Newsday Athlete of the Week is Harborfields field hockey's Olivia Eusanio
Olivia Eusanio’s unselfishness is the engine that drives the Harborfields field hockey team.
"She is always trying to help others improve on the field and give them advice," coach Lauren Desiderio said. "She is the full package. She's the perfect student-athlete you hope to have on your team."
Eusanio scored two goals and dished out four assists to lead the Tornadoes to a 9-1 victory against Southampton on Monday. The midfielder recorded her 100th career point. She now stands at 105 career points. No one in program history has come close to the achievement.
For her efforts, the senior is Newsday's Athlete of the Week.
"Going into the season, getting to 100 was a goal of mine," Eusanio said. "I don't think many people realize a lot of my points are assists, so having a good connection with my teammates has helped me this season."
"She probably has a field hockey stick in her hand every day. She wants to be the best and will do whatever she can to help everyone else improve their game," Desiderio said. "She's a key player for us offensively; the crowd and even the officials are blown away by what she has been able to accomplish."
Eusanio's unselfish play makes her stand out. She currently leads all of Long Island in points with 43, scoring 26 goals and dishing out 17 assists, the second most on L.I.
"She has incredible game sense and field of vision. She will make some passes that even I am taken aback," Desiderio said. "She loves being the quarterback of the team, and sometimes getting the assist is more important than getting the goal."
Eusanio's unselfishness goes beyond the field. She is a part of the Athletes Helping Athletes board, where they meet with younger students in elementary schools and teach them about mental health, bullying prevention and alcohol prevention. She is also the Vice President of the Athletic Council for Harborfields, where she helps organize events for athletes to do charitable work.
"I remember when I was younger, students from AHA coming in, and I wanted to be just like them when I got older," Eusanio said. "I don't take this opportunity for granted. I enjoy talking to the students and connecting with them."
She has committed to play for Richmond, where her mother attended.
"When I was looking for colleges, Richmond became my dream school. It is a cool way to honor my mom," Eusanio said. "Not many people from Long Island get the opportunity to play D-I, so when I got the opportunity, it felt like all my hard work paid off."
In her last year at Harborfields, Eusanio wants to capture the Suffolk title again, just like her first year.
"I know this team is more than capable. We have to stay focused and play one game at a time," Eusanio said. "I feel like out of everyone, we are ready to go."