Ellie Shaw is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Metro Tech High School for AZPreps365.com.

Being a senior is such a special moment for many student-athletes, including the five seniors on Metro Tech High School’s varsity volleyball team this year. 

Graduating with the class of 2025, these girls reflect on their time playing at Metro Tech. These players include Monica Arreola-Gonzalez, Zuleika Vargas Ruiz, Kaylynn Garcia, Mia Zuniga Barrera, and Anahi Calderon. 

The bond that this sequence of players has is unlike any other. Mia Zuniga Barrera expresses how this group of seniors has impacted her life, both on and off the court. 

“I’m forever grateful I got to spend so much time and go through the ups and downs of high school with these girls, they have motivated me when I needed it and been there for me through everything. They couldn’t have given me a better high school experience,” Zuniga Barrera said. 

There is some question about how Metro Tech’s team will look like next year, with only a nine-person team and five of them graduating after this season. The seniors all expressed that they have complete confidence that the spots will be filled and the team will be better than ever. 

Monica Arreola-Gonzalez shares how she thinks the team will perform next year. 

“They know what it takes to get better and are willing to put in the effort to come out on top. There will be a lot of competition next year as the varsity team clears out so there are spots up for grabs and I hope it pushes them to become better as individuals to form a strong team,” Arreola-Gonzalez said. 

From watching them play, it is obvious that this group of players put in their best effort during every second of every game. During warm-ups to post-game, these seniors give it their all and more. 

#6 on the team, Zuleika Vargas Ruiz reflects on her time playing for Metro Tech and how the season has shaped her into the player she is today. 

“My biggest takeaway from this whole season was that time really does fly by. Although this season didn’t necessarily go as I expected I am more than grateful to be a part of it. Knowing that this was the last time I got to play really made me realize how these four years have gone by so quickly,” Vargas Ruiz said. 

Although being a senior can be very bittersweet because one has to leave behind the team they’ve created such a good bond with, this gives the opportunity for new players to step up and create the next generation of volleyball at Metro Tech. 

There is no bond stronger than with your fellow teammates, and the varsity Metro Tech volleyball team has proved that to be true. From the way they communicate on the court to seeing them laugh after a hard loss, the lady Knights are more than teammates. 

“Outside of volleyball we are all great friends, so I believe this relationship helps us have a strong bond in the game. We would all know each other's strengths and weaknesses and recognize what to do with them,” Vargas Ruiz expressed.