![“[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)
Freshman and sophomore girls volleyball team falls to Notre Dame-Belmont
Sophomore Emily McCartney receives a serve during the freshman and sophomore girls volleyball team’s match against Notre Dame-Belmont yesterday. The girls lost 12-25, 18-25.
September 23, 2021
The freshman and sophomore girls volleyball team lost to Notre Dame-Belmont 12-25, 18-25 on Tuesday at home, bringing their record to 0-6.
Coach Joanie Marciano believes the team will continue to improve as the season progresses and as they practice and play more together. Marciano said that many of the athletes on the team are new to volleyball and may get nervous during games. Even though the nerves may prevent them from playing to the best of their abilities, Marciano anticipates the rest of the season and appreciates the team’s spirit and energy.
“I wouldn’t trade them for any team at all, just because of the enthusiasm that they have every day,” Marciano said. “A lot of teams don’t have that. They know the season is going to be a long season because there are a lot of new players new to volleyball, but they’re always there to have fun.”
Emily McCartney (9), who plays outside hitter, hopes to improve her serve and receive passing.
“We’ve had a lot of fun as a team,” Emily said. “We’re getting better as a team, communicating earlier. I think we can get our first win soon.”
The team has nine games remaining in their schedule. Their next match is away against Menlo today at 6:00 p.m. Next Thursday at 4:00 p.m., they will face Notre Dame High at home.
