 25-18, 25-18 Southwest Prairie Conference victory.

“We’ll see,” Borrowman said. “I just wanted to show him, ‘Hey, look at me.’ I don’t know if he’ll be my club coach next season.”

It was her third kill of the match against Plainfield North (14-12, 4-4).

Oswego (23-3, 9-0), which established a single-season record for wins, set the stage for a dramatic finish to the regular season.

On Tuesday, the Panthers will host Romeoville (22-8, 8-1). They play Thursday at Joliet West (27-2, 7-1), trying to wrap up the first conference title in program history dating to 1972.

“The schedule couldn’t have worked out more perfect for that,” Mosley said. “This is when you want to be tested — to see what you are and what adjustments you have to make.”

Joliet West, Lockport, Oswego and Romeoville are the top four seeds the following week when the regional round begins in the Class 4A Oswego Sectional.

The Panthers’ talented juniors stepped up Thursday, led by eight kills from outside hitter Sidney Hamaker. Setter Ava Flanigan had 16 assists and outside hitter Kelsey Foster added five kills and two aces.

Borrowman also contributed a pair of blocks and two aces.

“Riley is really getting comfortable, and that’s a good thing,” Mosley said. “She’s really seizing that middle role, and she’s just in a nice flow right now.

“I think she’s feeling really good about everything she’s doing every day.”

That includes a second difficult life decision she made last week when she verbally committed to NCAA Division III power Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she plans to major in pediatric nursing.

Borrowman had Division I and plenty of Division II interest.

“I didn’t realize until she told me that some schools won’t give you a volleyball scholarship if you’re a nursing major because you’re not going to have the time,” Mosley said. “But I guess at Oshkosh, they really support it.”

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A visit to see the Titans, currently on a 22-match winning streak and ranked No. 2 in the nation, sealed it for her, according to Borrowman.

She had an even more difficult choice following her sophomore year. She had played three sports up to that point, including basketball and softball, but felt she needed to limit her focus to one.

“Sophomore year, I started varsity in basketball and was one of the best players,” Riley said. “I just realized it was volleyball I enjoyed the most so I committed to it.”

Giving up basketball was especially tough. Her dad and mom, Matt and Jen, both played the sport in high school. So does younger brother Brayden, a sophomore.

And dad, of course, coached the varsity boys at Oswego from 2014 to 2017, in between stints as varsity assistant to both Kevin Schnable and Chad Pohlmann.

“I thought basketball was her best sport, looking down the road,” Matt said, sounding wistful. “She chose volleyball. She loved the action in it and how quick it is.

“It’s cool to watch because she’s only been playing seriously for two years.”