![“[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)
Junior varsity girls volleyball defeated Menlo School at the Zhang Gymnasium in two sets: 26-24 and 25-22, on Tuesday.
Middle Navya Madipuddi (9) opened the match with two consecutive blocks, allowing Harker to gain a quick 2-0 lead. The Knights responded with two aces and pulled ahead 2-5 after the Eagles struggled to connect on backrow receive. Harker called a timeout at 12-17 to adjust their playing style after Menlo’s strong blocking coverage. Later in the set, opposite hitter Aarya Vaidya (10) scored a kill off a touch to narrow the gap to 17-18.
Head Coach Mason Ward guided players on which zone to serve in with number hand signals. Ward’s strategy disrupted Menlo’s serve receive, helping them regain momentum. Libero Zoya Khera (10) reflected on the team’s growing rhythm as the match progressed.
“I started off a little rough,” Zoya said. “But then my performance got better, and we played really well as a team. There were some really good blocks and it was a fun set to play, especially because we knew someone on the other team.”
The Eagles and Knights battled in a long rally, which ended after the Eagles failed to tip the ball, bringing the score to 21-24. At set point, Navya’s block forced Menlo into a four-touch error, and Harker pulled ahead to win the first set 26-24.
Opposite hitter Selena Ghane (9) reflected on the importance of precise serving in Harker’s comeback, especially during late-game situations. Selena secured the Eagle’s victory, serving for the last four points of the first set.
“I think serve receive makes or breaks those tight moments,” Selena said. “If we get a good pass, we have people who can bounce the ball. We did a good job of coming back when we were down.”
Harker opened the second set by shanking three early serves, giving Menlo a 0-3 lead. Setter Emma Lee (11) assisted opposite hitter Jessie Lin (9) for a kill, evening the score to 4-4. As Menlo continued to make hitting errors and net violations, Selena completed a backrow kill to push Harker ahead 9-6. Abby followed with an ace to extend the gap to 14-12. With the score tight at 21-19, Jessie executed a cross-court hit, and a missed Menlo serve concluded the set at 25-22, sealing Harker’s win.
Ward commended the team’s overall perseverance after they battled back from an early deficit during the first set.
“Last game, we were consistently hitting the same spots,” Ward said. “Throughout the practices in the week, we were able to mix that up and take some more line shots and diversify our attack. I think it really paid off.”
The team holds a record of 9-1 and will play Crystal Springs Uplands School at Harker tomorrow.
