![“[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)
The varsity girls soccer team suffered defeat to Sacred Heart Preparatory (SHP) 1-3 on Jan. 19.
The Eagles opened the game with momentum, pushing high up the field and maintaining an offensive stance. After back-and-forth exchanges between the two teams, forward MacEnzie Blue (10) advanced the ball toward the Gator’s goal, allowing Harker to regain the advantage. Fifteen minutes into the first half, forward and co-captain Claire Anderson (11) attempted a shot, but the ball narrowly missed its mark, rebounding off the goal post. The bench erupted in encouraging cheers for the close attempt, keeping the Eagles’ spirits high.
Following a breakdown in Harker’s defense, SHP scored, bringing the score to 0-1. Harker tried to close the gap with a shot from MacEnzie, but the SHP goalkeeper deflected the attempt. With 16 minutes remaining in the first half, the Gators launched another attack. Goalkeeper Kylie Anderson (11) blocked the first shot, but the Gators scored on the follow-up. The Gators gained another point two minutes before halftime, pushing the score to 0-3.
Forward Natalie Barth’s (10) parent Tia Barth commended the team for their perseverance during the first half of the game, commenting on the rainy weather during the match.
“The girls are working really hard and we had some good opportunities,” Barth said. “We had a shot off the bar in the first 15 minutes, but because of the wet conditions, the other team is taking advantage of multiple chances. We’ve got to keep after it because they’ve made all three of their goals on second chances.”
Defensive player Misha Singla (10) noted that the rain during the game heightened the intensity of the match, with both teams competing fiercely.
“Playing in the rain can make the game more fun but also a lot more challenging,” Misha said. “I liked the intensity that Sacred Heart had, too, and we put up a good fight, especially towards the end.”
During the second half, co-captain and mid-fielder Anya Chauhan (12) won a foul inside the penalty box. Claire executed the penalty kick, scoring a goal for the Eagles. The Gators continued to exhibit a strong offense, but the Eagles defended persistently, with Kylie thwarting all the Gators’ attempts to score. This tough defense is a result of the Eagles’ collaboration on the field, which forward Aanya Sharma (9) noted.
“We’re all playing really well separately but we’re dribbling by ourselves too much sometimes,” Aanya said. “When we can come together as a team, which we always try to do, that’s when we definitely play better.”
The team currently holds a 5-4-2 record and plays Nueva next at Skyline College on Saturday.
