![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Cleats are on, the clock is up, and the game is on.
Tweeeeet. The Eagles penetrated past Immaculate Conception Academy’s (ICA) defense and within just two minutes, Alyssa Amick (10) scored the first goal. From then, the Eagles did not stop.
The girls’ Varsity soccer team defeated ICA 5-0 in a league game yesterday, raising their season record to 4-5-1.
The first half of the game was filled with consistent pressure by the Eagles on ICA’s goal, with the competition taking place mainly on the opponent’s side of the field.
Fifteen minutes into the game, Alyssa launched the ball up the field to forward Sondra Costa (12), who then sprinted to score the second goal. Other highlights included a goal that rolled in from a blocking attempt by ICA’s goalie.
For team member Sondra, this season was a start of something new. After taking a year off playing soccer at the Upper School, Sondra acknowledges the improvements she has witnessed under the guidance of head coach Jason Berry and assistant coach Andrew Ransome.
“We’re improving as shown by our record and we’re working a lot better together,” Sondra said.
The second half of the game consisted of effective Eagles’ defense and included goals by Safia Khouja (10) and Alyssa.
Leading the team are captains Alyssa, Adrienne Mendel (12), Amy Gendotti (12), and Wendy Shwe (12).
With a number of players sidelined by injuries, the team started at a setback. Wendy emphasized the importance of experimenting with the team’s various options due to the limited number of players.
“We’re learning to play as a team, and it’s good to [substitute] people in and see what our options are,” she said.
Berry agreed. Changing the lineup and “putting girls in different scenarios” enabled him to “work out more situational tactics” to prepare for the competition next week.
Some of Berry’s goals for the team this season include an overall winning record and a league title. To attain these accomplishments, he noted what the players need to improve upon.
“Getting the caliber of play in both mental and physical toughness [will help us],” he said. “Reading the field and being aware of the situations and how we react to them are [crucial].
The team will travel on the road to Summit Prep on Tuesday and to Mercy Burlingame on Thursday.
