KEWANEE, ILL. -- One thing about living in a new area is not knowing your surroundings. As I was driving around in northern Peoria County (Ill.) one day I noticed a road sign for a town called Kewanee. It didn't hit me at first, but I knew this name sounded familiar for a reason. Finally before I made it back to the house, I remembered that 2009 Shakamak High School grad Jessi Gilbert was attending college at Black Hawk East Community College on a volleyball scholarship, located in Kewanee.

Miss Gilbert just happened to be one of my 600 plus friends on my facebook, so I decided to shoot her a message and find out when her next home match was so I could write up a column -- so here I am.

The Lady Warriors home venue is held at the Kewanee National Guard Armory -- not located anywhere near the BHE campus. I did not get lost, but as my best friend pointed out, I did not leave a trail of bread crumbs on my way so I had to seek an alternate route on my way back. I will spare you all the details on my trip there for the time being, as it will part of a column to come at a later date (non-sports related).

Now onto the main topic of this blog.

BHE entered the contest with an impressive record of 22-8 on the season and second in the Arrowhead Athletic Conference at 6-2. The Lady Warriors were playing host to Highland Community College, who entered the contest sitting third in the AAC (16-3, 4-2).

Black Hawk East had defeated the Lady Cougars in their previous match-up, 3-2, but I must have been bad luck to the team as they dropped their third conference match of the season, 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 22-25, 15-25) on this night.

All was not lost however, as Gilbert seen significant playing time in the match as the Lady Warriors starting middle hitter. The six-foot freshman from Lewis finished the night with 10 kills, three blocks, two digs, one assist and one point on 4-of-4 from the service line.

For the season Gilbert has registered 106 kills, 34 blocks and has 10 aces on 97 percent from the line in 97 attempts.

Although Gilbert is considered as one of the major contributor's on a sophomore dominated team, it has not always been easy for her.

"It's all right," she said when asked how she likes it at BHE.

Not exactly the expected answer from someone who is always seen with a smile from ear to ear. Gilbert, who was a starter for the Lady Lakers each of her four years, the last two on sectional championship squads, has not always been the starter for the Lady Warriors this season.

"It's really different," she said. "I started out as a starter, then came off the bench for a little while, and now starting again.

"It's taken some time to get used to, but I am glad that we are having the successful season we are having."

BHE head coach Bob Grabbe said Gilbert has handled her situation with great class and is a valuable asset to his squad.

"I wish I had 15 Jessi Gilbert's on the team," Grabbe said. "She has such a great attitude and comes into the gym everyday with a smile. I have not seen her have a bad day.

"It's not always easy for someone to come in that is five hours away from home and being the new kid on the block."

Gilbert is just one of three freshman on the Lady Warriors 11-player roster.

"It's a difficult job to come in as a freshman with such an upperclassmen dominated team," Grabbe said. "It would have been easy for her to say I'm going to take a back seat and wait my turn, but she has not done that at all and has definitely earned her spot. We are thrilled with what she has done."

Gilbert is also well like among her teammates and also some helpers for the meet. When I walked into the gym, I introduced myself to who I thought was the head coach, only to come to find out he was table help -- also an assistant girls basketball coach. Once he learned who I was there to cover, a smile immediately came across his face replacing a puzzled look and shared a couple jokes about her.

Gilbert also expressed she has fit right in with her new teammates.

"I would consider us to be a pretty tight knit group," she said. "They are fun and always keep things interesting."

As close as she has become with her new 10 teammates, Gilbert also has not forgot about her volleyball family from Greene County.

"I probably miss my friends back home the most," she said about being so far from home. "And I love coach (Jeri) Morin. She was probably harder on us than coach Grabbe is, but she was also more than just a coach to us."

Morin also weighed in her thoughts on Gilbert.

"I am very proud of her," Gilbert's former coach said. "Myself and the girls this year miss her very much and the success she brought to the program.

"It's nice to think maybe I had a small part in her success."

And its apparent Gilbert's success has not reached its limit yet.

"She has done a great job for us this year and we are proud of the leadership she has provided for us," Grabbe said. "We are really looking forward to her next year."

The Lady Warriors still have six matches/tournaments left in their regular season this year before starting district play.

Travis David is a sports writer and can be reached via e-mail at sportswriter21_7@yahoo.com.