![“[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 soccer opened the season with a 2-0 victory over Gunn in a home game on Nov. 28.
Captain and defensive midfielder Anya Chauhan (12) scored a goal within the first six minutes of the game. Gunn responded to the early setback by attempting to level the score with offensive efforts, but the Eagles’ defensive players consistently thwarted their advances with their footwork.
“[The Eagles] are a very well-positioned team, especially considering that a lot of the roster were never together,” spectator Christina Blue, mother of attacking midfielder MacEnzie Blue (10), said. “They [showcase] really great footwork, relentless defense and strong passes.”
Throughout the match, both teams engaged in strategic plays and counterattacks. Gunn swiftly maneuvered the ball across the field, probing for opportunities to breach defense, with goalie Kylie Anderson (11) blocking each of their successive attempts to score. The Eagles worked in tandem, persistently pressing forward and creating openings in Gunn’s defensive line.
“As we started getting into the game’s rhythm, we made an effort to slow down and build out from the back line,” center defender Cynthia Wang (12) said. “Our goal was to connect passes among the defense and the midfield to tire out their forwards, and when we saw a gap in their defensive structure, we would play a slip pass to our wingers.”
The Eagles endured sustained offensive pressure from the Titans during the second half of the match, with the ball remaining on Harker’s side. However, the Eagles withstood the Titans’ offensive advance and regained possession of the ball with Kaitlyn Nelson (9) clinching the victory for the team with a goal, elevating the score to 2-0.
“The back line really kept us in the game because they were constantly making saves and winning the ball defensively,” forward Claire Anderson (11) said. “When we had the ball, we tried making quick passes to prevent the opposing team from cornering the ball which helped us get out of the defensive third, find the through balls and ultimately score that last goal.”
The varsity girls soccer team currently holds an undefeated record of 3-0 and will next play Westmont High School on Tuesday.
