I actually have extremely high expectations for our crew.”

Co-head coach Stacy Paleen

With a ton of returning varsity players, expectations for the Wolfpack girls soccer team are running high this fall.

Park graduated just a half dozen talented seniors including midfielders Kyra Stofer, Josie Leonard, Natalie Post and Abby Hagness, attacker Hailey Kieffer and goalie McKenna German. But while those players contributed mightily to Park’s success last fall, the Wolfpack cupboard is overflowing with solid returners this fall.

Leading the pack back for the Wolfpack are attackers Lila Krumrie, Kylee Nickle, midfielders Gabby Faletti, Tea Alvarenga and Ava Taschner and defenders Maddie Finstad, Mariella Vanasse, Ella Salmon and Graycie Smith. Senior Paige Stewart will join the lineup as the keeper.

Park went 4-9-4 last season. Park’s struggles were mainly on the offensive side of the ball. The Wolfpack had trouble scoring all season, totaling just 27 goals in 17 games, and 15 of those goals came in just two games against lessor teams in Burnsville (0-16) and Irondale (3-13-1).

“I actually have extremely high expectations for our crew” said co-head coach Stacy Paleen, now in her 30th season with Park soccer, including the last 11 years as a head coach. “Right now, we have about 75 girls out for our four squads, which I think is really, really great. Our varsity squad is 17 returning section roster players and a new goalkeeper, so this year it was really tough to break into the varsity squad.

“So, we have so much varsity experience coming into the season,” Paleen continued. “A lot of these girls actually played on a same club team this summer and so expectations are probably the highest they’ve been in a long time.”

Asked a possible weakness for Park this season, co-head coach Abby Kirsch said, “Honestly I think one of our biggest weaknesses this year is really controlling our emotions, and I think being able to channel them in positive ways, other than looking at a game, oh, this is the last time we’ll play East Ridge.”

“Strength wise, I think being able to play again with so many girls playing back together, I think is huge,” Kirsch added. “And their IQ is phenomenal. And just their ability to play together is huge and again one of our core groups is that they played together all summer long.”

Another point of emphasis for this year’s team will be a focus on nutrition.

“My expectations are really high,” said senior Gabby Faletti. “I feel like this group of girls has worked really hard. And a lot of us play club soccer so I feel like that’s going to only help us only grow so expectations are very high for the season to do well.”

“I think we’re really expecting really big things,” said Maddie Finstad. “We’re really excited. We have a returning roster – we have dreams and goals. … We’re expecting a lot from each other and then we’re also supporting each other and that’s like it, we want to win games, we want to better our record and we want to have a fun season.

There will be few games in the always competitive Suburban East Conference and section that will be cakewalks. Park opens the season Thursday, hosting Bloomington Jefferson in a game starting at 5 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 21 Bloomington Jefferson

Saturday, Aug. 23 Kasson-Mantorville

Tuesday, Aug. 26 at Burnsville

Wednesday, Aug. 27 Minneapolis Washburn

Tuesday, Sept. 2 at Apple Valley

Thursday, Sept. 4 Roseville

Tuesday, Sept. 9 at Stillwater

Thursday, Sept. 11 Cretin-Derham Hall

Saturday, Sept. 13 Eastview

Tuesday, Sept. 16 at White Bear Lake

Thursday, Sept. 18 Woodbury

Tuesday, Sept. 23 at Irondale

Thursday, Sept. 25 Mounds View

Saturday, Sept. 27 at Hastings

Tuesday, Sept. 30 East Ridge

Thursday, Oct. 2 at Forest Lake