Following last season's run that resulted in Penn State's first national championship in women's volleyball, Hilary Sexton, then a freshman, popped in the tape of the Nittany Lions' 3-0 championship win over Stanford.
It was a lot of fun for the outside hitter to look back at her team's accomplishment, but then it happened.
Midway through the match, the play-by-play man for ESPN made a comment saying that Penn State's Achilles heel was void of a powerful hitter on the Nittany Lions' bench. Soon, Sexton's blood began to boil and the smile on her face quickly turned into a frown. Her emotions went through a flux, but then she calmed back down and made a mental note. Someday, somehow, she was going to show that guy what kind of power-hitter Penn State had.
"I thought to myself 'That Jerk!' because I couldn't believe what he was saying," Sexton said. "It made me mad, but I decided to take my rage and turn it into motivation. Someday, he's going to be at one of our matches and I'm going to show him."
For Sexton, that comment has been one of the many negative quotes that has passed through her ear and out the other. Standing at only 5-9, the sophomore from Crystal Lakes, Ill. doesn't look intimidating, but don't tell Sexton that. If you assume she's too small to play volleyball, you might be looking at a power blast coming straight at you.
"When I was younger, everyone told me I was too small to play volleyball and other sports," the former Prairie Ridge High School standout said. "I never did let it get to me and I never will. I just say to myself 'Go on, doubt me, I'll just keep coming back and playing harder'."
Penn State coach Russ Rose would agree with that.
"Hilary Sexton is our best outside hitter in terms of power," the two-time AVCA Coach of the Year said. "She needs to improve her consistency, but no one plays harder than Hilary." Sexton would agree with that too.
"I'm not like (Amanda) Rome, who is a great fundamental player and is so smart when it comes to playing volleyball," said Sexton, who comes from an athletic family. Her father Richard, played basketball for the University of Dubuque. "I play with a lot of emotion and sometimes those emotions get the best of me and I make a mistake. I'm not always perfect, but I guarantee that I will never stop trying to make a play for our team."
Sexton was rewarded for her non-stop effort on the court and in practice with a spot on the starting team this season. It's a far different world than coming off the bench. But it's just another challenge that Sexton takes head on.
"There's a lot of responsibility to being a starter for Penn State," said Sexton, who missed the early part of the season with appendicitis. "You have to provide leadership and positive examples for the younger players. I know I'm only a sophomore, but I've been here long enough to be considered a veteran and I accept the chance to help set the tone for our team."
"Hilary is a great teammate and you find yourself sometimes watching in amazement how hard she can hit the ball," sophomore middle hitter and Sexton's roommate Robyn Goukas said. "Watching her play all out makes you want to do the same in practice and in the matches."
And for a competitor like Sexton, the Big Ten Conference is the perfect fit for her competitive nature. It's also a perfect fit, because of the opportunities that exist for her parents to watch her play. The Illinois native chose Penn State over other Big Ten programs, which boast just as much tradition in women's volleyball as the Lions do.
"I wanted to get away from home and see other parts of the country," said Sexton, who quickly responded with a laugh saying that it didn't have to do with her parents. "I love my parents and it's great that they can still see me play a lot of my matches. Whenever we go out to the Midwest they are always there to support me. Also, Illinois was one of those schools that were wondering if I was too small to play."
It all goes back to those critics that wondered if Sexton could play. Today, the only wondering those critics are doing is asking themselves how they could doubt for a minute the heart and determination that exists inside Hilary Sexton.