![“[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)
Varsity girls volleyball defeated Eastside College Prep 25-8, 25-13, 25-6 in three straight sets at home on Oct. 3.
Harker began the first set with an early 8-3 lead over Eastside through two serving runs by setter Keira Chang (10) and outside hitter Divya Bhupathi (9). The girls held their lead over the Panthers through multiple aces and strong hits. With kills from Divya and middle blocker Juhi Madala (12), as well as saves from defensive specialist Carol Song (12) and libero Norah Mehanna (11), the Eagles extended their lead to 22-6. Despite some minor struggles towards the end of the set, setter Brooke Kubose (10) delivered solid assists, and the team ended the set 25-8.
After another serving run from Keira starting the second set, outside hitter Nat Tan (10) helped keep the momentum up through a few strong hits and solid blocks. Eastside quickly made a comeback, disrupting Harker’s rhythm that brought the score to 11-7. This prompted a timeout from Harker, after which, Juhi rebuilt Harker’s pace through a spike. Keira and outside hitter Elie Ahluwalia (10) expanded the Eagles’ lead further with two more serving runs. Outside Hitter Navya Samuel (11) and Juhi helped Harker win the set 25-13 with a hard hit and a spike respectively.
Harker began the third set tied with Eastside for the first few points. Middle blocker Emily Mitnick (11) helped the Eagles regain their momentum with a decisive block. Serving runs by Elie and Brooke kept the steady pace up. Harker kept Eastside’s points low and finished the set with two strong hits from setter and co-captain Margaret Cartee (12) and Juhi taking home the win, ending the third set 25-6.
“We were a little slow at the beginning,” Elie said. “But in the end, we picked it up, and we still played well. I thought we had some really good serves towards the end. I think we as a team are trying to go after more balls and talk to each other more.”
Avid home game attendee Claire Anderson (11) watches the team face opponents of all different skill levels. She admires the athletic ability required of the sport that the Eagles consistently display during every game, with this game being no exception.
“I find it so cool how they can jump that high and then just smack the ball down, so it was fun [watching] today,” Claire said. “I think they played well, especially some of the blocks Juhi had — it was crazy.”
In preparation for the game, the team focused on keeping their interconnection and team bond strong throughout each of their plays. Varsity girls volleyball coach Theresa “Smitty” Smith commented on Harker’s emphasis on unity and mindfulness during this game.
“We strived not to play down to the level of the competition,” Smith said. “It is very difficult not to do. So, [we] more so focus[ed] on taking care of ourselves and not worrying about what the other team is doing.”
Varsity girls volleyball completed the regular season with a 9-3 league record.
