GoHeels Exclusive: No Regrets For Boyles, Tar Heels

by Pat James

CARY, N.C. – Three months ago, Joanna Boyles stood on the field at WakeMed Soccer Park's Koka Booth Stadium, her comeback from two ACL tears finally complete.

In that game, the North Carolina women's soccer team's season-opening 2-1 victory over Duke, Boyles scored her first goal in nearly two years on a free kick from about 20 yards out. She stomped her feet and screamed. She knew what she'd overcome.

On Sunday, with the Tar Heels locked in a 1-1 tie with Princeton in the third round of the NCAA Tournament, Boyles stood in about that same spot as she lined up for a free kick with less than three minutes left in regulation.

She charged. She fired. And the ball ricocheted off the crossbar.

"I haven't felt that solid on a free kick in a while," Boyles said. "It came off and I definitely thought that one was curling or nicking the post and going down and crossing the line … Soccer is a cruel game."

And Sunday's 2-1 overtime loss against the Tigers provided numerous reminders of that.

The Tar Heels outshot Princeton 24-9. They held an 8-3 edge in shots on goal. But after multiple tries at the game-winner in the second half and overtime – no attempt was more threatening than Boyles' free kick – they saw their season end when Abby Givens poked the ball into an empty net at the 98:18 mark.

The loss marked UNC's first since a 1-0 defeat at Penn State on September 7. In the 72 days that followed, the Tar Heels went 13-0-2, claimed their first ACC championship since 2009 and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in the last seven seasons.

A rash of late-season injuries could have derailed them. But they pressed on.

"It's been a wonderful season for our kids," UNC head coach Anson Dorrance said. "We've played some extraordinary soccer. I'm hoping we can learn something from this because I thought we made some errors that put Princeton in a good position."

Two specifically will likely linger in players' minds for days, weeks and maybe even months to come.

Princeton's first goal came in just the fourth minute, when Samantha Leshnak came off her line to clear a ball near the top of the 18-yard box. The clear, however, deflected off Taylor Otto and into the goal. Then in overtime, on an eerily similar play, Leshnak charged again, only to see Givens' shot slowly roll into the net.

Standing a few yards away, Boyles descended into a crouch. She stared aimlessly. For two years, she had slogged through rehab to return to the pitch. But there was no coming back from this, her final appearance for the Tar Heels.

Even then, through some tears, she remained composed. The lone player requested for postgame interviews, she could have easily declined. Yet she didn't.

"This season was pretty special for me. I wasn't really sure how it would go," said Boyles before stopping to take a breath. "Just for me to be out here and be playing was pretty special. And to be able to be out here with this team and win and win an ACC championship is pretty incredible.

"I have no regrets. None. I'm unbelievably proud of this team and everything it's accomplished."

As she should be.

Players Mentioned

Joanna Boyles

Samantha Leshnak

Taylor Otto

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