Lunas JV Volleyball Eyes Long-Term Potential After Season Opener

On March 5, Lahainaluna boys JV volleyball team made their 2026 season debut against Maui High Sabers, losing both sets:  the first set score was 23-25 and the second, 19-25. 

Despite the loss, Coach Sarah Eubank believes the match pointed to new potential for the team in later years.  “When you already have a team with some skills and some talent coming in,” she said, “by the time these experienced freshmen are juniors our varsity team is gonna look really good.”

Returning this year from a 4-9-1 season, JV has gained new prospects.This year, more than half of the JV Lunas are part of the class of 2029. This means that our JV team is full of kids who have been in the system, and can already play at a varsity level. Yet, some players think that there are serious obstacles preventing the team from reaching its full potential. 

Freshman captain, Jermaya Arzaga, has been playing for four years and notes that the Lunas “can do better as a team.” In the second set, said Arzaga, the team suffered mostly from communication issues. “We had a lot of errors. We really need to work on our communication rotations and where to go on the court.” In his four years, Arzaga says he has faced team chemistry issues before. 

An anonymous JV player thought that the issues were more about personal interactions rather than team dynamics. “Past conflicts between me and certain teammates have created some tension when we are together,” he said. He doesnʻt think this should be a problem, however. “When I step on the court I learn to put it behind me and work towards goals we have all set for each other."

A former volleyball teammate that used to play with Arzaga offered advice, noting that JV “lost around three or more points due to rotations and substitutions.” Rotations are a required strategic cycle, while substitutions allow coaches to put specialized talent onto the court. If the players arenʻt able to get to where they need to go, and when they need to be there, the teamʻs coordination breaks down.  Rotations and substitutions are vital for strategy, but they cannot be performed without communication. 

JV middle Ksyn Kahoaliʻi thinks many of the teamʻs obstacles can be overcome with camaraderie.  “After a while, when you play with them, they’re not just friends,” says Kahoaliʻi. “They're your imua!” Every practice his teammates help him move forward everyday and better himself as a player. “I’ve improved more as I spend more time around this team.”

“If we fix these silly mistakes and don’t just kill ourselves, we can win,” said Eubank, referring mostly to the teamʻs communication problems. 

”We are very open with each other and work to build each other up instead of putting each other down,” said Drew Brione. “We are Ohana.”