After a successful season in 2021, Green Hope women’s soccer is back and ready for more wins in 2022. Last year, the Falcons finished as conference champions with an 11-3-1 record, but some key departures may make it difficult to repeat. All State player Jenna Eller and All Region stars Addie Cooper and Montana Merkle all graduated, leaving a sizable hole in Green Hope’s roster. 

While this hole may be concerning to others, Green Hope’s women’s soccer head coach, Jason Wolfe, is ready for the challenge. A former regional coach of the year and a twenty-plus year vet of coaching soccer is more than qualified to take on what he describes as “the unique challenge that this season presents.” Unique as this upcoming season may be, Coach Wolfe’s approach is no different as he stated, “Every game, regardless of who we are playing, I strive to give my best coaching effort, and I expect my teams to give their best effort and to respect every opponent.” With Knightdale scheduled to play them at home on the 28th, Wolfe and the squad have the opportunity to not only improve but get a win against a Knightdale team that struggled in 2021. 

Green Hope’s star senior, Megan Setlak, who was an honorable mention for All Conference last year, and has played Varsity since her freshman season, has expectations of her own for this season. Contrasting Coach Wolfe’s wider goals for the season Megan states that her goals for the team were to, “make it to the playoffs and beat Panther Creek and Green Level.” Last year in three meetings between the Falcons and their rivals Green Level and Panther Creek the Falcons went undefeated, beating the two by an average margin of four goals. If Green Hope wishes to continue that streak Megan, who works hard to be the best player on the team, will have to elevate her play which she remarks on as her next goal as she said “personally my goal is to make All Conference.” Megan’s All Conference campaign starts this Monday when the Green Hope Falcons face off against the Knightdale Knights. When asked what the strategy was to start off with a win Megan stated that “we just have to defend their best players, move the ball and switch the field.”

After training all winter, women’s soccer will be ready to do just that when they face off in their home opener against Knightdale. Be sure to show out and support our girls as they look to start off with a win.