![“[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)
Recap: Boys volleyball defeats Bellarmine, moves onto NorCal finals
Billy Fan bumps the ball during the Eagles’ semifinals matchup against the Bells. The Eagles won three sets to none, 25-15, 25-21, 25-20.
May 18, 2019
The varsity boys volleyball team defeated the Bellarmine Bells 25-15, 25-21, 25-20 in front of an eager home crowd of about 180 fans last night at the Athletic Center in the semifinals of the NorCal Division 1 playoffs. The team advanced to the NorCal finals, where they are slated to compete against the Monta Vista Matadors at Monta Vista on May 18 at 2 p.m.
The Eagles remained firmly in control the whole game, securing an early 6-1 lead behind hits from Billy Fan (10) and diving saves from Chris Gong (12) that set the tone for the rest of the match. Although Bellarmine rallied to cut the deficit to two points at 16-14, Harker went on a 9-1 run to end the first set 25-15, finishing strong with an ace from Jarett Anderson.
“It felt good [to win]. You get in a rhythm, you get in a groove. We’ve been playing well, we’ve been building on what we’re doing. The opponents get better, but we’ve been keeping it together, so it feels good,” Jeffrey Kwan (11) said.
The second set began competitively, with aggressive hitting from both teams evening the score at 7-7. Facing this pressure, the Eagles went on to score 10 out of the next 13 points to gain a comfortable seven-point cushion, at 17-10. Despite a late comeback, Harker was able to keep Bellarmine at bay and win the second set 25-21.
Throughout the game, the excited home fans supported the two teams, cheering them on.
“It’s cool to see all these people out here, it’s awesome. We don’t get many chances to play Bellarmine, and to have so many people out here and watch this game happen, I’m very glad to be able to be in high school during this,” Zachary Hoffman (12) said.
The final set mirrored the second, with the two teams matching up well at the start and tied 9-9. However, several powerful hits from Jeffrey put the Eagles up 14-10, giving them the momentum that they carried through until the end of the match. The third and final game ended 25-20, punctuated by a hit from Jarett.
“I think all of us played well together as a team,” Billy said. “Bellarmine is very talented individually, but I think we just meshed well better together. I think Charlie [Molin (12)] set a beautiful game, we would be nothing without our setters. It was just a great team effort.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s matchup against Monta Vista, the team is focused on building on this momentum to bring home the Division 1 championship.
“This is the best we’ve played all season. Bellarmine’s a strong team and we’re getting hot at the right time; this is the best defensive effort we’ve had all season, especially blocking and being able to slow down their attacking. If we play like that, it’s going to be a great final on Saturday,” assistant coach Alexander Jones said.
The matchup at Monta Vista will be at 2 p.m. today. The Matadors are ranked third in the nation, while the Eagles are ranked fourth. The two teams have played each other four times this season, with the Matadors winning three times and the Eagles winning once. A live broadcast of this match can be watched here, and Harker Aquila will be covering it live.
Additional reporting by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Alysa Suleiman.
