Intimidating opposition with her offensive plays, earning points left and right with her killer serves, and being a motivating force to her team, Junior Eva Luna gives it her all on the volleyball court.

   Luna is known to be one of the strongest players on the team. “She has a great serve, so she’ll be serving point after point, which is great for the team’s momentum. I really enjoy watching her hit. She has a great swing, and that really gets the bench and crowd going,” said Coach Aaron Hartin.

   Luna made the varsity team her sophomore year, a rare occurrence in such a competitive sport. Hartin said, “She returned as a junior and has emerged as one of our best, if not the best player on our team. She has started every match and is on the court for virtually every point.”

  Luna was introduced to volleyball by her mom almost five years ago. She started noticing improvement in the court when she started working out and playing more often. Teammates agree that her strengths are serving, attacking and passing. She is always first or second on the team in points earned, whether it be through offensive kills or serves. Along with her excellence in the sport, Luna has a genuine love and passion for playing.

  Luna is equally good at staying engaged in the game. “I think one of my greatest strengths is staying strong mentally during games. This helps me play well in stressful situations. I’m trying to improve on not getting down on myself when I make mistakes,” said Luna.

   Outside of the court, Luna is known to be caring and a great friend. “I really appreciate how humble and kind she is. It makes her a great teammate and someone you want to be around,” said Junior Wendy Kissinger.

  Luna is very consistent, being able to perform and appear calm under pressure. She pushes her teammates to do the same. “She is very encouraging when I’m not having my best day, which helps me to play better,” said Kissinger.

   “My favorite thing about volleyball is working together and connecting with my teammates. When I’m not playing volleyball, I like to take care of my plants and my hamster,” said Luna.

   “A memorable match I had with Eva was our match against Our Lady of Peace (OLP). She was having a great day and she had a serving streak that won the game,” said Kissinger.

   Aside from being an outstanding athlete, Luna is very involved academically. She said, “I’m in the Sustainability Club and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Club  at school. I’d like to continue participating in both of these clubs to help improve the school and make a difference in our community.”

   “The team’s best match this season was against Patrick Henry, at home. We lost the first two sets and came back and won in five. It was a great game and both teams played very well. This was a big game for us because Patrick Henry is a Division 1 team, and we are Division 2,” said Luna.

   Hartin said, “When she returns next season, I am sure she will be selected as a captain by her teammates.”