by Alex Trepper

Greensboro College’s women’s soccer team wrapped up their 2023 season on November 1. In what was an exciting and electric season for the Pride, it came to an end in the semi-final round of the USA South Conference tournament. Under head coach Mike Johnston, the Pride finished with a 10-6-4 overall record with an impressive 5-2-2 record in USA South Conference play.  

The Pride started their season in September with their out of conference schedule. Against non-conference opponents the Pride went 3-2-2, giving them momentum going into the start of conference games. They opened conference play at home with a draw versus a talented Brevard College side before steamrolling through Pfeiffer University on the road, winning 3-0. After tough games against William Peace University and Methodist University, the Pride hung a 5-0 scoreline on NC Wesleyan. After a loss to Southern Virginia University, The Pride went on a tear. They dominated their last four opponents in Meredith College, Sweet Briar College, Mary Balwin University and Salem College with a combined 19 goals. This late run by the Pride earned them the #4 seed in the USA South Conference Playoffs.  

To open the conference tournament, the Pride hosted #5 William Peace in the first round. The two teams drew 0-0 in the regular season, but this match was the complete opposite. Both teams scored in the first half, but the Pride saw themselves down 2-1 at halftime. In the second half, the Pride flipped the script and scored four straight goals and went on to win the match 5-3, advancing them to the semi-final round. For the semi-final, the Pride traveled to #1 Southern Virginia University. Unfortunately, the Pride fell short of pulling the upset and had their season ended by SVU, who went on to win the tournament.  

While the Pride came up short in their quest to win the conference, their season was far from a failure. On the individual side, the Pride saw a historic season from their sophomore goalkeeper Sofia Pagnamenta. Pagnamenta started all 20 games for the Pride this season and her brilliant play will see her name enter the Greensboro College Single Season record books for a multitude of achievements. She had a total of eight shutouts, which is the second most in school history. She had a save percentage of .855 which is the fourth best of all time at GC. The most impressive line she posted was a total of 142 saves on the season, which is tied for the all-time record. When asked about her record season in net for the Pride, Sofia stated, “It feels pretty good knowing I give our team a chance a win… but I could not do it without the support of my team.” Sofia was named to the USA South All-Conference second team to cap off her amazing season.  

Additionally, some other bright spots for the Pride this season were the fantastic play of Amery Skinner, Svea Eckstrand and Abby Romanisko. Junior Amery Skinner led the team in goals with 13 on the year and provided stability for the Pride up front in the attacking third. Skinner was rewarded for her excellent play on the year by being named to the USA South All-Conference first team. Freshman Abby Romanisko began her career with an impressive rookie season for the Pride. Romanisko tallied 33 shots and seven goals, which was the second best on the team in both categories, and was also named to the USA South All-Conference first team. Senior Svea Eckstrand was at the center of almost everything positive for the Pride this season. One of the captains for the Pride in her last season, Eckstrand was the main distributor. In this role, she flourished by having seven assists, while also taking almost every attacking set piece, which was very successful.  

Lastly, the Pride backline of Kelsey Jarret, Kyarah Hemmons, Julia Howland and Maci Hulver were spectacular all season long. They held strong against the best teams in the conference and dominated against the weaker sides. These four helped Sofia Pagnamenta in her record season, limiting the quality of chances for other teams while also sparking attacks with clearances and long through balls which often found their teammates. Towards the end of the year, the Pride saw these traditional defenders step up and make big plays in attack. Julia Howland had three goals in big time moments, two of those coming in the postseason.  

In the end, the Pride had an impressive season, with the added bonus of being fun to watch throughout the year. This season will be a huge momentum boost for the program as they head into the offseason and then to the 2024 season.