Pete Ellis
As the women’s soccer team heads into the final stretch of games in its schedule, sophomore midfielder Meredith Parrilla does not lack motivation.
Parrilla has a strong will and drive that her close relationship with her older brother, Matthew, and a family bond formed.
“He is my role model,” Parrilla said. “I admire him so much. He is just a fighter.”
Parrilla’s brother was in boot camp when he found out he couldn’t live his dream of serving his country because of an accident that happened when he was younger. He needed an MRI for an injury in boot camp but couldn’t get one because of a metal wedge lodged in his knee from chopping wood when he was younger. This led to a discharge with honorable intent.
“Ever since he went on a field trip to West Point in the third grade, that is what he wanted to do,” Parrilla said.
“I remember getting up at two in the morning and sending him off. My dad and brother took him to the airport while my mom and me sat at the house balling our eyes out,” she said.
Seeing her brother go after his dream made Parrilla realize she could achieve anything she went after.
“I wanted to play soccer in college,” she said. “That was my goal.”
After being named to all-state, all-county and all-league honors all four years of high school, Parrilla’s ability was hard for coach Laura Kerrigan to miss.
“She is great in the air, tackles hard and has a lot of confidence, which is very valuable to the team,” Kerrigan said. “She also is very personable, outgoing and communicates well.”
Parrilla’s second season with the team has not gone the way she would have liked, with the team having an overall record of 5-6-2 and still being winless in the conference at 0-5.
“I mean, it’s frustrating. Some of these teams we are tying with when I think we should be beating them,” she said. “I want to show them why we are the ACC.”
She tries to keep her struggles on the field separate from her personal life by staying in touch with her family in New Jersey, and she said she likes going back home whenever she can.
“I remember one time when I was going home, and my flight got delayed so it wouldn’t arrive till like 1:30 in the morning. My mom told me to just catch a flight in the next morning,” she said. “But my brother was like, ‘No, Mom, I’ll go get her.’ That meant a lot to me.”
Parrilla will get the chance to play in front of her family when the Wolfpack plays Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass., Sunday, one of the team’s last chances to make a push to for a bid into the NCAA tournament.
She also never loses sight of why she plays. She tapes up her wrist before every game with the initials of someone she is playing that game for.
“When I play, I give 100 percent,” Parrilla said. “I don’t know why you would be out there if you’re not going to give it everything.”