QUICK STUDY: In only 3 years of prep volleyball, Colony senior earns NLC’s top player award for the 2nd time

PALMER — Colony head coach Amy Carter has no shortage of good things to say about her star middle hitter, senior Eve Stephens.

But there is one thing in particular that impresses Carter.

“The part that stands out to me is that she did not play her freshman year,” Carter said.

Stephens has played only three years of high school volleyball. But in each of the last two years, the Colony senior has been tabbed the Northern Lights Conference’s best. Last week during the region tournament, Stephens was named the NLC Player of the Year for the second straight year.

“I have been fortunate over the years to have worked with several great middles and Eve is certainly up there at the top,” Carter said. “She is so athletic and smart and driven.”

Stephens has slammed 421 kills, logging a .464 attack percentage. She’s also collected 122 blocks and 60 digs. Stephens helped Colony finish 9-1 in conference play during the NLC season and led the Knights to their second straight NLC title. Stephens also helped Colony clinch another berth in the ASAA/First National Bank State Volleyball Championships, which started Thursday at West Anchorage High School.

Carter said the 6-foot-1 Stephens is the total package.

“Eve is extremely athletic and she is also very smart,” Carter said. “She is a player that I can talk to her about a skill and she will think about it and come in the next day like she has been working on it for weeks.”

Carter said the skill set and intelligence allow her to have success.

“Eve has a huge vertical and the ability to jump over and over in a game,” Carter said. “She is smart and can see the other side of the floor, and is able to put the ball in the hole.”

Carter also called Stephens, “a total team player.”

“She wants to do well for her team,” Carter said.

Stephens also is quick to celebrate the success of her teammates.

“Eve is not only a player who can make the play to earn us a point, but she is also a team leader,” Carter said. “She really is more excited when one of the other players does something well than when she does.”

Carter raves about Stephens as an individual.

“Eve is an awesome person,” Carter said “She cares about other people, so she makes a great teammate.”

Stephens was one of three Colony players to be named first-team all-conference. Isabel List and Haylee Duguid joined Stephens on that list. Wasilla’s Kamryn Broach, Kaitlyn Cook and Emily Cizek, and Palmer’s Mystery Showalter were also named the to first team.

Palmer’s Gina Bodner and Kristen Beames, and Wasilla’s Aleks Kvalheim earned second-team honors.

Carter was named the NLC Coach of the Year.

Colony and Wasilla both opened state tournament play Thursday.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.